Topic: Charles Darwin

Social Darwinism is here to stay

President Obama kicked off his 2012 campaign with a hard-hitting speech centered on the House Republicans’ budget plan. We are likely to hear a lot more about social Darwinism in the months ahead.

World rankings: top 10 universities around the globe

Britain's leading higher education publication, The Times Higher Education, today released its 2012 reputation rankings for universities worldwide. Here is a list of the top 10.

Robert Harris's "The Fear Index" makes a thriller out of a man sitting at a computer

Robert Harris, the author of 'The Ghost,' discusses his new financial page-turner "The Fear Index" and his predilection for writing about ancient Rome.

'Extinct' humongous Galapagos tortoise could be making a comeback

A genetic analysis of a Galapagos tortoise revealed DNA from a related species thought to have gone extinct 150 years ago, suggesting that the two species are mating and producing hybrid offspring. 

What kind of society do Republicans want? It looks like social Darwinism.

They’re not conservatives. They’re regressives. And the America they seek is the one we had in the Gilded Age of the late nineteenth century.

Another phone hacking victim, another blow to Murdoch's power in Britain

Revelations of another phone hacking victim – the mother of 8-year-old murder victim Sarah Payne – adds to a culture war that pits Rupert Murdoch’s profit-driven ethos against Britain's establishment press.

Why you should care about Gregor Mendel

Today's Google Doodle reminds us that without the meticulous work of Gregor Mendel, evolutionary biology would make no sense.

Teaching creationism: Louisiana law that skirts US ban survives challenge

The Louisiana law allows teaching contrary to evolution on the grounds it promotes critical thinking, a proposition ridiculed by scientists. Similar legislation is being debated in other states.

The Unbelievers

What is most interesting about contemporary atheists is not what they have in common but rather their differences.

Reader recommendation: The Origin of the Species

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.

Religion doesn't belong in public schools, but debate over Darwinian evolution does

Students need to learn about Darwinian evolution. But they also deserve to hear countervailing scientific evidence – evidence that is censored in many current textbooks.

3 great books for November

When the days get short and the nights grow long, what you need is a great book. I recommend grabbing at least one of these three terrific new releases.

Moses' parting of the Red Sea: Is there a physical explanation?

A new paper suggests that an area near the Red Sea area could have had favorable characteristics for 'wind setdown' some 3,000 years ago.

Glaciers, known for erosion, can help mountains grow

Glaciers' 'buzz-saw effect' can level mountains. But at high altitudes, glaciers can freeze to mountains and shield against erosion, new research suggests.

How China will -- and won't -- change the world

China's astonishing urbanization could bring a new era of supercities, but its cultural norms probably won't eclipse American dominance.

Why are Galapagos sea lions moving to Peru?

A colony of sea lions from the Galapagos Islands recently migrated 1,000 miles southeast to Peru, say a Lima-based ocean group. Was this migration – and others like it – caused by climate change?

Creation: movie review

Charles Darwin’s family life and inner struggles are explored in 'Creation,' a look at the man behind 'The Origin of Species.'

Free books used as tools to fight evolution

'Going Rogue': Is Sarah Palin a creationist?

In 'Going Rogue,' Sarah Palin says she is a creationist, rejecting Darwin's theory of evolution.

The Vatican's cynical gesture to Episcopalians

Overtures to join Rome shouldn't be based on a Catholicism-lite.

Controversy flourishes at Toronto film fest

Michael Moore's latest, along with a spotlight on films from Tel Aviv, brings out the protesters, while others swoon over Clooney.