Evolution is a large political controversy as to what should be taught in the schools. But there is no scientific controversy that we evolved when we talk about evidence from fossils and DNA.

If you're looking for your own idea of your own identity you know the human genome may not be the best place to look for it. You're just looking at a bunch of viruses.

We really depend on viruses for our complete survival.

One of the big challenges now is to figure out just how many viruses there really are in the human genome. So far the estimate is 8.3% of our genome is virus, but it actually could be a lot higher.

Viruses don't just make us sick. They can actually sometimes end up in our genomes.

The hand is where the mind meets the world.

The reason that viruses are so hard to fight, the reason for example we need a flu virus every year is that they evolve very fast.

We may be sucking in all sorts of viruses and we really don't know the full range of them. Maybe we've got flu virus inside of us. That's a possibility. Maybe we're part flu.

Borna virus is not a retrovirus. It doesn't actually insert its own genes into our cells. What it does is just hangs out near our DNA and uses some of the molecular machinery to copy itself.

Evolution has led to some populations of people being able to digest milk without much trouble when they're adults as well.

Everybody can digest milk when they're little.

Mercy is weakness. Offer it to your enemies and you might as well fall upon your own sword.

SELF PORTRAIT: Throwing Armfuls of Air into the Air

Despise your heart. I wanted to. I didn't want to grieve anymore, to feel loss or guilt, or worry. I wanted to be hard, calculating. I wanted to be fearless.

It is better to experience than to be told. But it is wiser to learn from the great sacred-souls.

No matter what the recipe, any baker can do wonders in the kitchen with some good ingredients and an upbeat attitude!

To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life.

Who cares if a movie star has an opinion unless the person is very well informed?

Impossible is a word for other people to use when life scares them.

In this infinite space is placed our universe (whether by chance, by necessity, or by providence I do not now consider).

I can describe to you the taste of government cheese.