After the killings, the Anasazi apparently left the settlement. But critics argued that the evidence did not prove that the people killed had been eaten. So, three years ago, Mister Malar offered to find biological proof. He says tests of human waste found at the settlement provide proof that the victims had been eaten. The human waste contained a protein called myoglobin.
Researchers say human myoglobin is found only in the heart and skeletal muscle.
They say it would only be present in human waste if it was eaten and passed through the digestive system. What happened at the Colorado settlement has long been the subject of intense debate. Some scientists have suggested that humans may have been eaten because of extreme conditions. These conditions caused a breakdown of social order. Others have suggested that the killings may have been part of a religious ceremony.