New Research Overturns Claim that Humans and Chimps Differ by Only 1% in Their DNA
- Research published in Nature in 2025 has overturned the claim that humans and chimpanzees differ by only 1 percent in their DNA.
- Dr. Casey Luskin explains that previous comparisons relied on incomplete data, using the human genome to infer chimp DNA, which underestimated differences.
- The new data reveal that the actual genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is between 14 and 14.9 percent, much larger than previously claimed.
- Luskin calls this a major scientific discovery and notes the Nature article hides key findings in technical jargon and supplementary data.
- This correction challenges a widely held public narrative displayed in museums and popularized by figures like Bill Nye, who cite 98.8 percent similarity.
15 Articles
15 Articles

New Research Overturns Claim that Humans and Chimps Differ by Only 1% in Their DNA
SEATTLE, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For years, the public has been told that human beings and chimpanzees are, in genetic terms, only "1 percent" different. But according to Discovery Institute scientist Dr. Casey Luskin, this claim has just been…
New research upends claim that humans and chimps differ by only 1 percent of DNA
How many times have you heard it said that the human and chimpanzee genomes are so similar that they are only "1 percent different" at the level of their DNA? This shows, we were told, not only that humans and chimps share common ancestry, but that humans aren't all that special, which is a common talking point in science journalism and other public discussions. After all, we're just slightly modified chimps! This "fact" has been discussed so mu…
New research overturns claim that humans and chimps differ by only 1% in their DNA
For years, the public has been told that human beings and chimpanzees are, in genetic terms, only “1 percent” different. But according to Discovery Institute scientist Dr. Casey Luskin, this claim has just been overturned by research recently published in Nature, the world’s most prestigious science journal. “The actual difference between the human and chimp genomes turns out to be much greater than previously claimed,” said Luskin. “Instead of …
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