Why Are There Still Monkeys?
This is a question often asked by skeptics of evolution. They figure that, if we evolved from monkeys, then they should already be extinct. The problem with that argument though is that we never evolved from monkeys. Instead, human beings and monkeys actually share the same ancestor. Furthermore, our closest relative is actually the chimpanzee; not the monkey. This is based on the fact that our DNA differs with chimpanzees by only 1.2% and differs with monkeys by 7%.
This illustration below is what leads people to the false assumption that monkeys are our ancestor. It shows evolution as a straight line, in which previous versions of us are assumed to be extinct.
A more accurate depiction of evolution is shown in the illustrations below. Basically, our relationship with primates is a part of a "super family tree" that encompasses an entire class of species.
