espen@well.UUCP (Peter Espen) (01/06/86)
I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where certain
information regarding this phenomenom, or any ideas on where I could find any
information about it, I would appreciate a response in the mail.
THANKS! Peter Espenespen@well.UUCP (Peter Espen) (01/08/86)
In article <434@well.UUCP>, espen@well.UUCP (Peter Espen) writes: > > I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where certain > information regarding this phenomenom, or any ideas on where I could find any > information about it, I would appreciate a response in the mail. > THANKS! Peter Espen > Part of my previous query spontaneously combusted! I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. I would especially like to learn about any possible written material regarding this rather amazing claim. Thanks. I'll post any information I get if anyone is interested. Peter Espen
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (01/08/86)
> I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where certain > information regarding this phenomenom, or any ideas on where I could find any > information about it, I would appreciate a response in the mail. > THANKS! Peter Espen There was a book written on the subject several years ago entitled "Fire from Heaven" by a Michael Harrison which purports to document several cases. I have read the book, and am frankly quite skeptical about this alleged phenomenon. If anyone wants the details behind my skepticism, I will explain. ==> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York <== ==> UUCP {decvax|dual|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry <== ==> VOICE 716/741-9185 {rice|shell}!baylor!/ <== ==> FAX 716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3 modes} duke!ethos!/ <== ==> burl!gladys!/ <== ==> "Have you hugged your cat today?" ihnp4!/ <==
tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) (01/08/86)
Check back issues of the "National Inquirer" and "Star" taboloids. They publish this type of stuff all the time. T. C. Wheeler
hosking@convexs.UUCP (01/12/86)
> I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where > certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their > charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people > might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. It's true! It's true! For more details, you'll have to see "Repo Man." :-)
wdm@ecn-pc.UUCP (Tex) (01/13/86)
In article <18400017@convexs> hosking@convexs.UUCP writes: > >> I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where >> certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their >> charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people >> might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. > >It's true! It's true! For more details, you'll have to see "Repo Man." :-) It is true; if you want to see it for yourself, post an article to net.micro to the effect that IBM should have used a 68000 in the PC. I did and I am still smouldering. Bill
hsf@hlexa.UUCP (Henry Friedman) (01/16/86)
> > > I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where > > certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their > > charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people > > might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. I have to believe this discussion was originally motivated by the current presentation on PBS of Dickens' "Bleak House." Dickens has one of the characters die by spontaneous combustion. I couldn't figure out what was supposed to have happened to him, until the host, Alister Cook, introducing the next episode, explained that the author had made use of this folk belief. -- Henry Friedman
larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (01/20/86)
> > > I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where > > > certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their > > > charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people > > > might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. > > I have to believe this discussion was originally motivated by the > current presentation on PBS of Dickens' "Bleak House." Dickens has > one of the characters die by spontaneous combustion. I couldn't figure > out what was supposed to have happened to him, until the host, > Alister Cook, introducing the next episode, explained that the author > had made use of this folk belief. The belief that this alleged phenomenon exists has been around for a number of years. There have indeed been some unexplained deaths within the past thirty years in the U.S. whereby the decedent was fully or partially consumed by fire with little damage to the surrounding area. Due to the large water content and otherwise poor self-sustaining combustion characteristics of the human body, this presents an incongruity since a substantial amount of external energy (hundreds of thousands of BTU's) is required to cremate a body. I don't feel it appropriate to go into gory detail at this point, but anyone reading this who has ever been involved with forensic science, a law enforcement agency, or a fire department will understand what I mean. The cases I am referring to are real, were investigated by law enforcement agencies and were reported in the "real" press - NOT half-baked phony stories such as would appear in the "National Enquirer". Interestingly enough, less than a week ago this subject was covered on a Canadian television program "The Fifth Estate" which appeared on Tuesday, 14 January. By sheer coincidence, I happened to see it on Toronto station CBLT. The television show interviewed law enforcement people, fire department people and other witnesses all of whom confirmed the unexplained phenomenon. The show also interviewed an electrical engineer from Harrisburg, PA who has spent a considerable amount of his time researching the subject in preparation for a book (I can't recall his name at the moment). No one has offered any plausible explanation for the incidents which have occurred. I personally do not believe that human body can undergo "spontaneous combustion" - even with an external ignition source as a trigger - there is simply too much energy required. Without having access to any intimate details of the cases in recent years, the only wild speculation I can offer is that all incidents involved crime and/or suicide where an unidentified combustion accelerant was used. I had taped the particular TV program, but alas, my wife accidently erased it. I would suggest that anyone interested in further information give CBLT television a call in an effort to contact the producers of "The Fifth Estate". Incidently, there is a physician on the Net (whose name escapes me at the moment) who is a medical examiner. I would be curious to see his comments. ==> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York <== ==> UUCP {decvax|dual|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry <== ==> VOICE 716/741-9185 {rice|shell}!baylor!/ <== ==> FAX 716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3 modes} duke!ethos!/ <== ==> seismo!/ <== ==> "Have you hugged your cat today?" ihnp4!/ <==
cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (01/21/86)
> > > > > I have been hearing recently about a suppossed phenomenom where > > > certain people have suppossedly spontaneously combusted. Usually their > > > charred remains are found. I would appreciate any information that people > > > might have regarding this suppossed phenomenom. > > I have to believe this discussion was originally motivated by the > current presentation on PBS of Dickens' "Bleak House." Dickens has > one of the characters die by spontaneous combustion. I couldn't figure > out what was supposed to have happened to him, until the host, > Alister Cook, introducing the next episode, explained that the author > had made use of this folk belief. > > -- Henry Friedman See the book _Fire_From_Heaven_: _A_Study_of_Spontaneous_Human_Combustion_. I don't remember the author's name, but he's a respectable historian of Victorian times. Cases cited in the book including a number of thoroughly studied cases in the United States in the 1950s. The author is quite ready to admit that it just isn't possible. He just can't figure out what to do with the cases, some of them witnessed in this century by credible witnesses.
ayers@convex.UUCP (01/28/86)
>...The cases I am referring to are real, were investigated by law >enforcement agencies and were reported in the "real" press - NOT half-baked >phony stories such as would appear in the "National Enquirer". >...No one has offered any plausible >explanation for the incidents which have occurred. Several years ago there was a "surviver" of such an incident. It happened in his RV while sitting in a parking lot. He was taking a nap (on a bed in the rear of the RV) with his hand laying by an open window. He woke up when his hand/arm became uncomfortably warm. Opening his eyes, he saw something that looked like a ball of St. Elmo's fire dancing on his metal watchband. When it grew and enveloped his hand and started up his arm, he suddenly experienced intense pain, jumped up, ran to the sink and poured cool water over his arm. He wound up in the hospital, and lost the hand and part of the arm due to severe burns. The hospital discounted his story, even though a local physicist interviewed the man and said his description sounded a lot like a new thing they were working on at the time. Something called "ball lightening" -- an item that is still contested today, but generally accepted. (BTW, his bed clothes were unharmed, except for the stench of burning flesh, and his watch quit working and started attracting metal, but otherwise looked okay...) So what's the story prove? Nothing. But it is an interesting speculation... <Sorry 'bout the sources...> <But you didn't give any sources!> <Exactly...> blues, II