Cannibalism: From Calories to Kuru

For most of us, it’s unthinkable: human is never what’s for dinner.
Sorry to burst any bubbles, but this episode, we discover that not
only is cannibalism widespread throughout the natural world, but
it’s also much more common among our own kind than we like to
think. Spiders and sharks do it; so have both ancient and modern
humans. So why does it sometimes make sense to snack on your own
species—and what are the downsides? From Hannibal Lecter to the
Donner party, cannibals are now the subject of morbid fascination
and disgust—but how did eating each other become such a taboo? Join
us this episode for our Halloween special: the science and history
of cannibalism! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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