AMERICANS have long warred over whether humans evolved; a full one-third believe in creationism. Yet a survey released this week by the Pew Research Centre reveals the extraordinary extent of these divides. Religion is a huge determinant: 67% of white evangelical protestants and half of black protestants are creationists, compared with only 15% among white, mainstream protestants. And like so many things, the issue polarises along party lines. In 2013 some 43% of Republicans accepted evolution (a drop from 54% in 2009), while two-thirds of Democrats and independent voters do. The difference between the sexes is also striking: 65% of men compared with 55% of women accept natural selection. Interestingly, the beliefs themselves are evolving: younger people are far more likely than old folks to hold a scientific view of how we got here. But the trait that accounts for the widest spread between evolution’s adherents and doubters is not age, nor sex, nor even level of education—it is religion.



