Posted on 11/19/2009 6:57:03 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
November 19, 2009
Brain-eating tribe enriches understanding of mad cow disease
Mark Henderson, Science Editor
A cannibalistic ritual in which the brains of dead tribespeople were eaten by their relatives has triggered one of the most striking examples of rapid human evolution on record, scientists have discovered.
In the middle of the 20th century the Fore tribe of the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea was devastated by a CJD-like disease called kuru, which was passed on by mortuary feasts in which the brains of the dead were consumed.
Although the practice was banned in the 1950s and kuru has disappeared, it has left an imprint on the tribe’s DNA. Research has now identified a genetic mutation unique to the Fore that protects against the brain disease and which has spread swiftly through the population by natural selection.
As the mutation confers high or almost complete resistance to kuru, carriers have a survival advantage and have had more descendants. About 8 per cent of people from the Purosa Valley region, where kuru hit hardest, now have the gene, which is unknown anywhere else in the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
It would work pretty quickly in a small isolated population. Suceptable bloodlines would die out pretty quickly without an infusion of new genetic material.
I’ve never had the human variety, but when I was a kid, my mother made all kinds of different things, calves brains included. She made it in a mushroom sauce, and it was very good, not rubbery at all.
Today I wouldn’t eat it, but only out of fear from mad cow disease.
There are always certain level of mutation going on, whether it is needed or not. It only make noticeable contribution when 'acute' selection pressure is applied on the population. New plague, sudden habitat change are among them.
It is called cultural diversity folks. Our strength comes from out diversity. Cannibalism is ok if it comes a liberal culture. SARC
9 minutes before the classic Hannibal quote - priceless!
LOL! this thread is hilarious! BTTT
Yeah, one of my favorites, along with Schneider’s classic “we’re gonna need a bigger boat”.
I think Hannibal was eating kidneys though.
Should be a thread about famous movie quotes.
No, Sweat breads is thyroid.
Cattle sweatbreads are delicious!
There used to be a cafe in Durango, Colorado owned by a chinaman whoserved the best sweatbread quokets and gravy. Anyone remember The Cattleman's Steakhouse on main in Durango?
Meanwhile, how about something tasty!
“Sweet breads right?”
Nope, sweetbreads are the thymus gland of calves. Very tasty!
Thanks TigerLikesRooster!
additional:
Gene protects brain-eaters from mad cow-type disease
Reuters | Nov 18, 2009 | Maggie Fox
Posted on 11/18/2009 5:41:26 PM PST by decimon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2389525/posts
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