Check out Bill Schutt's "Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History": http://bit.ly/2HLWjrU

View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/cannibalis...

Until recently, scientists thought cannibalism was a rare response to starvation or other extreme stress. Wellknown cannibals like the praying mantis and black widow were considered bizarre exceptions. But now, we know they more or less represent the rule. Bill Schutt shows how cannibalism can promote the survival of a species by reducing competition, culling the weak, and bolstering the strong.

Lesson by Bill Schutt, animation by Compote Collective.

Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Dino Hrnjić, Côme Vincent, Astia Rizki Safitri, alessandra tasso, Gerald Onyango, Katrina Harding, Ezgi Yersu, Katie Dean, Kin Lon Ma, Carsten Tobehn, Boris Langvand, Jeremy Fryd, Charlene You, Carolyn Corwin, rakesh Katragadda, Sergi Páez, Jørgen Østerpart, Karla Brilman, Cindy O., Nicu Boanda, Roz AR, Reagen O'Connor, Anh Dau, Dino, FAWWAZ GHUWAIDI, Hadi Salahshour, Clement, Micholer Miller, Miroslav Dunaev, Sarah Burns, Nick Debenedictis, Abdullah Altuwaijri, Jessie McGuire, Divina Grace Dar Santos, Andrew Sleugh, Brian Richards, Farah Abdelwahab, Joe Meyers, Mikhail Shkirev, Raphaël LAURENT, Sweetmilkcoco, David Matthew Ezroj, Ever Granada, fatima kried, Begum Tutuncu, Lala Arguelles, Mehmet Sencer KARADAYI, Christian Kurch, SungGyeong Bae, Patch Richy, Joe Huang, Senjo Limbu, Martin Lau, Robson Martinho, and Jason Garcia.