A recent issue of the journal Science is reporting that primitive humans may have been cannibals based on modern genetic evidence showing some humans are protected against prion diseases such as so-called “mad cow,” or new-variant Creutzfeld-Jakob, disease. The reasoning is this: if there are humans with genetic protection against such diseases, there must have been an evolutionary advantage to having such protection in the past, and such diseases can be passed through cannibalistic activities. Thus some humans evolved to be resistant to such diseases, and passed on their genes more than those who weren’t resistant (and who, as a result, died before or soon after reaching the age of reproduction).
Interesting theory, anyway :)
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)