are humans monkeys

Humans are not monkeys in the traditional sense, but scientifically, humans belong to a broader group that includes monkeys. Humans, monkeys, and apes are all primates within the infraorder Simiiformes (simians or anthropoids). Under cladistics, humans are considered a type of monkey because they share common evolutionary ancestry within this group. However, humans are more specifically classified as great apes, distinct from monkeys by several anatomical traits such as the absence of tails, larger brains, and more complex behaviors. Humans did not evolve from modern monkeys; instead, humans and monkeys share a common ancestor from millions of years ago. Humans are most closely related to chimpanzees and bonobos, sharing about 98.6% of DNA with them, but are genetically distinct from monkeys. The distinction lies in evolutionary lineage and taxonomy rather than just common traits, with humans classified under the family Hominidae (great apes) versus monkeys which belong to different families. In summary, humans are primates and sometimes scientifically grouped as monkeys (in a cladistical sense), but they are anatomically and evolutionarily distinct from what are traditionally called monkeys.