Kuru
TopicHeard in 1 episode across 1 show since Sep 2026
Kuru is a rare, incurable, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that was formerly common among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. It is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy caused by prions, which lead to severe tremors, loss of coordination, and pathological bursts of laughter. The disease was historically transmitted through the practice of funerary cannibalism, which has since been abandoned.
Episodes
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Expert statements
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Public PodLume episodes featuring it, over the last year.
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| Month | Episodes |
|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 0 |
| Dec 2025 | 0 |
| Jan 2026 | 0 |
| Feb 2026 | 0 |
| Mar 2026 | 0 |
| Apr 2026 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 0 |
| Jun 2026 | 0 |
| Jul 2026 | 0 |
| Aug 2026 | 0 |
| Sep 2026 | 1 |
| Oct 2026 | 0 |
What experts have said about Kuru
3 statements · 3 negative
Kuru transmission is associated with eating uncooked brain tissue.
“That's right, eating the uncooked brain.”
Open the episode · #2549 - Jared DiamondListen at 2:06:01
Kuru likely spread among the Fore after one person’s Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease entered cannibalistic transmission.
“it's all thought to have arisen with one foray person who had quite full Yakut and died of it in around 1910, but was then eaten by others who were in turn eaten still by others, so that kuru, Kwetschuel jakob, then exploded among the Fore.”
Open the episode · #2549 - Jared DiamondListen at 2:09:40
Kuru deaths continued until 2009 despite funeral feasts ending in 1959.
“The last death due to Kuru was in 2009. The last funeral feast was 1959.”
Open the episode · #2549 - Jared DiamondListen at 2:14:46
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Episodes
1 episode featuring Kuru, newest first
