The Difference
I didn’t know that chimpanzees share a whopping 98.8% of our DNA. The American Museum of Natural History reports that each human cell has billions of information bits, and a 1.2% difference allows for “about 35 million differences.”
So chimpanzees do in fact have human-like cognitive capacity, but gene activity being dialed up or down makes all the cerebral difference.
As a 100% primate, I suppose I bear some mortal responsibility to the truth, especially here on Substack. I can’t imagine a chimpanzee trying to write a comical post, let alone hoping to make something meaningful too. Even at full strength, I struggle—immensely—to do just that.
Family members may even think that I’m at 98.8% when I bang my keyboard and stomp around the house sounding off unintelligible gibberish. I think I’m kidding. Right? But I know for certain that our 1.2% difference always and unequivocally helps us regroup in any circumstance—our humanized whoop, if you will.
Ham in Orbit
I also didn’t know that chimpanzees sailed into space before us. According to Save the Chimps, a 3 ½-year-old chimpanzee named after the Holloman Aero Medical facility didn’t resist at all while being strapped into a “couch” on January 31, 1961.
Ham would prove to NASA that one could maintain enough cognitive ability to manage levers while experiencing weightlessness 157 miles above the earth at 5,800 mph for over 16 minutes. After his triumphant return, Ham smiled broadly for the cameras but totally refused to revisit his couch to complete the photo-op. I’m thinking his 1.2% difference kicked in:
“There’s no way I’m going back in that thing!”
Couch Culture and Popcorn Politics
I don’t blame Ham for his reactance. But I think sitting freely on a couch like mine to watch Planet of the Apes might have helped him overcome his negative associations. Imagine Ham realizing that his species had been cast as ultra-smart scientists after replacing human society with orangutan politicians and gorillas on horseback.
I think Ham would enjoy the couch in this affirming context—popcorn, soda, and my frequent commentary—all included.
From Spaceflight to Red Alert
But maybe it’s best for chimpanzees to remain at 98.8% indefinitely. Once again, I unintentionally uncovered yet another endangered species. I figured chimpanzees would be under some protections, but I honestly didn’t know about their red-alert status; there are about 250,000 today compared to one million in 1900.
Is it possible for us to think that we have reason to celebrate our 1.2% difference?
Yes. Starting with The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973, people have enacted decades of protections, including:
Reflections from Above
If Ham successfully flew into space in order to ensure the safety of America’s first astronaut, Alan Shepard Jr., can we think that Ham’s 98.8% eased survival concerns for the 100% primates who would experience the overview effect? Yes and no.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong said from the moon:
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
More recently, William Shatner of Star Trek traveled with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle team on Oct. 13, 2021. His reaction was far from celebratory:
“The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness… Every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth at our hands: the extinction of animal species, of flora and fauna… Suddenly we will never see them again because of the interference of mankind. It filled me with dread. My trip to space was supposed to be a celebration; instead, it felt like a funeral.”
The Future of Our 1.2%
✨ With just our 1.2%, I’m thinking we can commandeer a suitable future for all life. Orbital leaps combined with conservation policies and grassroots efforts prove that we are uniquely qualified to help all species of Earth. We can be their Aces in Spaces.
I so appreciate your time and attention. As always, if this made you laugh, think, smile, or sigh, please consider adding a like, restacking, or sharing. Thank you for reading my work.
Also, Ruth O’Reilly interviewed me here: https://ruthoreilly.substack.com/p/what-inspired-you-to-join-substack Thank you, Ruth!
How insightful is this I really love your work John
It’s like a love letter to earth, great read