In March 1974 a metallic sphere was found in a field at Fort George Island, Florida USA, after a fire had raged through it. Whether the sphere materialized during the blaze, as a consequence of it, or in fact caused the fire in the first place, has not been explained. The property was owned by the Betz family, who located it in the blackened field afterwards. They kept the strange ball and played around with it for some time before its reputation spread through the media and, ultimately, it was taken away by the military.

It has become known as the Betz Sphere. Early on, Gerri Betz’s son Terry played his guitar in the room with it, which responded by vibrating itself, “like a tuning fork.” Subsequently the metallic ball would occasionally vibrate at a low frequency on its own, without the input of Terry’s electric guitar. They said it would make “tinkling noises” without any external stimulation. It was able to move around on tables by itself, turning corners and forming arcs, and would always stop at the edge without rolling off. Placed on the floor, it was known to sometimes follow Terry as he walked around.

Later, after sufficient public interest was aroused, Navy investigators took precise measurements of the sphere, which they found was 202.2 millimeters (7.96 inches) in diameter and weighed 9.68 kilograms (21.34 pounds). Soundings revealed it was hollow, with a 13-millimeter-thick (about one-half-inch) shell capable of withstanding pressures of 120,000 pounds per square inch. Metallurgical testing demonstrated it was composed of high-grade, stainless steel - specifically, magnetic ferrous alloy #431, a magnetic, nickel-bearing metal. Magnetometer tests showed that the sphere was not only “intensely magnetic,” but possessed four, different, non-concentric, magnetic poles, two positive and two negative - a geophysical impossibility. Radio waves were found to be emanating from it, but it did not show any signs of radioactivity.

When examiners used a 300 KV X-ray machine, they detected two, smaller, spheroid shapes inside the larger globe, each surrounded by an inexplicable “halo”, and made of some unknown material measuring unusually high density. While the heaviest element yet produced in any atomic reactor here on Earth has an atomic number of 105, and the heaviest element occurring naturally on Earth is uranium, with an atomic number of 92, the Betz sphere was found to have atomic numbers higher than 140. When the one of the original examiners wanted to cut into the orb for closer study Mrs. Betz refused permission. A scientist later applauded her decision, speculating that if one were to drill into the sphere “perhaps the masses would go critical” and explode like an atomic bomb.

The sphere continually demonstrated that it was influenced by sunlight, leading the Betz family to believe it might actually have been solar-powered in some manner, although it registered no obvious changes when exposed to direct heat or infrared light. The only marking on its exterior was a small, elongated triangle. There is reason to believe that was conscious and intelligent. I believe its form and function was modelled on the Heliosphere.

Ultimately, the sphere was confiscated by the U.S. military and further discussion has since been suppressed. In spite of renewed interest recently by investigative journalists, the Betz family themselves refuse to talk about it these days, and it has become an enduring mystery.

Credit for Images Above & Below: https://intriguedmind.com/whatever-happened-to-the-betz-mystery-sphere/