“A homeless man is on trial in San Mateo County on charges that he smacked a fellow transient in the face with a skateboard as the victim was engaged in a conversation about quantum physics, authorities said Wednesday.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reports on an unfortunate end to a scientific disagreement (hat tip: Bad Astronomy).

“The aeroplane could do it theoretically non-stop – but not the pilot. We should fly at roughly 25 knots and that would make it between 20 and 25 days to go around the world, which is too much for a pilot who has to steer the plane.”

Bertrand Piccard comments on his solar plane, which he hopes to fly around the world (BBC).

“What I am saying is based on what I expect. It is not just in my dreams.”

Andreas Carlgren, Sweden’s environment minister, pledges to push for tough carbon targets as his country prepares to assume the EU presidency (European Voice).

“A system for allowing a shoe wearer to lean forwardly beyond his center of gravity by virtue of wearing a specially designed pair of shoes which will engage with a hitch member movably projectable through a stage surface.”

Michael Jackson’s patent for the ‘method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion’ (European Patent Office).