If we evolved from gorillas then why are gorillas still around?

Answer 1

First, we did not evolve from gorillas - gorillas and humans evolved from a common ancestor. By analogy, you and your cousin are both descended from your great-great grandfather (now deceased). Similarly, the human-gorilla ancestor is long gone.

Second, you misunderstand the process of evolution - understandable, since the picture presented is often quite cartoony, showing man in a linear progression from ape onward, instead of showing a phylogenetic tree of life and the genealogical relationships between modern species. One species does not wholly transform into another. Your suggestion is akin to saying, "If dogs are descended from wolves, then why are wolves still around?" The way speciation usually works is through the partitioning of a population and subsequent divergence - that is, the two populations go their separate ways and evolve in different directions.

Answer 2

If dogs evolved from wolves, then why are there still wolves??
See the faulty logic of your question now?

The answer is... We have a common ancestor, we did not evolve from present day gorillas, we and gorillas both evolved from a common ancestor.. just like dogs and wolves.

Answer 3

The answer is really quite simple -- we didn't evolve from gorillas. Humans and gorillas had a common ancestor, but that ancestor lived tens of thousands of years ago.

To put it another way, gorillas are still around because they evolved separately from humans. It wasn't until humans began invading the gorillas' territory that their numbers began declining.

Answer 4

WE DID NOT EVOLVE FROM GORILLAS!!!! If u had said chimps, I could have understood the mistake u have made, but gorillas??? where did u get that from? Anyway, we SHARE a common ancestor, we did not evolve directly from apes.

Answer 5

We did not evolve from gorillas, we evolved from a common ancestor that was neither gorilla nor human.

Answer 6

It's the same reason that there are different races of people. Just because one changes doesn't mean that the other ceases to exist. Humans evolved in Africa. It's quite possible that we were all dark skinned at one time. Then, we started moving out of Africa to places with less sun. Those peoples' skin lightened up so that their bodies would absorb more sunlight. But just because white people came along doesn't mean black people died! Same thing goes for gorillas.

Answer 7

We didn't evolve from gorillas and no scientist has ever claimed we did. Humans and chimpanzees have a common ancestor and that common ancestor and gorillas have a common ancestor and so it goes. All apes have a common ancestor, further back all primates have a common ancestor but no primate alive today evolved from another primate alive today.

The common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees lived between 7 and 10million years ago. Modern humans evolved around 200,000 years ago.

Answer 8

If you came from a handful of dirt, why is there still dirt?

This is such a dumb question. I'd explain it but you have no desire to understand anything do you. Go hide in your church.

Answer 9

If I make cookies out of flour, then why is there still flour?

Answer 10

that is what I have been saying. No one has an answer.