[Ichneumon]

That's a cool list of quotes!

If you enjoy that sort of thing, like I do, you might want to get a copy of this book:

(Click image for link.) I've got a copy, and it's great. It's also huge, 480 pages, containing thousands of such erroneous predictions by alleged "experts" on just about every topic.

"If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since nothing violent is eternal. It follows, therefore, that the earth is not moved with a circular motion."
-- St. Thomas Aquinas, 1270

Hey, wasn't Aquinas a noted creationist?

[PatrickHenry]

"When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."
-- Arthur C. Clarke. Source: HERE.

[PatrickHenry]

"When, however, the lay public rallies round an idea that is denounced by distinguished but elderly scientists and supports that idea with great fervor and emotion — the distinguished but elderly scientists are then, after all, probably right."
Isaac Asimov's Corollary to Clarke's First Law (not actually a corollary, strictly speaking). Found at the prior link.