I have a theory that I got up this morning and am writing to you all on Conch-L at this moment. I call it a theory, not a fact, because I am not absolutely sure that I am not a computer program blessed with the trappings of virtual memories and experiences. So, you still want to call evolution "only a theory"? Let's get back to basics. Here are some basics of the theory of evolution, in a few words: Observation: Plants and animals vary in nature, and much of this variation is hereditary. Observation: Mutations occasionally occur in DNA, the code of heredity. Observation: Plants and animals, in the long run, produce more offspring than can possibly survive. Deduction: The offspring that do survive do not have quite the same characteristics as their forebears. Instead, they are generally better suited to life in their immediate environment. Given enough time and generations, the descendants may indeed be very different from their ancestors, as new hazards and opportunities arise. This is a hard chain of reasoning to argue with, and most creationists don't even try. Creationist literature often seems to be hostile to the very idea of reasoning, as opposed to taking matters on faith. They conveniently forget that most scientists profess themselves to be religious, and that religious thought does not exclude logic. These days, creationists tend to pick faults in Darwin's original explanation (which was published about 150 years ago and has been improved upon since), or say that beneficial mutations never occur (actually, they're just rare), or say that the earth is not as old as geologists think it is (which would make evolution into a correct theory that doesn't apply to the real earth. Think about that). Or they just say that evolution is bad science that leads to bad morals, without ever letting their people know what the theory of evolution actually says. Well, if you've read this far, you know the basics of evolution, so you can decide for yourself. Andrew K. Rindsberg (or maybe just a computer program; how can you tell?) Geological Survey of Alabama