The Origin of Life It may so that the misssing link that gave ``birth`` to life from inanimate was a tremendous amount of external energy - so much energy that is incomprehensible by us at this time. That could have been the ``big bang``. This burst of energy ``aligned`` complex inorganic and organic molecules into an organized protoplasmic form.

What do you think Saad?

Adeel.

Stupor To me, everyone sounds like a doctor. This one is probably a post-call resident.

Adeel.

An Evolving Conversation Dear Ashish

Enough biological agents exist in the world today for military purposes that no new agent is probably needed. But you never know what destructive power lives within the humankind! The most common and the most studied bioterrorism agent is probably anthrax. It is very easy and cheap to prepare in large quantities, and rather easy to disperse. There have been at least 4 threats of anthrax being mailed to various sites in the US in the last year which FBI and CDC bioterrorism branch have investigated. Fortunately all turned out to be hoaxes.

Genetic mutations in the laboratory to create a new virus is possible, but it is difficult to predict the biological behaviour of such an agent. Several lethal viruses exist in nature, and one (smallpox) in the laboratory in a couple of countries. Examples are hantavirus, ebola virus, and certain hemorrhagic viruses (eg Congo Crimean hemorrhagic virus), yellow fever virus, etc. If used as a bioterrorism agent their spread will be more difficult to control than eg anthrax, and your own people may get infected.

I am not sure about the exact nature of sale of genetic information of Icelanders. It is probably that they would allow access to their database of genotypes of their population, meaning who is susceptible to what kind of diseases on genetic analysis.

Adeel.

An Evolving Conversation The story about AIDS being a conspiracy is pure hambug! There is no doubt that AIDS is caused by a virus which belongs to the family of viruses called ``retroviruses``. Being directly involved in AIDS care for the past several years I have come across some unscrupulous even in the USA who call it a government conspiracy.

A recent article in ``Nature`` has given us new insights into the origin of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV- the virus that causes AIDS). It appears that HIV was transmitted from chimpanzees to humans several decades ago probably because of hunting and consumption of chimpanzee meat by certain African tribes. Once established in the humans, it propagated by various routes, mostly heterosexual contact and mother to child transmission in Africa.

Adeel A. Butt,MD

Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine

Section of Infectious Diseases

Divsion of HIV and AIDS

Louisiana State Universioty Medical Center

New Orleans

An Evolving Conversation I had to truncate my response to Owais`s original article, because too long a reply becomes boring and no one reads it. Here is a continuation:

I don`t see why this matter has be exclusively ``Islamic`` or exclusively ``Darwinian``. Now especially with Saad usual eloquence (I should call it e-eloquence), it is quite clear that there is more than what an average person understands from the religious text. There is no reason not to believe that these two concepts could be one and same if understood appropriately.

For example, it has been said time and again that one day to Allah (or a day in heavens) is equal to several thousand years on earth (probably 50000). Taking that to be true, the creation of earth took place over a 50000 x 6 =300000 years. Now that is not difficult to conceive. Also it is quite understandable that a day could be 50000 years of our earth, as that would depend on the size of the planet or the heavenly (or astronomical) body where heaven is located and its distance from its center of the solar system. Again if we take the religious scriptures, heaven is so vast and big a place that all humankind from the first to the last could stay in it with large plots of land (I myself would prefer a corner lot on a hill, overlooking a river, if I am allowed in there). For such a vast body of mass a very large day is not inconceivable.

Saad`s interpretation is a second fact that may tell that these theories may not be mutually exclusive. Third explanation could be the story from the religious scriptures again that monkeys/apes were so formed as a punishment for their disobedience to Allah! Like Anita had pointed out that we can create genes and reengineer genetic code in the lab, it could also happen in nature that mutations of some sort took place thus dividing humans and primates. As it is, the genetic code of primates and humans is quite similar.

My final point is that this debate should not be used to ridicule anyone`s idea, and debate for the sole purpose of ``rebuttal`` is not constructive. We should use it to learn something from it. I know I am learning from it.

Adeel.

A Matter of Principle Freedom of press is obviously a basic and fundamental right of a society, and it has often been trampled over in Pakistan. While such abuse should never happen, there is a slight difference this time - there is an open fight now, rather than unceremonius and behind the curtain kick-outs as in previous regimes. Not enough, I say, but nonetheless a start!

An Evolving Conversation Very intersting and absorbing, as usual Saad!

Evolution or no evolution, it is the pursuit of knowledge and intellectual interpretation and the scientific process that is more important to me. The example of ``stages`` is outstanding. I had never gone beyond the traditinal interpretation of the embryologic stages. For other readers who are not familiar with embryology, writings of Keith L. Moore should be good introduction to the scientific descriptions of embryologic stages in the Holy Quran.

Well done. I guess I will have to look for more meanings than are quite apparent in the Quran.

Adeel.

Dissection of Evolution Theory The original passage is too long for me to read for the lack of time. But I would definitely like to comment on ``maliani```s statement.

In his zeal to discredit the author, he starts with an impolite comment. The story of Adam and Eve is the cornerstone of every ``religion of the book`` and quoting it is quite appropriate - it is not ``a quote from a holy book`` but agreed facts from several books.

When you assert the need for scientific appraoach, you yourself forget to practice it. There is no solid scientific evidence for theory of evolution. That is why it is a theory and not a fact. You say that Holy Quran is full of contradictions; pray tell me one , sir? The one you mention is the lack of your knowledge, understanding and intellect that leads you to discredit it. In Sura 41:9 and 10, the mention of four days of ``measured therein its sustenance`` includes two days of creation of the earth initially. It is a well debated and reseasrched verse, and scholars believe it with a concensus.

Allah being All Powerful has nothing to do with the number of days He needed to create anything. It is like I have the ability to hit a person in front of me, or have the ability to ram my car in to another, but I do not do so, etc, etc.

The making of lunar calendar as the marker of time is not primitive, but highly ingenious. This way, seasons change in various years in different months. e.g. Ramadan comes in different seasons over a period of years, therefore eliminating monotony, and so forth.

In the Sura 33:72 you again lack the intellect to comprehend such a profound philosophical argument! Heavens and Earth were offered the Trust, but they were unable to take the trust because they are not of free will; trust presumes a free will on the part of those trusted, and Earth and Heavens were but only obedient to Allah. Also, knowing the immense magnitude and responsibiityassociated with the task, they knew they could not accept it. Actually it is only a metaphorical example, and not to be taken so literally.

This is already a very loong reply. MOre on evolution and its compatibility with Quran later.

Modern Armies and Their Invincible Plans I disagree with some of the people suggesting that overall intellect is somehow/somewhat lacking in Pakistan. A whole bunch of people in Pakistan and a whole bunch who have emigrated are some of the most brilliant minds I know. Don`t go far! Take the chowk - almost everyone is brilliant.

I have always said emphatically: just because you don`t want to go back to Pakistan does not make you unpatriotic, and just because you are in Pakistan or go back to Pakistan does not make you patriotic by itself.

What a brilliant piece of work. Please keep sharing it with us!

Sound Quest A very real happening indeed. Of course this does not happen to girls alone, and boys have been known to be subjected to similar abuse. I can recall instances in Pakstan when I witnessed both young girls and boys subjected to abuse in public places, although I was too young to fully comprehend or stop it - something I have felt guilty about. I think it is important, though difficult and requires a lot of courage to confront such abusers and follow up on them to make sure that they do not subject another child to such abuse.