'Humans need myths' such as religion and money

The ability of humans to talk about and believe in myths - defined as things which do not tangibly, physically exist; is the reason humans have been able to work together and dominate the planet, said Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind.

One of the arguments made by Mr Harari is that without believing in some type of myth, which could be God, money, the nation, or human rights; large numbers of people cannot co-operate effectively.

"In politics today maybe the most important idea is human rights, but human rights are a fiction just like god in heaven, they are not a biological reality," said Mr Harari, who is senior Lecturer in History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.