Just wondered, if we have evovled from apes, why are there still apes?

Answer 1

Darwin's theory is about natural selection, so some apes got selected and some didn't --> a pretty good excuse to get out of the puzzling question ain't it?

Answer 2

This is a very uneducated question. Apes have also evolved. We shared a common ancestor, and they have changed, though not quite as significantly as our species has. If your question is why did they not continue evolving in our direction, the answer is that there must have been a geographical separation or something similar no longer allowing mating between the different groups, and therefore developing different species.

I hope you are not asking the question as to why, even if separated they did not develop brains, and learn to walk like us. That would be what is called orthogenisis, or the belief that evolution moves in a certain direction in order to achieve some goal. Evolution is random mutations that are selected for. We got lucky, we got the big brains. But there are many costs to the adaptations that we have that may not have been beneficial to the other ape species. Our childbirth is much more difficult and dangerous due to our upright posture, and our brains consume massive amounts of energy, especially in heating and cooling it. It may have been more beneficial for the other species of apes not to develop these costly traits, and to continue in a similar manor as they have for Milena.

Answer 3

A couple questions that have "evolved" from this thread:

Why are there no homo habilus, or homo erectus living today.

Extinction. Their species was not "fit" enough to survive the environment and elements that they lived within. Much like the dodo.

If Christians came from Jews, why are there still Jews?

That's "social evolution." Evolution is not a quick process. If you look at Judaism, the numbers of practicing Jews are decreasing as well as branching out, or adapting to a changing society. Christianity and other religions do this too, hence Catholicism (it's changed a lot in the past1500 years ago) and say, Lutherism.

Answer 4

We come from the same root, they have a common ancestor with us, we do not descend from "apes". Apes are part of the same Family of Animals that we are, distant Cousins if you like. In the same way that Domestic Cats and Sabre Tooth Tigers are related.

Answer 5

Actually it's more likely that apes DEVOLVED from human beings.
Take any group of city dwellers and take away all food and support services, put them in the woods and see what happens over a hundred years.

Answer 6

To my knowledge, Darwins theory of evolution is just that - a theory. Much publicised, but a theory nonetheless. There have since then been lots of people trying hard to prove it. I haven't heard of anyone putting all the pieces together and actually proving the whole theory.
So hang on to your questions. If asked/ publicised often enough perhaps it'll convince some people to think outside the box of Darwinian theory.

Answer 7

Because we simply have been created by God , we haven't evolved and there's no missing link between humans and apes, we just share some genes, like a watermelon and a cloud are 98 percent water.The evolution theory is actually what it is ...a theory !

Answer 8

We did not evolve from apes. It's more like humans and apes have the same ancestors.

Answer 9

We didn't. Apes and humans shared a common ancestor 3million years ago or something similar. Mutation created two different variants and we each progressed along different paths until we became two very separate species. However, humans and chimps still only differ by 1.6% of their DNA!

Answer 10

Humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor that is no longer alive, since it evolved....into humans and apes.

No problem.