Degenerate space-time metrics are discussed in the framework of gravitation in interaction with scalar fields. Minisuperspace quantisations are effected leading to coherent states that exhibit enhanced fluctuations in the vicinity of classical cosmological loci. An alternative approach for implementing the Hamiltonian constraint is offered in terms of a spinor state space and an analysis of solutions to the scalar field equation on a 2-dimensional topologically non-trivial manifold with a degenerate metric is summarised.