Can Humans Spontaneously Combust?

[mech-eng]

I would like to ask you whether or not people can caught fire naturally. I remember there was a discussion in the tv but I cannot google it because I don't know correct terms.

Source: Self-made

Thank you.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It's called
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion

I believe it's mostly pseudoscience.

 

[phinds]

It's called
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_human_combustion

I believe it's mostly pseudoscience.

Why is there a "mostly" in that sentence?

 

[newjerseyrunner]

Wait. Is the original post about spontaneous combustion or simply the flammability of humans? Humans are mostly water, so we tend to smolder, not burn.

 

[mech-eng]

Wait. Is the original post about spontaneous combustion or simply the flammability of humans? Humans are mostly water, so we tend to smolder, not burn.

What's the difference?

Thank you.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

What's the difference?

Thank you.

Spontaneous human combustion is the idea that under some very unique conditions, humans can simply ignite into ball of flames. This is largely not believed to be possible, and all cases of it seem to have simpler explanations (like them having a heart attack while smoking and having a brandy. Someone has the heart attack, spills the brandy on themselves, dies which causes the cigar to fall out of their mouth onto the brandy.)

Just being flammable means that if you try to use a blowtorch (or a match) to light someone on fire, you could do it. Human beings do burn like anything else biological, but it requires an external source of fuel (gasoline for example.)

 

[mech-eng]

Spontaneous human combustion is the idea that under some very unique conditions, humans can simply ignite into ball of flames. This is largely not believed to be possible, and all cases of it seem to have simpler explanations (like them having a heart attack while smoking and having a brandy. Someone has the heart attack, spills the brandy on themselves, dies which causes the cigar to fall out of their mouth onto the brandy.)

Just being flammable means that if you try to use a blowtorch (or a match) to light someone on fire, you could do it. Human beings do burn like anything else biological, but it requires an external source of fuel (gasoline for example.)

One of my instructor used to say that according to quantum physics if you release something, there is a possibility that it might not fall down. There are lots of phenomena in nature and SHC might be possible, too.

Thank you.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

There are lots of phenomena in nature and SHC might be possible, too.

Ultimately outside our mission so we'll end here. Thanks!