Human timeline: about six million years ago, human ancestors, and what eventually became chimpanzees, branched off from a common ancestor (the missing link).

Hominids did not evolve that much until something dramatic happened about 40,000 years ago.
Cro-Magnon man became culturally complex, making elaborate art and funeral rites. A series of mutations caused this- the brain developed more neural connections, whith-in a short time frame. Speech, symbolic logic, arose.

Up to now, the struggle has been about the shuffling of genes, to ensure the survival of the species. Biologic evolution is currently being replaced with the advancement of cultural memes. Memes are customs and ideas that are passed from person to person. The rise of the internet represents a profound shift- memes are about to become more important than the biologic struggle. We have become slaves to the meme, via the computer. The meme might take over, as artificial intelligence expands...silicon based meme growth is the future, and will leave genetic viariation and competition behind. Whither Mankind?