New mathematical research suggests that cannibalism can offer short-term survival benefits under very limited conditions, yet it inevitably becomes unsustainable as infectious diseases spread through a population. Rather than focusing on ethical or cultural questions, the researchers examined cannibalism through a mathematical model that weighed its potential nutritional benefits against its epidemiological costs. The researchers found that disease transmission becomes the dominant factor limiting the long-term viability of cannibalism within human populations. Modeling the Costs and Benefits of Human Cannibalism ©PNASThe authors also state that their model does not account for every possible motivation behind cannibalism. They note that examining those potential social benefits would require a different modeling framework incorporating concepts such as signaling theory or intergroup competition.