Humans are not descended from chimpanzees; we share a common ancestor with them

odditiesWikipedia5–8 million years ago

Humans are not descended from chimpanzees; we share a common ancestor with them

the gist

Humans did not evolve from chimpanzees or any other living ape. Instead, humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor that lived roughly 5 to 8 million years ago. Over time, that ancestral population split into separate lineages, and each evolved on its own path, so chimpanzees are our close cousins rather than our ancestors. Genetic comparisons show the two species are very closely related, which is why the misconception is so common.

so what

Understanding that humans and chimps are cousins, not parent and child, is key to reading the fossil record and avoiding the idea that evolution is a ladder. It reframes evolution as branching.

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background

Homo sapiens is a distinct species of the hominid family of primates, which includes all the great apes. Over their evolutionary history, humans gradually developed traits such as bipedalism, dexterity, and complex language. Modern humans interbred with archaic humans, indicating that their evolution was not linear but weblike. The study of the origins of humans involves several scientific disciplines, including physical and evolutionary anthropology, paleontology, and genetics; the field is also known by the terms anthropogeny, anthropogenesis, and anthropogony—with the latter two sometimes used to refer to the related subject of hominization.

From Wikipedia: Human evolution (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗ · text CC BY-SA 4.0

longer watch · 33:00

33:00

The crossroads of human evolution (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)

Stefan Milo on YouTube ↗

see

Stadtpflaenzchen, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Shashwat9107, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Keith P Dear, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Illustrative photo · after Chris Stringer, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

politics

Trump and Netanyahu reportedly clash over whether to resume military action against Iran

the gist

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

so what

The United States and Israel have been closely aligned on Iran's nuclear programme and regional threats, so open disagreement between their leaders over military strategy is unusual and closely watched. Whether to resume strikes is a decision with consequences for shipping, oil markets and the wider Middle East.

fun fact

Benjamin Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister of Israel for more years in total than any other person.

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Data: GDELT Project

Illustrative photo · Israel Belkind and Fanny Abramovitch (original) “The Provis…, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10:49

supplementary video · Epimetheus on YouTube ↗

world cultures & travelWikivoyageclassic9th–15th century · Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor was the largest pre-industrial city on Earth, covering about 3,000 square kilometres

the gist

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.

how it works

The Khmer kings built enormous rectangular reservoirs that caught monsoon rain during the wet season. Earthen dykes and canals moved that water into rice paddies, so farmers could grow crops across much of the year. The surplus food supported craftsmen, builders and the workforce that raised the temples.

so what

Angkor shows how a society without industrial machinery could build a city on a scale that rivals modern metropolises, using engineering and water management instead. Some historians link its decline to drought, flooding and shifts in its water systems, which makes it a long-running case study in how cities depend on managing water. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Southeast Asia.

fun fact

The outline of Angkor Wat appears on the national flag of Cambodia.