1 The number of goalies that a Romanian second division football team is offering to swap in exchange for a gas pipeline. Cornel Rasmerita, who manages Minerul football team, is willing to give his goalkeeper to rival team Jiul, owned by a local businessman, in exchange for a major investment in a gas pipeline for his town. Previous deals have seen Romanian players swapped for half a pig and two sets of goalposts and a crate of wine.

5 The number of days in advance of an earthquake that snakes can sense one is looming. Scientists in China are now observing reptile behaviour, monitoring snake farms via 24-hour internet video links. They claim snakes can sense a quake from 75 miles away. "When an earthquake is about to occur, snakes will move out of their nests, even in the cold of winter, " said earthquake bureau director Jiang Weisong.

300,000 The number of Lego bricks used by a German man to build a giant model of a US aircraft carrier. When Malle Hawking finished his challenge, he ended up with a 4.7m replica of the Harry S Truman. "It was a challenge, " said the 36year-old Munich man. The real ship is 1,096ft long, weighs 97,000 tonnes and carries 6,000 crew.