For decades, the claim that humans and chimpanzees are “98% genetically identical” has been repeated like a mantra in classrooms, textbooks, and popular science media. It has become such a cornerstone of evolutionary teaching that many accept it without question. But what if that number isn’t based on straightforward science, but rather on biased assumptions and selective reporting?

Recently on the Creation Today show, we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Jeffrey Tomkins of the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), who has spent years examining the data behind the human–chimp comparison. What he revealed challenges the very foundation of the evolutionary narrative.

The Inflated 98% Claim

The popular “98% similarity” statistic comes not from an objective comparison of the entire human and chimp genomes, but from selective methods that stack the deck in favor of similarity. Evolutionary scientists often use the human genome as a scaffold when attempting to piece together chimpanzee DNA. This approach automatically biases the outcome, filtering results through the lens of what they expect to find.

Furthermore, researchers tend to highlight similarities while minimizing or disregarding differences. But as Dr. Tomkins points out, even the similarities contain far more problems than they appear on the surface.

What the Data Actually Shows

In a 2015 peer-reviewed paper, Dr. Tomkins reported that the human–chimp DNA similarity is closer to 80%, not 98%. More recent studies have adjusted this estimate to around 85%, but even this may be generous.

Why? Because DNA samples are prone to contamination—from the air we breathe, the surfaces we touch, and even the sequencing process itself. These factors can artificially inflate similarity percentages, making humans and chimps appear more alike than they truly are.

Cherry-Picked Science

Evolutionists, committed to preserving Darwin’s framework, tend to cherry-pick the data that supports their narrative while discarding inconvenient results. This selective science is not the pursuit of truth, but the defense of a worldview that insists humans are simply another animal in the evolutionary chain.

But the consequences of believing this narrative go far deeper than biology. If evolution is true, then the Bible’s account of Adam and the Fall collapses, and with it, the very reason for Christ’s coming.

The Theological Stakes

Scripture is clear:

• “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind…” (Genesis 1:24).
• “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

If humans are simply the product of evolution, then death, disease, and sin existed long before Adam. That undermines the work of Jesus Christ—the “Last Adam”—who came in human flesh to redeem us from sin and death. Believing the evolutionary narrative is, at its core, an attack on Jesus Himself.

Conclusion: The Real Story of Our DNA

The so-called “DNA evidence” for evolution is not only overstated, but deeply flawed. The human genome and chimp genome reveal profound differences that cannot be explained by random mutation and natural selection. Instead, they point to intentional design by a Creator, exactly as the Bible declares.

Dr. Tomkins’ research unmasks the “DNA deception” for what it is: a desperate attempt to prop up a failing evolutionary story. The truth is that humanity is not 98% chimp—we are 100% made in the image of God, with eternal purpose and divine worth.

WATCH SHOW:

If you liked this show on the 98% similarity myth…

You’ll love our episode on Haldane’s Dilemma. We called it “How to Destroy Evolution in Five Minutes.” It’s definitely worth the watch, because it takes the problems with evolutionary assumptions even further—showing just how impossible the math really is for evolution to explain life as we know it.

You can watch it here: https://creationtoday.org/369/