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Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse project (above) has been the subject of a previous tech podcast (WTP 254). The idea behind Solar Impulse is to build a solar-powered plane that can circumnavigate the globe without using a single drop of conventional fuel. This week brings news that Solar Impulse, based in Switzerland, successfully completed a 26 hour test flight. Yep, a plane powered by the sun flew straight through the night! In fact, officials involved in the project say the on-board solar cells were actually more full upon landing than on take-off. In this episode of the Tech Podcast, we’ll hear from pilot André Borschberg, and from Bertrand Piccard himself.

We’ve also got an update on some interesting rumblings in China regarding Internet censorship. First, it looks like the infamous ‘net filtering program, “Green Dam Youth Escort,” might be running out of government funding. But let’s not start running headlines about “The Collapse of the Great Firewall” just yet, shall we. Take a look at this report on the unexpurgated version of a speech recently given by China’s top Internet official. We’ll talk a bit more about these developments.

And we end with a shortened version of a lovely documentary on The Pleasure Telephone, an idea from the late 1800s to use the telephone as a kind of early radio. Pick up, dial in, and choose from a variety of programming – everything from news, to opera to religious services. Sound familiar, mobile web junkie? Really, this version runs 20 minutes, and it’s worth your time and attention. Great stuff.

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