鈥淭he current push to expand biofuel use is creating unsustainable tensions that will disrupt markets without generating significant environmental benefits.鈥�
The authors of an OECD report, arguing that the rush to support alternative energy sources will lead to surging food prices and the potential destruction of natural habitats (The Financial Times, London, 10 September)
鈥淚t鈥檚 an engineering marvel. It鈥檚 embarrassing to have our hand out like this.鈥�
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Robert Kerr, director of the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico, on how the famed observatory is being asked to raise half of its $8 million budget itself. The US National Science Foundation has threatened to withdraw its support for the telescope if the condition is not met (The Washington Post, 9 September)
鈥淭he chicken died within a minute.鈥�
A newspaper in Hainan, China, explains the fate of a chicken given bottled mineral water by a family who suspected it was contaminated (Reuters, 10 September)
鈥淚f a child shows signs of hyperactivity or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, eliminating artificial colours from their diet might have beneficial effects.鈥�
Andrew Wadge, chief scientist at the UK鈥檚 Food Standards Agency, reacting to a study reporting adverse effects linked to common artificial colourings and preservatives (BBC Online, 6 September)
鈥淧eople can collect friends like boys collect Airfix models.鈥�
Will Reader at Sheffield Hallam University, UK, on so-called 鈥渨hore鈥� software, which allows people to automate part of the friendship-making process on social networking sites like MySpace (The Daily Telegraph, London, 10 September)