“Humans evolved from monkeys.”

Humans did not evolve from modern monkeys; this is a common misconception about evolution. The myth likely stems from oversimplified depictions of evolution, such as the "March of Progress" illustration, which shows a linear progression from ape-like creatures to humans, leading people to believe one species directly transformed into another existing species. This visual, though often used to illustrate evolution, can be misleading by suggesting that modern monkeys are a direct ancestor in our lineage.

The scientific evidence clearly indicates that humans and modern monkeys share a distant common ancestor that lived millions of years ago. This ancient ancestor was neither a monkey nor a human as we know them today. Instead, the evolutionary tree branched, with one lineage leading to modern monkeys and another leading to apes, including humans. Humans are more closely related to great apes like chimpanzees and bonobos, sharing a common ancestor with them approximately 6 to 7 million years ago. Our DNA, for example, is about 98.8 percent similar to that of chimpanzees, highlighting this close relationship.

People commonly believe the myth because the concept of a "common ancestor" can be difficult to grasp, and the visual similarities between humans and monkeys might lead to the assumption of a direct ancestral link. The idea of evolution as a ladder, with humans at the top, rather than a branching tree, also contributes to this misunderstanding. Additionally, a lack of clear education about the distinct evolutionary paths of different primate (Review) species can perpetuate the myth. Understanding that evolution is a continuous process with numerous branches, and that all species, including humans and monkeys, have continued to evolve from their shared ancestors, is key to debunking this persistent misconception.