Our Family Tree

  • By Rima Chaddha
  • Posted 01.01.08
  • NOVA

Though we may be the cleverest of the bunch, we humans have a lot in common with the other great apes—the chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, and orangutan. Compared to lesser primates, such as monkeys, we five "hominid" primates are tailless, larger–bodied, and smarter; we even share 98 percent of our DNA. Yet we differ in diet, temperament, and social behavior. In this family tree, take a broad look at what sets us and the other great apes apart.

Launch Interactive

See (and hear) where you stand among the great apes in this audiovisual interactive.

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(all illustrations)
© NOVA/WGBH Educational Foundation

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