Guardian Unlimited | Science | A fine romance: how humans and chimps just couldn’t let go — I think this is still going on. Have you ever been to a singles bar?

It could be the oldest, not to mention the messiest, break-up in history. When humans and chimpanzees split up along the path of evolution, they carried on having sex for as long as 4m years, geneticists claim today.

The revelation suggests that the history of humanity may be far more complex than scientists appreciated.

A comparison of snippets of DNA from humans, chimps and other primates shows that after parting company up to 10m years ago early humans and chimps continued to swap genes by interbreeding, until a final split much later. The study suggests the species split for good probably less than 5.4m years ago.



  1. Hawkeye666 says:

    Oh yeah. I’m betting the rabid creationists are going to really like this revelation.

  2. Gary Marks says:

    I actually think this is true, and I also think there’s some sort of genetically-based, residual anger over the breakup. When I go to the zoo, they hurl their feces at me as if to say, “Damn you for breaking up!”

  3. Mike says:

    Revelation? Seems to me that a theory about DNA similarity based on a mythical “mule” species falls far short in the “revelation” category.

  4. John Mitchell says:

    I think these pictures are disrespectful to the office of the Presidency. We can disagree with the President but we should treat the office with respect.

    I suppose I’ll be flamed now.

  5. Improbus says:

    John M.,

    Respect is earned and the current presidential office holder has done little to earn any respect from me.

  6. Sounds the Alarm says:

    Is it me or does the chimp looks smarter?

  7. Gary Marks says:

    #4, #8, I agree there’s an agenda, but I think you misinterpreted what it is. I LOVE chimps, and now I think much more of the President. John is a devious mastermind of subliminal persuasion!

  8. RTaylor says:

    I like pictures of dumb apes, and the chimps are nice too.

  9. Sounds the Alarm says:

    #8.

    They do show and agenda. Get this idiot out of office. Thats the agenda.

    If the next idiot screws up as bad my agenda will be the exact same.

    Loyality is great, even necessary. Mindless loyality leads to little tin gods and Hitler wanna be’s.

  10. Improbus says:

    #8, you probably think I am a liberal. I am not. In fact, I was a Republican until George Jr. came along. I even voted for him the first time. Now day’s I despise politicians equally no matter what party they belong too. If I had to call my self anything it would be a Libertarian with an emphasis on Liberty. It seems now days that the Republican watch word is Security. That is all well and good but they are doing a piss poor job at securing this country. End rant.

  11. Angel H. Wong says:

    #8 You Forgot that Hillary is a hyena, and real life female hyenas have penis like clitorises (I know, I grossed out everyone.)

  12. Sounds the Alarm says:

    #14.

    I agree with you there on both counts.

  13. Mr. H. Fusion says:

    13, it would depend on how you found that out.

  14. joshua says:

    #16 🙂

  15. Hal Jordan says:

    #1 As a rabid creationist I am trying hard not to make a monkey of evolutionists!

  16. Mike Voice says:

    #8 Better all life on Earth destroyed than Gore, Kerry or Hillary.

    #19 I just don’t like the assumptions mad by others that we’d be better off had he lost either of his elections. I disagree strongly with that.

    You oppose the assumption we’d be “better off’ if Bush had lost, but embrace the assumption that we’d be “worse off” if he lost?

    #8 It’s all a matter of relativity.

    You’re not a Bush fan, but you’re really, Really, REALLY not a Gore/Kerry/Hillary fan?? [grin]

  17. James, age 14 says:

    I don’t see how a legitimate scientists could possibly believe that. Whenever they produce a genetically-engineered trans-species hybrid (example: cow + buffalo = BEEFalo, or monkey + starfish = MonStar), the result is always infertile. Of course, if you had to rely on LEGITIMATE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE (such as missing links in the fossil record, or new species appearing while old one disappear, etc.), as opposed to error, speculation, and fraud, Darwin wouldn’t have much of a theory!

  18. James, age 14 says:

    #8 I always find it so curious that so many “Republicans” call up so angry at Rush Limbaugh. Hmmm, why??


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