“Intelligent design isn’t science even though it pretends to be.”
The Vatican’s chief astronomer George Coyne, wading into the debate on evolution versus intelligent design (ABCNews.go.com, 18 November)
“There is not a law or regulation in China that prohibits the selling of land on the moon.”
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Li Jie, the CEO of Beijing Lunar Village Aeronautics Science and Technology, who is suing the Chinese authorities for suspending his company’s license to sell lunar land (Japan Times, 17 November)
“If you look at the flags on Fifth Avenue, you can see metal rods that keep them from flapping around. It’s the same idea: you stiffen the apparatus, but still allow it to function normally.”
New York doctor Charles Kimmelman on a surgical treatment for sleep apnoea that involves inserting polyester braids into the back of the throat. The braids stiffen the soft palate and are supposed to reduce snoring and obstruction of the airway (The New York Times, 22 November)
“I am sure we will soon help other mountain villages see the light.”
Markus Peskoller, director of Bartenbach LichtLabor, which plans to install 30 swivelling mirrors to reflect sunshine into the Austrian village of Rattenberg during the winter months (Associated Press, 20 November)
“You should avoid having oral sex.”
Kerstin Rosenquist, dentist and researcher at Malmö University in Sweden, on a study showing that mouth cancer can be caused by the human papilloma virus, which can be contracted during oral sex (The Observer, London, 20 November)