>As senior in high school, I probably have no right to be posting here.
It's never too early to start.
My question to her was, "Why are there apes running
>around today if the half-ape/half-human species were better developed than
>the full-apes? If the environment changed and the half-ape/half-human
>species died off, wouldn't the full-apes already have been extinct? How,
>then, did the full-ape become a half-ape/half-human if it did not lose its
>old genetic makup (full-ape become extinct)?
Good question.
The idea that humans evolved from apes is not what the current dogma says.
Rather, the model is that apes and humans SHARED a common ancestor that has
indeed become extinct. According to this scenario, apes and humans evolved
in parallel and represent the current end products fully suited for their
respective niches. Thus, it is not necessary for apes to become extinct
during human evolution in this model.
Cheers,
Steve
____________________________________________________________________________
Steven S. Clark, Ph.D. Phone: (608) 263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: (608) 263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and email: ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
University of Wisconsin "It is the glory of God to conceal a
Madison, WI 53792 matter, but the glory of kings to
search out a matter."
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