Religion is often seen as being at odds with the science of evolution, but according to a growing area of research, it may actually be a product of this fundamental biological process.

Fear of incurring the wrath of God, or a range of gods, may have played a key role in the development of our species, according to a leading expert in the evolution of human co-operation.

He argues that belief in a divine being who will punish bad behaviour may have allowed humans to co-operate in a way our relatives in the animal kingdom do not.

Fear of punishment by divine beings may have played a key role in the evolution of our species by helping enforce moral rules that allowed our ancestors to co-operate. Co-operation, even among strangers, is a defining feature of our species compared to other animals. The Last Judgement by Stefan Lochner is pictured

The sense of being watched by an omnipotent or supernatural being may have ensured members of early human groups behaved less selfishly.

Increased levels of co-operation is thought to be one of the key traits that allowed Homo sapiens to become so successful.

FLOODS AND FAMINE MAY HAVE KICKSTARTED WORLD'S RELIGIONS They often form a central part of most biblical stories, but it appears floods, famines and plagues may have also helped to start belief in some gods in the first place. Researchers at North Carolina State University found that belief in all-powerful and moralising gods tended to appear at times of hardship in human history. They claim that believing in such a supreme deity helps to ensure people within a society live by certain moral rules that are necessary when living in harsh environments or in times of hardship. The researchers studied the origins of 583 religious societies around the world. They compared these to climate, rainfall and plant growth data for each area to build up a historical picture of the conditions each society was living in. The findings may help to shed light on how religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam first emerged and why stories of hardship play such a central role. Advertisement

Professor Dominic Johnson, an expert in evolutionary biology and international relations at the University of Oxford, believes this may be why fear of God is such a dominant feature in world religions.

In his new book, God is Watching You, he said that belief in divine punishment is actually hardwired into us by evolution and so led to the development of the world's religions.

He suggests that rather than being an opposing theory of the world to the ideas of evolution by natural selection put forward by Charles Darwin, religion is actually a product of it.

'The ability to anticipate rewards or punishments arising from our behaviour would clearly have been favoured by Darwinian natural selection, because it promoted survival and reproduction,' he said.

'I argue this extended to the anticipation of supernatural reward and punishment.

'God-fearing people were better able to avoid raising the ire of their fellow man, lowering the costs of real world sanctions, and raising the rewards of co-operation.

'It offers a striking twist on the old science and religion debate - religion is not an alternative to evolution, it is a product of evolution.'

Professor Johnson added the reason why fear of punishment has become such an important force in religion rather than other aspects like love and altruism, which are also promoted in the major religions like Christianity, is mainly due to the way our brains our wired.

Professor Dominic Johnson argues that fear of punishment is a key element in all religions, even dating back to ancient Rome and Greece (a statue of Zeus with his thunderbolt is pictured), and pagan religions where gods were often appeased. He said this may be because it is a key product of our evolution as a species

RELIGIOUS WARS HAVE RAGED FOR ALMOST 3,000 YEARS Over the centuries there have been many wars fought in the name of various religions. Now it appears religious conflict over different beliefs may trace back to as long ago as 700BC. A new study has found the rise of religious beliefs across Mesoamerica led to an increase in political and social conflict. In some regions it resulted in local religious leaders, while in others it created a centralised religious state. The research reveals the importance of religious beliefs in both outcomes, despite them being vastly different, and proves how religion has been influencing politics for centuries. Around 2,700 years ago, powerful states emerged covering swathes of the Central American region, which covers present day Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Mesoamerica gave rise to numerous advanced early cultures during its history. These included the ancient Olmecs through to the rise of the powerful Maya, and eventually the Aztecs, each with their own political systems and religious beliefs. The team found that in Rio Verde, the religious beliefs of the peoples hindered a move towards centralised power. In particular, in the lower Verde, religious rituals involving offerings and the burial of people in cemeteries at smaller communities created strong ties to the local community that impeded the creation of state institutions. Advertisement

Psychological research has demonstrated that negative events tend to have a more potent impact on our thinking and behaviour than positive ones.

Indeed, people tend to value losses almost twice as much as when they make gains.

This is perhaps due to the innate drive among our earliest ancestors to avoid negative and dangerous situations that may pose a threat to their lives, and so their ability to pass on their genes.

As humans began to live in larger and more social groups, this led to a greater ability to understand each other's intentions.

Professor Johnson said: 'When humans evolved the capacity for complex language and theory of mind – the ability to know what others' know - our behaviour became increasingly transparent and selfish behaviour and social transgressions risked increasing costs from retaliation or reputational damage.

'Avoiding these costs ushered in a new era in which the suppression of selfishness became a vital ingredient of an individual's evolutionary success.

'The idea that one's good and bad deeds will be observed, judged and rewarded or punished by God or some other supernatural agent is a recurring feature of virtually all of the world's religions, both past and present.

'The looming threat of supernatural punishment deterred selfish behaviour and increased cooperation, and this was a good thing for individuals as well as society.'

He said that all of the major religions emphasise the importance of moral to avoid incurring the displeasure or anger of a god.

In Christianity, those who are faithful and ask forgiveness of God will be granted entrance into heaven, while those who do not will be sent to hell.

The Old Testament and Hebrew bible depict a far more vengeful God that actively punishes mankind for its transgressions.

Hindus believe that if they are sinful during their life they will be reincarnated as an undesirable animal.

Many stories in the major religions, such as that of Noah in the Old Testament, depict God as being vengeful. Fear of punishment from a divine being

Even the Romans and ancient Greeks believed in gods that were responsible for natural disasters and had to be appeased.

Professor Johnson claimed that pagan belief systems often feature spirits with powers of retribution and many indigenous cultures believe ancestral spirits watch over their activities.

He added: 'When we do something selfish or wrong, even if we are alone and could never be found out, we nevertheless find it hard to shake a sense that somehow our actions are observed and disapproved of by someone or something.

'It's not logical. It's not rational. But it turns out that such a belief is common to religious and nonreligious people alike.

'In fact, it seems to be ubiquitous across history and across cultures – part of human nature.'

* God is Watching You is available in the US and will go on sale in the UK in January.