lesh, but the rat's internal organs were hardly affected" (Mysteries 91). "Experiments show that liquefied human fat burns at a temperature of about two hundred and fifty ŸCelsius; however, a cloth wick in such fat will burn even when the temperature falls as low as twenty-four ŸCelsius" (Investigative). There have been many ideas about how heat affects the body. Those that are pro- SHC often state that only high temperatures produced by a crematorium can produce a body that is so completely reduced. A scientist by the name of Drysdale explains why this is not true:In a crematorium you need high temperatures -around 1,300 ŸC, or even higher- to reduce a body to ash.... You can produce local, high temperatures, by means of the wick effect and a combination of smouldering and flaming to reduce even bones to ash. At relatively low temperatures of 500 ŸC -and if given enough time- the bone will transform into something approaching a powder in composition. (Investigative)This shows that an intense fire is not needed to completely reduce a body to ashes and that a simple smouldering flame is all that is needed. Spontaneous human combustion is easily explained by physics if careful research is done and speculations are dismissed. "The continued lack of scientific evidence for SHC ... keeps proponents looking for cases they can attribute to the alleged phenomenon..." (Fiery 15). "There is no need to invent bizarre chemical reactions, or paranormal activities to explain what is mistakenly called 'spontaneous combustion' (Benecke 50). What is more interesting than this is that "...there are no known cases in which internal organs of a burned corpse were damaged more severely than the outer parts" (Benecke 50). This is so compelling because SHC allegedly starts from inside the body. It has been wondered why there are no well-documented cases of animals and children spontaneously combusting. Is it because they...
