If people evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?
Like, some evolved into humans and some didn't? If so, why?
Is this a reasonable question or am I sounding really stupid right now?
I'm going to moderate comments on this post, but only so you don't see what others have written and I get your honest reaction to this!
When I get at least ten comments I'll publish them all and you can read each others thoughts. Just PLEASE put me out of my misery!!
Posts
24 voices in my head:
This is why evolution needs to be taught in schools. It's not a stupid question and basically, you're right. Yes, some did evolve into humans, and some didn't. Over millions of years, certain environments caused certain mutations to be expressed and became the dominant characteristics, but in other environments, those mutations would not have been advantageous so they did not evolve into the dominant characteristics. A great example of this is the finches that Darwin studied on the Galapagos Islands. On each of the islands, the environment is vastly different, so certain characteristics developed differently on the islands - some were ground dwellers because there weren't many trees, and their beaks evolved so they could easily get their food out of the ground, while others lived on more forested islands so their bodies and beaks and such evolved for them to be more suited to a tree environment. Does that make sense? I LOVE talking about biology, evolution, natural and sexual selection, and all of that stuff so let me know if I can answer any more questions!
Um...there are several different species of monkey...the homo-sapien has slightly different DNA and was nurtured by natural events to evolve in a certain way...but for a better idea read the Origin of the Species.
Humans didn't evolve from monkeys. They shared a common ancestor and split off somewhere. Apes on one path, monkeys on another. Humans are a type of ape like gorillas, chimps, and bonobos. Monkeys have tails, apes do not. Random bits of information I remember from my bioanthropology classes.
I don't think it's a blond question at all..I'll ask the geek boyfriend tonight,he loves questions like these and he'll find the answer.
i dont believe that we evolve from monkeys.
the genetic makeups are just so...
different.
Monkeys??? I thought we evolved from flamingos... We didn't evolve from monkeys....they are just common in some aspects...
Why did the monkey fall out of the tree?
Because he was dead...
Hi Nic! I'm sorry but I don't have an answer as I am totally wondering about the same thing! There's comfort in knowing you are not alone, right? :) It's interesting to see what answers the other commenters will come up with :)
So i dont really fully believe the evolution business, and here is a prime example why!
Not overly Godly, but in this instance, yes.
BUT!
Could it be that some monkeys were born after the other ones already evolved and therefore, didn't know how to?
Like how people have family stories that are passed on, but on a much bigger scale, maybe?
The idea that people evolved from monkeys is a common misconception. In actuality, humans and monkeys share a common genetic ancestor. Basically some creature existed millions of years ago (5 to 8 million, is what they say) that then split into two genetic strains, one of which eventually evolved into humans, and the other, into monkeys.
So it's not like monkeys have a parent-child relation to us -- it's more like we're all cousins. Does that make sense?
You can find a wealth of explanation by googling "human monkey common ancestor." Here's the first link that popped up, which is very good and readable, and has lots of other evolution FAQs too: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/faq/cat02.html
There was a recent Discovery Channel documentary on Arde the Australeopithicus (spelling?) that explained this issue really well. Humans did not evolve from chimpazees, but from a previous ancestor that diverged into two genetic paths. Today, we humans are one braanch and chimpanzees are the other. That common ancestor no longer exists.
A fork in the road doesn't need to lead to a dead-end. I love the way you think and then write it up for us! It keeps me thinking too.
- lurker
LOL! I can understand Darwin's theory but never actually believed that it applies to humans. So.. I guess this question doesn't even really 'exist' for me!
Omg Nic, this is quite a confusing question for me. Maybe I'm the one who's dumb lol.
Monkeys are cute right, so maybe the not so cute monkeys somehow are punished to become a human or something. So they actually have to live, work and all that. Being a monkey is so much easier, you just have to eat bananas, swinging on trees and sniff other monkey's ass right?:D
For the same reason I evolved from people but there are still people.. some of us are lucky to get the extra chromosomes to evolve and others get left behind and keep screwing and producing more of the inferior subspecies.
I'm just waiting for the answers cause I'm also intrigued!
Ok everyone, I've published all the comments so far! Read away!
Thanks to everyone who gave their two cents worth, I feel slightly more enlightened now!
If anyone has anything else to add, please feel free! :)
hmm... interesting question... i can see that we evolved from monkeys etc... but then.... What did monkeys evolve from???? now get ur thinking caps on.... maybe they evolved from Adam and Eve....who knows... :)
We didn't evolve from monkeys. Humans and apes (which are different from monkeys) evolved from a common ancestor over millions and millions of years.
It seems a few people in the comments don't believe in evolution - but it really isn't up for debate.
Evolution isn't a theory, it's a proven fact. Proven thousands upon thousands of times over.
And before anyone says, "Why is it called the theory of evolution, then?", gravity is also a scientific 'theory'. But you never hear anyone say they don't believe in gravity, do you?
LMAO! I have no clue, girlfriend! I believe in God so I never have to think of things like this haha!
Does it really matter WHERE we came from?
Just worry about where we personally are going and what's happening in the TODAY!!!
Knowledge is only true until there is contradicting evidence to prove otherwise.
Evolution is a THEORY commonly taken as a fact because there has been no as convinicing evidence to prove that it isn't true... yet. Keeping in mind that there is still the possibility of the development of an idea that disproves evolution, it is still technically a theory.
A FACT would be 1+1=2 because there will never be an instance when 1+1 does not equal 2.
Anywho, the above comments regarding how monkeys and humans share the same common ancestor are right on the money. But I can see how that would be confusing!
I have a little something on my blog for you :)
Oh my goodness.
I have always asked my parents this, and they just laughed at me.
I am so glad I am not the only one in the world who has pondered this.
I'm a believer in evolution, but you pose a VERY good question... and I really don't know what to say about that!
Post a Comment