Winston Churchill's UFO files released

UFO
"It was like a big, grey mass, obscuring the sun, and raining down moisture"

If you have nothing particular planned for the rest of your life, try searching through the enormous database of UK UFO sightings over at the National Archives.

The collection of alien encounter reports hit the headlines this week after claims that Winston Churchill himself ordered a UFO cover up during the war years when a returning pilot claimed his plane was "approached by a metallic UFO", and Winnie didn't want to alarm the nation with fears of possible new Nazi technology.

The sighting was taken to the very top – a subsequent letter claims the incident was discussed in a wartime meeting between Churchill and US president Dwight Eisenhower.

The rest of the latest batch of material released by the National Archives makes for equally interesting reading, with letters to the Ministry of Defence – and the MOD's replies – scanned into huge PDF files for our enjoyment. The occasional illustrations from confused elderly spotters are the highlights.

Foot patrol

Amy Windom got herself out of an extremely serious spot of bother in a very clever way – by typing an appeal for help on her laptop using her toes. She couldn't use her fingers, because she'd been tied to the bed by a rather rude intruder, who then proceeded to ransack her house.

Typing

TOE-TYPING: Ctrl+P would be tough

According to AJC News, Amy convinced the robber not to take her laptop because it would be traceable. So, with it lying on the bed, she opened the case, unlocked it, opened up AIM and typed "HELP. CALL 911" and "IM HOME TIED TO BEED" to her boyfriend using her toes.

And that's why people shouldn't type in capital letters on the internet. Your rage-filled paragraph could be interpreted as a toe-typed call for help.

Little Black Phone

If you're in the extremely lucky position of having so much sex with so many different people you have trouble keeping on top of who exactly you were rubbing it up against last night, DateMate – The Dating and Sex Tracker might help alleviate embarrassing mix-ups over stuff like the names, hobbies and favourite TV programmes of your conquests.

Dating iphone

MET A GIRL ON MONDAY: Bluetoothed photos of her to my mates on Tuesday...

Designed to help attractive people schedule and organise their sexual lives via – what else? – iPhone, DateMate enables users to create profiles of each of their dating partners, building a fact-packed little bio of each person to refer to when conversation has started running dry halfway through the main course. There's isn't an Android version. No need.

Knee-jerk reaction

If you're getting on a bit, and kneeling down on the floor isn't the enjoyable, relaxing leisure experience it once was due to the pains and stresses of getting back up again, Japanese researchers have the answer. Robotic knee enforcements.

ONE BENDED KNEE: His feet needs recharging overnight

According to CrunchGear, the under-the-trouser robotic knee is actually more of a walking aid, one that's been designed to help people get around without relying on crutches. Although there's one slight problem – it currently requires a backpack full of equipment in order to power the thing.