Unraveling The Mysterious Phenomenon Of Spontaneous Human Combustion
Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is a concept that has sparked debate and controversy for centuries. With numerous reports of people suddenly bursting into flames without an apparent ignition source, many are left scratching their heads. Let’s delve into some of the most bizarre tales of SHC recorded and the science that attempts to explain why this phenomenon happens.
1. The Incendiary Mary Reeser
The story of Mary Reeser is to this day, one of the most puzzling spontaneous combustion cases. On July 2, 1951, Mary, a 67-year-old widow from Florida, United States, was found completely incinerated in her own home. All that remained of her was a pile of ashes, a skull shrunk to the size of a teacup, and her left foot perfectly preserved within a slipper. The surrounding room, surprisingly, was mostly untouched by fire, except a plastic outlet cover that had melted from heat.
2. Embroiled Enigma of George Mott
Fast forward to 1986, another puzzling case of SHC occurred in New York. George Mott, a retired fireman, was found reduced to ashes with only portions of his skull and several bone fragments remaining. The room he was found in, striking similar to Mary Reeser’s case, suffered minimal fire damage and surrounding plastic objects distorted from intense heat.
3. Quaint Case of Robert Bailey
In 1967, a derelict named Robert Bailey was rescued by London firefighters from, apparently, a self-inflicted blaze. What makes this case unusual was how Bailey levitated in the center of a blue flame while surrounded by undamaged furniture. It was too late to save him, yet occupants in the building reported no sight of fire or smell of smoke before his discovery.
Scientific Attempts to Explain Spontaneous Human Combustion
Despite being riddled with mystery, scientists have proposed several theories aiming to explain SHC.
1. The Wick Theory
The ‘wick effect’ has gained significant traction as a potential solution to the SHC phenomenon. This theory suggests that the human body becomes a candle in these instances. Clothing or hair acts as a wick, while body fat plays the role of candle wax. The fat melts from the heat, gets absorbed by clothing, and continues to burn.
2. Alcohol Assumption
There’s also the theory that alcohol consumption could trigger SHC. The notion here is that excessive quantities of alcohol in the body turn people into potential firesticks. However, experiments conducted on this basis have consistently failed to materialize into anything concrete.
3. Static Electricity and the Human Body
Then there’s the static electricity theory where a spark caused by electrical imbalance within the body could ignite a fire. Scientists, however, consider this explanation improbable, as no scenario could generate static electricity significant enough to cause a conflagration.
What Does The Law Say?
Interestingly, SHC has been presented as a cause of death in legal systems. In 2011, an Irish coroner deemed SHC as the cause of death for a 76-year-old man, Michael Faherty. This verdict marked one of the recent few times spontaneous human combustion has been identified as the rationale behind a casualty in a formal investigation.
In the Midst of Mystery
Even today, spontaneous human combustion remains one of the most perplexing phenomena that continue to puzzle scientists and thrill seekers alike. While some theorize these cases as mere accidents nurtured by flammable substances, others speculate about the mysterious interplay between the human body and fire. Despite a lack of consensus, the stories of those who perished, engulfed by fire from within, will keep fuelling the strange enigma known as spontaneous human combustion.