Today on the show, we welcome Bill Schutt. I hope that you already ate, because today, we are talking about a topic pretty unlike anything we have talked about before on the podcast: Cannibalism. Bill is a zoologist and bestselling author who recently wrote a book titled Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History where he talks about cannibalism across all species, including humans. This isn’t a sensationalist book, but rather a sociological, cultural and anthropological look at the reasons why cannibalism occurs in nature. Bill covers topics such as cannibalism among ancestral humans and Neanderthals, as well as the diseases related to forced cannibalism. When it comes to cannibalism, Bill uses the term “Culture is King” and how that can explain why some cultures consider eating their dead to be a more practical, reasonabl,e and respectful practice than, say, burying them. Cannibalism is something that has fascinated humans for centuries, and Bill is all about de-mystifying it, reiterating that it is all about the lens through which you look at certain behaviors. So put down your fork and have a listen to this fascinating talk that will give you loads of great conversation pieces for your next dinner party. Bon a petit! CLICK HERE for the full transcript. Key Points From This Episode: What lead Bill to write a book about cannibalism. De-mystifying concepts of cannibalism and vampirism. Cannibalism as maternal care among amphibians. Discover how cannibalism is a part of human history. How western perceptions of cannibalism developed. Ritual cannibalism versus culinary cannibalism. Cannibalism as a form of medicinal treatment. Why culture is king when it comes to cannibalism. Diseases related to cannibalism in animals and humans. Causes of scrapie, mad cow disease, and kuru. Did Homosapiens and Neanderthals interbreed? Evidence of cannibalism amongst Neanderthals. Why is cannibalism a topic we are so fascinated by? Links between cannibalism and our obsession with food. The practice of placenta eating In North America. The response to Bill’s book from journalists and scientists. Bill gives a sneak peek into the Indiana Jones of Zoology. And much more! Tweetables: “Just about every type of body part that you can name was used and consumed to treat all types of illnesses.” — @draculea [0:17:50.1] “When symbolic man came along then cannibalism sort of became a taboo in many cultures.” — @draculea [0:26:28.1] Links Mentioned in This Episode:  Bill Schutt on Twitter – https://twitter.com/draculae Bill Schutt on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BillSchutt1/ Bill Schutt Website – https://billschutt.com/ Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt – https://www.amazon.com/Cannibalism-Perfectly-Natural-Bill-Schutt/dp/1616204621 Dark Banquet by Bill Schutt – https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Banquet-Curious-Blood-Feeding-Creatures/dp/0307381137 Nights with Alice Cooper – http://www.nightswithalicecooper.com/    SHARE YOUR LOVE FOR PMR AND YOU CAN ENTER TO WIN SOME GREAT PALEO SWAG! It's easy, simply post a review of PMR on iTunes and fill out our quick Registration Form and you'll be entered to win your choice of 4 great books and a Paleo Magazine vinyl decal! One winner will be randomly chosen each week.