The concept of human-animal hybrids has long been a staple of science fiction and mythology, from centaurs to minotaurs. However, in recent years there has been a persistent rumor that an actual human chimpanzee hybrid known as “man” was created by scientists more than a century ago. Is there any truth to this interesting rumor? Some claim it’s a fact, while others remain skeptical.
The Myth of Humanzee
In 2018, Dr. Gordon Gallup, a renowned evolutionary psychologist, made a surprising claim. He stated that in 1920, scientists successfully created a human-chimpanzee hybrid in the laboratory. This hybrid, known as a human, was said to be the result of the insemination of a female chimpanzee with human sperm. According to Gallup, the experiment was deemed a success because the chimpanzee became pregnant and delivered the hybrid pup to term. Shockingly, after a few days or weeks, the scientists faced ethical and moral dilemmas, leading to the decision to euthanize the creature.
“They impregnated a female chimpanzee with human sperm from an undisclosed donor and claimed that not only did pregnancy occur, but that the pregnancy ended and resulted in a live birth,” Gallup reported. “But within days or weeks, they started weighing moral and ethical considerations, and the child was euthanized.”
Gallup claims he was told about the experiment by a professor during his freshman year of college. He stated that the professor claimed to be employed in the laboratory where this experiment was being conducted. It is not clear whether he participated in the experiment or not.
It happened in the US.
Gallup claimed the experiment was conducted in Orange Park, Florida, home to the nation’s first primate research facility.
It seems that the scientists intended to cultivate stem cells using a humanzee, a cross between a human and a monkey. However, as previously noted, the researchers terminated the project after experiencing a slight moral dilemma.
According to Gallup, his professor, a respected scientist in his own right, informed him that the rumor was correct. Of course, none of this was ever verified.
Various Humanzee initiatives
Another human-animal experiment took place in Russia in the 1920s. Scientist Ija Ivanov tried to create “super soldiers” by combining chimpanzees with human sperm.
He was unsuccessful. Ivanov then decided to take a different tack and go in the opposite direction, impregnating human females with chimpanzee sperm. He traveled to French Guinea and returned to Russia with a number of chimpanzees. He even managed to recruit five willing women for the experiment. Unfortunately, four out of five chimpanzees died very early after they failed to adapt effectively to their new environment. Then the fifth had a brain bleed and died. Before the arrival of chimpanzees in Russia, Ivanov was forced to flee to Kazakhstan as a result of a massive purge of Soviet scientists.
And then in Maoist China in the 1960s. According to reports from the chimpanzees, the female actually became pregnant this time. Unfortunately, she died as a result of negligence. This is because the country’s cultural progress forced scientists to abandon this endeavor.
Oliver, Zee’s potential human
Oliver was a famous chimpanzee in the 1970s. He was famous for walking like a man on his hind legs. Naturally, there were rumors that Oliver was a chimpanzee-human hybrid. This was the first time the term “humanzee” was used. To dispel these claims, doctors actually did some genetic testing on Oliver in 1996. According to the examination, he had 48 chromosomes, compared to 46 in humans.
In the end, it turns out that Oliver is nothing more than a chimpanzee who figured out how to walk on his hind legs thanks to this test. However, Gallup continues to believe that humans and primates can interbreed. But not chimpanzees, he explains. But he said that all other giant apes are conceivable.
“All available evidence, fossil, paleontological and biochemical, including DNA itself, suggests that humans can also breed with gorillas and orangutans,” Gallop said. “Humans and all three great ape species are descended from a single common ape ancestor.”
The mystery of the humanzee, a creature that straddles the line between reality and legend, continues to capture the human imagination. The claim of Dr. Gordon Gallup’s account of an experiment in the 1920s that allegedly created a human chimpanzee hybrid has sparked curiosity and controversy. The lingering question of the existence of humanzee challenges our understanding of biology, ethics, and the limits of scientific experimentation.
While the story of Oliver, the upright-walking chimpanzee, turned out to be more a case of misunderstood biology than an actual human, the notion of interbreeding between humans and other great apes remains a matter of speculation. Dr. Gallup’s claim that humans could theoretically interbreed with gorillas or orangutans underscores the complex bonds that exist between humans and their closest primate relatives.
The allure of the humanzee myth persists, fueling both skepticism and intrigue. The realm of human-animal hybrids remains uncharted territory, and ethical concerns are paramount. The potential for such experimentation raises profound moral questions about the boundaries of science and the treatment of animals.
Until conclusive evidence emerges to prove or disprove the existence of humans, the mystery remains. Science, ethics, and the human imagination collide in a debate that challenges our understanding of the natural world and the implications of scientific inquiry. Whether the humanzee remains a product of myth or a hidden chapter of scientific history, the fascination with this mysterious creature is likely to endure as an enduring mystery of human curiosity.
Heaven help us.