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Man from gorillas?
Name: killer
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Around 1993
Question:
Did we evolve from gorillas?
Replies:
No, evolutionary theory does not say we evolved from gorillas.
It merely notices that humans, gorillas, chimps, and other primates have many
similarities and MAY have a common ancestor. The evidence is from many
disciplines, such as the fossil record, embryology, comparative anatomy, and
genetics. At the same time, the theory has weakness too, and the theory is
constantly being refined and updated to try to deal with these. There was an
excellent colorful review of the possible evolution of primates in a recent
National Geographic. I am not sure exactly which one, but it was between
January 1993 and April 1993.
wizkid
I think one would be too conservative to say that primates MAY
have a common ancestor. That is almost certain. Humans and gorillas have the
exact same number and types of bones. Humans and chimps have the exact same
hemoglobin proteins in their blood. Gorillas only differ by one a amino acid
or two. That humans and other apes share a common ancestor is as much a
scientific fact as that the earth revolves around the sun. Neither have been
directly observed, but they are so well supported by such a huge preponderance
of evidence as to leave little doubt. The only debate theses days among
scientists regarding our relationship to the gorillas is whether we are more
closely related to them or the chimpanzees, and even there, most are leaning
towards chimps.
Jim Murray
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Update: June 2012
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