Peter Egerton wrote: It's hard to believe that evolution is still being
called "just
a theory" after all these years.

But that is exactly what evolution is, a theory.  I don't know if I would
put the word "just" in front of it--gravity is a theory also, so is
quantum physics, and many other scientiic ideas that layfolk (and
scientists) take as "truth" but of course there is no TRUTH in
science.  Well supported ideas make it to the level of theories (and
even later, laws), and evolution falls under that heading--a very
well
supported proposal that has a few holes here and there, but seems to
explain many of the things we perceive around us pretty well.  However,
it can't be TRUTH since if we find out contrary evidence tomorrow, we
will change our theories.  I think it is more a shame that the courts let
creationists get away with maligning the idea of "theories" and don't
stop to think that they don't want to stop teaching about gravity in
physics class (what a trippy physics class it would be without gravity!
:->  )


Erika Iyengar
Ph.D. candidate, Cornell University