Man sets Bearbrick collection record

Daniel Park from Illinois has earned a Guinness World Records title for owning the world’s largest collection of Bearbricks, with 3,482 pieces.

Park, known online as BrickChicago, began collecting the colourful toy figures five years ago after opening a blind box. He said the appeal of Bearbricks lies in their simple design, which allows endless creative styles and themes.

His collection includes figures inspired by superheroes, musicians, pop culture characters and famous artworks, including Batman, Superman, Hello Kitty and Mickey Mouse.

Robot wolves in demand to scare bears

Ohta Seiki is receiving a surge of orders for its “Monster Wolf” robot after a rise in deadly bear attacks across Japan.

The animatronic wolf, created to scare away wild animals, features flashing red eyes, growling sounds and moving parts designed to frighten bears, deer and boars.

According to official data, bears killed 13 people in Japan during 2025-26, while more than 50,000 sightings were reported nationwide. The animals were spotted near homes, schools, supermarkets and hot spring resorts.

Company president Yuji Ohta said the devices are handmade and cannot currently be produced fast enough. The firm is now developing upgraded versions that can move on wheels and patrol areas automatically.

Plushies cleaner goes viral online

A Japanese laundry service is gaining viral attention for its spa-like cleaning treatment for stuffed toys, from teddy bears to Pikachu plushies.

At Cleaning Yonmarusan in Yamanashi, cleaning expert Masakazu Shimura carefully hand-washes, steams and brushes soft toys using delicate fabric-care techniques. Videos of the process have become popular on social media, attracting customers from around the world.

The company now cleans more than 10,000 plush toys each year, far more than a decade ago, as younger generations embrace plushie culture and sentimental keepsakes.

Many customers see the toys as family members and sometimes request that scratches or marks be preserved because of their emotional value.

Massive 11,000-carat ruby found in Myanmar

An 11,000-carat ruby has been discovered in Myanmar, making it one of the largest gemstones ever found in the country’s famous Mogok mining region.

The 2.2-kilogramme stone was presented to President Min Aung Hlaing and described by state media as exceptionally rare and high in quality, with a purplish-red colour and yellow undertones.

Officials said the ruby is smaller than a 21,450-carat stone discovered in Mogok in 1996, but may be more valuable because of its colour, clarity and overall quality.

The Mogok region in Myanmar’s Mandalay area is known worldwide for its prized “pigeon-blood” rubies, some of the most valuable gemstones in the world.

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 30th, 2026