It is an irony, though, that his adopted country is the one place in the developed world where the neoDarwinian explanations that he and his colleagues created are not the commonplace of the schoolbooks, and where many people prefer to cling to the campfire tales of Genesis, rather than face the awesome thesis that Mr Mayr helped to elucidate.

ECONOMIST: Obituary

"These are tales told around the campfire, " said one U.S. official, adding the information is "interesting" but hardly points conclusively to any action.

CNN: Sources: American Taliban fighter says new attack planned on U.S.