From the Athens Times, July 1, 2026:
Cannibalism Harms Health, Scientists Say—Why It Vanished From Human Societies
Why did cannibalism nearly disappear from human societies? A new study by researchers from Poland and the Czech Republic suggests the reason wasn’t only moral revulsion or cultural taboo—but primarily a severe threat to health and survival. The scientists argue that while cannibalism may have offered short-term sustenance during hardship, it posed long-term dangers to entire communities. Their research shows that consuming human flesh significantly increases the risk of transmitting deadly diseases—potentially even triggering population collapse.
A Mathematical Look at Risk and Reward
To reach this conclusion, Michał Misiaszek of the University of Wrocław and Petr Tureček of Charles University in Prague developed mathematical models analyzing both the caloric value of the human body as a food source—and the hidden biological risks of consuming it. As Misiaszek explained: “We treated the human body as a potential food source, weighing its energy benefits against its hidden costs.” He added: “From a calorie standpoint, one person roughly equals an average meal… But the real problem lies elsewhere—in infection risk. Pathogens face far less resistance because they’re entering an organism with nearly identical physiology.”When Cannibals Eat Cannibals, Danger Escalates
The model shows the danger intensifies dramatically when cannibals consume other cannibals. In such cases, the likelihood of spreading lethal diseases rises rapidly. Even cooking offers little protection: prions—the misfolded proteins responsible for fatal neurological disorders like kuru—survive standard heat treatment....
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Here's the abstract of, and link to, the study at Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (U.S.):
The cannibalistic trade-off: Why human cannibalism emerges and why taboos suppress it
