spontanious human combustion

[violetcruel]

Just wondering what your thoughts or theories on this subject are.

[Celumnaz]

I think SHC is a real phenomena. Real rare too.

IMO, I think there can be possibly multiple causes that combine to just the right conditions for it to happen.

Strange things happen. Like that guy who came to work drunk after lunch, but he wasn't drinking, he was jogging. His body naturally made him drunk while jogging.

In certain people, I believe it's possible certain chemicals can be produced to make this happen. Unlikely, rare, like millions to one chance... but possible. Sudden heart failure is possible... so don't go living in fear.

Besides that, it's possible external causes. Some kind of radiation from the sun or space that only would react with a certain biological component. Certain geophysical anomalies, possibly states of mind.

And then, the not so spontaneous "dropped a cigarette on myself" can explain some of them, coals jumping from fireplaces, faulty wiring... that just Looked like the person just burst into flames.

Tesla's death ray?

I don't know the causes, but I can't imagine that's it's 100% completely Impossible... just improbable.

[Pax Unum]

The physical possibilities of spontaneous human combustion are remote. Not only is the body mostly water, but aside from fat tissue and methane gas, there isn't much that burns readily in a human body. To cremate a human body requires a temperature of 1600 degrees Fahrenheit for about two hours.

A more economical and reasonable theory of how human bodies burn in rooms without having the entire room engulfed in flames is the idea of the wick effect. The ignition point of human fat is low and to get the fire going would require an external source. Once ignited, however, a "wick effect" from the body's fat would burn hot enough in certain places to destroy even bones. To prove that a human being might burn like a candle, Dr. John de Haan of the California Criminalistic Institute wrapped a dead pig in a blanket, poured a small amount of gasoline on the blanket, and ignited it. Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning. The fat content of a pig is very similar to the fat content of a human being. The damage to the pig, according to Dr. De Haan "is exactly the same as that from supposed spontaneous human combustion."

spontaneous human combustion (SHC)

[coldethyl]

Dr. John de Haan of the California Criminalistic Institute wrapped a dead pig in a blanket, poured a small amount of gasoline on the blanket, and ignited it. Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning. The fat content of a pig is very similar to the fat content of a human being. The damage to the pig, according to Dr. De Haan "is exactly the same as that from supposed spontaneous human combustion."

spontaneous human combustion (SHC)

This guy just wanted to set a pig on fire....

When I was a kid stories of SHC always scared me to death. I just knew that one day for no reason I was going to burst into flames. Now I feel like if it happens I want to be standing in a room full of people. Imagine, you'd be the coolest person ever! Well, figuratively of course.

[violetcruel]

hmm this is kinda sad i was expecting more then three comments

[Fluffybunny]

hmm this is kinda sad i was expecting more then three comments

You might want to use the search function then. There are many threads on this topic thzt people have contributed to. When the same topic comes up again and again it gets less responses as people don't want to go through the trouble of writing the same thing repeatedly.

Also the response to a topic has much to do with how much effort you put into the initial post. If you have just a single sentence asking for input but not giving anything added to respond to you are less likely to get a response.

[violetcruel]

Good point

[Beggars]

well,i don't know about spontanious human combustion,i just don't know how a human,can all of a sudden,start burning

[Death Star III]

To prove that a human being might burn like a candle, Dr. John de Haan of the California Criminalistic Institute wrapped a dead pig in a blanket, poured a small amount of gasoline on the blanket, and ignited it. Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning.

spontaneous human combustion (SHC)

This guy just wanted to set a pig on fire....

I personally agree with coldethyl, Dr. John de Haan just wanted to set a pig on fire..... as do I.

[rose_ashes]

perhaps it is really just pyrokinesis gone wrong... LOL that would explain why there aren't any people who can actually do such things.

just kidding, just kidding- all in good fun.

[siggnor]

i belive the only way this is possibly is that the organs with bloat, not "explode like an explosive was there in the body.

[Emcee]

When I was a kid stories of SHC always scared me to death. I just knew that one day for no reason I was going to burst into flames.

Bizarre. I felt the exact same way as a child.

I watched too many paranormal shows

[coldethyl]

Bizarre. I felt the exact same way as a child.

I watched too many paranormal shows

It was those dang "Mysteries of the Unknown" books that did it to me....

[Adam_666]

I think its fake because no one can burn from their insides thats just physically impossible.

[Celumnaz]

just had another thought

the body makes electricity, also has lots of different minerals

also is mostly made of water/carbon

uses electricity in rare circumstances to react with the minerals then break water into the explosive elements...

I've no clue how it'd work and more likely to have a heart attack but still was a fun thought...

[Althalus]

To prove that a human being might burn like a candle, Dr. John de Haan of the California Criminalistic Institute wrapped a dead pig in a blanket, poured a small amount of gasoline on the blanket, and ignited it. Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning.

The only problem with the wick effect as this example is called, is the last sentence of the quote (

Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning.

) in real cases of SHC this is instantaneous, the bone dis-integrates almost immediatly with only a bit of the body left which is charred, in many cases. The rest of the cases see's the body either burned or totally gone.

[manitou]

To prove that a human being might burn like a candle, Dr. John de Haan of the California Criminalistic Institute wrapped a dead pig in a blanket, poured a small amount of gasoline on the blanket, and ignited it. Even the bones were destroyed after five hours of continuous burning.

You're forgetting to mention that the entire set built for this experiment went up in flames, unlike any SHC-case.

[violetcruel]

Here's something I noticed in most cases of SHC the torso is the first place to burn supposedly there's some kind of chemical reaction that happens in the stomach also some people say that SHC usually happens to alchoholics, but I can't tell you if it's true just wanted to give you more info on the subject.

[rachelkleypassparrow]

I was reluctant to even think about SHC, but there appears to be something really happening. Something people forget, the body produces small electrical impulses which can be measured. Haven't you ever got static shock. What if in some cases; these people are wired up differently and with the right circumstances their bodies are alight. I pray I never experience it, but I don't rule out the reality of the phenomenon; especially in those poor souls who have experienced it and lived to tell about it.

[3rdeye]

As this is the first SHC(Something i'm deeply interested in) thread I've found, I shall tell you of a book I have. It is the "Book of weird stories 2" or summit like that. In it, it has a stroy of a victim of SHC. However what interested me the most was that, in the info and stories of it, that there has been a case of witnessed SHC and that no matter what happened, they could not put the fire. Also, when they conected up the dots on map, they found the bodies burnt in the exact place for an equaliteral triangle. Once, a man saw a burst of flame erupt from his finger. He smothered it within seconds, becuase it was a 'normal' occurence. I imagine he was the reveiver of numerous mental checks!

Edited June 16, 2006 by 3rdeye

[OldTimeRadio]

I'd like to know what happens if a cosmic ray particle strikes dead-on the nucleus of an atom within the body.

Now the odds of that happening are likely similar to that of shooting a rifle from the top of a skyscraper and hitting a specific, numbered fly.

Could this be a cause of Spontaneous Cremations?

But if so, why doesn't the same thing happen to animals, plants, buildings?

Or DOES it? A lot of house fires go down as "unexplained" - or blamed on "careless smoking" even when the occupant is an extremely conscientious and careful smoker.

[Tooth_and_Claw]

I personally agree with coldethyl, Dr. John de Haan just wanted to set a pig on fire..... as do I.

thats sick you shuld be ashamed of wanting to do that.