Win A Trip To Space!

I’m gonna be honest: thinking about traveling to space doesn’t get me fired up. I mean, there’s nothing there to see or do or eat. There aren’t any people to talk to. I guess I could take some cool pictures, and learning how a spaceship works might be cool. But…I think I’ll stick to Earth.

If you have a different take on space travel than me — and you’re an “ordinary resident” in the UK — this might be your lucky day. New Scientist has teamed up with Audi to offer one winner an out-of-this-world experience: a sub-orbital flight that will take you 62 miles above the earth’s surface. The flight will be provided by Space Adventures, who have already sent private space explorers into orbit. (Your flight won’t take place until 2009, though.)

How do you win? Unfortunately for the dullards out there (but great for the smarty-pants among ye), winning this prize takes some imagination. New Scientist wants you to tell them what you believe is the world’s best patented invention — and why. You have only 250 words to explain yourself. (This post is 240 words long.) The judges will be looking for originality in both the choice of invention and the reasoning. Before you just whip off a submission, be mindful that entries are visible to everyone, which can make for some painful reading! All entries must be received by April 30, 2007. Good luck!