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Not a Chimp: The Hunt to Find the Genes that Make Us Human
It is one of the best-known pieces of scientific trivia--that human DNA and chimpanzee DNA differ by a mere 1.6%. But are we then just chimps with a few genetic tweaks? Are our language and our technology just an extension of the grunts and ant-collecting sticks of chimps?
In Not a Chimp , Jeremy Taylor describes one of the great scientific quests of our times--the effort to discover precisely what makes humans different from other primates, especially our closest evolutionary relative, the chimpanzee. Drawing on state-of-the-art science, Taylor convincingly debunks
the assertion that our two species are nearly identical genetically. He sketches the picture now emerging from cutting-edge research in genetics, animal behavior, and other fields to show that the so-called 1.6% difference is effectively much larger, leading to a profound divergence between the two
species. Indeed, he explains that the evolution of the human genome has accelerated since the split of chimps and humans from a common ancestor more than six million years ago. In fact, at least 7% of human genes--almost one gene in ten--have accumulated changes within the last 50,000 years. Some of
the genes that have changed orchestrate entire sets of other genes, and recent studies show that it is this complex interaction--rather than the action of individual genes--that underlies speech processes, brain development, and a host of other mechanisms that make humans unique.
We humans are far different, genetically speaking, than chimps. More than that, we have been the architects of our own evolution through the same processes that have produced our farm animals and crop plants. We are the apes that domesticated themselves.
"Should be mandatory reading for journalists who often reinforce the general public's misconception that chimps are practically human."
--New Scientist
In Not a Chimp , Jeremy Taylor describes one of the great scientific quests of our times--the effort to discover precisely what makes humans different from other primates, especially our closest evolutionary relative, the chimpanzee. Drawing on state-of-the-art science, Taylor convincingly debunks
the assertion that our two species are nearly identical genetically. He sketches the picture now emerging from cutting-edge research in genetics, animal behavior, and other fields to show that the so-called 1.6% difference is effectively much larger, leading to a profound divergence between the two
species. Indeed, he explains that the evolution of the human genome has accelerated since the split of chimps and humans from a common ancestor more than six million years ago. In fact, at least 7% of human genes--almost one gene in ten--have accumulated changes within the last 50,000 years. Some of
the genes that have changed orchestrate entire sets of other genes, and recent studies show that it is this complex interaction--rather than the action of individual genes--that underlies speech processes, brain development, and a host of other mechanisms that make humans unique.
We humans are far different, genetically speaking, than chimps. More than that, we have been the architects of our own evolution through the same processes that have produced our farm animals and crop plants. We are the apes that domesticated themselves.
"Should be mandatory reading for journalists who often reinforce the general public's misconception that chimps are practically human."
--New Scientist
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2009
3 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Taylor
159 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Jeremy Taylor
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Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor - Cleric in the Church of England
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 18, 2017
A scholar in genetics written in complex language
A deep and well reasoned defense of human uniqueness. He stresses that how,if,when,the components of gene expression is as important as the number of related genes between humans and chimpanzee.
A deep and well reasoned defense of human uniqueness. He stresses that how,if,when,the components of gene expression is as important as the number of related genes between humans and chimpanzee.
September 29, 2011
Really liked this. Initially mainly classified as "evolution", but after reading, I shoved it into "Brain/Neuroscience"
Three main sections, starting with genes and how genes, proteins and gene expression levels, how they differ, and what it might mean, moving on to behaviour and cognition experiments before finally looking at the brain and its structures and what that might be able to tell us.
Although he did explain everything, I often felt it was pitched at quite a high level, so if someone didn't have much background science knowledge, it might be a bit to much for them
Three main sections, starting with genes and how genes, proteins and gene expression levels, how they differ, and what it might mean, moving on to behaviour and cognition experiments before finally looking at the brain and its structures and what that might be able to tell us.
Although he did explain everything, I often felt it was pitched at quite a high level, so if someone didn't have much background science knowledge, it might be a bit to much for them
Want to read
January 20, 2010Off this review by Jonathan Beard,
Taylor provides a lucid explanation of the complex changes that have shaped the chimpanzee and human genomes in the six million years since we shared an ancestor.
Taylor provides a lucid explanation of the complex changes that have shaped the chimpanzee and human genomes in the six million years since we shared an ancestor.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews