Often quoted but rarely understood is the pronouncement that humans and non-human primates share 98~99% of their DNA. In reading MC King and AC Wilson's "Evolution at two levels in humans and chimpanzees," it was fascinating to see the initial methodology used to arrive at the conclusion.
While enough scientific inquiries and improvements in genomic testing over time likely provided more evidence to support the claim than to deny it, however, there still remains the question of how to translate the data for a wider audience.
Jonathan Mark's "What it Means to be 98% Chimpanzee; Apes, People, and Their Genes" makes for an interesting read in this case as he simultaneously tries to support the statement while dispelling the misconceptions made not only by a lay-audience but also by members of the research community as well. His critique isn't all bad, however; answering the question of what it all really means has been the great motivator for ongoing research for decades and will likely continue for decades to come.
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