Pyramid-shaped apartment building
The Pyramid of Kunshan, an 18-storey residential building in Kunshan, near Shanghai, China, has become a popular tourist attraction thanks to its distinctive pyramid-like design.
Completed in 2013, the building features two vertical walls and two sloping sides, with apartments cascading downwards at a 45-degree angle. Designed by the Masters’ Architectural Office, the structure was inspired by traditional Chinese terraced rice fields, and many apartments include large terraces.
While its striking appearance attracts attention, the building also presents practical challenges, including difficulties with ventilation, natural lighting and fire safety due to its unusual shape.
Japan’s unusual white-yolk eggs
Kometsuya eggs, produced on a poultry farm in Hokkaido, are famous for their unusual white or very pale yellow yolks.
The distinctive colour comes from a special chicken diet low in carotenoids. The birds are mainly fed rice, fish, rice bran and other locally sourced ingredients, resulting in yolks prized for their silky texture and mildly sweet taste.
Popular in traditional Japanese dishes, Kometsuya eggs are considered a premium product. Despite their unusual appearance, producers say they offer nutritional value comparable to that of conventional eggs and are exported to several Asian markets.
66-year-old cooking oil still in use
An award-winning fried chicken restaurant in Shizuoka Prefecture says its secret ingredient is frying oil that has been continuously reused since the restaurant opened in 1960.
Wakatori’s owner, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, said a small amount of the old oil is kept as a flavour base and mixed with fresh oil each day after being filtered and cleaned. He credits the “aged oil” with giving the restaurant’s fried chicken its distinctive taste and aroma.
The practice has sparked debate online, with critics raising health concerns. While the restaurant insists the oil is carefully maintained, food experts warn that repeatedly heated oil can produce potentially harmful substances over time, even when regularly diluted with fresh oil.
Robot beggars go viral
Humanoid robots carrying signs such as “Please pay my electricity bill” have been spotted begging on the streets of several Chinese cities, including Beijing, Chengdu and Fuzhou.
The robots, positioned like human beggars and displaying QR codes for donations, quickly went viral online.
Their appearance sparked debate, with some people expressing concern about AI’s growing role in everyday life, while others questioned whether the scenes were genuine.
Because advanced humanoid robots are expensive, some observers believe the displays may be publicity stunts or artistic installations aimed at highlighting society’s evolving relationship with AI.
Published in Dawn, Young World, July 25th, 2026
