I think the article is talking to the “evolution” of the dry cell battery, not relating it to “evolution” of mankind. Scientists have been using viruses and bacteria to rid the soil and/or ground water of hydrocarbon spills for quite some time now. They’ve just taken the technology to a new level with engineering the viral srains to accept a chemical current.
Quite the freighted term, “evolution,” especially when used by National Public Radio. I somehow doubt NPR used the word in any other context.