The Strange Phenomenon of Spontaneous Human Combustion
Spontaneous human combustion refers to the alleged phenomenon of a human body bursting into flames without an apparent external source of ignition. Descriptions of spontaneous human combustion date back to the 17th century, with a large number of cases recorded in the 19th century and a handful in the 20th and 21st centuries. Altogether, there are a few hundred recorded possible cases.
The most well-known suspected cases of spontaneous human combustion involve victims that were alone at the time of the fire and whose bodies were almost completely incinerated, while nearby objects were barely damaged. The fires seemed to have started suddenly and burned at an extremely high temperature. In many instances, the only remains were a pile of ashes, a few bone fragments, and the victim's shoes.
The scientific consensus is that incidents which might appear as spontaneous combustion did in fact have an external source of ignition, and that spontaneous human combustion without an external ignition source is extremely implausible. However, some proponents argue that spontaneous human combustion may be the result of the wick effect, where body fat acts as a wick and burns at a high temperature. The wick effect hypothesis suggests that the combustion of body fat can result in temperatures high enough to ignite clothing and other flammable materials in contact with the body.
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| The remains of Dr John Irving Bentley (Age 92) almost totally burnt in his home at Coudersport, Pennsylvania on 5 Dec 1966 |
However, most scientists dismiss this theory and argue that an undetected external source, such as a cigarette or match, is the actual cause of these fires.
The public has long been fascinated with the idea of spontaneous human combustion. Famous cases have been featured in many works of fiction, including novels by Herman Melville, Nikolai Gogol, and Charles Dickens. While spontaneous human combustion made for an exciting plot device, most scientists argue there is no evidence to suggest it is real.
The human body is composed mostly of water, and the concentrations of flammable substances in the body like fat and methane gas are too low to ignite a fire spontaneously. In all suspected cases, there has been an external source of ignition, even if it was not readily apparent.
In conclusion, despite many anecdotal stories and sensationalized media reports, there is no scientific evidence that spontaneous human combustion is a real phenomenon. While it continues to capture public interest, most scientists consider there to be rational, scientific explanations for all suspected cases.
Aidaros
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