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The evolution of cooperation refers to the emergence of altruistic behaviour between organisms. Conventionally it refers to intra-specific cooperation, where members of the same species work together, although more rarely it is also used to refer to inter-specific cooperation and symbiosis. The topic has been the subject of much controversy, especially within evolutionary circles, as the evolution of cooperation is not easily compatible with the theory of natural selection. A naive interpretation of the theory would suggest that cooperative individuals ought to die out over evolutionary time because they reduce their own fitness relative to their competitors by helping them. Yet cooperation is plentiful in nature as demonstrated by ants, termites, humans and many other animals. Darwin himself was aware of the difficulty, particularly in relation to the social insects such as bees who take care of the queen instead of reproducing themselves, thus seemingly reducing their own fitness for the good of the hive. Biologists in the twentieth century suggested three main mechanisms by which to explain such cooperative behaviour:
 * 1) Reciprocity
 * 2) Kin Selection
 * 3) Group Selection