So here’s another thought on the origins of the whole mad cow thing:

BSE may have started in cattle because they ate imported animal feed that included infected human remains from Hindu funeral ceremonies in India, a controversial new theory on the origin of the disease suggested last night.

Obviously there’s lots of controversy regarding the idea, and the origins may well never be known. But speculation is inherently interesting.

(Guardian: “Theory ties vCJD to Indian funerals,” by James Meikle and Randeep Ramesh [September 2, 2005])