The Role of Cooperation in Human Evolution

Ella Al-Shamahi grew up as a Muslim creationist, part of a ‘tribe’ that believes that humankind was created whole by a higher power. At university, she enrolled in courses that studied evolution, specifically to prove her professors wrong - but the plan backfired when she became fascinated by evolutionary biology and came to the conclusion that Darwin was, in fact, right all along. Now an accomplished paleoanthropologist, she explores the complex journey of human evolution and the origins of Homo sapiens. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Ella joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss her remarkable personal transformation from creationism to science. She also explains why she believes humans haven’t fully evolved to meet the demands of the modern world, and shares her unwavering faith in humanity’s resilience and potential.