Yesterday I installed the vanity plates (custom license plates) on my new Subaru. Obviously my main purpose in choosing “DARWIN” was to honour one of the greatest scientists of all time, especially at a time when science in general, and evolution in particular, is under attack. Coincidentally it also lets me pay tribute to the open source project associated with the kernel of Apple’s OS X.
The space under the word SUBARU will shortly be occupied by a silver plastic fish with feet, bearing the legend “EVOLVE”. (Not that anyone or anything has any choice in the matter, of course! Evolution is what imperfectly replicating systems do, pretty much.)