Why Do We Do That?

BBC Sounds, Apple

Many of our everyday human behaviours can be hard to fathom but, according to

Ella Al-shamahi, some things we regularly get up to, such as kissing, doom-scrolling, procrastinating and being reckless, are down to evolution.

In her new podcast,

Why Do We Do That? the palaeoanthropologist explores the cultural, historical and evolutionary origins of different human behaviours.

Each episode invites a guest and scientific expert to weigh in on subjects like why we kiss, experience heartache, and procrastinate.

“Instead of blaming social media, pop culture or our parents, I’m asking, can we trace our everyday behaviours back to our cave-swelling ancestors?” she told PS.

For Al-shamahi, making the podcast has been an eyeopening experience and she hopes it will bring listeners comfort, too.

“Learning about heartbreak was helpful because I had a breakup six months before and I felt genuine pain in my chest, to the point where one of my friends actually said I should see my GP,” she added.

“Scientists say this is actually physical pain, as your heart rate slows down.the theory is that the pain stops you being reckless and picking bad boys, or bad mates. Interestingly, they say paracetemol can help.”

She continued:“i get angry with myself for procrastinating. But the theory is that if you lived in the Palaeolithic period, being a procrastinator and focusing on the present was actually helpful, as you could literally die the next day.

“The fact that behaviour is down to my evolutionary biology has made me more forgiving of it.

“And that’s good as studies suggest if you are more forgiving of your own procrastination, you are less likely to do it!”