Pig ash could reveal how people spontaneously combust

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

Spontaneous human combustion isn't a myth. There are well-documented cases of people suddenly bursting into flames, only to be reduced to a pile of ash half an hour later.

While many scientists have tried to replicate the phenomenon, a recent experiment by biologist Brian J. Ford? is the first to demonstrate a feasible cause. To test his theory that people can explode when there is a build-up of acetone in their body, Ford burned human models made of pork belly marinated in the solvent. The flammable substance can be produced from ketosis, as a result of conditions like alcoholism or low-carbohydrate dieting.

In this video, two miniature dummies burn in about 30 minutes until only their protruding legs are left, a classic hallmark often observed in human victims. Ford thinks the limbs remain unscathed because they contain less fat and so can't absorb as much acetone.

So how likely is it for people with ketosis to explode? For more on this research, read our feature-length article, "Big burn theory: Why humans spontaneously combust".

If you enjoyed this post, see how knitwear can resist superhot flames or watch an explosion simulate the mysterious Buncefield blast.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/229e93a2/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A120C0A80Cpig0Eash0Ecould0Ereveal0Ehow0Epeople0Espontaneously0Ecombust0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

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