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September 25, 2009

Strange But True!

Q. The fire spread across the man's bed and began consuming his nightclothes, then his body. Several people were close enough to help but no one lifted a hand. Why the callous indifference?

A. It was actually calculated forensic research by a team of fire and death investigators, led by specialist Elayne Pope. Their mission: to determine exactly how the human body burns in a range of different circumstances, whether in house or car fires, from arson or murders where attempts are made to destroy the evidence, says Linda Geddes in New Scientist magazine. The “victims” in these cases actually died a while ago, having donated their bodies to medical science.


 
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