Spontaneous Combustion
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Spontaneous Combustion
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 skildude  Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 9541 Credit: 50,759,529 RAC: 60 
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IIRC even the Mythbusters proved that the Spontaneous Combustion idea is false. What occurs is usually the person either dies or is asphyxiated due to smoke inhalation in an enclosed room. If the person was smoking in bed or elsewhere, their clothing or other material catches fire which quickly extinguishes itself due to the lack of Oxygen in the room(enclosed area). The fire them slowly smolders. a body will burn slowly in this manner for several days leaving at best the hands and feet. THe event looks like the person spontaneously combusted. However their combustion was a much more delayed action and not spontaneous at all.  In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. Diogenes Of Sinope ID: 1155407 ·  |
Gary Charpentier     Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 31002 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 
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Read something that all the "known" cases were found near fireplaces, etc. My wild guess is that hair or clothing got caught with an ember. And the body is meat and fat so yes it will burn. 
ID: 1155415 · |
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ML1 Send message Joined: 25 Nov 01 Posts: 21204 Credit: 7,508,002 RAC: 20 
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More commonly known as the candle effect. Fat + wicking material (clothing) + confined space can slowly smoulder-burn with near complete combustion. If crematoria were not so rushed, that could be a very much more efficient way of getting to ashes to ashes, dust to dust... The waste heat could heat a swimming pool or few as a positive side effect! Keep searchin', Martin See new freedom: Mageia Linux Take a look for yourself: Linux Format The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3) ID: 1155416 · |
William Rothamel  Send message Joined: 25 Oct 06 Posts: 3756 Credit: 1,999,735 RAC: 4
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Spontaneous combustion is another Urban Myth. ID: 1155476 · |
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skildude Send message Joined: 4 Oct 00 Posts: 9541 Credit: 50,759,529 RAC: 60
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coroners in many places do not have to be Pathologists. many rural areas of the US have the local mortician working as a coroner. A Pathologist would hopefully not fall prey to this myth. It is true that the actual cause of death is quite obfuscated by the body being burned. However, the problem with the myth is that there are no eye witnesses to the burning as it occurs. Given that little conundrum time to sink in and a reasonable person will conclude that either its a coincidence or that spontaneous combustion is a crock In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face. Diogenes Of Sinope ID: 1155800 · |
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Dr Imaginario Send message Joined: 10 Aug 11 Posts: 172 Credit: 22,735 RAC: 0 
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Spontaneous_human_combustion Why this event never occures on some politicians, and is always a poor sould that get disintegrated by a ray gun. Maybe Spock was there :D This is the kind of news that you expect to read on the "National Inquirer" newspaper type and sites, not on BBC, I guess standards are getting lower :D What next, PM cameron was caught in a Yellow polka dot Bikini? ID: 1157044 · |
John McCallum  Send message Joined: 5 Dec 04 Posts: 879 Credit: 599,458 RAC: 8
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What next, PM cameron was caught in a Yellow polka dot Bikini? Now that realy would be news. Old enough to know better(but)still young enough not to care ID: 1157083 · |
Bob DeWoody  Send message Joined: 9 May 10 Posts: 3387 Credit: 4,182,900 RAC: 10
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spontaneous combustion = smoking in bed, falling asleep dropping the cigarette and poof. Bob DeWoody My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events. ID: 1158423 · |
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