Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History

Anthropology is the scientific study of humans, their societies, cultures, and evolutionary development. It encompasses various subfields, including cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. The discipline seeks to understand human diversity, past and present, through comparative and interdisciplinary research, though Schutt notes that the field is not without bias in decades past.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, commonly known as ‘mad cow disease,’ is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects cattle. It causes brain degeneration, resulting in behavioral changes, coordination problems, and eventual death. BSE can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected beef, leading to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD).

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by misfolded prion proteins that lead to brain damage. Symptoms include dementia, movement disorders, and rapid cognitive decline, usually resulting in death within months. There are several forms of CJD, including sporadic, hereditary, and variant (linked to BSE exposure), which have been linked to forms of cannibalism.

Dermatophagy is the process by which an organism consumes its own or another’s skin, often as part of a natural shedding cycle. This behavior is observed in certain amphibians, such as frogs and salamanders, which eat their shed skin to recycle nutrients. Some insects and reptiles also exhibit dermatophagy as a survival mechanism. Schutt questions whether this should be considered a form of cannibalism.

Filial cannibalism is the act of a parent consuming its own offspring, a behavior observed in various animal species, including fish, amphibians, and rodents. This may occur due to environmental stress, a lack of resources, or as a means of eliminating weak offspring to enhance the survival of the stronger ones. It is often considered an adaptive strategy that can increase overall reproductive success.

Kuru is a fatal prion disease that primarily affected the Fore people of Papua New Guinea due to their practice of ritualistic cannibalism. It is characterized by progressive neurological deterioration, including tremors, difficulty walking, and eventual loss of motor control. The disease was transmitted through the consumption of infected human brain tissue and disappeared after the cessation of cannibalistic practices.

Placentophagy is the act of consuming the placenta after childbirth, a behavior observed in many mammals, including primates. Some believe it provides nutritional benefits and aids in postpartum recovery, though scientific evidence supporting these claims is limited. While rare in human societies, some individuals practice placentophagy for perceived health benefits, including Schutt, who engages in placentophagy as part of his research.

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by abnormal prion proteins that create sponge-like holes in the brain. These diseases include Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and Kuru. They are characterized by progressive neurological decline, lack of treatment, and inevitable fatality.