From The Inquirer: US grants patent for anti-gravity device:
"ACCUSATIONS that the US Patent office is giving out dotty patents were given some credence this week after the magazine Nature discovered that the watchdog had just granted one to a bloke who claimed to have invented an anti-gravity machine.
Boris Volfson, of Huntington, is the proud holder of patent 6,960,975, which is for a space vehicle propelled by a superconducting shield that alters the curvature of space-time outside the craft in a way that counteracts gravity."
No word on whether it has to be constructed from transparent aluminum.
Posted by geoff2 at November 11, 2005 02:26 PMEvery time I read about another silly-ass patent I wonder if the examiners are trying to make things so obviously broken that Congress has to step in and define patents so that they aren't more or less forced to grant patents on things like "click this icon to buy using your pre-recorded credit card."
Sadly, as with most other functions of government, it's much easier to believe stupidity instead of malice or forethought.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) at November 11, 2005 06:38 PM