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Radiolab

Creation Story

10 Oct 2025

Description

Ella al-Shamahi is one part Charles Darwin, one part Indiana Jones. She braves war zones and pirate-infested waters to collect fossils from prehistoric caves, fossils that help us understand the origin of our species. Her recent hit BBC / PBS series Human follows her around the globe trying to piece together the unlikely story of how early humans conquered the world.  But Ella’s own origins as an evolutionary biologist are equally unlikely. She sits down with us and tells us a story she has rarely shared publicly, about how she came to believe in evolution, and how much that belief cost her. Special thanks to Misha Euceph and Hamza Syed.EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Latif NasserProduced by - Jessica Yung and Pat Walterswith help from - Sarah QariFact-checking by - Diane Kellyand Edited by  - Pat Walters EPISODE CITATIONS:Videos - “Human” (https://www.bbcearth.com/shows/human), Ella’s show on the BBC and PBSSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected] support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Audio
Transcription

Full Episode

2.039 - 4.827 Unknown (radiolab co-host/producer interjections)

Wait, you're listening?

0

5.83 - 7.455 Unknown (Listener/promo voices)

Okay.

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8.718 - 10.744 Unknown (WNYC/Gothamist sponsorship announcer)

Alright. Okay. Alright. You're listening to Radiolab.

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11.567 - 15.779 Unknown (Listener/promo voices)

Radiolab. From WNYC. See?

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16.762 - 16.842

Yep.

19.589 - 22.936 Ella Al-Shamahi

Latif, how do I pronounce your name? Because I'm pronouncing it the Yemeni way.

23.137 - 27.406

Do pronounce it the Yemeni way. I'm like, I'm excited about your pronouncing it the Yemeni way.

27.587 - 30.954 Ella Al-Shamahi

Because it's used heavily by Yemenis. Latif.

31.115 - 33.179

Like just to mean like something's nice or something?

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