# How does lava make stuff burst into flame without touching it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-lava-make-stuff-burst-into-flame-without-touching-it/518223>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-lava-make-stuff-burst-into-flame-without-touching-it/518223 "2009-11-19T23:57:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-lava-make-stuff-burst-into-flame-without-touching-it/518223/21 "2009-11-21T16:28:56Z")

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> [@Incubus](#):
>
> Neato! So whats stopping us from making 1920’s style HEAT RAYS

Why, [nothing at all](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=green+laser+burning&search_type=&aq=f), in fact.

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