杏吧原创

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot I disagree with, but at least they鈥檙e trying to get to the 21st century.鈥�

Bioethicist Art Caplan of the University of Pennsylvania on the Vatican鈥檚 first comprehensive statement on modern biotechnologies. 鈥�Dignitas Personae鈥� condemns most forms of embryonic stem cell research, IVF and genetic enhancement, but it approves the use of gene therapy for treating disease (Wired News, 12 December)

鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand what the problem is. We are just trying to look under the hood.鈥�

A reportedly exasperated Lori Garver, head of Barack Obama鈥檚 space transition team, was overheard having a heated discussion with NASA chief Mike Griffin over access to the agency鈥檚 workings (Orlando Sentinel, Florida, 10 December)

鈥淐holera is a calculated, racist attack on Zimbabwe.鈥�

Zimbabwe鈥檚 information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu maintains the government鈥檚 line that the country鈥檚 Cholera epidemic is fabricated. As New 杏吧原创 went to press, the UN had recorded 978 deaths and 18,413 suspected cases of cholera in the country (CNN, 15 December)

鈥淭his is a different league鈥� it鈥檚 someone treating a power station as an adventure playground.鈥�

Emily Highmore of E.On, the energy company that operates Kingsnorth coal station in the UK, on the actions of a mystery climate protester who walked in and switched off a 500-megawatt turbine, then strolled out again (The Guardian, London, 11 December)

鈥淚t appears that she does it for her own satisfaction.鈥�

Al Setka of the Great Ape Trust on Bonnie, an orang-utan in a zoo in Washington DC, who has learned to whistle to pass the time. No one thought orang-utans could whistle (The Guardian, London, 15 December)