Creationist to Evolutionary Biologist

Ella Al-Shamahi set out to disprove the theory of evolution. Now she’s one of its greatest advocates. In this deeply personal conversation, Ella tells Hakeem her story. She started university as an avid creationist missionary with the intention of disproving evolution, and then her world started to fall apart. This candid conversation covers what the journey from creationist to paleoanthropologist actually looked like, and the evidence that shifted her thinking. It is a path with personal costs and the impact of changing worldviews. It's a thoughtful reflection on science, identity, community and why empathy matters more than argument when deeply held beliefs meet new evidence.

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Guest Bio:

Ella Al-Shamahi is a paleoanthropologist, explorer, and presenter based in London. She specializes in human evolution and has conducted fieldwork in some of the world's most dangerous and remote regions in search of fossil evidence of our earliest ancestors. She is a TED speaker and has appeared in numerous science documentaries, including hosting NOVA and BBC’s five-part series HUMAN, available on the PBS App and NOVA’s website.