In what ways can religion be explained in evolutionary terms?

Religion is a very controversial subject, one that has led to war, mass murders, political movements, and various other events that shape human history. How did something that has created such an impact on our species come into existence? The goal of this discussion is first to examine the various information we have of hominid species up to the Neanderthals and humans to assess the division between when the first signs of religion arose in …

…Are humans programmed to believe in something greater no matter how simple that notion is? Perhaps humans need explanations to possess a healthy mind, and since primitive beings in particular are unaware of the reasons for nature and such, it is inevitable that a system of explanation is created. Whatever the reason may be, it is clear that in the Upper Paleolithic hominids had already created ritualistic systems and art proving that basic religion existed.