---
title: "Scientist Suggests New Response to Climate Change: Cannibalism"
description: "A Swedish scientist has suggested humans might need to turn to cannibalism to survive food shortages brought about by climate change."
date: "2019-09-10"
modified: "2019-09-10"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientist-cannibalism-climate-change"
categories:
  - "Climate Change"
  - "Environment"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "cannibalism"
  - "climate change"
  - "food shortage"
  - "the digest"
---

# Scientist Suggests New Response to Climate Change: Cannibalism

![A Swedish scientist has suggested humans might need to turn to cannibalism to survive food shortages brought about by climate change.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/scientist-cannibalism-climate-change.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Really Alt Meat

Climate change has the [global food supply](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/un-warning-climate-change-food-expensive>) on the brink of disaster, prompting some experts to suggest humankind start looking for [alternatives](<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/30/dining/climate-change-food-eating-habits.html>) to traditional sources of sustenance.

Most of the time, they mean things like [plant-based proteins](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/kfc-sold-out-meatless-chicken>) or [lab-grown meat](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/lab-grown-steak-aleph-farms>). Others even propose eating insects. But one Swedish scientist has [a suggestion](<https://nypost.com/2019/09/09/scientist-suggests-eating-human-flesh-to-fight-climate-change/>) that makes even roaches sound appetizing: cannibalism.

## Consider Cannibalism

During Sweden's recent Gastro Summit, Stockholm School of Economics professor Magnus Soderlund led a talk titled "Can You Imagine Eating Human Flesh?"

Soderlund noted that climate change is going to force people to try foods they currently wouldn't think of eating, including pets, insects, and — perhaps the most taboo meat of all — human flesh.

## Dead Meat

Thankfully, Soderlund isn't trying to encourage people to kill one another. He only suggests we eat meat from already-dead humans. Yum — old-person flesh!

The scientist isn't asking others to do anything he wouldn't do himself, either — when Sweden’s *TV4* asked Soderlund if he'd eat human flesh himself, he replied that he'd "be open to at least tasting it."

Bet those [lime-flavored crickets](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/uk-fast-food-chain-edible-insects>) are sounding tastier by the minute.

**READ MORE:** [Scientist suggests eating human flesh to fight climate change](<https://nypost.com/2019/09/09/scientist-suggests-eating-human-flesh-to-fight-climate-change/>) \[*New York Post*\]

**More on food shortages:** *[UN Warning: Food Is Going to Get Really, Really Expensive](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/un-warning-climate-change-food-expensive>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)