if we (humans) evolved from monkeys, then why are monkeys still monkeys?
458284
Monkeys now aren't the same as the monkeys we evolved from, our common ancestor. They didn't evolve in the same way because of different accidents in the genetic replication, and because they are well adapted enough to reproduce in their environment... Natural selection does *not* lead to the optimal genetic material, simply to one that is *good enough* to reproduce better than the competition.
1106498
I have often pondered this question too.  I believe that scientists would say that human evolution involves a new genetic trait that resulted in some, but not all monkeys.\n \nSome say monkeys, some say birds, fish or small rodents...it's all weird.
530595
One huge misconception about evolution is that the sequence is fixed. The apes *are* evolving. They are changing in response to their environment. But that environment is different than the one our ancestors had 3-6 million years ago. So they won't change in the same way our ancestors did.
1019723
Noo we werent monkeys...\nit was said that we evovled from monkeys in other words we were ancestors. We humans look like monkeys, even a long time ago, because we share the common ancestors with the monkeys... It is believed that not too long ago (compared to the life history of the earth), a certain type of old ape started to evolve toward what ended up as humans today, but some of them also evolved toward the ape direction and gave rise to the apes of today. It is not hard to imagine why we look so similar to apes since really we have not had a time long enough to really diverge our appearance since we originated from the same ancestor.
445160
Actually, Darwin NEVER said we evolved from monkeys! (Quoted from my Biology Professor at LSUA). There is this huge creation/evolution stink going around, but all evolution states is what has already been stated...the survival of the fittest, or natural selection.  Now he DID say we could have all resulted from ONE COMMON ANCESTOR, just so happened that the monkey developed one way, and the humans another way, but he doesn't say that we evolved from monkeys or apes or whatever.  The result is evolutionary adaptation, the accumulation of inherited characteristics that enhance organisms' ability to survive and reproduce in specific environments.  In modern terms, evolution is defined as a change over time in the genetic composition of a population.  in 1859, Charles Darwin published a book called "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection".  Look it up and check that out.
1030372
God created evolution.   Evolution is a form of creation.\nWhy does everyone think that God always said "poof" and it was there?  His example was the potter and the clay.   There is no time frame to God.  And man did not come from monkeys.  If that were so, why are there still monkeys and apes?  Why didn't THEY evolve?  Everything else evolved.   Man was created as man.   Ape man came from the perfect man in a regression form or de-evolution.   Most don't believe the bible because they haven't read it or just don't understand it.  If you think the Bible is fake, you are betting eternity on it.   Bottom line...you are human, monkeys are animals, not ancestors.
716973
Evolution is one of those very dangerous subjects in which just knowing the surface of the subject can be misleading.  Humans did not evolve from monkeys.  We evolved from the ancestors of current apes.  Think of it like a fork in the road.  The apes took their path, and we took ours.  And all evidence does point to Darwin's theory of natural selection being correct.\n\nEdit:  To those of you saying that evolution only occurs over thousands of years.......this isn't necessarily true.  Over the last 50 years bacteria have evolved to become antibiotic resistant.  Since bacteria reproduce on a much shorter time period and they don't have the DNA repair mechanisms that eukaryotes have, their DNA mutates much more rapidly than ours.\n\nAlso, monkeys will NOT eventually evolve into humans in 1000 years as one person claimed.  Humans are not the tip of the evolutionary tree as some would like to think; we are just another branch on the evolutionary bush.
353195
*Sigh* This question has been asked so many times, it's almost sad. Here's the deal: we did not evolve directly from monkeys and apes. Humans, monkeys and apes all evolved from ONE COMMON ANCESTOR. This common ancestor has since died off. So, let's put it this way: monkeys and apes are our distant cousins, rather than our distant brothers and sisters. That make sense?\n\nHere's a better question: if man DIDN'T evolve from monkeys and apes, why are we 99% genetically similar to them? \n\nThank you, by the way, for stating monkeys AND apes in your question instead of just monkeys. Strictly speaking, we are more related to apes than to monkeys. And yes, there's a difference.
107257
Monkeys?  Humans evolved from this source, however, it wasn't over night, this took place over thousands of years.  There are snow monkeys anyway, living in the Himalayas so that blows your theory.
699275
Did really humans?  chimpanges?  I have not a clue.\n\nI would suggest, you may have evolved from under a rock.\n\n.
1147086
Far too huge a subject to get into here, check the link for information.\n\nJust to clear up one common misconception: Man did not evolve from monkeys.  Men, the great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans), and monkeys all evolved from common ancestors millions of years ago.  Men and monkeys diverged more than 10 million years ago, and men and the great apes diverged about 5-8 million years ago.
568942
Based on fossil, genetic, and molecular evidence, we have a long train of ancestors in our history.  Modern humans and other primates, such as monkeys, have a common ancestor that lived about 25 million years ago, and our ancestor would probably *not* be considered a "monkey."  Before that were early mammals, and before that mammal-like reptiles, the sauropsids. Before that were early reptiles, and amphibians.  And yes, before that, about 440 million years ago, one of our ancestors was a fish.  So you are correct.
46320
According to the theory of evolution, which is strongly supported scientifically, we are not decended from apes, monkeys or chimpanzees.  We do, however, share a common ancestor with them.  Humans evolved from that common ancestor to become what we are today, and the others evolved to become what they are today.  However, there are other viewpoints on this matter, which, though not scientifically supported, are in wide belief in many cultures.  These ideas are based on religious belief systems. These belief systems contend that humans have NOT evolved, and were created just as we are today by a diety or dieties.  Whether this is true or not, is a source of much debate.
268444
I beleive in Adam and eve.\nThe only explanation why we are here.\n\nEvolution.- To some extent.\n   I dont beleive humans evolved from apes\n   But I do believe in Survival of the fittest.\n   Giraffes with short necks couldnt survive cause they couldnt reach the tall tress after the ground was barren................ something like that.\n\n  Evolving from apes does not make sense- why did they stop evolving if they evolved before.\n   Why aare there no intermediates between apes and human.\n\nIf God created animals, and earth, and stars and suns, than he must have created humans too.
230135
There is evidence to say that we are still evolving. Many people believe that our brains have gotten larger.\n\nProblem is that evolution through natural selection takes millions upon millions of years. The human lifespan is nothing next to this. That is why it is so hard for us humans to wrap our minds around the concept of geologic time & evolutionary changes.\n\nHere is the deal w/ the whole monkey issue:\n\nWe did not evolve from monkeys. Biggest misconception ever. Certain groups of people like to keep this myth going b/c it helps their cause.\n\nActually we (human line) branched off millions of years ago during the Oligocene. The line that we think of as apes & monkeys form a different branch of the evolutionary tree. We are not directly decended from monkeys OR apes. They are on different branches all their own.\n\nSome theorists believe (i.e. S. J. Gould) something called punctuated equilibrim in which at certain times in history evolutionary changes occurred in short spurts due to changes in the climate/environment which in turned allowed natural selection to occur. Makes sense --> no change = no natural selection = no evolutionary changes.\n\nWe have seen in the past that some groups of people are naturally immune to select diseases. IF a particular disease occurs in which only 1/4 of the population is immune & the rest die out, then you have a change in the evolutionary gene pool.\n\nNatural selection still occurs today. The peppered moth is one example.
190230
Humans did not evolve from apes nor the other way around.  However humans and apes do share a common ancestor.  This ancestor was not human or ape but it was the foundation from which they both evolved on two separate and distinct paths (evolutionary tracts). In fact most people have heard the apes are the closest species related to humans, but the truth is, Chimpanzees are the closet to us, genetically, physically and in mental capabilities. Apes and Humans diverged on separate evolutionary tracks about 8 million years ago while Humans and Chimps only diverged at about 5 million yrs ago.\nThere is a 4% genetic-sequence difference between chimps and Humans, which means that our DNA is 96% identical. But we did not evolve from one another, we just shared a distant, now extinct relative.  Hope this clears things up.
256655
We evolved from primates, but not monkeys specifically.  We did not evolve from birds although we do share a common ancestor with them a long ways back.  Although evolution has not been conclusively "proven" it is supported by a preponderance of evidence and accepted by the vast majority of the scientific community.  And hutsong's "evidence" against evolution is primarily fictitious.  Don't be fooled by his authoritative manner - he's still full of crap.\n\nFor a defense of evolution see my answer to this question:\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiUBrphbhCO3D7mQOX5JXrrsy6IX?qid=1006032117223\n\nAnd these links:\nhttp://www.txtwriter.com/backgrounders/Evolution/EVpage16.html\nhttp://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/lines/index.shtml\nhttp://fermat.nap.edu/html/creationism/evidence.html\n\nOr go to your local library and find an introductory biology book.