• Question: will monkeys be able to do everything a human can do?

    Asked by beth.nicholls to Angela, Claire, Ian, Robert, Sarah on 11 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Ian Cade

      Ian Cade answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      I suppose you mean will a particular monkeys species evolve in such a way that they eventually end up as a new species with the same capabilities as humans.

      Short answer… possibly… probably no

      It depends what evolutionary pressures these monkeys are under. In particular is their chance of survival increased by being more human like. Considering the ecological niche for human-like mammals is already filled… by humans… I don’t see that there is any great evolutionary pressure for monkeys to evolve in this way.

      If, however, humans were to disappear… then things might be different.

    • Photo: Angela Stokes

      Angela Stokes answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      Hi _bethnicholls_
      I think it is unlikely that monkeys will evolve to do all of the things humans do…..certainly it won’t happen in my or your lifetime.

Comments