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Scientists Reveal Humans Are Smart to Skip Cannibalism
Newser • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers from Poland and the Czech Republic used a mathematical model to suggest that long-term cannibalism led to societal collapse due to disease transmission rather than moral issues.
- The primary danger of cannibalism comes from pathogens, especially prions, which cause fatal brain disorders and can spread easily between humans even after cooking.
- The study argues that the taboo against cannibalism evolved as a biological safeguard to prevent epidemics and ensure community survival.
- The Fore people of Papua New Guinea, who practiced cannibalism, experienced a high prevalence of the prion disease kuru, illustrating the deadly consequences of the practice.
- The research reinforces that while cannibalism might be tolerated in extreme survival situations, nonemergency human consumption remains widely unacceptable due to the health risks involved.
