Answer causes some people to suddenly burn

A professor at Cambridge University (UK) has answered the question of why some people suddenly caught fire like a fireball by experimenting with pork.

GS. Brian Ford. (Source: Cambridge News)

GS. Brian J Ford is a biologist and author of more than 30 books focusing on cell biology and microscopic research. Recently, he turned to studying the mechanism behind the phenomenon of human self-igniting.

'A person may be sitting on a chair relaxing, but only a minute later has turned into a fireball,' said Ford.

'The blue sparks emanating from their bodies were like a fire from inside, and within half an hour they turned into ash . ' Meanwhile, their legs are still unharmed, and so are the things around them.

The first case of self-ignition was recorded in 1641 when a Danish doctor and mathematician Thomas Bartholin described the death of Polonus Vorstius - who was drinking at home in Milan, Italy, one evening in 1470 , suddenly burning.

Since then, many cases of self-igniting people have been recorded and are thought to be related to drinking. However, this hypothesis was later rejected.

Most recently, the case of Mr. Michael Faherty, 76 years old, died on December 22, 2010. Investigator Ciaran McLoughlin in West Galway, Florida (USA) noted the cause of death was suddenly ablaze.

GS. Ford wanted to prove the hypothesis related to alcohol and the so-called "wick effect" given by expert investigator Gavin Thurston in London in 1961 was wrong.

Thurston thinks that human fat can be burned at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. When melting, fat can ignite like a wick - like clothes or other materials - at room temperature.

'I feel this is the time to verify this theory, so we put lard pieces in ethanol for a week ,' said Dr. Ford, and confirmed that the 'wick effect' is unreasonable.

'Even when immersed in meat ethanol is not burnt. Normally, alcohol does not exist in body cells, but when there is fire in the body, fat is concentrated very quickly.

However, the body produces acetone that is flammable.'In many conditions, such as drinking alcohol, a fat-free diet, diabetes, and even brushing, makes the body produce ketosis, from which acetone is produced.

Therefore, GS. Ford dipped pork in acetone again. As a result, pork burns within half an hour.

"This is the first time the cause of human self-igniting is proven experimentally," said Ford.