Things That Do Not Burn


Sometimes when things suddenly burst into flames or start smoldering, it is hard to understand why such a thing happened. Given what you may know about the material in question, the end result of fire or no fire may completely defy any explanation.

I recently had an intruding sales receipt from a recent run to the local grocery store get caught between a cooking pot and a hot electric burner. The receipt remained on the burner for at least 15 minutes, maybe more. Why it did not burst into flames, smoke or smolder is absolutely beyond me.

Look at the pictures for yourself.

Darkened thermal paper receipt 1
Figure 1 -- The thermal paper has darkened in response to the intense heat
of the electric burner.

Unharmed advertisements on the back of the receipt

Figure 2 - Notice the advertisements are
unharmed?

Just in case you don't believe that the two shots are of the same receipt, have a look here:

That is the best use I have ever found for that book!

So why didn't the receipt burn? Who knows? I would eagerly welcome an explanation though.
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