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The reading passage and the lecture are both dealing with the mystical phenomenon called will-o'-the wisp. The author of the reading passage argues that this phenomenon is caused by either chemical reaction, insects, or barn owls. The lecturer, on the other hand, casts doubt on the claim made in the reading article.
First, the lecturer insists that existing experiments have already demonstrated a significant difference between the outcome of chemical reactions and will-o'-the-wisp: while chemicals have exhibited cool, greenish light, will-o'-the-wisp shows warm, yellowish light. This refutes the assertion of the reading passage that chemical illumination caused by gases can be the reason why the phenomenon appears.
Next, the speaker claims that the characteristics of the lights of fireflies are also distinct from will-o'-the-wisp. She points out that fireflies have a widespread form of light that blinks, whereas will-o'-the-wisp are witnessed as small balls of light that steadily glows. This contradicts the reading passage's argument that swarms of fireflies might be responsible for the will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon.
Lastly, the professor mentions that it is not plausible to identify barn owls as the potential cause of the will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon. This is because it is perceived as a lasting radiance that floats the air, unlike the flashes of light reflected by the barn owls' feathers. This rebuts the reading passage's point that the light bounced out of barn owl's feathers might be a potential reason for will-o'-the-wisp phenomenon. |