Mad scientist
The week's news at a glance.
Neuschwanstein, Germany
It turns out that crazy King Ludwig II of Bavaria may not have been entirely insane. German aeronautical engineers studying Ludwig’s 19th-century blueprints for a flying car have concluded that the vehicle would, in fact, have flown. Ludwig, a dandy with a love of the fantastical, designed a flying machine powered by a steam engine and decorated to resemble a peacock. He hoped to build a fleet that would fly him over the Alps to visit his many castles. Political opponents declared him insane and deposed him in 1886, before he could realize his dream. Engineer Dalibor Karacic, who is re-creating Ludwig’s drawings on computer, said the king was not mad, but merely “ahead of his time.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Andor series two: a 'perfect' Star Wars show
The Week Recommends Second instalment of Tony Gilroy's 'compelling' spin-off is a triumph
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
The rise and fall of 4Chan
The Explainer Most notorious messageboard on the internet appears to have posted its last meme
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Protein obsession is oversaturating the health food space
Under the Radar Some experts say that fiber is now the most important macro to focus on
By Justin Klawans, The Week US