Landing Philae on Comet 67P from the Rosetta probe is a fantastic achievement (One giant heartstopper, 14 November). A tremendous scientific experiment based on wonderful engineering. Engineering is the turning of a dream into a reality. So please give credit where credit is due – to the engineers. The success of the science is yet to be determined, depending on what we find out about the comet. Engineering is not the handmaiden of physics any more than medicine is of biology – all are of equal importance to our futures.
Emeritus professor David Blockley, Professor Stuart Burgess, Professor Paul Weaver, University of Bristol
• Surely the comet is too small to be measured in units of Wales; Olympic-sized swimming pools or football pitches would be more appropriate.
John Bailey
St Albans, Hertfordshire
• Having noticed that the successful All Blacks team had players called Bird and Thrush (not to mention McCaw), I think England needs to get the cassowary (Birdwatch, 17 November) to take up UK nationality. This bird is able to kill a human being, and should get across the gain line. Failing that, has Angela Eagle got any relations who could play rugby?
John Richards
Oxford
• I can’t be the only one to smile at the news that workers from Hungary are making us something to eat (Report, 15 November).
Andy Harris
Brough, East Yorkshire
• Like John Dobson (Letters, 15 November) a few years ago I made two batches of sloe gin using pricked and unpricked sloes. While the pricked sloes made a darker drink, the batch made from unpricked ones had the better flavour.
Dave Headey
Faringdon, Oxfordshire
• I’m not surprised Alan Pearson’s recently picked blackberries tasted “a little winey” (Letters, 17 November). In Cornwall we are warned not to eat blackberries picked after Summercourt fair (25 September) as the devil has pissed on them.
Martin Courts
Newquay, Cornwall
