Tony (B_M), presumably in support of David's anthropocentric interpretation of evolution, has again rightly pointed out that humans depend on all other life, which depends on the earth, which depends on the galaxy, which depends on the universe etc. This applied to the dodo just as much as to you and me, and certainly does not mean that humans were the final goal. If you can explain why dodos were a necessary part of God's plan to create humans, I might be able to understand why a specific, perfectly planned project takes precedence over 1) an improvised experiment with no ultimate goal, or 2) a targeted experiment without prior knowledge of how to achieve the goal. -As for a baker planning to make a loaf and waiting 45 minutes for the dough to rise, it's a nice analogy, but it doesn't explain why someone who wants to bake a loaf should produce a dozen jam tarts as well, and then throw them away. (My analogy relates to the dodo, not to the obviously essential microbes or plants.)