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This is the best spell of weather one can expect in Hyderabad. It's a good idea to cherish it while it lasts. The skies are a clear blue, sunrises and sunsets are bathed in gentle, but subtle colours, and it's windy. I love the wind. I should move to a windier place.

Quite some time back there was this interesting account in National Geographic about current evolutionary biologists unearthing genetic evidence that would prove Darwin and indeed Mendel's theories. With finches, in a matter of decades, it has been observed that beaks of certain birds have become modified to chew upon smaller seeds in order to survive in a competitive environment. And this is how a gradual gap begins to build in the same species until a new one is formed. The gene causing the giraffe to have a long neck is the same as that of a mouse, only the former may have been switched on for a longer time. We humans have no special genes that make us unique! Common genes have been observed in birds and fish continents apart doing the same job. Much evidence is coming up to support Darwin's theory based upon the idea of commonality between all species.

Now interestingly enough there was a recent article in The Hindu about the British Council holding a conference in Egypt in an attempt to improve its poor standards of education. Among other things, questions about why the Theory of Evolution wasn't taught came up, and along with it the usual reasons for its rejection. Some tried to find a middle ground given the barrage of fact and logic supporting the theory. And some still refused to believe it could be true.

It would be easy to find fault in cases like these. A lot of cruelty begins with dogma like this. But I'm sure most among us too have on occasion arrived at conclusions first and then adjusted/ignored facts to suit them.