World’s oldest chicken

A pet chicken in Maine has been officially named the world’s oldest at 15 years and 100 days. Gertie, a Golden Sebright owned by Frank Turek, has lived on his Portland property since 2010.

Despite her small size, she became the leader of her flock over the years. As she aged and began losing her sight, she was moved indoors for safety, where she now enjoys a calm life and responds to her owner with soft sounds.

Gertie earned the Guinness World Record, beating the previous record-holder by over six months, and is set to turn 16 in July.

Carmaker patents voice-controlled car toilet

A Chinese automaker has patented a voice-activated toilet that can slide out from under a car seat. Chongqing-based Seres filed the patent in April 2025, and it was officially approved recently.

The design is meant for long trips, camping or staying in the car. It includes a waste tank with a heating system to dry waste and an exhaust fan to reduce odours.

No vehicle with the feature has been announced yet. Similar ideas exist, including a portable toilet by another company, and even a vintage Rolls-Royce limousine once fitted with a gold-plated toilet.

World’s largest snack store opens in China

Snack Kingdom, the world’s largest snack store, has opened in Changsha, China, covering over 12,000 square metres and offering more than 35,000 snacks from 70 countries.

Created by retail chain Mingming Henmang, it features 6,500 brands and earned a Guinness World Record on its opening day, April 17. The store includes themed sections like “Instant Noodle City” with over 3,500 varieties, and a cola aisle with drinks from around 20 countries, including rare flavours.

Due to huge crowds, the store briefly paused sales just two days after opening to restock and improve operations, though visitors can still explore and take photos.

Changsha also has another unique snack store selling oversized versions of popular treats like chips and biscuits.

Blogger creates glass-like fried chicken

A Chinese food blogger has gone viral for making translucent fried chicken that looks like glass. Known for experimental cooking, Cai Nan used molecular gastronomy techniques to recreate a chicken, piece by piece.

He formed “bones” using collagen and gel, then turned chicken meat into liquid before rebuilding its structure through spherification.

The parts were moulded together, even with a crunchy outer layer.

The unusual dish has fascinated viewers online, with some impressed by the creativity and others finding it too strange to eat.

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 9th, 2026