Do atheists believe that their closest ancestor is the bonobo?

Question

I don't want to post the pictures here because some are a little x-rated for the children. There is one where a bonobo is walking like a human, but I think that was the only one who was found to walk that way.

If this evolutionary scenario of ecological continuity is true, the bonobo may have undergone less transformation than either humans or chimpanzees. It could most closely resemble the common ancestor of all three modern species. Indeed, in the 1930s Harold J. Coolidge – the American anatomist who gave the bonobo its eventual taxonomic status – suggested that the animal might be most similar to the primogenitor, since its anatomy is less specialized than is the chimpanzee's. Bonobo body proportions have been compared with those of the australopithecines, a form of prehuman. When the apes stand or walk upright, they look as if they stepped straight out of an artist's impression of early hominids.

If the bonobo isn't the closet ancestor of humans, then which one is it?

The way they procreate is very similar to humans. It's very impressive.

Really Jim? I'll think about it.

Hey Jim. I sent you an e-mail Check it out:

Here are some pictures:

http://images.google.com.pr/images?svnum=10&hl=es&lr=&q=Australopithecus&btnG=B%C3%BAsqueda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australopithecus

The way they walk it's pretty similar to humans.

Now get on your knees and confess your sins to the Lord.

Answer 1

Homo Erectus is the closest known relative to Homo Sapien (and it is extinct). Not our little ape friend. While we share many similarities and a common ancestor, we are not directly related.

And its not just atheist. I'm Catholic and I'm also a big Evolutionist.

Answer 2

Our closest living relative would be the bonobo. In fact some scientists say we are so close that they should be in the genus Homo instead of Pan. Some geneticists studying the patterns of mutations have also surmised that chimpanzees and (pre)humans (Australopithecus) did not split cleanly from their common ancestor but instead continued to interbreed for another million years or so until splitting for good.

You do hear of urban legends of humans breeding with chimpanzees (usually the story is research centers doing in-vitro fertilization) but nothing has been proven of that.

Answer 3

There are so many gaps in the evolutionary tree that we can't say for sure what type of primate fit into the empty space. The fact is that we don't know for sure right now, just like many other puzzles of the world. You can make up bogus theories, or you can take what you know and for what it's worth use it. We once didn't know how the ocean tides were made, now we know. In time we will learn more and more about our universe.

Answer 4

There's still some debate about human ancestry, but the bonobo does seem to be a closer relative than others. As we analyze the DNA closer, we'll be able to sort most of that out.

Answer 5

I'm not an atheist and I'm quite comfortable believing that my closest ancestor is a primate.

Bonobos seem to spend an awful lot of time making love, nor war - there are worse progenitors.

Answer 6

I admire the comprehensive view you're taking on this subject.

Anyhow, the bonobo is also one of the three species of animals to have sexual intercourse for pleasure. It's quite possible that they represent a rather large branch of the tree of life.

Answer 7

My closest ancestor is my mother, who was the youngest of seven children. Her parents came over from Germany, and beyond that I don't have further evidence.

So any speculation, religious or otherwise, beyond personal or firsthand knowledge, is rather meaningless, don't you think?

No matter where I came from, I'm here now, and that's what matters to me.

Answer 8

Do you know what an australopithecines is? If you email me the answer, [e-mail], ill get down on my knees and confess my sins sincerely in jesus's name

Answer 9

Are you trying to tell me that ALL christians reject evolution? Bit of a blanket statement, doncha think?

Answer 10

most likely all atheists believe in evolution.