Where do you think humans came from?

Africa ,or for fun , we evacuated Venus from global warming , and Mars from global cooling. The spaceships crashed and the evidence of a past was destroyed, and life began anew.

We created them.
By crossing a monkey with a pig.

Humans comes from a joint venture between Channel 4 and AMC.
I watched the first season, and am excited to see the next.

Humans are East African great apes.

There is no “missing link”. Every generation is a link. And evolution of a specie is a continuum of change. At times the changes were faster due to environmental pressures.

Anatomically modern humans are 200,000 years old. But this encompasses a broad variety of traits. A human 200,000 years ago would still have had many more archaic traits that we do not have today. There was no sudden birth of “anatomically modern humans”.

Go back far enough, and all life share a common ancestor. The origins of life itself is a chemical evolution of the first organic self-replicating molecules. All living things (on Earth) are cousins.

Or do you believe God created us out of thin air ?
It was not out of thin air, God formed man from the dust of the earth but he was basically like a corpse, until the Spirit of God breath life into him (man). Since it is regarded by many that the garden of Eden was in the upper part of Africa near the Middle east, that would line up why every race on Earth carry African genes, no matter there they ended up at centuries later.

Where do you think humans came from? Earth and evolution.

How do we all choose to live where we are? Basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. Companionship may also come into play.

Do you think that we came from apes? Evolution? The missing link? Does anyone have proven data yet on this? If forced to answer, I’d go with evolution. It’s happened with other species.

Do you guys think that the missing link is a real thing?. To me, it makes more sense than some of the religious versions on creation.

Some cosmic God’s school kids science experiment that went wrong and the teacher said flush it.
Hence where the saying “Down the crapper” came from.

Answerbag. Mostly in December of 2009.

@Kropotkin laid out the most likely story from the evidence.

If you want to get religious about it, God started a “chemical evolution of the first organic self-replicating molecules” and God guided evolution to the “East African great apes” and homo sapiens.

We didn’t come from apes, we are still apes. African apes, specifically, as distinguished from Asian apes like the orangutan.

From the muck, the slime, the primordial ooze. We evolved to become what we are now: scum.

“Humans” likely evolved from great apes. Pretty cut and dry when looking at the fossil record. Keep in mind it’s certainly not this smooth contiuous transition that old shitty science books show. It surprises me how many still think it happened like this. There were multiple populations evolving different characteristics and breeding happened between groups..etc

It’s not a matter of opinion; it’s fact.

We did not evolve from apes or great apes. we are descended from a common ancestor. There’s a shit-ton in information out there if you care to do a little reading.

Unicorn tears fallen onto a magical fairy’s wing, the resultant spray spawned what we now recognise as human people…only we got bigger, way bigger

@ragingloli

Uhmm…..................... Thank you I guess for your sarcastic answer??? I truly don’t think that you believe humans were made between pigs and monkeys….. but whatever floats your belief ;)

@syz I do love to read, thank you for sharing!

@Kropotkin

That was the best and most in depth answer so far. Thank you for actually answering the question and explaining. Much appreciated unlike others :-)

@filmfann

lol well your name * IS * film fan so I would expect this answer, ha! Thanks :) that made me laugh :) I don’t watch too much television so I haven’t heard of that show.

@Seek

That is so interesting…... It’s fascinating to read about all this. So we are just a more “advanced” ape pretty much….? Do you think humans will keep evolving higher up…?

@FlutherBug from homo-sapien to homo-superior.

@Hypocrisy_Central

I apologize for my wording “out of thin air”. I respect your religious beliefs. I’ve read a little bit and have heard the term made from dust before. I’m sorry I did not word it correctly.

That is so interesting…........... So from living in the Middle East in the bible times / beginning times is where all the people came from? Asian, Chinese, Caucasian, etc?

How did Asian people get so light skinned with slanted eyes? If they came from the middle east? Versus African people who have dark skin, bigger eyes and afro texture hair ?

I’ve heard the reason is because of climate and different things….....

It’s just so fascinating to read and learn about all this…..........

I wonder if everyone lived the same and then time happened where all the continents disconnected…....

Because the planet looks like a puzzle when put together

@RedDeerGuy1

That sounds cool :) I’ve never heard it worded that way :)

@Call_Me_Jay

Wow interesting answer, thank you for that perspective

@Call_Me_Jay

Self replicating molecules as in molecules who became stronger and stronger, wanting to survive??? So the molecules become even more complex and so forth and so on ??

Everyone knows we came from the Garden of Eden!

@Cruiser

Yeah it’s so interesting to read about it all…. Religion, God, evolution, or lack thereof, I find myself watching documentaries about the Garden of Eden…. It’s truly fascinating….. We have our own beliefs but it’s like no one can truly know….. I mean of course we think we know what we know and we believe it….. I wonder what the Garden of Eden would have looked like…......... What it must have been like living there at that time….. So interesting

@FlutherBug I am enamored over the notion of only having to wear a fig leaf…No need to do laundry or sort socks ever again…I hate Adam and Eve for blowing this for all mankind.

The Universe’s true destiny.

@Cruiser

Uhm they didn’t blow it all for mankind buddy…. There are still nude beaches and nudist resort places you can walk around if all you want to walk in is a fig leaf ;) HA

A lot of places in Europe accept nudity ;) and you can also live out in the wild :)

No need to not make your dreams come true of walking around naked…....... sarcasm

@Cruiser

I like clothing because you get to design stuff and choose what you want to wear to show individuality or creativity…... I love fashion and think it’s a Gift from God to be able to create fashion / clothing

but I understand also the * simplicity * of living a more natural life without restrictions….. Sometimes clothing can be stifling so I get it…..

@SecondHandStoke

” The Universe’s true destiny ”

That sounds so beautiful to me for some reason

Holdon guys I’m going to find something interesting I read and put it up on here…....

It’s a quote I found from a science ficition novel…..............

If I can find it I want to post it on here and see what you guys think :)

You guys have the most interesting, funny, quirky, and intelligent responses ever !!

@Cruiser

I should delete my comment since it almost sounds like I’m making fun of you :) Hopefully you don’t take it wrong if you truly want to be a nudist….... lol….... I’ve just never heard anyone saying DAMN Adam and Eve because I can’t wear fig leaf panties!!!!!!! lol haha :)

:D

@FlutherBug Nice thought there but I can’t take that much time off from work to satisfy my desire to never do laundry ever again.

@Cruiser

Ahhh….... True, true….......

I’m going to log off for a bit and try to find this cool quote and see what everyone thinks of it…. hopefully I can find it. It was a cool quote written by a science fiction guy. Can’t remember the name though so I have to find it :(

Humans didn’t evolve from apes, they’re a mutation from apes. A virulent, malignant mutation that slowly metastasized and is determined to use up the host quickly enough that the choices are kill or be killed. A cancer.
Global warming’s going to be a bitch of a fever.

@FlutherBug Don’t sell out fig leafs as boring green leafy outerwear….but they can still be quite the fashion statement….tie dye fig leafs….Bedazzled fig leafs…LED lighted fig leafs, lace, calico, silk and corduroy fig leafs….the possibilities are endless.

OK so I found this quote…..........

I don’t think it necessarily has to do with evolution or God ( Or does it ???)

but all this talk about apes made me remember it :) :)

This was a novel I found a few years ago in an old book store :)

so just wanted to share. Maybe I’m just a dork who really loves this cool paragraph :)

”Man plunges into space, into eternal darkness; he ventures timidly toward the unnknown in uneasy alliance with his machines; he probes toward the center of his mind and fears he will discover his soul as well; cosmically speaking, little wiser than the ape-ancestor, he moves toward the future carrying with him war and hate and paranoia. Yet he will persevere. And he will prevail, for he carries one thing his ape forebears never knew. . . dreams. ”

Original title: Alone Against Tomorrow:

I don’t know if I completely understand this piece, I just really like it. All this talk about apes made me randomly remember this book from ages ago :)

@Cruiser

That is so pretty and beautiful. I would get some with bedazzled jewels! lol….

We are apes that survive by making fire, wearing clothes, growing food and talking to one another. We are an evolutionary experiment.

@flutherother

I just saw a picture of an ape momma breastfeeding her two little babies and they were latching onto her…. It looks so much like humans it’s amazing….

I wonder why are there still apes though?

Why did some humans grow while there are still apes around???

@Hypocrisy_Central “Since it is regarded by many that the garden of Eden was in the upper part of Africa near the Middle east, that would line up why every race on Earth carry African genes, no matter there they ended up at centuries later.”

Seems to me that the Bible fairly explicitly places the Garden of Eden in what is now Iraq. I’ve never heard anyone claim it was in Africa (well, maybe the Rastafarians do, but ehh..). Then again, maybe the Mormons have it right when they place the Garden of Eden in western Missouri.

@FlutherBug

There are still apes around because humans didn’t evolve from apes, humans are apes. We and other modern apes evolved from a common ancestor somewhere down the line. Plus, even if we had evolved from some other modern apes that doesn’t mean that ape would necessarily die out. Just as domestic dogs evolved from wolves*, yet wolves still exist.

*Although this isn’t entirely accurate, as there is pretty much no significant genetic difference between any breed of domestic dogs or between domestic dogs and wolves. Dogs and wolves are effectively the same species (Canus lupus).

Many people tend to think of evolution as a ladder with a series of rungs, each one being a step above the previous. This is inaccurate. Think of evolution as more like a tree, with many branches and many offshoots of those branches.

I don’t know about ape forebears (That would make one awesome species of bear, by the way! Or ape, I suppose, depending on how you look at it.), but I know my dorg has dreams. Maybe she’ll beat me into space.

But she’d better hurry; I may outlive her yet.

@CWOTUS “I don’t know about ape forebears (That would make one awesome species of bear, by the way! Or ape, I suppose, depending on how you look at it.)”

Close enough?

Dayum. Close enough for me.

@FlutherBug “So we are just a more “advanced” ape pretty much….? Do you think humans will keep evolving higher up…?”

No species is more or less “advanced” than any other. We are all just a combination of adaptation and happenstance. We are well suited for the type of life that we lead. A slug is well suited to the type of life it leads. No species is moving “up” any sort of ladder to a pinnacle. That’s not how evolution works. We adapt to the environment we are in. If you want to know more about how natural selection works, maybe ask a separate question about it? These are all pretty big topics.

“I wonder why are there still apes though?”

It sounds like you are under the impression that when a new species diverges from another, the other disappears, “poof”. Again, this is not how evolution works. See @Darth_Algar‘s response above for the example of wolves and dogs, showing why. Another good way to illustrate this is with ring species. Every organism is the same species as its parents, after all. It’s only after many generations of change that there is enough difference for us to decide that there is a new species. Organisms don’t flip a switch and change into something totally different. And the word “species” is just a term we have invented in order to classify organisms into groups that share some traits. This is not totally arbitrary (there are rules to these definitions) but they’re often not perfectly defined, either. Some people don’t think wolves and dogs are different species, for example.

You might find this essay by Richard Dawkins interesting. It is about the kinds of questions you are asking (including intermediate species, which were mentioned above as “missing links”), and you should be able to follow it without ever having learned about evolution, which it appears you haven’t.

Would you be willing to share how old you are, and what your education has been? I’m kind of surprised to see so many misconceptions all in one place.

And now I’m getting out of here before @RealEyesRealizeRealLies posts something that makes me want to throw my computer against a wall.

Humans came into being from the word.

Just a simple change in the design code changes a grape seed into a human. Just a different way of saying “life”. That’s the only way any meaningful change can take place. Just change the words used to describe an object into existence. That’s how a chair turns into a sofa, or a table turns into a desk. Words are the only method for creating meaningful change.

No words are required to change lava into a rock. That’s a meaningless change… until someone describes the event, and thereby imbibes it with meaning. In fact, neither rocks or lava would mean anything at all without words to assign meaning upon them.

“In the beginning was the word… and the word was God. And the word was with God. And the word became flesh”.

And God “said” let there be…

Bhartrihari Sphota Theory of Language

Storks.

@dappled_leaves

First of all, I do NOT follow or like Richard Dawkins. I’m not an Atheist / Agnostic or whatever Richard Dawkins is. I do not read his works nor care for his interviews. Yes, I have read his books and have seen him speak but I do not care for his opinion.

I think it’s rude you asked how old I am and what education I have. Like saying I am stupid for asking a lot of questions and for being inquisitive…..

I did not realize Fluther was only for older people with advanced college degrees.

Fluther is supposed to be used to learn new things, share ideas and ask questions.

“Would you be willing to share how old you are, and what your education has been? I’m kind of surprised to see so many misconceptions all in one place.”

I’m 19 years old and I don’t go to college, I work full time.

Please block me if you can so you don’t have to respond to ANY of my misinformed questions ;)

Don’t respond to any of my other questions or contact me again

Thank you

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies

That is really interesting…... I am going to read that, thank you so much for sharing.

You are awesome.

@FlutherBug Wow. You seem very angry at me, and I have no idea why.

First, I’m not interested in encouraging you to “follow” anyone or anything. Dawkins has written a lot about evolution, and at a level that people who haven’t studied it can understand. He’s good at his science and good at explaining it. That’s one reason why his name comes up a lot in these kinds of conversations. He also happens to be an utter asshole. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop quoting him if what he said is relevant to something I’m trying to explain.

Secondly, it is not rude to ask your age or education level. They are quite relevant to the discussion. I didn’t demand that you reveal this information, I asked if you were willing to share it. All you have to say is “No”. I definitely was not saying that you are stupid. It’s not stupid to ask people for insight on a topic that one knows little about. We all do that here – that’s the entire point of a Q & A site. Some of us have a lot of knowledge about certain topics, and virtually none about other topics. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Thirdly, I can’t block you and you can’t block me. Fluther is an open forum for discussion. You do not have the option of asking “only the nice people” to answer (though, I actually am nice, if you care). I can’t promise never to interact with you again, because next week I will probably not remember who you are, and will probably try to answer you if you ask a question.

@dappled_leaves

Who said I was angry at you? I don’t have time to be angry at anyone dear.

I have read his books before. I actually own a couple of his books in my library. However, I no longer read them.

I would throw out his books but I’d rather give them away to someone.

YOU may not think you were being rude however I feel differently.

Please leave me alone. Stop talking to me. Stop responding to me. Stop answering my questions.

@dappled_leaves

If you see a picture of a white husky and the name FlutherBug then leave me alone.

@FlutherBug I’ll work on it.

Punctuated Equilibrium… a slightly different view of evolution. One of many.

Not related to Intelligent Evolution, which is also interesting alternative to traditional Dawkins brand requiring random mutation, and every bit as valid considering Darwin never used the term in Origin of Species. Interesting reads if you’re into it. Not many folks I know actually read the source material.

@FlutherBug – which Dawkins books have you read, if you don’t mind my asking?

@Seek

The God Delusion, The Selfish Gene.

I still have the books but I think I’m going to give them away. I ordered them on Amazon like five years ago.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies

Hey I actually have that book too Origin of Species :) Got a special edition at Barnes. The book is HUGE…............ I have not finished it lol.

One of my goals is to build a big library in my house someday. I plan to just sit there and read all day and finish all the books :) :)

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies

Really interesting stuff. I feel like there’s so much knowledge and things to read and learn out there…..

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies

I have books that are like 400 pages to read and are quite easy and quick…... but man Origin of the Species was difficult to get into. I’m not saying it wasn’t interesting, but kind of “dry”. Anyway I really like learning & reading & I have all these books so I should make good use and read them. Maybe I should have just read Origin of Species instead of asking Fluther lol…

@Seek

And yes I read the books and no I did not like them.

Rats, not ones I’m missing.

Neither of those books are great reads if you are looking for a basic understanding of what evolution is and how it works.

If you can get around your personal feelings towards Dawkins and are so inclined, try reading “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution”. It’s best if you get the hardcover version for the pictures.

Check it out from the library if you’re not comfortable buying it.

The God Delusion is not about evolution at all, and The Selfish Gene is written for an audience that is already familiar with the basic mechanics of natural selection.

Alternately, non-Dawkins books you might try include Neil Schubin’s “Your Inner Fish” and… Standby, I have to look up a title that just slipped my mind

“Why Evolution is True” by Jerry Coyne

@Seek

THANK YOU for recommending them :) !!! I will definitely look it up!

@Seek

I looked up The Greatest Show on Earth and it looks really cool. I’m gonna try to find it on discount on amazon used or something and order it. Thanks for the suggestion really appreciate it. :)

It’s a good one. I’m a Dawkins fan anyway, but even objectively speaking the guy knows his stuff. Evolutionary biology is his trade, so regardless of whatever his Twitter account is doing lately (old white dudes say the darnedest things), he’s still an authority on zoology.

@Seek

Yeah and zoology is quite amazing…........ animals in general

If people believe we are still apes or a different version then would it be safe to call ourselves animals as well or no?

Absolutely. Humans are classified under the kingdom Animalia. We share 98% of our DNA and a single common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos. We are the only surviving species of our genus Homo, but there used to be others: homo neanderthalensis, homo erectus, etc. Homo sapiens sapiens is us. The lone homo left on the evolutionary tree, at least for now.

Huh-huh…..“homo erectus”....

(Yes, I’m immature.)

@FlutherBug “Maybe I should have just read Origin of Species instead of asking Fluther lol…”

For what it’s worth Charles Darwin and On the Origin of Species, while an important cornerstone, is not the be-all-end-all of evolution that some make it out to be. The study and science of evolution has come a long way since Darwin first published his observations 157 years ago.

@FlutherBug That is so interesting…........... So from living in the Middle East in the bible times / beginning times is where all the people came from? Asian, Chinese, Caucasian, etc?
Many years ago Ted Koppel (yes, showing my age) did a special on that, and how scientifically the differences in the nationalities came about over the centuries. I can roll with that, before man migrated from Africa I am not sure changes were on the way. Given science, if certain people of certain characteristics cobble in a certain area and bred, they would accentuate those traits.

@Hypocrisy_Central – Are you admitting to belief in evolution?

^ Are you admitting to belief in evolution?
I have never been afraid to accept certain aspects of evolution when truncated under the gospel, without the gospel as a foundation; evolution some try to promote it is a nice folly.

Which parts of evolution by natural selection confuse you so?

Has anyone reserved the answer, “The anus of DOG.” yet?

^^ Which parts of evolution by natural selection confuse you so?
Not confused by any of it, though to cover their confusion some made up stuff crazier than what I believe.