Case file · High strangeness
Maracaibo humming light
On 24 October 1886 a family of nine in a hut near Maracaibo was woken by a loud hum and dazzling light; swellings, hair loss and peeling skin followed, as reported by the US consulate in Scientific American.
1886 CE · 10.60, -71.70 · status: account
The account
Warner Cowgill's letter, dated 17 November 1886, ran in Scientific American on 18 December 1886 as 'Curious phenomenon in Venezuela'. He added that nearby trees withered on the ninth day.
The sceptical view
Ball lightning or a lightning strike nearby are the usual suggestions; the radiation-like symptoms are sometimes used in UFO literature, but nothing was investigated at the time.