Humans

Scientists believe that humans and chimpanzees or chimps share up to 99% of their DNA, which simply implies that we are closely related as a species. But this number is so high, yet the differences are so vast, that people usually ask, Why are we so different if we are so similar. From physical appearance … Read more

For years, scientists believed that the main reason why ancient humans started using fire was to cook their food. They control fire to soften meat and tough roots. This is a big step for humanity as it allows them to make their meals safer to eat. However, scientists suggested a new theory that ancient humans … Read more

There is a lot of evidence indicating that humans evolved over time, but not everyone is convinced that it actually happened. The majority of their reasons are related to religious beliefs. However, even some scientists doubt the theory of evolution because of the number of missing links or gaps in our evolutionary data. One of … Read more

Humans have approximately 20,000 to 25,000 genes, and they are all located in our Chromosomes. Genes are essential because they are a collection of DNA that act as the blueprint that will dictate a living organism’s characteristics, traits, and even defects. They contain the instructions on what someone’s hair or eye color would be, how … Read more

There are currently 8 billion humans alive today, according to most studies. However, this is an estimate, and the actual number is likely higher due to the difficulties in data collection across various countries. If there are that many today, have you ever wondered just how many more humans have ever existed on Earth since … Read more

Long before our ancestors learned about fire and utilized tools, they had one significant advantage against other animals, and that was their extraordinary endurance. A method that uses this trait the most, called persistence hunting, is why they managed to survive on open savannas, under the scorching heat of the sun. Along with other evolutionary … Read more

Vestigial structures refer to anatomical features that humans and other living organisms possess that have lost their original functionalities due to evolution, but are still currently present at reduced size or complexity. Charles Darwin argued that humans’ appendix was one of those vestigial remnants that lost their utility over millions of years. However, most people … Read more

If humans evolved from apes, then why do humans stand upright, while they still use four legs? First off, humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor millions of years ago, and not from each other. Apes and chimpanzees, along with other primates, are more of our evolutionary cousins, but our paths diverged a long … Read more

Humans weren’t always walking upright, only using 2 legs. Fossil evidence suggests that our ancestors started as quadrupedal or four-legged species and over millions of years transitioned into bipedalism. This is an evolutionary event that changed our physiology, modifying humans’ pelvis, legs, and spine. This transition is slow and required a significant change in our … Read more

To reach the current human species that we are today, our ancestors evolved and adapted in so many ways to survive, including interbreeding with other species. Up to this day, there are already several confirmed cases of modern humans, Homo Sapiens, mating with other types of hominins such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. However, there is … Read more