Hirano Kazuki

Hirano Kazuki allegedly stabbed biologist Rupert Sheldrake after a lecture at the 10th International Conference on Science and Consciousness in Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 2, 2008. Kazuki, a Japanese national and resident of Yokohama, was an attendee of the conference and, according to Sheldrake, had told him he was "hearing voices" the day before the attack. Kazuki was arrested on charges of aggravated battery and assault with intent to commit a violent felony, with bail set at $200,000.

Sheldrake holds a doctorate of biology, but his recent work has focused on human consciousness and telepathy. On April 2, his lecture was titled "Memory and Morphic Resonance," in which Sheldrake theorized that memories are not held in the brain, but instead are accessed from a universal collective memory. Critics claim Sheldrake's work is pseudoscience, while others believe he is forging new ground in understanding the human brain. Fast Facts:

1. Hometown: Yokohama, Japan
2. Told Sheldrake and several other attendees the day before that he was hearing voices.
3. Told witnesses that voices told him to attack Sheldrake
4. Stabbed Sheldrake in leg, but reports suggest he was aiming for Sheldrake's chest
5. Created 2-4 in. gash in biologist's leg, which began spurting blood
6. Wrestled to floor by other conference attendees
7. Could face charges of attempted murder

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