Evolution Through Developmental Change

The neoteny hypothesis is based on the idea that development played a big role in human evolution. We would expect humans to be genetically different from our closest living ancestors more in gene expression profiles than in our actual DNA sequences, he says. Human brain gene expression profiles are like those of juvenile chimpanzees and that specifically in term this is true in terms of the gene expression products related to brain development and growth right so that's pretty compelling evidence that humans unique brain size and unique cognitive ability came about through a retention of the developmental processes of brain growth and development.