28 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

A Cambridge professor has tackled the issue of spontaneous combustion – using belly pork.

Prof Brian J Ford is a research biologist and author of more than 30 books, most about cell biology and microscopy but he has turned his attention to the mechanisms behind why people ‘explode’.

He said in an article in New Scientist: “One minute they may be relaxing in a chair, the next they erupt into a fireball.

“Jets of blue fire shoot from their bodies like flames from a blowtorch, and within half an hour they are reduced to a pile of ash.

http://www.cambridge...ry-21082012.htm

[Mnemonix]

While I was reading this a firework exploded, got to love the festive season... Back to reading.

Interesting, but can they explain why people just burst into flames?

Edited by Lrak, 22 August 2012 - 01:49 PM.

[ZaraKitty]

But we're made up of so much watery goop (not sure what it exactly is)

[The New Richard Nixon]

ZaraKitty, on 22 August 2012 - 02:13 PM, said:

But we're made up of so much watery goop (not sure what it exactly is)

Carbon

[Simbi Laveau]

It takes a full 30 minutes to burn ?
That's a long time,in burning time.

[pallidin]

The New Richard Nixon, on 22 August 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

Carbon

President Nixon, please get a new speech writer. Those one-word sentences are annoying.
That one sounds like:

Caaaarrrrrrrrrrrbbbbbooooonnnnnnn

[regeneratia]

How interesting! I always thought that the issue involved a out-of-kelter metabolic happening.

[Ashiene]

All they did is identify one possible material involved in SHC, not even the method that made it happen as they had to set fire to it first!

Edited by Ashiene, 23 August 2012 - 01:35 PM.

[Ryn]

Literally one of the worst ways to die,kinda humiliating really...

[King Fluffs]

Interesting.

[highdesert50]

It would be interesting to see if these cases involving spontaneous combustion were diabetics where ketones could be in a higher concentration. Acetone is extremely flammable, has low flashpoint and can explode at at relatively low concentrations. So, this theory seems plausible.

[pallidin]

How come we never see it during basketball, football, or the Olympics?
Now that would be funny! Sort of.

[Simbi Laveau]

Well as per Randy Marsh ,its from holding in gas ,and as per Nigel Tufnel,you have to be a spinal tap drummer.

[White Unicorn]

Ashiene, on 23 August 2012 - 01:33 PM, said:

All they did is identify one possible material involved in SHC, not even the method that made it happen as they had to set fire to it first!

I agree with you on that .
I have one theory for this  because I really thought at the time I might be burnt to toast!
Who knows there may be many triggers if the person's make up is is like this researcher said ?  

I experienced something that might be what is called ball lightning in 1981.  I don't know , but  I was amazed whatever it was. I just  moved to the country and there was a lightning thunder then a small storm which ended up with a beautiful sunset and rainbow that evening.  I walked in the door from work and left the screen open since the air was so fresh from the rain. I was surprised when I saw a ball of light come floating and stopped in the living room for about 40 seconds or so. It was white like a florescent light and a little bigger than a basketball. I assume it came through the door but I didn't see where it came from since I was too busy just coming home to notice. It moved toward the large bay  window but it popped as it went to a lamp I just turned on ! It flashed like an old time big flash bulb even the same kind of sound but sort of like a small clap of thunder. It smelled like an electrical fire after but there was no fire. The lamp shade smelled and had residue on it because there was some smoke when it happened.  When it happened, it was just raining and part of the sky seemed to have a strange yellow hue but it was just before the big lightning and downpour part of the storm. It was part of the storm obviously.

I always wondered if ball lightning is an answer to the mystery of  unexplained spontaneous combustion after that.

[~C.S.M~]

It sounds plausible. Now we have the inflammable element, we need to identify the trigger. How about checking the med the victims of S.C had intaken? maybe there is some lead in that direction?