Whats the difference between humans and primates?

Question

Whats the difference between humans and primates?

Answer 1

Humans have the following characteristics that primates do not:

Bipedalism (ability to walk upright on 2 legs)

Opposable thumbs

Larger brain size relative to body mass

Capacity for complex language

NurseMom

Answer 2

True, humans are primates but I think the asker is wanting to know what differentiates humans from the rest of the primates. So, let's see.... we manipulate our environment more extensively. We use fire. We have an extensive vocabulary, we have written language. Our thumbs are closer to our other fingers and our palms are shorter. Very few humans can hang and swing from trees as our pelvis' are tilted differently, our arms are shorter, our feet are not as dextrous. Our torsos are constructed more upright. However, as I wrote this I was thinking to myself that the answer you were seeking is "written language".

Answer 3

Unless you are blind you will notice that there are many physical differences. But I think the question you are really asking is "What separates humans from primates?"

There are two things that set us apart; the mind and the spirit. We have a mind that other primates cannot hope to aspire to. You never see a monkey reading a book or doing a complex math problem. I have seen a few exceptions, but any mature human has more mental power than the smartest primate.

You also never see chimpanzees praying. Humans have a sense of spirituality. That is why we ponder topics like "life after death," "good and evil," "the meaning of life," and so forth. Even the most committed atheist ponders these things. There are other things that set us apart, but for now ponder these two. We are not simply 'highly evolved primates.'

Answer 4

The Lawgiver says Primates were placed above the animal Man and given a Soul, and that they were most loved in the eyes of God.

sorry couldnt help it,

basicly we have oposable thumbs can speak and have less hair is all I can say at the moment.

Answer 5

All humans are primates - - - not all primates are human .

Answer 6

Not much.  We are evolved primates.

Answer 7

they have a lot of the same DNA but humans have slightly more intelligwence they also hav less hair

Answer 8

This is a really, really, really complicated question.  Partly  because it depends on which non-Human primates you mean.  Assuming you mean the other great apes, not monkeys, lemurs, or prosimians, and not prehistoric forms, the answers are still complicated.  Here are some of the highlights, however:

1) Much greater cranial capcity (implying brain size), on the order of about 3:1 or greeater in most humans.

2) Full-time bipedality.  Humans primary form of getting around is on two-legs.  The other great apes only do ths part time, and they do it in a very different way than humans do.

3) Less sexual-dimorphism than most other primates.  In other words, great ape males and females tend to be much more different in size from one another than human men and women.

4) Pretty diferent teeth, particularly in the anterior teeth -- especially the canines and first-premolars.

5) Humans have flatter faces, less "crested" skulls, more gracile jaws.

6) The skeletal structure of both upper and lower limbs are different.

7) The human body shape is "barrel-chested."  The other great apes body shape are more "funnel-shaped."

8) Humans use fire, a wider variety of crafted tools, a more complex material cutlure.

9) Humans use more ideological and reflexive spoken language.

And there's more...

Answer 9

humans have money

Answer 10

The two are not mutually exclusive. All humans are primates, but not all primates are human. Make sense? Primates are the group of animals which encompass animals with a particular set of body characteristics. For example, all primates have 5 fingers, fingernails, a distinctive dental pattern, and opposing thumbs (amongst other things). There are various levels of intelligence, physical ability, appearance, etc. within the group (primates). Humans are just one species within the group.

Answer 11

as a child when i visited the natural museum in Washington dc i was amazed by the skeletons of the primates all in a row chimps gorillas and humans .they all looked very similar.we seem more intelligent.But the other primates don't overpopulate and now are parasites on mother earths skin.causing so much destruction and killing off the other creatures God made.

Answer 12

we send primates to the senate & congress