Are+all+monkeys+or+apes+going+to+have+evolved+descendants+that+look+like+us?


 * __ARE ALL MONKEYS OR APES GOING TO HAVE EVOLVED DESCENDANTS THAT LOOK LIKE US?__**

Answer the question below, append new answers to the top of this page. _ __Response 1:__ To effectively answer this question, I will go into details relating human evolution, evolutionary impacts and species that took part in our evolutionary history. First, lets have a look at a few definitions:
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 * Hominines**: A subfamily of modern man, this includes humans, gorillas and chimpanzees as well as some extinct relatives.


 * Australopithecine**: Of or belonging to the hominid genus Australopithecus


 * Australopithecus**: A fossil primate with both apelike and human characteristics.


 * Hominid**: A primate of a family.


 * Genus**: A group of organisms having common characteristics distinct from those of other similar groupings.


 * Neanderthalis**: An extinct species of human.


 * Homo Sapien**: The only surviving hominid.


 * Lineage** - From a particular descent or ancestry.


 * Late Cretaceous (about 85 million years ago)** - First primate evolution begins.


 * 6 million to 1.5 million years ago** - Were at least 2 separate species of hominines. One line later evolved into genus Homo and on into humans and one or more developed into australopithecine which later became extinct (about 1.5 million years ago). Here are the Australopithecus thought to have possibly evolved into genus homo (our immediate ancestor):

1) A. afarensis (extinct and thought to not have direct relation to humans the most well known remains are pictured below, scientists called the specimen ‘Lucy’)

[|A. afarensis image] [|A. afarensis 'Lucy']

2) A. sediba (Described as an “intriguing candidate as to the immediate ancestor of //Homo”,// is thought to be the direct ancestor to Homo Genus//)//

[|A. sediba image 1] [|A. sediba image 2]

3) A. robustus (Very closely related to A. boisei, debate as to wether or not they were separate species)

[|A. robustus image]

4) A. boisei (Likely died out due to overspecialization to a certain environment, as the environment changed, evolution was unable to keep up)

[|A. boisei image]

5) A. africanus (Some scientists are debating as to wether or not they are descendants of A. afarensis)

[|A. africanus image]


 * 2.5 - 1.5 million years ago** - Genus Homo is established. Oldest stone tools found are 2 million years old (choppers used to prepare food). Evidence shows that these ancestors were also eating meat. **Homo habilis** is a well known species that has been linked to both Australopithecus and later homo genus species.


 * 1.5 million years ago** - Australopithecus become extinct.


 * 1.5 to 750, 000 years ago** - Earliest **Homo erectus** is discovered to have been living during this time. Homo erectus is found to have moved into tropical areas of europe and out of asia at approximately 750, 000 years ago.
 * 500, 000 years ago** - Homo Erectus has discovered fire and has settled in many of the worlds temperate climate zones. At this point they are making many tools and have begun killing larger animals. Their brains are now within range of that of normal humans.


 * 450, 000 to 200, 000 years ago** - Homo Erectus has evolved in Homo sapiens.


 * 150, 00o to 35, 000 years ago** - Homo sapiens neanderthalis live in an ice age in Europe becoming extinct. Homo Sapien Sapiens (or modern humans) developed separately than the neanderthals. Scientists are still debating wether or not Neanderthals were capable of speech.


 * 90, 000 years ago** - Modern humans appear.

With this timeline in mind, we are able to tell that many species have played a role in the evolution of humans. Also, we are able to say that is very unlikely that modern day apes and monkeys will evolve in a way so alike to us that they will evolve into humanoids as well. As more and more information is brought to our attention, it is far less likely that modern day primates will evolve into a species like us. It is quite evident that we did not evolve from any of the ape species we see today. Also, during the evolution process in which humans came to be, apes also came to be, however we were diverged from two separate lineages. On top of this, evolutions such as the ones Homo Sapiens went through take millions of years to happen. Evolutions like this need time, space and stability, unfortunately with the added pressures on modern day apes and other primates by humans make this kind of evolution very unlikely. The chances of the sequence of events that led up to our existence occurring ever again are very slim, however, there is a chance.

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Emily B

__Additional Responses:__

_ //Please report abuse of this wiki to Louis Cheng at louis.c@calgaryscienceschool.com, and note that any answers listed here are put forth in the spirit of sharing information. Not all answers are verified to be correct, and may include bias or opinion offered by contributing experts. Agents of the Calgary Science School, and the institution as a whole will not be held responsible for the content contributed by the public.//