Dear Sir/Madam,

Perhaps the greatest honour we can do to Einstein in celebrating the 100th anniversary of his annus mirabilis is to reflect on the fact that quantum theory, which his work contributed to, and his theory of relativity where classic examples of "uncommon sense " prevailing over "common sense", as were all great advances in human understanding, the Copernican revolution being the most famous.

Let us reflect on the "common sense" with which we view our growth-dependent economy and grossly materialistic lifestyles, and try to see some "uncommon sense ": i.e. that they are rooted (naturally enough, in view of what Darwin taught us about human origins) in man's "more animal than human " nature, and are causing us - quite literally - to plunder our planet.

If we fail to do so, the 200th anniversary of Einstein's annus mirabilis may well pass unnoticed.