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Biology is destiny

When scientists reported the discovery of the so-called gay gene in 1993, it reignited an age-old argument about the role of nature and nurture in shaping our personalities. This is a debate which goes to the very core of who we are. Backed by evolutionary biology and genetic research, one side says that, as well as the colour of our eyes, our intelligence, personality, aggression, and sexual orientation are all encoded in our DNA. The other side believes that we are the product of our social environment, and that human behaviour can be conditioned.

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