A new study by scientists from Poland and the Czech Republic argues that cannibalism faded from human societies not because people were naturally repulsed by it, but because it posed a serious threat to survival.
Using a mathematical model, researchers found that the human body offers a moderate amount of calories.
The health risks far outweigh any nutritional benefits.
“From a caloric perspective, a person turns out to be an average meal,” said researcher Michal Misiak. “The key problem… is the risk of infection.”
Why Is It So Dangerous?
Humans share nearly identical biology, making it much easier for deadly pathogens to spread from one person to another.
Even worse, cooking cannot destroy prions—abnormal proteins that can trigger fatal brain diseases.
The researchers found that if cannibalism became common, disease would spread rapidly, eventually causing populations to shrink or even collapse.
History offers a chilling real-world example.
The Fore people of Papua New Guinea once practised ritual cannibalism to honour deceased relatives.
The tradition led to the spread of kuru, a fatal neurological disease.
Sometimes, the strongest cultural taboos aren’t just about ethics—they’re nature’s way of helping a species survive.
