Spitzer Hall News Today

What genetic secrets set us apart? In the human evolution story, Homo sapiens’ distinct abilities in imitation, altruism, communication, and social learning make us unique.

Homo Sapiens represents the last of a long line of hominin races that once consisted of five different species spanning four continents. Today, we are the last humans, that is, the last of the genus Homo. Our closest living relatives are chimpanzees and gorillas. We, however, stand out in many ways from them. We have unparalleled capacities for abstract thought, language skills, and social cohesion.