Cannibals survived brain disease epidemic thanks to a mutation
Published: 20 November, 2009, 17:40
Edited: 05 October, 2010, 23:25
Survivors of the deadly epidemic of prion disease kuru, which was transmitted through cannibalistic rituals, share a particular genetic mutation. Researchers call it a striking example of human evolution in action.
This is not new science. This was a reasonably well known genetic mutation in 1970. The WHO sent a team to PNG that year to investigate it. I helped them, both with maps to find their way, and with assistance to get blood samples from tribesmen and women. There was a tribal tradition that when a woman in the tribe died, her body was eaten by her relatives. Her brain was eaten by her next decendent female, and the mutation was passed this way from woman to woman.
that is so disgusting
Maybe half a year too late, but still! Peter,one huge flaw in your hypothesis (to start with), then why did all the other people die? They didn't pray hard enough? The devil did it? Evolution is a confirmed and proven theory my friend, it is constantly being refined and stands as one of the supporting pillars of science. Before you go off on the 'theory' part, first look up theory in a dictionary, you cannot have a theory without supporting facts. So, keep up your own self delusion, the world will keep moving forward in science and reason while you stay behind with your pseudo science. The world will not miss you and you will be a perfect example of evolution; as the decades pass, your ideas will slowly disappear and will only be known in books with titles such as "What In The World Were They Thinking?", "Extinct" (right next to a picture of a dodo), "Stupid Stuff People Used To Believe". Second, you quote a book of 1988?! Do you have any idea how much scientific knowledge, not only in the field of evolution/genetics, has progressed in over 20years? I guess not, the bible doesn't really tell you that, right? You accuse of "evolutionists" being blind? How can you accuse people of being blind when you cannot see that mountain of evidence right in front of you, not only talking about this article. Believing only what makes you right, makes only you wrong.
Peter, give up the absurd religious dogma and resign yourself that there is no such thing as a "Creator". The world is what it is. Deal with it.
Articles like this make me hungry...yummy!! time to visit grandma... :)
I would call that immunity rather than evolution
The whole evolution/creation argument is getting old. They are both human ideas made up with a bunch of tiny little ignorant minds. Anyone who thinks their position is 100% correct, is forgetting history's lessons. The scientific theories are often found flawed and in need of change (just look at the evidence which proves our knowledge of the sun is in grave error), and the religious hard-liners are always revising their doctrine, as the truth illuminates itself through the social evolution of our diverse cultures. Perhaps you are both right. The mutations that occur could be the result of the DNA holding mutation options in its many banks of biological schematics. Or it could be that a certain bloodline was always immune, and no real mutation occurred at all. A zealot is someone who is uncompromising in their ideals, be they religious, political, or anti-religious. Condemning each others ideas, and fomenting hatred towards those who believe in something different, puts a monkey wrench in the progress that both sides want. Its like listening to two guys at a car factory arguing about whether the wheels move the car or the gas moves the car.
tks since they cut down the rainforest the put a kfc in there problem gone
Religion lol. yes the bible is of course true. God created light before he made the sun. good work religion. *claps slowly*
@David and all others who hate discussions about evolution: I suppose I'm a little too late, but I'll post anyway. The argument between religious zealots and scientists has raged since before Darwin's time. Every generation of religion-infected folks spouts the same tired and thoroughly debunked arguments. You're giving the religious too much credit for being reasonable. They manufactured this so-called "scientific controversy" and posed it to the public just to advance their religious views. In fact essentially all scientists (who dedicate their lives to careful study of nature, unlike the religious) are convinced of evolutionary theory by sheer force of evidence. If you have any doubt about this, just ask the religious debaters what it would take to convince them that evolution occurs as scientists say. The vast majority will have no clear understanding of evolutionary theory, and the remaining few will have a vague fundamental understanding in the discussion, while vigorously refusing to accept evidence posed to them. Giving respect to their beliefs would be flattering to them and might cut down on some of the noise, but it would ultimately make our society rot from ignorance.
I lived in the Fore (Okapa) PNG in the 60's when a lot of work on Kuru was being done. The Fore people are a gentle group and very isolated. The ritual consumption of the dead was an act of love and respect, and done in memory of the person (nota bene Christians!). Shane should think a little more deeply before commenting. By the way, the photo is NOT one of Fore People (they did not wear phallocrypts) but more likely Telefomin, on the PNG/Weat Papua border.
Really? Evolution is a proven theory? What!? Do you even know what a theory is? Its something that is not a fact. Honestly, If you believe in your theory of evolution so much the least you could do is research it. And also, how many Evolutionists do you know that have studied the Bible? None. Personally, I choose not to be labeled as someone that hasn't done my research, so I took a class extensively studying both theories and have made my decision. Can you say the same?
Observer wrote in#7
I would call that immunity rather than evolution
Indeed. Then those who are not immune die before having a chance to reproduce while those who are immune reproduce and have offspring that share that immunity. There is the evolution.
@Jesuslovesyou I have taken multiple classes on the bible and I have taken countless classes on genetics and evolution. Saying something is a theory means that there is a plethora of evidence for said theory and no doubt. The Pythagorean Theorem is also a theory but I will challenge you to prove it wrong. You can't. Evolution does not prove religion wrong in any way. It is just an adaptation to a changing environment over time. It can be short term or long term. I cannot say for sure we were descended from monkeys but our genetic structure is extremely similar. Amazingly similar. An example that does prove evolution is the peppered moths of England. They started out very light to blend into the trees so they would not be eaten. Pollution increased and soot turned the trees darker. The light moths stood out and were eaten. The survivors bred and their genes made some of the moths turn darker and darker from pigment genes and they survived while their lighter siblings were eaten. This created a greater chance for the darker moth's offspring to be darker. Therefore they adapted to their changing environment so they could survive. This happened in 30 years time. How can you see that and say evolution is not true?
@Jesuslovesyou
Unfortunately in society there is a gross misunderstanding of the scientific method.
One such aspect is in scientific nomenclature a "theory" is the highest form of proof possible while something that iasn't established as a fact is called a hypothesis.
Take the theory of gravity for example. It's a just a theory! But do certain groups of people outside the scientific arena dispute gravity because it's just a theory? Apparently not! It appears they don't give it a second thought.
However, in informal English the words "theory" and "hypothesis" have become interchangable which leads to the misconception a "theory" refers to something that is unproven.
Now whether evolution is possible I'm not going to comment, but it appears you also don't know what a theory is in the scientific context in which its being discussed.
=P










The evolutionists are becoming more and more desperate for their illusion as not a single shred of evidence exists so far to support their theory. What they have discovered is a pre designed existing mechanism by the creator for the body to heal itself in an emergency situation. It may be a good idea for the evolutionists to go to a library, ask for the book called: “The Origin of Mutants” by John Cairns 1988, and read it carefully where they will find a scientific explanation how mutation originates. Surely it didn’t come from nowhere, but from a pre-set genetic mechanism which the DNA carries it in its information code. If they carry on with their theory blindly bit longer the rest of the population will turn into kuru every time they see an evolutionist.