Future fantasy

San Francisco, April 18 (Reuters): When America’s top sex researchers gathered recently to discuss the next decade in their field, some envisioned a future in which artificial sex partners could cater to every fantasy.

“What is very likely to be present before 2016 would be a multi-sensual experience of virtual sex,” said Julia Heiman, director of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, Bloomington.

A field dubbed “teledildonics” already allows people at two remote computers to manipulate electronic devices such as a vibrator at the other end for sexual purposes. “People who use it are just blown away,” said Steve Rhodes, president of Sinulate Entertainment.

Mystic duo

Moscow (Reuters): Russian police are looking for two mystics who persuaded a student to part with more than $160,000 in exchange for lifting a curse, RIA news agency said. “Two unknown women, on the pretext of lifting a curse, stole $150,000 and some jewellery by means of deception. The total amount stolen is estimated at 4.48 million roubles ($161,800),” the agency said. The victim is a female student at Moscow’s elite State Institute for International Affairs, RIA said.