Ancient humans liked to monkey around.

Mercutio · 17th May 2006, 12:05 PM

The latest genetic study on human/chimp evolutionary history.

Quote:

BEFORE they went their separate evolutionary ways, the ancestors of chimpanzees and people got up to plenty of, well, monkey business.
Moreover, this went on for about four million years.

The most detailed analysis conducted of human and chimpanzee DNA reveals that after an initial separation from a common ancestor, between five and six million years ago, the species continued interbreeding.

Quote:

While some experts in human evolution remain sceptical of some of the details, they are impressed nevertheless.

"It's a totally cool and extremely clever analysis," said Harvard biological anthropologist Daniel Lieberman, who was not involved in the research.

"My problem is imagining what it would be like to have a bipedal hominid and a chimpanzee viewing each other as appropriate mates, not to put it too crudely," he said.

"Now, a goat, on the other hand..." he continued.

zakur · 17th May 2006, 12:10 PM

Clever opening. If only chimps were monkeys...

Mercutio · 17th May 2006, 12:21 PM

Yeah, that bothered me too. Sometimes knowing too much is a burden.

andyandy · 17th May 2006, 03:19 PM

man! And they didnt even have the "after the seventh pint the night became a bit of a blur...." excuse.....

headscratcher4 · 17th May 2006, 03:21 PM

""My problem is imagining what it would be like to have a bipedal hominid and a chimpanzee viewing each other as appropriate mates, not to put it too crudely," he said. "

Laura and George?

Sorry, couldn't stop myself.

JamesDillon · 17th May 2006, 03:34 PM

Hot.

Phil · 17th May 2006, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by andyandy

man! And they didnt even have the "after the seventh pint the night became a bit of a blur...." excuse.....

The chimps or the hominids?

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 17th May 2006, 05:40 PM

So now we can say to fundies: We share a common ancestor with chimps, and we had sex with them!

Will that make the fundies even crazier?

~~ Paul

ChristineR · 17th May 2006, 05:47 PM

Isn't this sort of a given? There's no clear line between pre-chimp and pre-human, and I suppose you could claim that the definition of species is animals that produce viable offspring.

The Central Scrutinizer · 18th May 2006, 08:04 AM

http://www.nature.com/news/2006/0605...060515-10.html

It's true!

joe87 · 18th May 2006, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by ChristineR

Isn't this sort of a given? There's no clear line between pre-chimp and pre-human, and I suppose you could claim that the definition of species is animals that produce viable offspring.

Do you mean fertile offspring? Horses and donkeys are separate species, but they can produce sterile offspring - mules. BTW, horses and donkeys have a different number of chromosomes. Here's a quote from http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...1026.Ev.r.html

Quote:

Barriers To Interbreeding

Now differences in chromosome number do not serve as reproductive barriers between all species. For example, lets look at some of the equine species ( horses and donkeys). Domesticated horses have 32 pairs of chromosomes and Donkeys have 31. Yet, they can produce offspring, mules, which have 31.5 pairs of chromosomes. One of the horse chromosomes goes unpaired. Wild mountain zebras have 16 pairs of chromosomes, while the last species of wild horse (Przewalski's Horse) has 33 pairs. However, all of these equine species can produce hybrid offspring. In all of these crosses but one, the offspring are sterile. It has long been argued that this sterility is due to the difference in chromosome number, but hybrids of the wild (33 pairs) and domesticated horse (32 pairs) are fertile, and have 32.5 pairs of chromosomes. So clearly, something more than just differences in chromosome number is contributing to the species interbreeding barrier.

And we might still be able to breed with chimps, even though we have a different number of chromosomes (23 for us, 24 for chimps), but the offspring of such a mismatch might be sterile.

This Guy · 18th May 2006, 08:11 AM

You know, I've wondered about this for years. Ever since my brother was born (that's his picture to the left).

But, Mom swore she'd never been to the zoo or a circus!

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Meffy · 18th May 2006, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by joe87

Do you mean fertile offspring? Horses and donkeys are separate species, but they can produce sterile offspring - mules.

And hinnies.

jackass (male donkey) + mare (female horse) = mule

stallion (male horse) + jenny (female donkey) = hinny

Hinnies are somewhat rare, smaller than mules and resembling horses more than donkeys. Both are hardy, tough, and almost always sterile.

ChristineR · 18th May 2006, 10:14 AM

Yes, I said "viable" when I meant "fertile." I was thinking that an infertile cross-species of hominids would not be a viable species, but of course individuals could be viable.

JamesDillon · 18th May 2006, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by joe87

And we might still be able to breed with chimps, even though we have a different number of chromosomes (23 for us, 24 for chimps), but the offspring of such a mismatch might be sterile.

Given my rather cynical opinion of human nature, I have to think that if such a thing were possible, someone would have demonsrated it by now.

zakur · 18th May 2006, 12:40 PM

Dare I mention...Humanzee!

Almo · 18th May 2006, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by Meffy

Hinnies are somewhat rare, smaller than mules and resembling horses more than donkeys. Both are hardy, tough, and almost always sterile.

How does tough differ from hardy?

Soapy Sam · 18th May 2006, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Almo

How does tough differ from hardy?

I think hardy was the fat one.

Flange Desire · 18th May 2006, 11:25 PM

Spank that monkey!

steenkh · 19th May 2006, 02:43 AM

I do not see the interbreeding between early hominids and early chimps as being so strange. After all, they had just separated, and probably looked a lot alike.

Badger · 19th May 2006, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by steenkh

I do not see the interbreeding between early hominids and early chimps as being so strange. After all, they had just separated, and probably looked a lot alike.

Hey, when it's last call......

clarsct · 19th May 2006, 04:01 AM

Gives new meaning to the term 'hot monkey sex'.

Yeah, yeah, they aren't monkeys...it's a fuggin joke, people.

I wonder if any of them were gay, though. Are there any reports of gay chimpanzees? Or any other primate?

Just curious.

fuelair · 19th May 2006, 06:52 AM

I am operating of the top of my head on this one but I seem to remember that in the early days of the aids epidemic, suggestions were made by involved scientists that human-ape sexual contacts may have been involved in the early stages of its' developing in humans. As regards the prehuman/chimpanzee thing, I suspect the differences in the early break were comparitively minor and would not of necessity prevented genetic exchange - slave-traders/owners often considered slaves to be less than human but....

Meffy · 19th May 2006, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by Almo

How does tough differ from hardy?

The way I was thinking of the words was tough as in hard-working, durable; hardy as in generally healthy and sound of body.

But I like Soapy's answer better. =^_^=

[edit]

Q: What prominent faith healer's mother was a jenny and father was a stallion?

A: Ben Hinny.

[edit edit] Not that there's anything wrong with that. As a skunk, I have no problem with equines. It's the faith healing schtick that bugs me.

headscratcher4 · 19th May 2006, 07:27 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060519/...BhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

Getting back to my political interpreation of it all...this article talks about the ability of Apes to "plan"...though given our record in Iraq, it would seem to be a questionable proposition.

SPQR · 19th May 2006, 11:16 AM

There's a Far Side cartoon that has a male and female chimp sitting in a tree with the female grooming the male. She has found a blond hair and says, "Huh, a blond hair. Conducting some more 'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?!"

Apparently, Goodall's "people" got pissed off at this cartoon and demanded an apology from Gary Larson. The funny part was that Jane Goodall hadn't even seen the cartoon and when she eventually did, she found it hilarious.

ChristineR · 19th May 2006, 11:27 AM

I'm not sure if this has been proved beyond a doubt, but I think AIDS is believed to have begun when humans ate some other primate that had a varient of one of the Simian Immunodeficiency viruses, which are common in primates and not so serious as human AIDS.

According to this site the closest SIV match to HIV was found in chimps. A lot of attention has also been given to the Green Monkey virus, but it looks like scientists are leaning towards the Chimp verison, or maybe a cross.

In theory this virus could have been sexually transmitted, but it's more likely that it was eating. The likelyhood of actually getting a chimp to cooperate seems low.

UrsulaV · 19th May 2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by JamesDillon

Given my rather cynical opinion of human nature, I have to think that if such a thing were possible, someone would have demonsrated it by now.

While my opinion of human nature is also pretty cynical, I actually wouldn't be surprised if it hadn't been tried (or at least, not often enough to prove anything.) Chimps are both rare and immensely strong in comparison with humans, after all, and in general, if human males are going after an...err...relationship with another species...my impression (based on no observational data whatsoever, I hasten to add!) is that they go for something easily controllable that doesn't fidget and is easy to get.

To put it crudely, there are lots of sheep and you can make 'em hold still, whereas it's hard to find a chimp and they'll break you in half if they don't like it.

As for t'other way around, while there's one documented case of an orangutan male raping a human that I know of, I'd guess that contact between the species is so limited that the issue doesn't come up all that often.

I think it's probably unlikely the two can interbreed, mind you, but I don't know if I believe it's been tried very often in the field, as 'twere.

Not that I'm suggesting anybody try.

Mercutio · 19th May 2006, 04:37 PM

So there was this research lab in, let's say, Stanford, looking into the genetic similarities between chimps and humans. They had always assumed that, since the two populations did not interbreed, that they could not interbreed. Then a lowly undergrad research assistant questioned this assumption, and they were forced to admit it had never been tested. Of course, for purposes of the story they weren't interested in whether this could be done in vitro, but rather the old-fashioned way. None of the researchers could stomach the idea (picky, picky), and they figured they would have to offer a fairly substantial payment in order to attract a "volunteer". So they put an ad in the local paper: "Wanted: Man to have sex with chimpanzee. $2,000." A couple of days later, they get a phone call from an interested man, who says "I just have three requests: First, I gotta have a couple of beers. Second, I get to choose the chimp. And third, you're gonna have to give me a couple of days to come up with the two grand."

Tricky · 19th May 2006, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mercutio

So there was this research lab in, let's say, Stanford, looking into the genetic similarities between chimps and humans. They had always assumed that, since the two populations did not interbreed, that they could not interbreed. Then a lowly undergrad research assistant questioned this assumption, and they were forced to admit it had never been tested. Of course, for purposes of the story they weren't interested in whether this could be done in vitro, but rather the old-fashioned way. None of the researchers could stomach the idea (picky, picky), and they figured they would have to offer a fairly substantial payment in order to attract a "volunteer". So they put an ad in the local paper: "Wanted: Man to have sex with chimpanzee. $2,000." A couple of days later, they get a phone call from an interested man, who says "I just have three requests: First, I gotta have a couple of beers. Second, I get to choose the chimp. And third, you're gonna have to give me a couple of days to come up with the two grand."

Was he from Alabama?

Mercutio · 19th May 2006, 05:48 PM

Recognize your daddy?

Outhere · 19th May 2006, 06:11 PM

Further proof of what happens when cousins marry--or whatever.

17th May 2006, 12:05 PM	#1
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,140	Ancient humans liked to monkey around. The latest genetic study on human/chimp evolutionary history. Quote: BEFORE they went their separate evolutionary ways, the ancestors of chimpanzees and people got up to plenty of, well, monkey business. Moreover, this went on for about four million years. The most detailed analysis conducted of human and chimpanzee DNA reveals that after an initial separation from a common ancestor, between five and six million years ago, the species continued interbreeding. Quote: While some experts in human evolution remain sceptical of some of the details, they are impressed nevertheless. "It's a totally cool and extremely clever analysis," said Harvard biological anthropologist Daniel Lieberman, who was not involved in the research. "My problem is imagining what it would be like to have a bipedal hominid and a chimpanzee viewing each other as appropriate mates, not to put it too crudely," he said. "Now, a goat, on the other hand..." he continued.
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

17th May 2006, 12:10 PM	#2
zakur Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 3,265	Clever opening. If only chimps were monkeys...
	__________________ "I do not believe in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." -Thomas Carlyle "That's the problem these days: nobody thinks of the tumors." -steinhenge

17th May 2006, 12:21 PM	#3
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,140	Yeah, that bothered me too. Sometimes knowing too much is a burden.
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

17th May 2006, 03:21 PM	#5
headscratcher4 Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: USA Posts: 6,226	""My problem is imagining what it would be like to have a bipedal hominid and a chimpanzee viewing each other as appropriate mates, not to put it too crudely," he said. " Laura and George? Sorry, couldn't stop myself.
	__________________ Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. -- Homer Simpson

17th May 2006, 03:34 PM	#6
JamesDillon Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 1,876	Hot.
	__________________ "To read the bible without horror, we must undo every thing that is tender, sympathising, and benevolent in the heart of man." --Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

17th May 2006, 03:19 PM	#4
andyandy anthropomorphic ape Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: up a tree Posts: 5,805	man! And they didnt even have the "after the seventh pint the night became a bit of a blur...." excuse.....

17th May 2006, 03:46 PM	#7
Phil Master Satyr Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Society's underbelly Posts: 6,411	Originally Posted by andyandy man! And they didnt even have the "after the seventh pint the night became a bit of a blur...." excuse..... The chimps or the hominids?
	__________________ Dude looks like a Skepchick. "Damn...I agree with Phil...Now I need a shower." -- Mercutio

17th May 2006, 05:40 PM	#8
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Looking for Fountain of Smart Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 16,757	So now we can say to fundies: We share a common ancestor with chimps, and we had sex with them! Will that make the fundies even crazier? ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz

17th May 2006, 05:47 PM	#9
ChristineR Illuminator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,071	Isn't this sort of a given? There's no clear line between pre-chimp and pre-human, and I suppose you could claim that the definition of species is animals that produce viable offspring.
ChristineR Illuminator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,071	__________________ Avatar (c) Neopets.com

18th May 2006, 08:04 AM	#10
The Central Scrutinizer Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: The White Zone Posts: 20,265	Chimpanzee and human ancestors may have interbred http://www.nature.com/news/2006/0605...060515-10.html It's true!
	__________________ "I got to play with (Michael Goudeau's balls) briefly, and they are primo quality. Heavy, soft, and pliant." - Jeff Wagg "You are always so helpful, rational, and polite." - SaulOhio http://www.stopsylvia.com

18th May 2006, 08:06 AM	#11
joe87 Scholar Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 89	Originally Posted by ChristineR Isn't this sort of a given? There's no clear line between pre-chimp and pre-human, and I suppose you could claim that the definition of species is animals that produce viable offspring. Do you mean fertile offspring? Horses and donkeys are separate species, but they can produce sterile offspring - mules. BTW, horses and donkeys have a different number of chromosomes. Here's a quote from http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives...1026.Ev.r.html Quote: Barriers To Interbreeding Now differences in chromosome number do not serve as reproductive barriers between all species. For example, lets look at some of the equine species ( horses and donkeys). Domesticated horses have 32 pairs of chromosomes and Donkeys have 31. Yet, they can produce offspring, mules, which have 31.5 pairs of chromosomes. One of the horse chromosomes goes unpaired. Wild mountain zebras have 16 pairs of chromosomes, while the last species of wild horse (Przewalski's Horse) has 33 pairs. However, all of these equine species can produce hybrid offspring. In all of these crosses but one, the offspring are sterile. It has long been argued that this sterility is due to the difference in chromosome number, but hybrids of the wild (33 pairs) and domesticated horse (32 pairs) are fertile, and have 32.5 pairs of chromosomes. So clearly, something more than just differences in chromosome number is contributing to the species interbreeding barrier. And we might still be able to breed with chimps, even though we have a different number of chromosomes (23 for us, 24 for chimps), but the offspring of such a mismatch might be sterile.
joe87 Scholar Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 89

18th May 2006, 08:11 AM	#12
This Guy Graduate Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the corner of WALK and DON'T WALK Posts: 1,939	You know, I've wondered about this for years. Ever since my brother was born (that's his picture to the left). But, Mom swore she'd never been to the zoo or a circus! (Sorry, couldn't resist)
	__________________ I'm lost. I've gone to find me. If I should return before I get back, please ask me to wait!

18th May 2006, 08:18 AM	#13
Meffy Anthropomorphic Skunk Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Unincorporated Territory of Croatan Posts: 4,232	Originally Posted by joe87 Do you mean fertile offspring? Horses and donkeys are separate species, but they can produce sterile offspring - mules. And hinnies. jackass (male donkey) + mare (female horse) = mule stallion (male horse) + jenny (female donkey) = hinny Hinnies are somewhat rare, smaller than mules and resembling horses more than donkeys. Both are hardy, tough, and almost always sterile.

18th May 2006, 10:14 AM	#14
ChristineR Illuminator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,071	Yes, I said "viable" when I meant "fertile." I was thinking that an infertile cross-species of hominids would not be a viable species, but of course individuals could be viable.
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18th May 2006, 10:22 AM	#15
JamesDillon Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 1,876	Originally Posted by joe87 And we might still be able to breed with chimps, even though we have a different number of chromosomes (23 for us, 24 for chimps), but the offspring of such a mismatch might be sterile. Given my rather cynical opinion of human nature, I have to think that if such a thing were possible, someone would have demonsrated it by now.
	__________________ "To read the bible without horror, we must undo every thing that is tender, sympathising, and benevolent in the heart of man." --Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

18th May 2006, 12:40 PM	#16
zakur Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 3,265	Dare I mention...Humanzee!
	__________________ "I do not believe in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." -Thomas Carlyle "That's the problem these days: nobody thinks of the tumors." -steinhenge

18th May 2006, 01:56 PM	#17
Almo Masterblazer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 2,840	Originally Posted by Meffy Hinnies are somewhat rare, smaller than mules and resembling horses more than donkeys. Both are hardy, tough, and almost always sterile. How does tough differ from hardy?
	__________________ Almo! My Blog "God may not play dice with the universe, but something strange is going on with the prime numbers." — Paul Erdős Stop being so rational. It doesn't make any sense. - Gauthier Malou

18th May 2006, 03:20 PM	#18
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 17,390	Originally Posted by Almo How does tough differ from hardy? I think hardy was the fat one.
Soapy Sam NLH Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 17,390

18th May 2006, 11:25 PM	#19
Flange Desire Muse Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 572	Spank that monkey!

19th May 2006, 02:43 AM	#20
steenkh Master Poster Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,636	I do not see the interbreeding between early hominids and early chimps as being so strange. After all, they had just separated, and probably looked a lot alike.
	__________________ Steen -- Jack of all trades - master of none!

19th May 2006, 03:46 AM	#21
Badger Member of the Peanut Gallery Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: In the country Posts: 3,404	Originally Posted by steenkh I do not see the interbreeding between early hominids and early chimps as being so strange. After all, they had just separated, and probably looked a lot alike. Hey, when it's last call......
	__________________ www.skepticalcommunity.com "You're a soundbite waiting to happen." (Steve Antle) "You are O.D'ing on drama flakes. Please stop." (kookbreaker) "You had me at bamboo worms." - (GeekGoddess) "I power-barfed for so long that I'm pretty sure I lost a few inches in height and maybe even went back in time a little. " (negativ)

19th May 2006, 04:01 AM	#22
clarsct Humor Impaired Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The Cultural Desert Posts: 4,910	Gives new meaning to the term 'hot monkey sex'. Yeah, yeah, they aren't monkeys...it's a fuggin joke, people. I wonder if any of them were gay, though. Are there any reports of gay chimpanzees? Or any other primate? Just curious.
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19th May 2006, 06:52 AM	#23
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 15,892	I am operating of the top of my head on this one but I seem to remember that in the early days of the aids epidemic, suggestions were made by involved scientists that human-ape sexual contacts may have been involved in the early stages of its' developing in humans. As regards the prehuman/chimpanzee thing, I suspect the differences in the early break were comparitively minor and would not of necessity prevented genetic exchange - slave-traders/owners often considered slaves to be less than human but....
fuelair Cythraul Enfys Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 15,892

19th May 2006, 07:13 AM	#24
Meffy Anthropomorphic Skunk Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Unincorporated Territory of Croatan Posts: 4,232	Originally Posted by Almo How does tough differ from hardy? The way I was thinking of the words was tough as in hard-working, durable; hardy as in generally healthy and sound of body. But I like Soapy's answer better. =^_^= [edit] Q: What prominent faith healer's mother was a jenny and father was a stallion? A: Ben Hinny. [edit edit] Not that there's anything wrong with that. As a skunk, I have no problem with equines. It's the faith healing schtick that bugs me.
	Last edited by Meffy; 19th May 2006 at 07:18 AM.

19th May 2006, 07:27 AM	#25
headscratcher4 Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: USA Posts: 6,226	http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060519/...BhBHNlYwM5NjQ- Getting back to my political interpreation of it all...this article talks about the ability of Apes to "plan"...though given our record in Iraq, it would seem to be a questionable proposition.
	__________________ Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. -- Homer Simpson

19th May 2006, 11:16 AM	#26
SPQR Darwin's Dachshund Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 455	There's a Far Side cartoon that has a male and female chimp sitting in a tree with the female grooming the male. She has found a blond hair and says, "Huh, a blond hair. Conducting some more 'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?!" Apparently, Goodall's "people" got pissed off at this cartoon and demanded an apology from Gary Larson. The funny part was that Jane Goodall hadn't even seen the cartoon and when she eventually did, she found it hilarious.
	__________________ "Vetus illud Catonis admodum scitum est, qui mirari se aiebat quod non rideret haruspex haruspicem cum vidisset." (Old Cato always wondered how two fortune-tellers could look at each other without laughing)- Cicero My blog:Jeremy the Skeptic

19th May 2006, 11:27 AM	#27
ChristineR Illuminator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,071	I'm not sure if this has been proved beyond a doubt, but I think AIDS is believed to have begun when humans ate some other primate that had a varient of one of the Simian Immunodeficiency viruses, which are common in primates and not so serious as human AIDS. According to this site the closest SIV match to HIV was found in chimps. A lot of attention has also been given to the Green Monkey virus, but it looks like scientists are leaning towards the Chimp verison, or maybe a cross. In theory this virus could have been sexually transmitted, but it's more likely that it was eating. The likelyhood of actually getting a chimp to cooperate seems low.
ChristineR Illuminator Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,071	__________________ Avatar (c) Neopets.com

19th May 2006, 12:27 PM	#28
UrsulaV Muse Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 957	Originally Posted by JamesDillon Given my rather cynical opinion of human nature, I have to think that if such a thing were possible, someone would have demonsrated it by now. While my opinion of human nature is also pretty cynical, I actually wouldn't be surprised if it hadn't been tried (or at least, not often enough to prove anything.) Chimps are both rare and immensely strong in comparison with humans, after all, and in general, if human males are going after an...err...relationship with another species...my impression (based on no observational data whatsoever, I hasten to add!) is that they go for something easily controllable that doesn't fidget and is easy to get. To put it crudely, there are lots of sheep and you can make 'em hold still, whereas it's hard to find a chimp and they'll break you in half if they don't like it. As for t'other way around, while there's one documented case of an orangutan male raping a human that I know of, I'd guess that contact between the species is so limited that the issue doesn't come up all that often. I think it's probably unlikely the two can interbreed, mind you, but I don't know if I believe it's been tried very often in the field, as 'twere. Not that I'm suggesting anybody try.
UrsulaV Muse Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 957

19th May 2006, 04:37 PM	#29
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,140	So there was this research lab in, let's say, Stanford, looking into the genetic similarities between chimps and humans. They had always assumed that, since the two populations did not interbreed, that they could not interbreed. Then a lowly undergrad research assistant questioned this assumption, and they were forced to admit it had never been tested. Of course, for purposes of the story they weren't interested in whether this could be done in vitro, but rather the old-fashioned way. None of the researchers could stomach the idea (picky, picky), and they figured they would have to offer a fairly substantial payment in order to attract a "volunteer". So they put an ad in the local paper: "Wanted: Man to have sex with chimpanzee. $2,000." A couple of days later, they get a phone call from an interested man, who says "I just have three requests: First, I gotta have a couple of beers. Second, I get to choose the chimp. And third, you're gonna have to give me a couple of days to come up with the two grand."
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

19th May 2006, 04:42 PM	#30
Tricky Radical centrist Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Group W bench Posts: 25,981	Originally Posted by Mercutio So there was this research lab in, let's say, Stanford, looking into the genetic similarities between chimps and humans. They had always assumed that, since the two populations did not interbreed, that they could not interbreed. Then a lowly undergrad research assistant questioned this assumption, and they were forced to admit it had never been tested. Of course, for purposes of the story they weren't interested in whether this could be done in vitro, but rather the old-fashioned way. None of the researchers could stomach the idea (picky, picky), and they figured they would have to offer a fairly substantial payment in order to attract a "volunteer". So they put an ad in the local paper: "Wanted: Man to have sex with chimpanzee. $2,000." A couple of days later, they get a phone call from an interested man, who says "I just have three requests: First, I gotta have a couple of beers. Second, I get to choose the chimp. And third, you're gonna have to give me a couple of days to come up with the two grand." Was he from Alabama?

19th May 2006, 05:48 PM	#31
Mercutio Shakespeare's Sock Puppet Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Live Free Or Die Posts: 16,140	Recognize your daddy?
	__________________ "But to see her was to love her Love but her, and love forever."

19th May 2006, 06:11 PM	#32
Outhere Thinker Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 145	Further proof of what happens when cousins marry--or whatever.