Evolution? What dat?

Question

It is said that humans evolved from monkeys, my questions are:

1. why are there still monkeys?
2. how come no other animal species has evolved into human like creatures, like tigermen, elephantmen, batmen etc....
3. why mamals? how come reptiles or insects did evolve into human like creatures?

basically, my question is, why are we all alone? why arent there any other species that have evolved into human like creature? what makes apes so special?

Answer 1

"It is said that humans evolved from monkeys ..."

Not by anybody who understands evolution!

Only scientifically illiterate people who learned the stupid, CARTOON version of evolution say that humans evolved from monkeys. This is the ABSURD version of evolution that creationists love to promote because it is then easy to call it ABSURD.

People who understand evolution say that humans and monkeys evolved from a common ancestor.

This is not a nitpick. This is what answers your questions:

> "1. why are there still monkeys?"

Monkeys are not some sort of "unevolved humans" that somehow failed to evolve. They are a separate branch on the tree of life, and monkeys are JUST AS EVOLVED as we are. They are just as well adapted for their environment as we are for ours.

> "2. how come no other animal species has evolved into human like creatures, like tigermen, elephantmen, batmen etc...."

Because evolution doesn't have a "goal" of making humans or human-like creatures. We are the result of our particular evolutionary history. No other animal has that history, and never will.

"3. why mamals? how come reptiles or insects did evolve into human like creatures?"

This is a weird question That's like asking why you were born to your parents and not some other parents. There is no "why". Just as you wouldn't be you if you were born to different parents ... humans wouldn't be humans if they had evolved from different ancestors (reptiles or insects). Humans are mammals. It is meaningless to consider something to be "humanlike" if it is a reptile or insect.

"basically, my question is, why are we all alone? why arent there any other species that have evolved into human like creature? what makes apes so special?"

There are many specific things that probably led to the development of human-like intelligence. Apes have opposable thumbs that allow them to manipulate objects in ways that allows experiment and even use as tools. (Elephants are also extremely intelligent, for probably the same reason.) Apes have social structures that lead to complex communication, which in turn leads to bigger brains, which leads to more communication ... and this loop is probably responsible for the unusual growth in the brain size of apes.

And among the apes, one branch (the Homo branch) also developed complex vocal cord abilities which took this communication<->brain-size loop into high gear.

There is one other species beside Homo sapiens that also had similar intelligence ... and this would be Homo neanderthalensis. This is not an ancestor of humans ... but a separate species that lived at the same time, and went extinct less than 30,000 years ago (which is "yesterday" in geological terms).

Hope that answers your questions.

Answer 2

It is said that all creatures have a common ancestor. So if we evolved from "monkeys" that means that the particular kind of monkeys that humans evolved from where in a different environment and had different environmental pressures and therefore natural selection shaped and made us this way. Every organism is needed in its own habitat and all the organisma are balanced out unless some organism starts to become endangered, then after a long period, it can eveolve to survive. Basically has its place in the environment to keep the whole system balanced out. The organisms with extreme advantages also have disadvantages.

Apes can be considered special because they have unique features that other organisms don't have. They have an a prehensile tail, flexible shoulders, flexible fingers, bigger brain, and binocular vision. Humans are also flexible in the shoulders and fingers (we have opposable thumb), and we also have a well developed brain.

2. All the other organisms suit their environment well and therefore they have no need to adapt/ evolve into becoming anything different (or becoming humans)

3. Humans are most closely related to mammals. Reptiles and insects are small and are needed in different environments. We live in most- simmilar conditions to mammals.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if the 'monkeys' we evolved from do still exist. Probably we share a common ancestor that died out a long time ago.
Sometimes totally different species do evolve similar traits. There are just so many things that are different between us and other species that it is just really, really unlikely for them to become just like us. I do believe that birds and bugs may be good examples two things that evolved wings, but aren't related to each other. I'm not sure though, maybe some biologist can think of a good example.

http://pick18.pick.uga.edu/mp/20m?tree=Life

this can give you an example of what organisms are in what families.. there are too many combinations for things to ever be the same..

Answer 4

For the 1000th time, we didn't evolve from monkeys any more than you evolved from your cousins. You and your cousins came from a common ancestor and you can both continue to live.

Apes aren't so special. Every animal has it's own niche in the evironment. None of us apes can run as fast as almost any land animal. Are they "special" because they can run so fast? You would probably say "no". Humans egotistically think they are better than any other creature, but that is only wishful thinking.

Answer 5

According to Darwin, natural selection occured. Monkey's evolved into humans because that fit their needs better. There are still monkeys around because that haven't become extinct, obviously. Insects aren't going to evolve into humans because they don't have the right body parts. Like monkeys have similar forelimbs, along with other body parts, that are very similar to ours. Also, monkeys have the highest percent of amino acids that are similar to our amino acids in the human hemoglobin polypeptide at 95%.

Answer 6

exactly!! makes no sense at all now does it? because us humans are naturally curious and have to find an explaination for everything. some people are unable to believe that some things are unexplainagle and so amazing that there is no way of understanding it. a good example is the big bang theory versus the evolution theory. so to answer your question - what is evolution? it's just a big rumor. how could anyone know? just like some of the things they teach my daughter in school. she came home and told be taht if she were to stand perfectly still a brontosaurus wouldn't see her. if all we have found are a bunch of bones, where did they get that information out of a pile of bones? i bet dinosaurs looked, acted, and sounded NOTHING like we are taught. and here's the real kicker, they teach these assumptions as FACTS! facts, huh? ok then.....show me the proof.

Answer 7

1. If Christians came from Jews why are there still Jews?

2. how come no other animal species has evolved in to spider like creatures, like tiger-spiders, elephant-spiders, bat-spiders etc...

3. why insects? how come reptiles or mammals didn't evolve in to spider like creatures?

Why are spiders so alone?

Answer 8

natural selection buddy