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Spontaneous combustion or spontaneous ignition is a type of combustion which occurs by self-heating (increase in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions), followed by thermal runaway (self heating which rapidly accelerates to high temperatures) and finally, autoignition.
Feb 6, 2013 · The web page explores the debate over whether human beings can spontaneously combust, or burst into flames without being ignited by an external source. It cites historical cases, scientific explanations and alternative theories of the phenomenon, such as bacteria, static electricity or alcoholism. It also points out that the human body is not flammable and that most cases are likely caused by accidental fires.
Spontaneous human combustion is a mystery with an impressive literary pedigree, but it is almost certainly no more than a myth. The scientific explanations for how a body can spontaneously burst into flames have been discredited by experiments and forensic analysis. The most likely explanation is that there is an external source of ignition that sets off the wick effect, but the evidence is destroyed by the fire.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the pseudoscientific concept of the spontaneous combustion of a living (or recently deceased) human body without an apparent external source of ignition. In addition to reported cases, descriptions of the alleged phenomenon appear in literature, and both types have been observed to share common ...
Learn about the chemical reaction that causes fire without external heat, such as in hay or coal piles. Find out how to prevent spontaneous combustion by inhibiting oxidation or wetting the material.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dec 19, 2013 · published 19 December 2013. (Image credit: Sergey Nivens | Shutterstock) For well over a century, some have claimed that people can suddenly and inexplicably explode into a ball of fire. The...
Sep 21, 2023 · Learn about the history, theories and evidence of spontaneous human combustion, a phenomenon that allegedly causes people to catch fire from within with no apparent cause. Find out why most scientists are skeptical of this claim and what are the possible explanations for the cases of alleged SHC.
