darwin was right.

the little birds on the islands where he spent his days had adapted to different types of habitats. some of the finches beaks had sharpened to eat beetles or crack hard seeds whereas others had become longer to pull worms. thier feet had adapted to different challenges also. these adaptations had occurred in few short generations as the birds environment changed.

this species adaptation has become known as evolution. micro-evolution. an evolution of the adaptation of one species to environmental changes.

never in darwin`s time did one of these birds turn into a fish or a badger or a cobra.

never ever.

but yet those who read darwin`s thesis took this to mean that one species could change into another, given sufficient time and stress.

macro-evolution. the change from one species to another over time.

darwin himself questioned this leap-of-thesis but the noise of notariety in victorial society got the better of the man, and quite possibly his patrons and agent too.

so here we have it.

the idea that a species of animal changes into another species of animal and becomes exponentially more intelligent (bill...........) in the process. some cause celebre for the nascent scientific community of a hundred years ago to hang thier hat on.