What Jared Diamond has said about Kuru (disease)
2 quotes · 1 episode · Sep 3, 2026
Jared Diamond, American geographer, historian and author of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" and "Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings", has been quoted on Kuru (disease) 2 times in 1 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, most recently on September 3, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
Diamond says Kuru likely originated from a single spontaneous Creutzfeldt-Jakob case around 1910 that spread through endocannibalism, especially to babies handling brain tissue.
“it's all thought to have arisen with... one foray person who had Kreutzfeldt-Jakob and died of it in around 1910, but was then eaten by others”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2549 - Jared Diamond (Sep 3, 2026) · Listen from 2:02:05
Diamond notes the last Fore funeral feast was in 1959 and the last Kuru death in 2009, implying a 50-year latency.
“The last death due to Kuru was in 2009. The last funeral feast was 1959”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2549 - Jared Diamond (Sep 3, 2026) · Listen from 2:07:32
Episodes
#2549 - Jared DiamondThe Joe Rogan Experience · Sep 3, 2026 · 2 h 34 min
Jared Diamond talks with Joe Rogan about leadership, the rise of world religions, the origins of writing, language, and cannibalism and Kuru in New Guinea.