Science News Archive

No Excuse for Missing a Penalty in Future

A German inventor has come up with a way to ensure that his nation continue to beat England in the World cup in the foreseeable future - webbed goalie gloves. Peter Hochmuth's design incorporates a flexible band of material running between the index finger and thumb which makes the hand resemble a duck's webbed foot. As the goalie opens his hand to catch the ball the material stretches tight, "increasing the probability of catching the ball". It also stops the thumb being bent back on itself by the impact of the ball. Neat, but will the footballing authorities sanction it ?

3rd Aug 2002