Spontanoes human combustion

[Archbob]

I gotta know how this happens. How do humans just randomly burst into flames(unless of course they are stupid and accidently touched the stove or something). I mean, it just doesn't make any sense.

[Dusty]

I'll explain how it happens: It doesn't. Anyone that tells you it does also stands in a lawn chair in their backyard every night trying to flag down alien spacecrafts. Of all the thirty or so cases of SHC, notta one of them can't be explained away as a conventional fire.


From the Skeptical Inquirier:

In most cases, the combustion was far from spontaneous. Candles, oil lamps, smoking material, fireplaces... in nearly all cases there was an obvious origin for the fire.

Most of the victims were slow to react to being on fire. They are all either old, overweight, alcoholics, handicapped, or under the influence of sleeping pills.

Bodies can burn at much lower temperatures than was once believed. It was once thought a fire of over 2000 degrees was required to burn an entire body, but it has since been proven even a slow smoldering flame can consume a person if given a long enough time.

In cases where the entire body was reduced to ashes, there was always an outside source to feed the fire, such as old and dry floorboards, highly-flammable evening wear, and overstuffed armchairs.


The case involving one Mrs. Reeser is probably the most documented incident of SHC, but in reality all it was was a case of a lit cigarette, two sleeping pills, and a nightgown that might as well had been made of gasoline.

[Haze]

Actually it does happen. Its not known exactly how it does happen but it is thought that the electricity naturally present in your body ( to keep your heart pumping, etc ) goes all spastic and you just go up in flames.

There was this dude a while back, I cant remember his name but he was actually able to set things on fire because he had complete control over the electricity in his body.

[Coolin]

Originally posted by evilhaze
Actually it does happen. Its not known exactly how it does happen but it is thought that the electricity naturally present in your body ( to keep your heart pumping, etc ) goes all spastic and you just go up in flames.

There was this dude a while back, I cant remember his name but he was actually able to set things on fire because he had complete control over the electricity in his body. Drink drain cleaner and your stomach turns into water and salt. Is that close enough? :confused:

[Toefur]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[LeX]

It'd be cool if we were able to see it with our own eyes. (As long as it's nobody I care about :p)

[Toefur]

Originally posted by LeX
It'd be cool if we were able to see it with our own eyes. (As long as it's nobody I care about :p)

Haha, indeed!

Imagine like sitting in class at school, and you're sitting next to a friend talking and all of a sudden... "Uh, man... I think you' just spontaneously combusted..."

[Dusty]

Evilhaze: When you meet E.T., be sure to give him my number, 'k?

There have been many people that have tried to give merit to SHC, some more off-the-wall than others, but the explanation that's more than likely right is the most obvious one: 1) Something lit the person on fire, i.e. a cigarette 2) They burned to death because they were incapacitated, i.e. sleeping pills.

The main reason people still believe in SHC is because "she spontaneously combusted" makes a better story than "she was sleeping with a lit cigarette". People don't want to stop believe it.

[Archbob]

Yeah its a wierd thing, I don't believe it myself.

[Canuckkev]

Didn't you see that South Park episode? The solution was make sure gas (methane) did not build up in the body. The release of the gas is the only way to preven Spontaneous human combustion.

[Coolin]

Originally posted by Canuckkev
Didn't you see that South Park episode? The solution was make sure gas (methane) did not build up in the body. The release of the gas is the only way to preven Spontaneous human combustion. LOL :D

[Haze]

Dusty: Give me your number and I will give it to him on my next visit. Im in need of a long overdue vacation :)

[Dusty]

Give me your number and I will give it to him on my next visit867-5309. Jenny will probably answer, just say the call's for me. ;)

[Rodie]

I saw some strange show on SHC hosted by Mitch Pilegi (from the X-files). It gave only about 2 *possible* occurences of SHC, and one of them dealt with some old lady who was smoking a cigarette with a heat lamp by her bed. Still, some wanna-be scientist tried to convince everyone otherwise. :rolleyes: