People who do not understand evolution think that present-day species evolved from one another; they ask questions such as:
“If we evolved from monkeys, why are there monkeys?”
We didn't evolve from monkeys. Evolutionary biology describes common descent. Great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, and gorillas) and humans are more like distant relatives with common great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (except many times greater). Our ancient ancestors no longer exist, but their offspring thrive today.
Ask not, “Do you believe in evolution?” Evolution is as factual as gravity. The question is: “Do you understand evolution?”
Evolution has been observed (e.g., in Escherichia coli).
Transitional fossils have been unearthed.
Natural selection is the opposite of random chance.
Humans have two fewer chromosomes (46) than great apes (48); a common ancestor must have had either 46 or 48 chromosomes. It was predicted using evolutionary theory that, in humans, two sets of chromosomes must have fused. Years after its prediction, human chromosome 2 was discovered to have fused.
