Man fights to 'marry' cartoon character
Plus: Passenger's arm sucked down train toilet
A Japanese man has launched an online petition to permit human beings to marry their favourite comic characters. Taichi Takashita's campaign has so far received the support of over 1,000 signatures, the Metro reports.
One person in favour of the proposed law wrote: "For a long time I have only been able to fall in love with two-dimensional people and currently I have someone I really love.
"Even if she is fictional, it is still loving someone. I would like to have legal approval for this system at any cost."
The news comes days after a woman was jailed for 'murdering' her virtual husband after he divorced her during an online game.
Satellite tech in artificial heart
In other strange news from the last seven days, French scientists have harnessed technology from satellites and aeroplanes to create an artificial heart that they claim "responds better to the human body".
Allegedly the first to be able to determine and respond accordingly to a patient's needs, the new device has so far only been tested in animals. It's hoped that it'll eventually be capable of helping people survive without needing a heart transplant.
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Quiet zone
Meanwhile, a British train operator has taken the concept of the 'quiet carriage' to the next level by coating the windows of some coaches with a hi-tech film that blocks phone signals.
It's a technique developed by US scientists to stop strangers "tapping into sensitive internal wireless communications". And one that could prevent persistent passengers from yapping away in quiet zones for good.
Although mobile phone jamming devices are still illegal, operator C2C has been able to implement the tech because travellers have to agree to the terms and conditions of quiet carriages to sit in them. The move has received widespread support.
Gadget therapy
This week we have been mostly appreciating California-based Peltier Station's attempts to get around a rule imposed by the European Union, preventing wineries from using the word 'port' on their wine unless it has been made in Portugal. Cue some inspired packaging for a bottle of dessert wine, substituting 'port' for 'USB'. The roots displayed on the label image even resemble the USB sign. Cheers… loophole.
And finally: when toilet tech turns bad…
Fireman were forced to cut free a passenger onboard a French train at the weekend whose arm was sucked down the high-speed TGV's toilet. According to reports, the 26-year-old victim fell foul of the suction system when he tried to retrieve his mobile phone, after dropping it into the toilet bowl.
Fellow passengers were delayed for two hours while firemen detached the unit. The man was carried away on a stretcher by emergency services, with the toilet still attached to his arm.
Julia specialises in ecommerce at Future. For the last four years, she’s split her time between leading TechRadar’s crack team of deal editors - covering all the biggest sales of the year including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day - and helping the audiences of Future’s consumer tech and lifestyle brands (TechRadar, Tom's Guide, T3, Marie Claire, Woman & Home and more) find the best products and services for their needs and budget.
A former editor of global design website Creative Bloq, she has over 15 years’ experience in online and print journalism, and was part of the team that launched TechRadar way back in the day. When she isn't reviewing mattresses (she’s tested more than she cares to remember), or sharing tips on how to save money in the latest sales, she can usually be found writing about anything from green energy to graphic design.