HUMANS DID NOT EVOLVE FROM MONKEYS

One of the most popular points used to discredit the theory of evolution is that humans evolved from monkeys. However, that is not true. Humans and monkeys shared a common ancestor before they diverged into their different lineages and into their present form observed in modern day.

Previously used methods of determining evolutionary relationships were based on morphology (physical), behavioral and palaeontological data but biochemical methods have gained prominence in recent times and biochemistry is being used to study evolutionary relationships.

Based on evidences from these 4 sources, it is has been shown that chimpanzees, gorillas and humans share common ancestry, and that the Asiatic apes (gibbons and orangutans) diverged much earlier from our common ancestor. The man-chimpanzee-gorilla lineage separation may have taken place at around 4-6 million years ago.

Abbreviations: CC=Common Chimpanzee; PC=Pygmy chimpanzee; 
GO=Gorilla; HO=man; OR=Orangutan; GB=Gibbon;
 OWM=Old World Monkeys

From the table above, humans are a "pure line." and so are gorillas and chimpanzees. Humans did not evolve from monkeys but humans do share a common ancestor with the monkeys i.e chimpanzees and gorillas. As a result, humans have a lot in common with chimpanzees and gorillas who are our closest relatives.

REFERENCES

Hixson, E. J., & Brown , M. W. (1986). A comparison of small ribosomal RNA genes from the mitochondrial DNA of the great apes and humans: Sequence, structure, evolution and phylogenetic implications. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 3(1), 1-18.

Zihlman, A. L., Cronin, J. E., Cramer , D. L., & Sarich, V. M. (1978). Pygmy chimpanzee as a possible prototype for the common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas. Nature, 275(5682), 744-746.

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