Are Humans and Chimpanzees Basically the Same? 

You’re in a conversation and someone makes the claim that, “Humans are basically evolved chimpanzees. After all, we share 98 to 99 percent of our DNA.”
What Would You Say?
Molecular biologist Jonathan Wells calls some ideas “Zombie Science.” No matter how many times these ideas are debunked, they just won’t die. Instead, they get repeated over and over again, even though they are not true.
The idea that humans and chimps are virtually identical genetically is an example of “zombie science,” and it’s often used to imply that humans and chimps must be pretty much the same in every other way, too.
However, the “98 to 99 percent” figure is inaccurate and reductionistic.
So, the next time someone says, "Humans and chimpanzees share 98 to 99 percent of our DNA,” remember these three things:
1. This figure is outdated and inaccurate.
2. Humans are more than the sum of our genes.
3. Genetic similarities are what we’d expect if living things had a common Designer.
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