As the last witness called in the case closing arguments are today the scientist said he would try to keep his verbal dissection of the motor-like bacterial tail interesting.

"I kinda feel like (Hungarian actress Zsa Zsa Gabor's) fifth husband," he told the judge. "As the old adage goes: I know what to do, I just can't make it exciting."

Though much of his testimony was reminiscent of earlier statements from Lehigh University microbiology professor Michael Behe, Minnich testified for the defense that intelligent design is science, not religion.

A professor of microbiology at the University of Idaho, Minnich testified that much of the research he has conducted pertains to the microbiology of infectious diseases; he took a sabbatical from the university to go to Iraq with a survey group looking for weapons of mass destruction, which includes biological weaponry.

Minnich testified that he has found scientific evidence of intelligent design, including "irreducibly complex" organisms, such as the bacterial flagellum.

The term "irreducibly complex," which Behe is credited with originating, refers to organisms that would not function if even one part of them were removed.

Minnich and Behe both testified that irreducibly complex organisms are evidence of intelligent design because they suggest the organizations could not have been pieced together as the theory of evolution suggests.

"We infer design when we see parts that appear to be arranged for a purpose," he said.

Dispute with institute: Minnich is also a fellow of the Discovery Institute, the largest organization supporting intelligent design research. He and Behe are the only two fellows who did not back out of testifying after a dispute between the school district's attorneys and the Discovery Institute, which does not endorse Dover's intelligent design policy.

Minnich said the institute doesn't pay him or determine the type of research he does. His affiliation with the group basically consists of his name being listed on a page of its Web site.

"It's more of a networking opportunity," he said.

Different perspectives: Although Minnich testified that more research must be done before intelligent design can be fully integrated into public school science curricula, he said it is "advantageous" to introduce students to intelligent design in the manner Dover has chosen.

It exposes students to different perspectives, he testified.

Dover's ninth-grade biology students hear a one-minute statement that tells students there are "gaps" in the theory of evolution and offers intelligent design as an alternative. It also refers students to the intelligent design textbook "Of Pandas and People" if they want to learn more.

Minnich testified -- as did Behe -- that opponents of intelligent design try to link it to creationism to discredit it. Behe was on the witness stand for about three days.

Minnich's testimony started yesterday afternoon, and his cross-examination was expected to conclude this morning.

On cross examination yesterday, Pepper Hamilton law firm attorney Steve Harvey twice accidentally referred to Minnich as "Dr. Behe." He attributed the first blunder to "a Freudian slip."

Harvey asked Minnich if he was aware that the concept of irreducible complexity was first posed in a "Creation Research Society Quarterly" article in 1994, two years before Behe's book discussing the concept was published.

Harvey placed a copy of the article on a large screen, highlighting a portion of text that referred to terms that were similar to those used by proponents of intelligent design.

The article mentioned the bacterial flagellum and other organisms that would not work if one of their parts was not in place.

Harvey asserted that the creationism journal presented "precisely the same argument" that Minnich had just testified about.

Minnich said he hadn't been aware of the article.

Social studies next? Morning testimony included assistant superintendent Michael Baksa.

During cross-examination, Pepper Hamilton attorney Eric Rothschild showed a copy of an e-mail that a high school social studies teacher had written to Baksa on Oct. 18, 2004, the day after the school board approved the intelligent design policy.

In the e-mail, teacher Brad Neal wrote that the district had apparently made a switch from a "standards-driven" district to a "living-word-driven" district.

The teacher implied that social studies curriculum could also be changed to accommodate the school board's desires.

Baksa testified that the e-mail was referencing a book "Myth of Separation," by David Barton. Board member Alan Bonsell had requested that Baksa read the book, which says that the United States is a Christian nation and the separation of church and state is "absurd."

Earlier witnesses testified that Bonsell was one of the school board members who wanted to teach creationism alongside evolution, and he had an interest in the Founding Fathers and the early history of the United States.

Thomas More Law Center attorney Patrick Gillen asked Baksa if Bonsell had ever asked him to change the social studies curriculum.

Baksa testified that Bonsell had not.

Defense attorneys also called Dover Area High School biology teacher Robert Linker to testify.

Linker testified that he thought it was interesting to hear about "gaps" in the theory of evolution, but he considers intelligent design religion, not science.

-- Reach Christina Kauffman at 505-5434 or ckauffman@yorkdispatch.com.