A researcher believes she has uncovered the long-standing enigma of a ghostly presence in a South Carolina community.

Since the 1950s, residents of Summerville, South Carolina, have shared tales of a ghostly figure haunting the deserted railroad tracks near Old Sheep Island Road, often referred to as Old Light Road.

According to local lore, a man who either worked or was passing through the railroad was struck and killed by a train. Following his tragic death, his wife purportedly began to haunt the vicinity, wandering with a lantern in hand.

Numerous witnesses have reported seeing a mysterious glow hovering above the tracks and unusual lights that seemingly hover in the air, sometimes approaching them or enlarging in size.

These lights are generally described as small, spherical, and displaying blue or green hues, although some have claimed to see red or white orbs as well.

Additionally, local inhabitants report encountering shaking vehicles, slamming doors, and disembodied whispers near homes and buildings along the rail line.

While this ghostly tale has endured, Dr. Susan Hough, a geophysicist with the Earthquake Hazards Program, posits that a natural phenomenon might explain the seemingly supernatural occurrences.

In 2023, Dr. Hough and a colleague identified a deviation in the South Carolina Railroad tracks which suggested they were constructed along a fault line, indicating that the reported hauntings could actually be a result of minor seismic activity.

Since the 1950s, residents have reported seeing a mysterious glow above the abandoned railroad line near Old Light Road.

In her study of the region’s seismic activity, Dr. Hough stumbled upon an account detailing a significant earthquake measuring between 6.6 and 7.3 on the Richter scale that struck nearby Charleston on September 1, 1886.

According to the New York Times, a historical record noted that the railroad line south of Summerville had shifted approximately 15 feet, signaling its location over an earthquake fault line.

Dr. Hough shared with Science: “There were newspaper articles discussing the Summerville Light, as well as books like *Haunted Summerville.* Initially, I didn’t consider it much.”

“Then last October [2024], a USGS newsletter featured a segment on spooky science, which rekindled my thoughts on the ghost narratives. Certain details strongly hinted at phenomena related to earthquakes.”

She elaborated that the vibrations causing car movements could be attributed to “earthquakes with shallow sources,” referring to tremors occurring within 40 miles of the earth’s crust.

In a similar vein, Dr. Hough suggests that the glowing orbs people associate with the ghostly lantern could, in fact, be “earthquake lights.”

These earthquake lights are optical phenomena that appear in the sky in regions of seismic activity.

Natural phenomena such as sheet lightning—brief flashes of light during earthquakes—along with orbs of light, streamers, and consistent glows may manifest in conjunction with seismic events.

While the exact cause of earthquake lights remains uncertain among scientists, Dr. Hough theorizes that they may result from gas released from beneath the Earth’s surface.

The shaking of vehicles may be the result of ‘earthquakes with a shallow source.’

Dr. Hough stated to Science: “Interestingly, these occurrences are reported throughout various locations, including Wilmington and other areas of the Carolinas.”

“Perhaps these ‘ghosts’ are actually illuminating shallow active faults. Studying them poses challenges since they are difficult to observe directly, but credible theories may provide insights.”

She speculates that the shallow earthquakes in the vicinity could have released gases like radon or methane, which might ignite via static electricity or movement within rocks, leading to the phenomenon of earthquake lights.

Moreover, her hypothesis proposes that these glowing lights could arise from the ignition of flammable gases when exposed to oxygen.

‘The link between ghosts and railroads led me to consider sparks,’ Dr. Hough remarked. ‘However, there could be alternative explanations, such as railroads frequently following routes that coincide with fault lines.’

The glowing orbs people attribute to a ghost’s lantern could be representative of ‘earthquake lights.’

‘Historically, rail companies often left behind old tracks instead of removing them completely.

‘Consequently, large amounts of steel remain in the area, which might account for sparks in the narrative.

‘Additionally, railroads may follow natural pathways shaped by fault lines in the landscape,’ she added.

As for the strange noises reported by locals, these might be attributed to high-frequency vibrations caused by tremors.

‘Sound waves ranging from 20 to 200 Hz are within the human audible range,’ Hough noted in her research.

Sounds at 20-200 Hz are classified as low-frequency, within what humans can hear.

‘Research also indicates that infrasound—sound waves below 20 Hz—can create noticeable sensations.

‘For instance, the foreshocks of the 1886 Charleston earthquake were sometimes described as “detonations,” hinting at high-energy sounds from a shallow source nearby.

‘My ambition is to leverage ghost stories to direct further investigations, helping us understand earthquake lights and identify shallow active faults in eastern North America.’