Spontaneous Human Combustion: Theories and Hypotheses

Spontaneous Human Combustion or SHC is a terrifying and supposedly unexplained phenomenon in which a person suddenly bursts into flames, being consumed within minutes or in some cases, seconds, without an external source of ignition. The fire is believed to originate from within the body cavity (torso) itself. There are many theories that try to explain this rare and shocking occurrence. One supposition is the “Wick Effect” theory in which a person’s clothing becomes saturated with human fat from the body itself. It then ignites, acting much like a candle wick. One popular hypothesis is that a body can be…