Curious Cat
After my father's death, I had some strange stuff happen that nudged me to learn about the supernatural. What I've been finding out is life is way more complicated, strange, and wonderful than I'd ever dreamed. The best part? Science is starting to catch up. I focus on the place where science and supernatural collide. What does it mean to be a soul in a meat suit? All episodes are made and offered in love. *All Curious Cat content is owned and operated by Storm Mystery Press LLC
Curious Cat
Spontaneous Human Combustion & The Curious Queue
This entire episode comes with a trigger warning. It is not for the faint of heart. Be warned.
For those that are still with me, have you ever heard of spontaneous human combustion? I'd argue one of the most mysterious ways to die, if true, then why does this phenomenon stop and start over the course of a century and a half and then...just...disappear?
Let's get into it.
Spontaneous Human Combustion 101
Let's begin at the beginning. Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the idea that a person's body can catch fire without an apparent external source of ignition. The term was coined in the 19th century, and the phenomenon has been debated for centuries.
How to Explain Spontaneous Human Combustion, from PS Mag dot com
Katie Heaney writes, " While there’s no proof that any human being has ever suddenly burst into flames and died, there’s also no proof that it hasn’t happened."
Heaney continues, " At some point in the 15 hours or so prior to the evening of March 26, 1986, a 58-year-old former firefighter named George Mott apparently burst into flames and died. When he was found that night, what remained of him were mostly the ashes on the floor beneath his mattress, which his body had apparently burned through. There was more, but reports vary a little as to what; Wikipedia says they found “an implausibly shrunken skull” (as opposed to the plausible level of shrunkenness, I guess) and a piece of rib cage. Others say it was a shrunken skull and the lower half of his right leg. Either way, the scene found in Mott’s Crown Point, New York, apartment was pretty grim.
Show Sources and Materials
Spontaneous human combustion in the 21st Century, PubMed
Ablaze! by Larry E. Arnold on Amazon
Spontaneous Human Combustion, Vice
How to Explain Spontaneous Human Combustion, PS Mag dot com
Have you tried the GoodPods app yet? It's free and a fun way to share podcasts with friends and family! Curious Cat Podcast is there, and is sitting pretty in the Top 20 in Supernatural!
Curious Cat Crew on Socials:
Curious Cat on Twitter (X)
Curious Cat on Instagram
Curious Cat on TikTok
Art Director, Nora, has a handmade, ethically-sourced jewelry company!
