Are humans apes, or did we evolve from apes?

Humans and the great apes (large apes) of Africa -- chimpanzees (including bonobos, or so-called “pygmy chimpanzees”) and gorillas -- share a common ... read more

Specifically, we are a species of African great ape. Humans evolved from non-human great apes. In particular, humans and another modern great ape species, the chimpanzee, have a most recent common ancestor that does not include any other modern species. This common ancestor is an African great ape as well, so yes humans evolved from apes. read more

Humans did not evolve from apes, gorillas or chimps. We are all modern species that have followed different evolutionary paths, though humans share a common ancestor with some primates, such as the African ape. The timeline of human evolution is long and controversial, with significant gaps. read more

Yep, humans and apes are related all right -- just not quite in the way you might picture. Howard Kingnorth/Getty Images Since Charles Darwin published the theory of evolution by means of natural selection in 1859, myths and misinterpretations have eroded public understanding of his ideas. read more