MotionByteX on Instagram: "During the 1981 Indianapolis 500, motorsport witnessed one of its most chilling and misunderstood moments the invisible fire. As Rick Mears rolled into the pits for a routine stop, a fuel hose malfunction caused methanol to spill across his car. Within seconds, it ignited. The terrifying part was that no one could see it. Unlike gasoline, methanol burns with a nearly transparent flame. To the cameras and even the crew standing inches away, there appeared to be nothing

Physics Uncovered on Instagram: "The “invisible flame” refers to a key property of methanol fuel. Methanol burns very cleanly, producing a flame that emits little visible light, especially in bright daylight, so a car can be fully engulfed in fire while appearing almost normal to the eye. There is intense heat, but no bright orange flames like gasoline, which makes the danger deceptive and delayed for drivers and crews. Pit crews learned to look for heat shimmer, feel radiant heat, or spray wate