2007-01-18 17:08:38 · 13 answers · asked by caciansf 4 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
We evolved from an ancestor of modern apes. It is now extinct. That is why we can't test its DNA.
2007-01-18 17:11:39 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa A 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Humans did not evolve from the apes that are alive today. Apes and humans share a common ancestor, somewhere between 5 to 6.5 million years ago. While you cannot trace our DNA back to apes (because we didn't evolve from them), you can use DNA evidence to establish that we are very similar to them and to calculate about how long ago the lineage that led to humans split off from the lineage that led to contemporary apes. (Just to correct other answerers, humans are not apes, humans are hominids.)
2007-01-21 07:33:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is so much ignorance from those who should know better. We did evolve from apes though we didn't evolve from chimps and gorillas. We share a common ancestor with them. Chimps evolved from a bipedal ape that probably looked more like us than them. Most of our DNA is shared with chimps (as well as other animals). THe fact that our DNA is most like a chimp should be evidence for evolution but the ignorance will sadly prevail because most people aren't interested in the truth. They are interested in posturing.
2007-01-19 03:47:04 · answer #3 · answered by JimZ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We did not evolve from current day apes. Both current day apes and humans developed from a common ancestor.
2007-01-19 15:59:15 · answer #4 · answered by anonimous 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, in the "anthropological world", human beings ARE considered apes, along with chimpanzees, orangutans, gorilla (the greater apes), and gibbons (the lesser apes).
Sooo... your question really isn't a valid one? But we do share a common ancestor with these apes (so it's thought) and the split is thought to have occured about 25 million years ago... Okay, I'm off track.
But anyways, we do all have common DNA, but hey, we share something like 90% of our DNA with earthworms.
2007-01-19 15:05:17 · answer #5 · answered by Shannon E 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Humans did NOT evolve from apes. No evolutionalist EVER said this (including Darwin). This is common knowledge!!!! Do a little research next time and stop spreading ignorance!!!
2007-01-18 17:16:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋
Humans and apes have a common ancestor. That is why we have so much DNA in common with them. So, in fact, they have traced the DNA back to modern apes. I would like to see a comparison of mitochondrial DNA from humans and chimpanzees, that would examine the female lineage of both us and apes.
2007-01-18 18:51:32 · answer #7 · answered by Terracinese 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Actually, there are only three chromosomal differences between us and common chimpanzees. We can see (for example) that what is two chromosomes in us is 1 fused chromosome in the chimp.
We did not evolve from chimpanzees, but we DO Share a common ancestor, and DNA shows this very clearly.
2007-01-19 01:35:21 · answer #8 · answered by stormsinger1 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
We did not evolve from apes. We have a common ancester with them. Apes are more like cousins, the relationship is distant.
2007-01-18 19:34:04 · answer #9 · answered by nursesr4evr 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Trolling, trolling, trolling .....?
or need to take a high school biology class? Since we do not know how old you are, I am guessing 11 or 12 based on your ignorance of the basic concepts of evolution.
Here is a great link so you can understand the basics....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_evolution
if you have any questions about the "big" words or ideas, I'm sure anyone on the anth site will be more than happy to help you understand! Good luck!
2007-01-19 07:33:44 · answer #10 · answered by dedum 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋