“There was so much asbestos dust that my head was covered with it every day. Managers told me it would melt in my lungs.”
Hidekuni Morimoto, who has asbestosis, on why he is suing two construction firms he worked for (Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo, 2 February)
“If you don’t use your brain, it will age quickly. You’ll get out of shape and weak! But don’t fret! You can train your brain just like your body.”
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Animated screen message from Professor Kawashima’s Brain Game, a portable computer game that has taken Japan by storm and uses maths, memory and syllable tests to exercise the mind (The Observer, London, 5 February)
“This notion that the situation is predestined or cannot be stopped…it’s not true. They have not crossed the point of no return. They don’t have all the know-how and equipment they need.”
Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Daniel Ayalon, arguing that it is not too late to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons (Reuters, 6 February)
“They might want to talk about volcanoes and lakes and oceans and whatever, but they don’t feel that they can say as scientists that these things exist. I’m useful because it gives them entrée to talk about it credibly.”
Space artist Lynette Cook, whose drawings appear in a new book about extrasolar planets (CNN, 6 February)
“If people value their health, avoid these killer heels at all costs. They’re not worth the risk.”
Posture expert Dax Moy on the dangers of the unnatural stance women are forced to adopt when wearing very high heels (Daily Mirror, London, 7 February)
