As the cardinals meet in conclave to elect a new pontiff, a strange name appears on every ballot. Disregarding the possibility of a miracle--believing instead that foreign entities have carried out a conspiracy to embarrass the Catholic Church--the cardinals call on scientists to conduct a rigorous investigation. The results indicate that no human hands were responsible for the phenomenon. Fearful of the world's reaction, but haunted by the lingering memory of the Galileo affair, a majority of the cardinals decide to place their faith in science and call on Gonzalo Vrooman, a...