What is Spontaneous Human Combustion?
Spontaneous Human Combustion is a strange phenomenon that has been going on for centuries. The definition of SHC is the apparent burning of a living human without a source of external ignition. Though every case varies, most victims start with strange burns appearing on their skin or smoke emitting from their bodies when no fire is present. To this day SHC has no explanation, and we constantly ponder why people have randomly burst into flames.
With SHC there is two types of cases, the fatal and the non-fatal cases. As you can probably tell, the non-fatal cases occur when the victim remains alive after the incident. Though this is a small percent of the victims, it is still a form of SHC. It usually happens when random burns appear on the victims skin, but the victim doesn't go up in flames. Though this is still considered SHC, sometimes these cases go under the mysterious burns category.
As for the fatal cases of SHC, the victims are always reduced to a pile of ashes and there are usually a few similarities between each case. These include hands and feet remaining unburned and surroundings showing no signs of burning. In addition, the victims were usually in their homes, their organs were still preserved, and they were usually overweight or alcoholics.
Though SHC has no apparent cause, scientist continue to come up with different theories to explain why something so obscure could happen. Some theories are more unreasonable than others, but they continue to make us think about the core cause of SHC. Along with these theories, there is a growing list of victims who have so unexpectedly died from this strange occurrence. We must continue to remember these victims as we search for the true cause of SHC.
With SHC there is two types of cases, the fatal and the non-fatal cases. As you can probably tell, the non-fatal cases occur when the victim remains alive after the incident. Though this is a small percent of the victims, it is still a form of SHC. It usually happens when random burns appear on the victims skin, but the victim doesn't go up in flames. Though this is still considered SHC, sometimes these cases go under the mysterious burns category.
As for the fatal cases of SHC, the victims are always reduced to a pile of ashes and there are usually a few similarities between each case. These include hands and feet remaining unburned and surroundings showing no signs of burning. In addition, the victims were usually in their homes, their organs were still preserved, and they were usually overweight or alcoholics.
Though SHC has no apparent cause, scientist continue to come up with different theories to explain why something so obscure could happen. Some theories are more unreasonable than others, but they continue to make us think about the core cause of SHC. Along with these theories, there is a growing list of victims who have so unexpectedly died from this strange occurrence. We must continue to remember these victims as we search for the true cause of SHC.
"The opinion that a man can burn of himself is not founded on a knowledge of the circumstances of the death, but on the reverse of knowledge - on complete ignorance of all the causes or conditions which preceded the accident and caused it."
- Justus von Liebig (1855)
- Justus von Liebig (1855)