The Mystery of the Hindenburg Disaster Finally Solved?

[LongTomH]

According to an article in Time, a team at South West Research Institute in San Antonio, TX led by British scientist Jem Stansfield, the cause of the airship's explosion was static electricity:

The airship had become charged with static as a result of an electrical storm. A broken wire or sticking gas valve leaked hydrogen into the ventilation shafts, and when ground crew members ran to take the landing ropes they effectively “earthed” the airship. The fire appeared on the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.

‘I think the most likely mechanism for providing the spark is electrostatic,’ said Mr Stansfield. ‘That starts at the top, then the flames from our experiments would’ve probably tracked down to the centre. With an explosive mixture of gas, that gave the whoomph when it got to the bottom.’

Does this really solve the mystery or will people continue to speculate? I'd bet on 'continue!'

[The Magistrate]

1. This Seems Very Reasonable To Me, Sir

The fabric covering was very flammable, being doped with preparations containing both iron oxide and aluminum --- in essence, coated with thermite....

[LongTomH]

5. Google on "Mythbusters Hindenburg"

The Mythbusters team took this on in Episode 70. Conclusion: It was the hydrogen, not the covering!

[Lint Head]

2. I heard this when I was in high school decades ago. People like to make crap up because

fiction is fascinating.

[arcane1]

3. Interesting, I always assumed that it bumped into that tower-thing

Shows how much I know!

[kairos12]

4. Sorry, I opened this thread thinking it was an article about Limbaugh

[Elwood P Dowd]

6. Some gas bags are simply too big for humans to earth.

Bringing the Limbaugh down and grounding it to earth would require an aircraft carrier on wheels. The resulting explosion would destroy the carrier, and the gas fallout would destroy all living things within a hundred miles.

[kenny blankenship]

7. They found the wallet of a jihadi containing his completely intact photo ID

with a post-it note in the billfold section saying, "Don't forget to blow up the Hindenburg today" - written in English?