Spontaneous Human Combustion

This morning, I came across the story of a five-year-old Indiana boy named Chucky who is believed to have been a victim of an extremely rare and scientifically unproven phenomenon known as Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC). Fortunately Chucky survived. Others have not.

Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of individuals who've caught on fire for no apparent reason. Witnesses report that the flames seem to come from inside the victims' own bodies. Even stranger, the fires often leave the person's clothes, furniture, and surroundings unsinged. In Chucky's case, he'd just emerged from the bath and sprayed himself with some cologne when his body ignited. Doctors are still searching for the cause.

Some say that the first account of SHC can be found in the Bible. (Aaron's sons were consumed by mysterious fires.) And Charles Dickens makes use of spontaneous combustion to do away with an unappealing character in his novel, Bleak House. But most scientists insist that the idea is ludicrous, since the human body is made mostly of water.

Those who dare can read more about Spontaneous Human Combustion here. I must warn you, though. It's not for the faint of heart--or those prone to nightmares.