Strange happenings

Lee · 10-22-2005, 07:41 PM

Hello all - I'm new here and wondering if someone can shed some light on this for me.

It's 4.30am, and I was woken about an hour ago by a loud crashing noise - I thought it was my cat on the kitchen bench. I turned on the light to find all three of my animals asleep on the bed. I walked into the kitchen to find a glass vase I had washed and left on the stainless steel sink (rim down) had the base partly smashed off - the broken piece sitting in the kitchen sink about 12 inches away.

I have no explanation for this - its as if it exploded by itself without moving. The vase is in exactly the same position as when I washed it and left it there, but the base is smashed off. How could this happen? I know about poltergeist activity and have experienced a couple of things over the years - is this it? I'd be grateful for some clues. It's a bit scary when something like this happens in front of your eyes and you can't work it out.

Nice to be here - and looking forward to some good chats.

Andrea

wil · 10-22-2005, 08:07 PM

Sounds to me like an air bubble in the glass, the heat from washing it caused some differential air pressure and cooling did the same again...it was sitting there for hours contemplating what to do...it couldn't take the strain and released it...creating a crack, releasing kinetic energy and sending a portion flying.

Either that or Ninja was out working on OBE's again...

All the above is completely made up, but some ghost told me to say it.

namaste,

juantoo3 · 10-22-2005, 11:54 PM

Kindest Regards, Andrea, and welcome to CR!

I am not a physical scientist, so I cannot explain it. I am pretty sure there are a number of possible explanations.

As for poltergeist activity, well, in my humble opinion I can see that as a possibility, but this seems a pretty tame example if it is so.

I have heard of far more extreme examples from otherwise believable folks.

Lee · 10-23-2005, 12:22 AM

Hi Wil, - yes that was the first thing I thought of - but the ridges on the stainless steel sink prevent that - i.e. there's space for air to get out at the bottom of the vase. Hmmm - as Alice said - 'it gets curiouser and curiouser'. Thanks for your replies guys - I'm not even sure if I'm replying in the right spot here - guess I'd better read the instructions!!!

Tao_Equus · 10-23-2005, 03:22 AM

Hello and from one newbie to another welcome!!

When something like that happens it is a bit creepy and it can seem like there is no rational explanation. But I feel pretty certain there will be one. Most likely some weakness in the materials built up enough stress to cause the breakage. I had an empty coffee mug on one ocassion lose its base with so clean a cut it could of been done with a wire on soft clay. That was before my eyes with a mug that had been empty for sometime........and i cannot tell you precisely what but it was definitely due to some weakness in the mug and not supernatural malevolence.
The only other alternative I can think of is that you have a very clever and devious cat that ran back through to feign slumber

I, Brian · 10-23-2005, 09:14 AM

Personally, I'd be more inclined to think it's heat related from what you described - though obviously this isn't too common an experience.

Poltergeist activity isn't really an explanation as much as a label - I should calm yourself from thinking it may be.

Hope that helps, and welcome to CR, Andrea.

1Maria · 10-23-2005, 11:09 AM

Pyrex glass is know to shatter spontaneously - I had a dish shatter in my oven once - so there could be a physical explanation.

Lee · 10-23-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tao_Equus

Hello and from one newbie to another welcome!!

When something like that happens it is a bit creepy and it can seem like there is no rational explanation. But I feel pretty certain there will be one. Most likely some weakness in the materials built up enough stress to cause the breakage. I had an empty coffee mug on one ocassion lose its base with so clean a cut it could of been done with a wire on soft clay. That was before my eyes with a mug that had been empty for sometime........and i cannot tell you precisely what but it was definitely due to some weakness in the mug and not supernatural malevolence.
The only other alternative I can think of is that you have a very clever and devious cat that ran back through to feign slumber

Brian, Maria & Tao - thanks for your input. It probably was some sort of heat related thing. And as for the clever and devious cat - he's such a fat piece of gorgeous black blubber, I don't think he batted an eyelid much less got up - did the deed and raced back to bed!!!