Scientist Argues Cannibalism Could Help Combat Climate Change

Climate change is a huge problem that endangers all of us. As such, drastic changes are needed on an international scale if we are to tackle it.

However, it is a little tricky to get on board with one Swedish behavioural scientist's recommendation that we start eating each other. Clearly, this is going to be a tough sell, but let's hear his arguments and then reassess whether you might be tempted by a bit of some bloke's thigh - perhaps curried, served with a side of rice and topped with fresh coriander.

Orion Pictures

Professor Magnus Soderlund, of Stockholm School of Economics, put forward the controversial proposal on Swedish TV, arguing that eating human flesh could be a sustainable alternative to meat or dairy.

To clarify, he means the flesh of people who are already dead - he's not advocating killing each other (although the planet would arguably benefit from there being far fewer humans on it).

Anyway, Professor Soderlund first pitched the concept of anti-climate change cannibalism at a talk, aptly titled 'Can You Imagine Eating Human Flesh?', at the Gastro Summit in Stockholm.

In the talk, the behavioural scientist and marketing strategist claimed that people could be 'tricked' into 'making the right decisions' and 'awakening to the idea', according to The Epoch Times.

Keen to gauge the audience's openness to busting the ancient taboo, Professor Soderlund asked whether they'd be up for trying a bit of human meat - and unsurprisingly, people were hardly licking their lips.

Speaking in an interview after the talk, he said eight percent of people were open to the idea of trying a human amuse-bouche.

PA

When asked whether he would eat human meat himself, the professor told Sweden's TV4: "I feel somewhat hesitant but to not appear overly conservative... I'd have to say... I'd be open to at least tasting it."

And what if it is bloody delicious, hey Mr Professor? Then what? You've got a whole new problem, that's what - supply will need to meet demand.

However, if you are worried that cannibalism could be so 2k20, then perhaps you could comfort yourself with the knowledge that eating human meat has been known to pose a number of health risks - so presumably won't catch on.

Blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis and ebola are a problem, while tribes in Papua New Guinea who ritualistically ate the bodies of the dead suffered from an epidemic called Kuru, or 'the laughing death'. According to the US National Library of Medicine, the disease is caused by an infectious protein found in contaminated brain tissue.

Topics: Science, Food, World News, climate change, Weird

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey