No. Earwax, or cerumen, is not really a wax. It is mostly dead skin, with some long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol and other compounds binding it. Normal candles burn from the top as the wax melts in the heat from the flame, is drawn by capillary action up the wick, vaporises and burns.
Earwax can’t do this because keratin in the skincellswon’t melt. Instead of a flame at the tip of the wick that burns downit,there would be aflame spreading across the surface until thewholecandle was alight.
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Asked by: John Bothwell, via email
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