…Charles Darwin was born. The originator of the concept of evolution by natural selection is a one of my heroes – my mother lived in Darwin’s Downe House as a child, actually. I imagine his birthday is being celebrated in the UK in various ways. In India, he is strangely absent from biology textbooks in the schools, however, according to two different science academics I’ve spoken to out here. Bizarre, and more than disturbing.
In these times of conflict, we need to be aware more than ever of our common heritage – of the fact that there is less genetic difference between Jew and Arab than between Arab and Arab, for example.
Anyway, happy birthday to the bearded adventurer and here’s hoping that the next hotel I visit has a copy of Origin of Species in the bedside cabinet.
Wandering Gaia 