They don't. Science does not deal with matters like folk tales, superstitions and urban legends. Science deals with hypotheses that can be tested and verified by experimentation or observation. Children claiming to have experienced a vision is not a subject of concern to scientists, any more than it is a concern of judges, chemical engineers or garbage truck drivers. Opinion:
Poor answer. There was a crowd of witnesses to the event, not simply children. Answer:
Science does study visions, hallucinations, ghosts and seeing faces in clouds to determine the causes. Some of the causes are from health problems (brain injury), extreme stress (American Aboriginal spirit quests involving heat and dehydration), mistaken identification of natural causes , a protective measure to see "tigers in the forest" to avoid threats, a natural tendency to see human faces in clouds and smudges of colour (pareidolia). They have even been able to reproduce some of the experiences by direct electromagnetic stimulation of the brain or psychoactive drugs. While some cases are marked cause unknown (pending further investigation) no peer reviewed scientific study has concluded the event to result from supernatural. Further: There are many such cases of crowds sharing (or claiming to share) a vision. It happens all over the world, with different religions, and has happened in the past as well. There is, however, no good evidence to suggest that there is a supernatural cause behind any visions. There are also simpler possible explanations, including (but not limited to):
* Collective hallucinations - where the people in a crowd all believe that they all saw something happen because they were susceptible to suggestion at the time - for example, they expected a specific religious miracle to occur. See the link for more details and examples.
* Outright fraud - magicians and conjurers have been using techniques for millenia to fool whole crowds, and some unethical people will use these techniques for purposes other than just entertainment * the "me too phenomenon" - where people want to be included in the group that can see the emperors new clothes, are possessed by the spirits, or see a ghost and so forth
There were only six apparitions at Fatima.
He was one of the three shephard children that saw the apparitions of Mary in Fatima in 1917.
Our Lady appeared at Fatima consecutively for 6 months: the 13th of May to the 13th of October.
: In 1917, three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, claimed to have witnessed a series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary. During one of these apparitions, known as the Miracle of the Sun, witnesses reported seeing the sun "dance" in the sky, changing colors and appearing to approach the Earth
Desmond E. Stringer has written: 'Her plan for peace' -- subject(s): Apparitions and miracles, Devotion to, Fatima, Our Lady of, Our Lady of Fatima
The community was embarrassed at first, believing the apparitions a hoax but when they were verified and declared authentic by the Church, Fatima then became famous and a major pilgrimage site.
In the story of Fatima, there were six reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto—between May 13 and October 13, 1917. These apparitions occurred monthly, culminating in the well-known Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917. The messages conveyed during these apparitions addressed themes of prayer, penance, and the importance of devotion to Mary.
A. del Pinar has written: 'Da Fatima a Garabandal' -- subject(s): Apparitions and miracles
The three children of Fatima are Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto. They were known for experiencing the Marian apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, where they reported visions of the Virgin Mary. The messages conveyed during these apparitions emphasized prayer, penance, and devotion to God. Francisco and Jacinta were later canonized as saints by the Catholic Church, while Lucia became a nun and passed away in 2005.
Our Lady of Fatima refers to the title given to the Virgin Mary after her reported apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. During these apparitions, she conveyed messages of prayer, penance, and the importance of faith, urging people to turn to God. The primary focus of her messages was to promote peace and warn of the consequences of sin, particularly in relation to the world events of that time. Her role is seen as a spiritual guide and intercessor for humanity.
Our Lady of Fatima is one of the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she appeared to the three children, Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta, at Fatima, Portugal early in the 20th century. Mary had already been recognized as a saint for about 1900 years prior to the apparitions.
There were six reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal, which occurred between May 13 and October 13, 1917. The three shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos, Francisco, and Jacinta Marto—witnessed these visions, with the final apparition occurring on October 13, during which the Miracle of the Sun was also witnessed by thousands of people.