Final answer:
The primates most closely related to humans are chimpanzees and bonobos, with whom we share over 98% of our DNA. Gorillas are also closely linked, sharing more than 97% of their DNA with us. These similarities confirm chimpanzees as our closest living relatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
In terms of DNA, the primates most closely related to humans are the chimpanzees and bonobos. Both species share over 98% of their DNA with humans. The biological family Hominidae includes these primates along with gorillas and humans, indicating a common ancestry. Gorillas also share more than 97% of their DNA with humans. However, chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, and our last common ancestor with them is thought to have lived approximately six million years ago. This close DNA similarity is clear evidence of our recent common ancestors with these apes.
Other members of the Hominidae family, such as orangutans, also share many similarities with humans, including the capacity for language and culture. Humans, as a part of the family Hominidae and the order Primates, show a significant genetic kinship with these great apes, supporting the extensive evolutionary research that links us closely together. Nonetheless, the genetic closeness to chimpanzees stands out remarkably among primates.