We Are Still Apes

Humans did not descend from modern apes. Humans are apes. We share a common ancestor with chimpanzees from roughly 6-7 million years ago, and our DNA differs from theirs by only about 1.2%. The split was not a move from primitive to advanced — just two branches going their separate ways.

The earliest known hominins include Sahelanthropus and Ardipithecus — more ape than human, but already showing signs of walking upright. Bipedalism freed the hands, which enabled tool use, which drove brain expansion. Each change set up the next in a feedback loop spanning millions of years.