The hot topic all over the world is Ms Susan Boyle, a not so pretty 47 year old church volunteer from Scotland. When she appeared on stage at a talent show people sniggered at her appearance but when she sang she became an instant star. A clip featuring her on YouTube has received millions of hits from all over the world. Naturally there is also a lot of tut-tutting on how people judge others on appearance instead of their merit. Scientists explain that stereotyping is essential for survival and the ability to form instant judgement enables us to avoid situations or persons who could pose a threat. Others talk about an instant rush of serotonin at the beauty of Ms Boyle's voice. I think that it is much simpler than that. Human beings have a natural attraction towards beauty. It is partly cultural in that we find beauty in people who look like our parents but it is also genetic because there is no such attraction towards science. Little children are automatically attracted towards music and bright colours. There is no child that does not listen to a story about dragons with absolute attention which appeals to the child's imagination. Every year Nobel prizes are declared for five categories. Whereas the one who gets in literature becomes an instant star and very rich there is no such reward for the ones in physics, chemistry and medicine. Millions of tourists spend billions of dollars to see the Sistine Chapel or the Louvre but how many are bothered about Einstein, Newton or Curie. A plastic surgeon who romeves moles and injects botox in the butt will always earn more than a heart surgeon who saves lives. Whether animals have a sense of beauty and imagination I do not know. Perhaps this is what makes us human. Unfortunately if something does not match upto our standards of beauty we tend to dismiss or destroy it. Maybe that is what leads to racism.