One of several types of mysterious “falls,” anomalous items that fall from the sky, often associated with UFOs. Angel hair has been described variously as glass-like filaments that dissolve when touched; spiderweb-like fluffy masses that fall on bushes, streets, and trees; cottony, radioactive fibers; silken threads as long as 50 feet; metallic, tinsel-like strands; and short, weak cotton-wool-like fibers. Some falls have been fleeting, but others have allegedly occurred over a period of two or more hours. Because of its fragility and transience, the substance often disappears before scientists have had a chance to analyze it.
Many reports of angel-hair falls were made in the 1950s. Typical was the account of Mrs. W. J. Daily of Puente, California, as reported in a 1957 issue of fate magazine. Mrs. Daily said that she observed a “huge disk or ball-shape object through binoculars. She saw it turn reddish and then expel a fine downy substance that drifted toward earth. When she tried to touch it with her hands, it disappeared, leaving no trace.” She was, however, able to pick up a sample of the stuff with a stick. She placed the substance in glass jars and handed it over to a U.S. Air Force investigator, but no analysis results were revealed.