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So I've been reading a bit about Human ancestry and Human-Chimpanzee common ancestry, and one thing that you tend to hear a lot is the notion that humans didn't evolve from chimpanzees but rather they share a common ancestor. I've read about how this common ancestor population could have been more similar to humans/chimps or in-between.
But I don't understand how one could distinguish wether they are descendants of a shared ancestors or descendants of each other. Now I know the idea of the chimp population staying the same species for 7 million years is a bit far fetched. But then again I don't know if that is possible. Although this might be something for another question.
But to get back. What about a parent and a sibling. Shouldn't both share 50% of their DNA with me. The only way to know who's an ancestor and who shares and ancestors with you, would be to maybe look at the age right? But in the context of millions of years and gene flow between not just individuals but population, how does one distinguish?
But I don't understand how one could distinguish wether they are descendants of a shared ancestors or descendants of each other. Now I know the idea of the chimp population staying the same species for 7 million years is a bit far fetched. But then again I don't know if that is possible. Although this might be something for another question.
But to get back. What about a parent and a sibling. Shouldn't both share 50% of their DNA with me. The only way to know who's an ancestor and who shares and ancestors with you, would be to maybe look at the age right? But in the context of millions of years and gene flow between not just individuals but population, how does one distinguish?