Humans: The party animal

Abstract

By definition, the species Homo sapiens is unique. Over a time course of approximately seven million years, humans have evolved into quite a different animal from what was the last common ancestor we share with our closest surviving relative, the chimpanzee. Trying to figure out how we came to be what we are, and identifying what aspects, both physical and behavioral, we share with other animals, most especially the chimpanzee, and those that are uniquely human has been of ongoing interest. © 2009 by Michael S. Gazzaniga.