Emily Chan
Can humans spontaneously combust? Multiple cases of spontaneous human combustion have been reported all over the world. But is the phenomenon physically possible? I mean, what’s the science behind it, if there’s any at all?
The idea of spontaneous human combustion in a medical context originated in the 18th century. Paul Rolli, a fellow of the Royal Society in London, the oldest scientific academy in the world, coined the term in an article written in 1744.
He explained that the process happened when a human body caught fire due to heat that was caused by “internal chemical activity” without an external source.
The concept became popularized during the Victorian Era and was primarily associated with the fate of alcoholics. Several notable authors worked it into their novels, and many fans believed that the phenomenon was real. Scientists remained skeptical, though.
Now, let’s go over some of the cases that have occurred throughout the centuries. The first documented case of spontaneous combustion happened in the late 1400s in Milan.
Apparently, a knight named Polonus Vorstius burst into flames right in front of his parents. It was said that he had belched fire after downing a few glasses of strong wine.
A similar incident took place in the summer of 1745. One day, Countess Cornelia Zangari de Bandi of Cesena went to bed early, and the next morning, her chambermaid discovered her lying in a pile of ashes.
The countess’s legs, still adorned in stockings, and her partially burned head were the only remains left of her. There were two candles in the room, but both of the wicks had not been lit.
In another instance, a 76-year-old man named Michael Faherty was found dead in his home in Galway, Ireland, in 2010. His body was badly burned, and the floor and ceiling of his home showed signs of fire damage.
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