Friday, January 29, 2010
“99.4% of the most critical DNA sites are identical in human and chimp genes”
The first time I heard this, I was surprised. But the more I watch people, and the more I watch chimps (thanks to the kids' fascination with Animal Planet), the less surprised I am. Certainly there are physical resemblances, but what strikes me most is the similarity of our nonverbal communication -- picking nits out of our children's hair, wide open smiles, wrestling on the ground, chasing away our competition, engaging in a screaming match, throwing feces at those who annoy us most. After all, sometimes words just get in the way.
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Yes, I do not deny there are so much similarities, however I posted on my blog that stressing something else. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that the similarity in non verbal communication is a very interesting mirror. It removes the pretension of human rules of etiquette and social acceptance and exposes our actions as being more fundamentally animalistic than we might like to think!
ReplyDeleteI think "ignorance is bliss" for the chipanzees. They get to enjoy the fact that they are almost as evolved as humans, but without having to deal with societal rules that involve getting a job and making money. They get to live in a beautiful habitat and get taken care of by zoologists. I don't see why they would want to evolve as much as we have. =)
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