What Is Spontaneous Human Combustion?
Spontaneous human combustion or SHC for short is a phenomenon that is reported a number of times each year. It is when the human body suddenly catches alight for no apparent reason. There is no external trigger that can start the fire. The body just starts burning.

There are many theory's that try to explain why Spontaneous Human Combustion occurs and what causes it, but no real conclusion has been made. The most recognized theory to do with Spontaneous Human Combustion is the wick effect. This is where the clothes and the humans own body fat act like a candle. If you light a paraffin storm lantern it has a wick. This wick is soaked with paraffin which is a type of oil. When you light the wick it burns brightly and very hot because it is burning the oil that has been absorbed from the tank that is holding the paraffin. This basically explains the theory of the wick effect.

Other theory's to do with Spontaneous Human Combustion are that many people who where burnt to ashes where also alcoholics, but scientists have proven that a object such as the human body that is soaked inside and out with alcohol will not burn with the ferocity that is associated with Spontaneous Human Combustion.

Could the amount of fat in the body increase the risk of Spontaneous Human Combustion. This is not true as both over weight and under weight people have burst into flames.

It is one of those inexplainable events that have many theories but no real scientific fact.