Being a cannibal is bad for your health, scientists find:
Model shows the risk of disease rises when cannibals eat other cannibals
independent.co.uk/news/science/cannibalism-health-study-eat-human-b3006825.html
Photo: independent.co.uk · view article
Health Risks of Cannibalism Threaten Societies’ SurvivalA model reveals disease spread from cannibalism can cause epidemics, explaining why communities rejecting it survived longer.
Key FactsJul 1, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: independent.co.uk
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: independent.co.uk
- Scientists from Poland and the Czech Republic developed a mathematical model to assess health risks linked to cannibalism.
- The model shows disease risks increase exponentially when cannibals eat other cannibals, as prions causing fatal diseases resist cooking.
- Historical cases like the Fore people of Papua New Guinea demonstrate the deadly consequences of consuming human flesh.
- Research suggests that the taboo against cannibalism evolved as a biological defense to prevent epidemics and ensure community survival.
Taboo acts as an evolutionary safeguard. Our results suggest that this was a biologically justified response to the growing risk of epidemics. Communities that didn't curb cannibalism simply didn't survive.— Michal Misiak (University of Wroclaw), in a statement released by Wroclaw University
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