“The advent of digital cameras and smartphones killed the traditional mall portrait studio, but 3-D printing has sparked a new trend. Overloaded with digital photos, statues may be moving in to fulfill our desire for portraits that stand out”. – Peter Svensson via The Associated Press. (Photo by Julie Jacobson/AP Photo)

In more “raccoons are getting more like us” news, a drunk raccoon was found in a liquor store in Virginia, US in the first decade of December 2025. The animal had got into the shop via some loose ceiling tiles, knocked bottles of spirits off the shelves, lapped up the contents and passed out in the toilets. Once it had sobered up, it was released back into the wild – no doubt with a crashing hangover. (Photo by AP Photo)

A dog dives during a pet dog swimming contest at the Taoyuan Pet Center on July 31, 2005 in Chengdu of Sichuan Province, southwest China. Over 30 dogs have attended the match. According to state media, with the country's pet population growing fast, analysts predict that the market potential for the “pet economy” in China could reach a minimum of RMB 15 billion (about USD 1.85 billion). (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Facade of the “Porcelain House”, built by Chinese collector Zhang Lianzhi, on November 1, 2008 in the Heping district of Tianjin, China. Over 400 million porcelain fragments, 5,000 ancient vases, 4,000 antique china dishes and bowls, over 20 tons of crystalline rocks and agate, 400 white marble stone carvings were incorporated in the five year refurbishment of the unique French styled house. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

These new virtual stores are built by european mega grocery kings Tesco for their South Korean Home Plus supermarkets. So far virtual shopping has been a hit with customers, according to Technologyreview: “The virtual grocery store has been a hit among more 10,287 customers, with Home Plus reporting a 130 percent increase in online sales”.

A talented nail artist has created manicure works of art with stunning detail. Alice Bartlett visited a craft and hobby shop in London to get the idea for her most intricate and flamboyant finger sculptures yet. She saw tiny figures used for model railway scenery displays and decided to use them to create rural scenes. (Photo by Alice Bartlett/Flickr)

A model rehearses with a fabric face mask on, designed by Zhou Li for her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection show, during China Fashion Week in Beijing, following the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, China on May 3, 2020. (Photo by Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

China's Sun Jiajun competes during the men's 4x100m medley relay swimming heat at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Tuesday, September 26, 2023. (Photo by Lee Jin-man/AP Photo)