New Book Debunks Human-Chimp Similarity | The Institute for Creation Research
New Book Debunks Human-Chimp Similarity

Evolutionary science repeatedly declares that chimps and humans are 98 percent genetically identical, which is then taken as solid evidence that mankind evolved from an apelike ancestor. But a former BBC producer’s new book has found reasons to emphasize research that is often overlooked by evolutionary advocates—scientific results that reveal the uniqueness of man.

In Not a Chimp: The hunt to find the genes that make us human, which was reviewed in New Scientist magazine, evolutionist Jeremy Taylor investigated not only the genetic distinctions between humans and apes, but also the behavioral, neurological, and other scientific findings that together led him to conclude that a view that “chimps are practically human” based on their “98.4%” genetic similarity is “nonsense.”1

Chimpanzees may have most of their genes in common with humans, but so do mice. And for that matter, so do kangaroos, according to Jenny Graves, Director of the Center of Excellence for Kangaroo Genomics. She told Reuters that kangaroos and man share mostly “the same genes and a lot of them are in the same order.”2

Yet nobody repeats any percentage similarity in genes between humans and kangaroos because the evolutionary origins myth does not portray humans evolving from kangaroos.

Within genetics research alone, Taylor found that as more and more knowledge gaps are filled in, the “chasm between human and chimp…seems to deepen by the year.”1 He therefore provided independent confirmation of what Dr. Jeff Tomkins of the Institute for Creation Research published earlier this year: The oft-repeated “98.4%” similarity figure was generated by selecting genic DNA―sequences that were already known to be quite similar between the two species―and ignoring the non-genic sequences.3

The researchers did this because at the time, only the genic sequences were thought to carry relevant information. Since then, the non-genic (called “intervening” by Tomkins in his article) sequences have been found to carry essential regulatory information, called “meta-information.” Therefore, both Tomkins and Taylor would seem to agree that more accurate future sequence similarity estimates should take into account this regulatory DNA. And when that is done, the heralded 98 percent figure will be significantly smaller.

The New Scientist review concluded, “Not a Chimp should be mandatory reading for journalists who often reinforce the general public's misconception that chimps are practically human.”1 The ongoing genetic, behavioral, and neurological discoveries summarized in this book highlight the observation that chimps are not practically human. And this fits squarely with the biblical account that mankind was uniquely made in the image of God.4

References

  1. Callaway, E. 2009. Review: Not a Chimp by Jeremy Taylor. New Scientist. 2721: 44.
  2. Taylor, R. Kangaroo genes close to Humans. Reuters, November 18, 2008.
  3. Tomkins, J. 2009. Human-Chimp Similarities: Common Ancestry or Flawed Research? Acts & Facts. 38 (6): 12.
  4. See also Thomas, B. Chimp Study Reveals Humans Are Uniquely Wired. ICR News. Posted on icr.org April 16, 2009, accessed September 11, 2009.

* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research.

Article posted on September 17, 2009.

The Latest
NEWS
The Cognitive Map: An Incredible Display of the Brain’s Complexity
To be spatially capable creatures, humans need their brains to tell them 1) where things are in relation to themselves and 2) where everything is in...

NEWS
Another Sea Scorpion
There are few animals more nightmarish than an 8-foot sea scorpion! Although, they were not true scorpions, their fossils display a menacing and formidable...

NEWS
June 2023 ICR Wallpaper
"From the rising of the sun to its going down the LORD's name is to be praised." Psalm 113:3 NKJV ICR June 2023 wallpaper is now available...

NEWS
Sauron Inhabits the Amazon
“The Eye was rimmed with fire, but was itself glazed, yellow as a cat’s, watchful and intent, and the black slit of its pupil opened on...

DAYS OF PRAISE DEVOTIONALS
Summer 2023
...

CREATION PODCAST
I Have NO Credentials! | The Creation Podcast: Episode 50
Do you need a science degree to be a champion of creation? How do we communicate the truths of Scripture to our friends and family? The good news...

NEWS
Shark Jaws
Sharks are back in the news, and it’s in regard to their most formidable and fearsome structure—their jaws. Zoologists recently studied...

CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
Established Day 4 | Creation.Live Podcast: Episode 13
Humans have long been fascinated by the night sky. As Psalm 19:1 reminds us, "The heavens declare the glory of God"—His creative signature...

NEWS
Physical Evidence Trumps Evolution Theory
One of the hallmarks of good science is to formulate a cogent theory based on the physical evidence. For example, if the physical evidence (e.g. a fossilized...

NEWS
Solar System Symmetries
Most all school children can recite the planets in our solar system using memory devices such as: “My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Names”...