Cultural taboos protect humans from the biological trap of cannibalism
Mathematical models show that while eating human flesh provides calories, the risk of spreading specialized pathogens makes the practice an evolutionary dead end for communities.
Human history is punctuated by instances of cannibalism, from survival scenarios and funeral rites to medieval European medicinal practices. Despite its recurring nature, nearly every global culture treats the consumption of human flesh as a strict taboo. Researchers from the University of Wroclaw and Charles University used mathematical modeling to determine that these social prohibitions likely function as an evolutionary shield against community collapse.
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