The Mysterious Laughing Death of Papua

Kuru is a fatal brain disease once common in Papua New Guinea that earned the nickname laughing sickness. It causes uncontrollable bursts of laughter and loss of motor control before ultimately leading to death.

This rare condition is caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins that damage the brain over time. It was famously spread through traditional funerary customs involving ritual cannibalism. Once these practices ceased in the mid-20th century, the disease began to vanish. It remains a sobering example of how cultural behaviors can directly influence the spread of rare medical disorders.