British artist Anouska Samms is not the only creative experimenting with unconventional materials. While her work incorporates real human hair, fashion history offers plenty of even more surprising examples — from spider silk and algae to milk protein and bacteria-grown textiles. Spider silk: The fabric made from 1.2 million spiders…
An unusual dessert combination is gaining popularity on social media and quickly becoming a viral favorite: ice cream topped with olive oil. While the pairing may sound surprising, it has long been enjoyed in southern France, particularly in the sunny region of Provence. Olive oil gives traditional ice cream a…
Videos from unusual entertainment-focused restaurants in China and Thailand are drawing widespread attention on social media, where the main attraction is often not the food, but elaborate performances by male staff. Restaurants turn dining into performances Clips circulating online show athletic waiters dancing, staging interactive performances and, in some cases,…
Breaking up with someone you love is difficult for almost everyone. Now, a new method of coping with heartbreak is gaining popularity in China — AI chatbots designed to imitate former partners. According to the South China Morning Post, users are creating «virtual copies» of their exes using artificial intelligence.…
When traveling within their home country, Kazakhstanis are increasingly opting to save on accommodations by staying with relatives or friends, according to 2025 data from the Bureau of National Statistics. Over the past year, more than 8.45 million domestic tourists traveled within the country and stayed overnight. Of those, about…
A quirky but surprisingly popular trend has resurfaced on social media: adding salted peanuts to cola. This time, it has gone viral in Japan, with users around the world trying it and sharing their reactions online. Sweet meets salty At first glance, the trend looks like a staged experiment for…
Hershey announced it will return to classic recipes for all Reese’s products starting in 2027, following criticism over the use of alternative ingredients in some items, The Associated Press reported. The decision follows public criticism from Brad Reese, grandson of H.B. Reese, who founded Reese’s in 1919 and created Reese’s…
OpenClaw, a new open-source AI agent, has quickly gained popularity in China. People of all ages, from students to retirees, are using it, according to a Reuters report. Created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, the tool was first introduced in November under a different name before being renamed OpenClaw. It…
Remote employees in Russia may be required to return to the office amid concerns about a potential block of Telegram, according to the Telegram channel Mash. Read also: Telegram’s Durov slams Spain’s teen tech lockdown as a blow to personal freedom. The news outlet reported that after Russia’s communications regulator,…
An unusual service – “big sister for an hour” – is being discussed on social media. A woman from Almaty has offered to help other women with a variety of everyday and emotional situations, from style advice to support during a difficult day. The poster introduced herself as a certified…
Humanoid robots performed coordinated dances, martial arts moves and acrobatics at China’s Spring Festival Gala this week. Their display drew widespread attention and showed how quickly the country’s robotics developers are advancing, according to The Guardian. Several Chinese robotics firms developed these robots, which performed complex, synchronized routines without falling.…
Scientists say they have identified the type of male body women find most appealing, offering encouraging news for men who fall into the plus-size category. According to research conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, women were more likely to select men whose body mass index (BMI) exceeded the traditionally…
An independent developer’s experimental AI assistant, called Moltbot, is quickly drawing attention for its ability to automate complex digital tasks directly from a user’s computer, Wired reported. The tool was built by software developer Peter Steinberger, who wanted an AI assistant that would store all user data locally rather than…
Few things capture the spirit of the times as vividly as the words, memes, and trends circulating across dominant social platforms. Following a tradition long observed by international media outlets and publishers, the editorial team at Kursiv.media set out to identify Kazakhstan’s Word of the Year for 2025. A year…
Instagram is developing a dedicated television app that will let users watch Reels directly on their TVs. The service is expected to debut in the U.S. on Amazon Fire TV devices. How the TV experience will work According to Instagram, users can log in with up to five existing accounts…
China plans to launch its first domestically produced passenger airship, the Xiangyun AS700, in 2026. The aircraft — unofficially nicknamed the «sky beluga» for its streamlined shape and pale exterior — has become a milestone in China’s airship development, according to the Global Times. The AS700 is 50 meters long…
AI-created adult content has flooded the internet. But typically, only users themselves know which photos they feed into face-swap tools that insert a person’s likeness into explicit material. That secrecy vanished when Secret Desires — an erotic roleplay chatbot and AI image generator — left portions of its cloud storage…
Demand for Louis Vuitton and Gucci products remained strong in 2025, with more than 13 Louis Vuitton items added to the eBay marketplace every minute, according to analysts at the online platform. Prada, Burberry, Armani, and Dior followed, underscoring continued interest in iconic fashion houses. New names and growing popularity…
A video has gone viral on social media showing a woman visiting a beauty salon in Seoul — not for makeup or a haircut, but to have stylists determine her color type. The clip was posted by blogger Rykipo, who lives in Korea and shares stories about local customs, traditions…
A majority of South Koreans avoid conversations about death or end-of-life decisions with their families, according to a recent study by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, The Straits Times reported. The think tank surveyed adults across the country on their perceptions of death and dying. About 54%…
Construction is underway in Bishkek on what will be the largest sports facility in Central Asia — an international-class stadium built to FIFA standards. Designed to hold 51,000 spectators, the arena is expected to become the flagship of Kyrgyzstan’s sports infrastructure. Bishkek ArenaPlans for the stadium were first announced in…
A four-day workweek benefits both businesses and employees, according to a study published on July 21 in the Nature Human Behavior journal. Yet even with no legal obstacles, employers in Kazakhstan remain hesitant to embrace the trend. Boosting work efficiency In recent years, over 140 companies across five countries —…
Using Vladimir Lenin’s image and name in business branding is a high-risk strategy with polarizing appeal, one that can either attract a niche market or provoke significant backlash. Whether Lenin serves as an effective brand for businesses tapping into «communist nostalgia» or «communist chic,» trends seen in some post-communist countries…
Kazakhstan has ended up near the bottom of the international Quality of Life Index. Kursiv LifeStyle has reviewed how the country got there. The rating is prepared by Numbeo, a large analytical platform and is calculated based on the Quality of Life Index, which includes eight indicators: Purchasing power Security…
