Modern Scientific Theories on Spontaneous Human Combustion

Beyond the wick effect, several more exotic scientific theories have been proposed to explain apparent spontaneous human combustion. British biologist Brian J. Ford proposed in 2012 that ketosis — a metabolic state in which the body produces high levels of acetone — could make human tissue flammable under certain conditions. Individuals who are diabetic, alcoholic, or on extreme low-carbohydrate diets can accumulate acetone in their tissues, and Ford demonstrated that acetone-soaked tissue models burned with intensity consistent with SHC cases. However, the concentration of acetone required exceeds what has been measured in living humans. Another theory involves static electricity: some researchers have proposed that under extremely dry conditions, the human body could accumulate a static charge sufficient to produce a spark capable of igniting flammable clothing or body gases. A more radical hypothesis, proposed by physicist John Abrahamson, suggests that ball lightning entering through chimneys or electrical systems could strike and ignite a person. Perhaps the most sobering explanation is simply that many cases attributed to SHC are unwitnessed fires in which the ignition source — a cigarette, candle, or electrical fault — was consumed or overlooked during investigation.