Spontaneous human combustion

Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the burning of a person's body, allegedly without any external source of ignition. The combustion may result in simple burns and blisters to the skin, smoking, or a complete incineration of the body. The latter is the form most often 'recognized' as SHC.

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There is much speculation and controversy over SHC. It is not a proven natural occurrence, but many theories that attempt to explain how SHC may happen also attempt to prove that it exists.

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Although mathematically it can be shown that the human body contains enough energy stored in the form of fat and other tissues to consume it completely, in normal circumstances bodies will not sustain a flame on their own.

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The two most common explanations offered to account for apparent SHC are the non-spontaneous "wick effect" fire, and the rare discharge called static flash fires.

Related Topics:
Wick effect - Static flash fires

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