Rarely do we display the entirety of an article as we point out innovations from across the globe. But as you can see from the picture above, the beach masks being utilized in China to avoid sunburn are quite simply the most remarkably bizarre invention we’ve seen in many-a-moon. From the piece in The Atlantic Wire:

If you’re looking for ways to avoid sunburns on this very hot not-quite holiday weekend, Reuters photographer Aly Song snapped some shots of a fairly radical method employed by some beach-goers in Qingdao, China Friday: Nylon face masks. The masked bathing beauties are getting some notice here in the overheated (and somewhat news deprived) United States with Yahoo News and The Wall Street Journal among others already pointing their readers to the photos.

Reuters notes that a woman invented the masks about seven years ago and they are sold widely in swimwear stores in China. The invention isn’t that surprising when you consider that (to the delight of their dermatologists) Chinese women often favor pale skin over tans. It’s a country that’s captured the great majority of the market for skin whitening products, China Daily notes. Still, these women all look pretty striking, and the Internet has noticed.

The masks are pretty infamous in China too. “Swimsuit Auntie” a woman depicted emerging from the ocean in a full body nylon black suit, went viral on microblogs in China in summer 2011. We might think the beach goers look funny now, but they’ll be laughing at us with their curiously young looking skin in 30 years.

They are effective, of course. But so would be wrapping a sheet or blanket over one’s head. Another effective way to handle the sun? Stay inside.

Do you eat in your car? Do you spill all over yourself and the interior of the automobile? Have no fear, the Beltz Bib is here!

Only in America, baby! This is why the Biggest Loser has an endless series of applicants. It’s a bib that attaches to your car’s seatbelt. Yes, for adults. It attaches to the shoulder harness of your seatbelt with velcro and protects your clothing from spills and stains. There’s a pouch at the bottom to put the food in. Great for lunch on the go- in a suit. Now you are no longer confined to eating just fast food from the drive-through while you speed down the highway- go ahead and get that lobster, it’s ok, you’ve got a bib. And it doesn’t matter how ridiculous you look, nobody can really see you while you’re driving.

I’ve written a poem for the occasion. Why would anyone wait to eat/You have a car, so have a treat/Just don’t get the chipotle sauce on the seat!