2006-09-04 21:59:41 · 23 answers · asked by lonewolf_sag 1 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
because humans did NOT evolve from apes!!!!
it's as simple as that :p
2006-09-04 22:02:22 · answer #1 · answered by ChEkNa . 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Humans *are* apes. The most recent common ancestor of both humans and chimpanzees was approximately 6 million years ago.
The way to understand this is to remember that living organisms are in a state of constant change - It's not that evolution *can* occur, but that it *must* occur, simply because there is no mechanism in living organisms to ensure perfect, flawless reproduction for ever.
Suppose you could study a population of chimpanzees in the jungle, on a timescale of millions of years. Clearly, each individual only lives a few decades, so the population is constantly being succeeded by individuals which are different from their parents - and remember, this is *inevitable*. It can't *not* happen. All the time this population is inter-breeding, the genes are getting mixed together, and only genes which work well with all other chimpanzee genes will tend to get passed down to successive generations (because individuals with genes that don't work well together will tend not to reproduce).
However, suppose that circumstances arise which cause a group to become genetically isolated from other chimpanzees. This could be as a result of an accident of geography (e.g. an impassable river) or breeding preference or simply great distance. There will develop two distinct groups of chimpanzees which can never again exchange genes, because they have become different enough that mating will not produce viable offspring. This is what biologists define as speciation - i.e. the population has forever split into two distinct groups. Biologists have observed many instances of speciation, so there is no doubt that it occurs.
Assuming that both groups continue to survive, it is again *inevitable* that they will diverge genetically - There is no possible way that both groups, isolated and independent from each other, can change in exactly the same ways, and the longer they continue to breed, the more different they will become. Over millions of years, given that the rate of genetic change via mutation tends to remain fairly constant, the two groups will become as distinct as today's chimpanzees and humans are from each other, and from their most recent common ancestor.
All this is based on what we *know* is true - it's not supposition or guesswork, and remember it's not just possible, it absolutely *has* to happen, because there is no mechanism in biology to make reproduction a 100% perfect, flawless process.
Hope this is a useful explanation.
2006-09-06 19:12:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
None of the current apes in the world are Mankind's direct ancestor. Chimps, gorillas and orangutans all evolved from other preceeding apes.
If you go far enough back, humans and modern apes do have a common ancestor. But the subsequent species between then and now diverged into separate species, none of which currently exist.
2006-09-05 19:09:35 · answer #3 · answered by aka DarthDad 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, some creatures have evolved from amoebas, but there are still amoebas around.
Darwin's theory of evolution states that creatures most suited to a certain environment will thrive in that environment. Those that are unsuited will perish, leaving the other more suited creatures to mate and reproduce genetically superior offspring.
There are still apes because the apes have not become obsolete to their surroundings. They are still able to survive and adapt in their habitat.
However, because of humans, ironically, we may see the end of the great apes. Deforestation and poaching accounts for a significant decline in the wild population of these magnificent animals.
2006-09-05 05:07:59 · answer #4 · answered by Disgruntled Biscuit 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
THE ANSWER IS EXTREMELY SIMPLE HUMANS NEVER REPEAT NEVER EVOPVED FROM APES OR ANYTHING ELSE...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is only a half baked inane theory without a shred of verifiable proof only theories speculations and conjectures no facts every time they try to prove that nonsense their supposed evidence is PROVEN TO BE FRADULENT one time they tried to pass off a shul;l as being the alleged missing link it was later proved to be the jaw bone of a jackass only 200 yrs old dont you find it interesting thjat darwin went to the galapogos to study turtles and came up with a theory about monkeys does any one see the irony here do you have any strange urgings to date a gorilla or let your daughters marry good old uncle harry (hairy) a biological fact ape produce apes rabbits rabbits have you ever seen a porcupine give birth to an elephant or a bunny rabbit give birth to a whale thats easier to accept than this nonsense of evolution hoe that cleared up the sludge for you and you can see clearly the answer Gorbalizer
2006-09-05 23:17:44 · answer #5 · answered by gorbalizer 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Humans did not evolve from apes, they merely share a common ancestor with them.
2006-09-05 09:29:09 · answer #6 · answered by Catherine B 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
humans did not evolve from apes. They have a common ancestor, just like branches from the same tree.
2006-09-05 05:41:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Stop being so stupid!
Apes and humans evolved from the same species. It is an argument used by moronic religious people who have no clue on the subject because they are too stupid to grasp the FACT of evolution!!!
2006-09-05 05:11:19 · answer #8 · answered by Folded Paper Figures 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Humans and apes not only share a common ancestor; we are apes.
2006-09-06 00:04:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because not all apes evolved, only those from a specific branch or area.
2006-09-05 05:01:02 · answer #10 · answered by Felidae 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
i think humans evolved from a certain "type" of ape that obviously doesnt exist anymore.
2006-09-05 09:15:13 · answer #11 · answered by SusieQ 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋