Ella Al-Shamahi

Al-Shamahi stated that there is plenty of evidence to indicate that Neanderthals may have been far more “human” than we once imagined. In fact, the first skeleton discovered in Iraq’s Shanidar Cave was that of an elderly male with numerous physical disabilities. “He probably didn’t have sight in one eye, he had hearing issues, he had a little bit of a limp, [and] he had a withered right arm,” Al-Shamahi explained. “If Neanderthals were knuckle-dragging ape-men, then how was this guy able to survive? This tells us that for at least this population of Neanderthals, in this time, they [had] care in the community.”

So, what exactly happened to the Neanderthal species? That is the mystery that Al-Shamahi and her colleagues are trying to solve. Even though the average modern human shares two percent of their DNA with these early ancestors, there is still so much we do not know about them.

Al-Shamahi advised that the biggest modern challenge to the field of science is that it has a geography problem. “Scientists don’t typically work in politically hostile, unstable, or disputed territories, not necessarily because they don’t want to … but because it is very difficult to get your university or your funding body to approve any work in politically unstable places.”

The map of the human journey from Africa, through the Middle East, and into Western and South Asia, largely overlaps with the map of places which the British Foreign Office has declared to contain “red” or “orange” zones. “It is a tragedy for science that we are not doing work in these places because we are essentially biasing our data.”

In a tale that was both humorous and harrowing, Al-Shamahi described her journey to Socotra, a densely biodiverse archipelago off the coast of Yemen. With only limited and potentially hazardous options for getting to Socotra, Al-Shamahi and her team boarded a cement cargo ship and sailed through pirate waters. Despite a treacherous voyage involving cockroaches and poorly welded toilets, “it was so worth it.” She stunned the audience with video footage from the expedition, showcasing other-worldly dragon’s blood trees and island inhabitants who continue to live in cave dwellings, much like the early human ancestors who came before them.

“We cannot predict where the next big scientific discovery will come from,” said Al-Shamahi, but she believes that by bringing all parts of the world into the fold and by collaborating across community divides, we can fuel ground-breaking exploration. She left the Forum with one final thought: “Science belongs to every single one of us. Everybody has to be at the table. It’s not going to work if we’re not all there.”

In the question and answer portion of the program moderated by Richard Conti, chief wonder officer of the Science Museum of Virginia, Ella Al-Shamahi noted:

• In response to a question from science writer Peter Gwin, Al-Shamahi revealed that there are many more species of ancient human ancestors that scientists have yet to discover, but we know they exist because we carry their DNA within us.
• An eight-year-old first-time Forum attendee asked Al-Shamahi about what kinds of things she has seen depicted in early human cave art. While much of the drawings she has encountered do not clearly depict recognizable objects or activities, Al-Shamahi did note that the “canvas” of the cave is often used to its fullest advantage to add depth and intrigue.
• Al-Shamahi considered what interactions between early humans and Neanderthals could have been like. Did they mate out of love? Were their relationships controversial? Were the hybrid children ostracized?
• Finally being able to travel to Somaliland was a bucket-list item for Al-Shamahi. She hopes future expeditions can take her to Djibouti and Eritrea.
• A cheeky audience member claimed that his wife’s 23andMe test revealed that she was in the 89th percentile of Neanderthal DNA and asked if that means “she’s even more unique, special, and precious than he thought.” The audience roared with laughter when Al-Shamahi had the man identify himself in the crowd and then instructed him to feel the back of his wife’s head for an occipital bun, “because if she has one, I would love to meet her.”