Radiolab Creation Story
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Oct 10, 2025 Ella Al-Shamahi, a paleoanthropologist and evolutionary biologist known for her daring fossil hunts in challenging locales, shares her remarkable journey from a devout Muslim upbringing to embracing evolution. She discusses the emotional upheaval that acceptance brought, including strains in her marriage and community ties. Ella also delves into fascinating topics like retrotransposons and how interbreeding with ancient humans contributed to modern traits. Her story highlights the intersection of science and personal belief, emphasizing the empathy gained through her experience.
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Raised As A Missionary
- Ella grew up in an ultra-conservative Yemeni-Muslim community in Birmingham and became a fervent missionary by age 13.
- She went to UCL intending to study evolution to disprove it, describing herself as a "woman on a mission."
Evidence Forced A Worldview Change
- Learning real evolutionary experiments and genetics challenged Ella's creationist assumptions.
- Seeing lab speciation and retrotransposon patterns pushed her toward accepting common descent with chimps.
The Shower Revelation
- Ella describes the moment she admitted she believed in evolution, collapsing in the shower and crying hysterically.
- She then disappeared from her community rather than risk drawing others into her turmoil.