Put another way, the chimpanzees' closest relative is not the gorilla but humans

Put another way, the chimpanzees' closest relative is not the gorilla but humans

Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor, making them closely related in terms of evolutionary history. While many people may assume that gorillas are the closest relatives to chimpanzees due to their physical similarities, genetic studies have shown that humans actually share a closer genetic relationship with chimpanzees.

The genetic similarity between humans and chimpanzees is striking, with an estimated 98.7% of their DNA being identical. This high level of genetic similarity is a result of shared ancestry and evolutionary history. Both humans and chimpanzees belong to the same family of great apes, which also includes gorillas and orangutans. However, humans and chimpanzees diverged from a common ancestor more recently than either species diverged from gorillas.

The close genetic relationship between humans and chimpanzees has important implications for understanding human evolution and behavior. By studying chimpanzees, scientists can gain insights into the behavior and social structures of our early human ancestors. Chimpanzees exhibit complex social behaviors, tool use, and communication skills that are similar to those seen in early humans. By studying these behaviors in chimpanzees, researchers can better understand the origins of human behavior and culture.

Furthermore, the genetic similarities between humans and chimpanzees have important implications for medical research. Chimpanzees are often used as model organisms in biomedical research due to their genetic similarity to humans. Studying chimpanzees can help researchers understand the genetic basis of diseases and develop new treatments and therapies for human illnesses.