Why does spontaneous human combustion occur

American prohibitionists helped spread this notion as they denounced the evils of alcoholism [source: Behr ]. Other ideas are more popular today. One widespread belief says the fire is sparked when methane a flammable gas produced by gut bacteria builds up in the intestines and is ignited by enzymes proteins in the body that act as catalysts to induce and speed up chemical reactions [source: Reville ].

Yet this begs the question of why there are no reported instances of spontaneous combustion in cows, which produce far more methane than people [source: Radford ].

It's also been suggested that the fire begins because of static electricity building up inside the body or from an external geomagnetic force. A self-proclaimed expert on spontaneous human combustion, Larry Arnold, has suggested that the phenomenon is the work of a new subatomic particle called a pyroton , which he says interacts with cells to create a mini-explosion.

But as of August , there's no scientific evidence that proves the existence of this particle — or spontaneous human combustion itself [source: McCarthy ].

If spontaneous human combustion isn't real, then what's the explanation for the stories of people who have seemingly burned from within? And what really occurred in the many pictures that depict the charred bodies of alleged victims?

A possible explanation is the wick effect. When lit by a cigarette , smoldering ember or other heat source, the human body acts much like an inside-out candle. A candle is composed of a wick on the inside surrounded by a wax made of flammable fatty acids.

The wax ignites the wick and keeps it burning. In the human body, the body fat acts as the flammable substance, and the victim's clothing or hair acts as the wick. As the fat melts from the heat, it soaks into the clothing and acts as a wax-like substance to keep the wick burning slowly. Scientists say this would explain why victims' bodies are destroyed yet their surroundings are barely burned [source: McCarthy ].

Forensic scientist John DeHaan once watched this gruesome spectacle unfold in real time — to a pig, anyway. In a experiment that was televised on the BBC, he wrapped a pig corpse in a blanket, then lit the garment ablaze with some petrol. As DeHaan looked on, the animal's body fat liquified, adding more fuel to the fire.

By the time he put out the flames a few hours later, the slow, intense burn had converted a large percentage of the pig's flesh and bones into ash. The rest of the room suffered minimal damage. Yet the dead pig's feet remained intact. This is consistent with reports of SHC leaving disembodied feet or hands behind. Extremities don't contain as much fat as the core of the body does, so they're less likely to go up in smoke when the wick effect occurs.

Now how does science account for the greasy stains left on walls and ceilings after a spontaneous combustion? Those could simply be the residue that was produced when the victims' fatty tissue burned [source: Nickell ]. Once again, we must stress that no one has ever conclusively proven or disproven the existence of SHC. Most scientists say there are more likely explanations for what happened to those who died in the cases we've discussed.

Many so-called victims of SHC were smokers who probably died by falling asleep with a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe. Several them were believed to have been under the influence of alcohol — or suffered from a movement-restricting disorder that prevented them from moving quickly enough to escape the fire [source: Benecke].

The validity of spontaneous human combustion is viewed with skepticism by the scientific community. But some objects have been scientifically proven to burst into flames without an outside heat source.

One example is a pile of oily rags stored together in an open container such as a bucket. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Recommended Read more Woman appears to spontaneously burst into flames on park bench.

More about Spontaneous Human Combustion. Already subscribed? Log in. History Vault. Recommended for you. How the Troubles Began in Northern Ireland. Is the curse of King Tut real? Was Dracula a real person? This individual has the ability to both control external fire and create and control his own.

Fourth Generation , as dubbed by Haumea , [3] are pyrokinetic individuals who possess and have awakened their Adolla Burst and connected with an other worldly being through the Adolla Link. Being a Fourth Generation allows one to achieve abilities that a pyrokinetic would normally not be able achieve, in some cases, abilities that can manipulate the laws of physics.

One of the key mysteries about Spontaneous Combustion is what caused to appear and how it spreads. While in some cases it is totally random and sudden, it is also possible to deliberately trigger it using a certain type of insect. Once stung, the victim either transforms into an Infernal or awakens their pyrokinetic abilities. It is confirmed in the series that it is the servants of the Evangelist who are at least partially the cause. Spontaneous Human Combustion occurs due to the encroachment of a persons doppelganger, their counterpart that exists in the world of Adolla , into the physical world.

Little else is known about the phenomenon beyond this, such as the difference between the creation of an Infernal to the granting of Pyrokinetic abilities.

The ultimate goal of the Evangelist is to utilize the Adolla Bursts to force Earth and Adolla to completely overlap, and the Great Cataclysm was an incomplete and failed attempt at this. The world previous to the Cataclysm was so different in nature to that of the world of Fire Force in that it resembled the real world, visually that the effects the phenomenon that Spontaneous Human Combustion arises from seem to be much more mysterious than previously assumed.