Cannibalism may have become one of humanity’s strongest taboos because it was ultimately too dangerous for the survival of societies that practised it, according to a new study by Polish and Czech researchers.
The study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that although cannibalism may have given people a short-term nutritional boost, the long-term biological cost far outweighed any of its advantages.
Cannibalism is found in archaeological, ethnographic and historical evidence in human history, both during periods of severe starvation and as part of rituals. But it is now virtually absent from modern societies.
Researchers Dr Michał Misiak from the University of Wrocław and Dr Petr Tureček from Charles University developed a mathematical model to examine the long-term effects of cannibalism on human populations.
The model found that although the human body provides a moderate source of calories, it also carries a significantly higher risk of transmitting infectious diseases. Because humans share nearly identical physiology, pathogens can spread more easily between individuals through cannibalism.
“Our analysis looked at the human body as a potential food source, considering both the energy gained and the hidden biological costs,” Dr Misiak said. “While a human body offers only an average caloric return, the real danger lies in the increased risk of infection.”
The researchers found that the greatest threat emerged when cannibalism became a repeated practice. As individuals consumed others within the same population, the likelihood of disease transmission increased dramatically. Although cooking can eliminate many bacteria and viruses, it does not destroy prions – infectious proteins responsible for fatal neurological diseases such as Kuru.
According to the study, cannibalism is only biologically advantageous under highly specific circumstances, such as severe starvation. Once practised more regularly, however, the growing risk of epidemics outweighs any nutritional benefits and can contribute to population decline.
The researchers suggest these hidden biological costs may explain why strong cultural prohibitions against cannibalism developed across human societies.
“The taboo functions as an evolutionary safety mechanism,” Dr Misiak said. “Our findings indicate it is a biologically justified response to the increasing risk of epidemics. Societies that failed to restrict cannibalism were less likely to survive.”
The authors conclude that cultural taboos surrounding cannibalism are not arbitrary social conventions but may have evolved as an effective means of protecting human populations from devastating disease outbreaks.
Sources : PAP
