. . . A collection of the unusual, bizarre, and sometimes gruesome topics on the Internet.
Spontaneous Human
Combustion
Ball Lightning
Flesh-Eating
Bacteria
The Sky is
Falling
Alien
Abductions
The TV Show
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Spontaneous Human Combustion
Some of these stories will raise the hair on the back of your neck. Check out the Mary Reeser case below. But do not fear, aside from the cases that turn out to be murder or outright fraud, the rest can be explained.
Mary Reeser: A Case Study in Spontaneous Human Combustion
More Info on Spontaneous Human Combustion
True spontaneous combustion of a human body (80% water) is quite impossible. Most victims are overweight and passed-out-drunk or otherwise incapacitated. All confirmed cases involve a source of flame elsewhere in the room. Apparently, the victim, usually an alcoholic, is passed out or otherwise unresponsive. The clothing catches fire, the victim does not respond, the fire smolders long enough to melt the body fat locally, the liquid fat fuels the fire using the clothing as a wick, the fire burns long and hot in this manner, consuming the main part of the torso while usually leaving the limbs intact. Pools of yellow liquid have been found near the burned bodies confirming what I call the "whale oil" theory. Check some of the other internet links on the subject if you don't believe!
E-mail me below if you've got a better explanation.
Click here to see E-mail from others on this subject
Ball Lightning
OK, my grandmother says she saw ball lightning once, so I believe it exists. It is a little-understood phenomenon. It usually appears in a generally spherical shape, from one inch to three feet in diameter, and it usually lasts less than 5 seconds. The balls are reported to move horizontally at slow speeds and to decay silently or with a small explosion. They have been known to kill when drifting into someone (unconfirmed). I'm an electrical engineer, but I don't understand any mechanism that would expain what people have apparently seen.
The Torro Ball Lightning Conference
Please E-mail me below if you know how this can be so.
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Flesh-Eating Bacteria
OK, this one definitely exists, but it's quite rare and nothing for most of us to worry about. The stories are still frightening and somewhat gruesome. Typically, someone gets a scratch and ends up with a streptococcus infection that consumes their flesh at an inch per hour. Scary stuff.
The Sky is
Falling
Know anybody hit by a meteor (or meteorite, as it's known once it hits the ground)? As far as I know, it's never happened. Meteors have hit houses (twice in one Connecticut town!), cars, and even grazed a woman once, burning her on the thigh. There's evidence of some big hits that may have killed many, but there is no confirmation due to lapse of time and/or remoteness of site. The "big one" still might be out there, hurdling toward Earth . . .
Asteroids & Comets: The Sky is Falling?
Comet Shoemaker-Levy Home Page
E-mail me below if you know of anyone killed by a meteorite (a very unlucky individual, if there ever was one!)
Click here to see E-mail from others on this subject
Alien Abductions
I'm sure there are other life forms out there somewhere in the universe, but let's face it, these stories are just not credible. It seems that people will believe anything, the more bizarre the better. Judge the evidence for yourself . . .
The TV Show
It's a great show, but get real, do you really believe all that paranormal stuff? Anyway, here are links to the TV program sites, including pictures of Mulder and Scully.
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