Final answer:
The evidence that humans are more closely related to chimpanzees than to other hominoid apes is based on comprehensive DNA comparisons, including the sex chromosomes, autosomes, and mitochondrial DNA. Studies support a recent common ancestor shared with chimpanzees, and mitochondrial and Y chromosome evidence traces human ancestry back to Africa.
Step-by-step explanation:
The kind of evidence that suggests that humans are more closely related to chimpanzees than to other hominoid apes comes from DNA evidence including sex chromosomes, autosomes, and mitochondrial DNA. By comparing the DNA sequences, scientists have found that humans and chimpanzees share approximately 98% of their genes, indicating a recent common ancestor. This detailed analysis goes beyond mere chromosome morphology and certainly involves more than the mitochondrial DNA or sex chromosomes alone.
Comparing DNA sequences is the strongest evidence for an evolutionary relationship due to a common ancestor, as illustrated by the cladogram based on DNA comparisons. This is supported by studies of mitochondrial DNA that show how modern humans share a common ancestor that lived in Africa roughly 160,000 years ago, and Y chromosome evidence pointing to a common male ancestor about 140,000 years ago. Additionally, genomic evidence indicates that humans are part of the evolution of life on Earth and have interbred with other hominin species like Neanderthals and Denisovans.