It is easy to look around at the modern world and think, as humans, we are different from all the other species on this earth. We have created a myriad of mechanical devices and devised various ways to cope with our need for food, housing, transport, education and security. We protect our health, raise and educate our children, support our old relatives, and are constantly looking for answers to social problems. We are different from the other species in our ability to think, plan, look ahead and learn from our mistakes. But underneath all of our cleverness, we are still animals. Nonsense you say, we are superior to ordinary animals. Let’s look at the evidence. What human features are similar to those of other animals?

Starting at the outside, we have similar skin structures and grow hair like other species

We can see, smell, taste, chew our food, salivate, swallow, regurgitate if necessary. Food passes down into our intestines, which comprise a stomach, small intestine, large intestine and anus. All structures with similar features and functions to other animals. We all burp, fart, defaecate and urinate, no matter who we are or how important, as these are normal animal activities.

We breath in through our nostrils and absorb oxygen through our lungs, and out to get rid of carbon dioxide. We have a voice box and can make noises; we communicate gently or with anger to show our emotions. So do other animals.

We are just as vulnerable to diseases and parasites.

And underneath it all, we have a skeleton, with bones, muscles and blood supplied by a heart and arteries, just like other species.

And then we could talk about behaviours. Are our sexual, educational, social, exploratory, safety and self-serving acts all that different from the animals we share the planet with?

But, as a single species, we differ from other animals in that we fail, or refuse, to accept that all humans have equal rights to exist. Because of religious or political beliefs, nationalism or skin colour, we deem certain other human animals as less deserving of our attention and support. On occasions, for various reasons, we attack and kill other humans. It is pertinent to ask, can we still claim to be the superior species?