That's 400,000 years ago. A man sitting in the jungle fog looks at two rocks in his hand. Perplexed by their consistency and strength, he strikes them together, igniting a brief spark. Amazed by the phenomenon he has created, he continues hitting the rocks until a huge spark ignites, which not only burns his fingers, but also sets the plants in front of him on fire. This man, classified as Homo erectus, gave the decisive turning point to human evolution. Neurobiologists and researchers argue that the discovery of fire allowed humans to cook food, obtain warmth and protection, and augment all human activities, leading to the extraordinary growth of the human brain. Today, our brains have evolved so complexly that we are able not only to think and communicate, but also to believe in and process both the transcendental and experiential aspects of religion. 500,000 years ago, the hominid brain tripled in size. Recent studies by Timothy Rowe at the University of Texas at Austin revealed that the first large increases in brain size occurred in the olfactory bulb, suggesting that early humans relied heavily on their noses to help them smell food ( Robson, 4). Through the use of fire, early humans ate more nutritious food which, in effect, helped grow their brains. Much of the brain's expansion has taken place in the neocortex. This part of the brain is involved in processing higher-order cognitive functions related to human religiosity. The neocortex is associated with self-awareness, language, and emotions. According to Dunbar's theory, "the relative size of the neocortex of any species is related to the level of social complexity of the particular species. The size of the neocortex is related to social variables such as... middle of paper... language option, tools and belief systems all lead to the ultimate creation of religion. Religions are practiced by over 90% of humans on earth today. The feelings of connection that people experience from religion are a function of neurochemistry and social or religious rituals meetings act like serotonin factories for the brain, lifting moods. Humans created religion to have hope and purpose in their lives when it was dark and difficult. They wanted to find ways to strengthen their commitments when they felt adrift centuries, adapting to circumstances and growing rapidly to make us more complex beings it provided religion, giving us a sense of community when we felt isolated and alone. Our brains have provided us with morals and principles that are impossible for us to outgrow today. After all, it made us human!