The night market in Zhengding, Hebei, features more than 600 stalls.

AI may one day decode animal language, enabling cross-species communication.

Street food revival

Night markets are common across China and often feel quite similar due to intense competition. But in early June, the night market in Zhengding, Hebei province, stood out — becoming a trending topic on Sina Weibo, with many netizens saying it was "the first time they've ever used 'stunning' to describe a night market".

Dubbed the "United Nations of Food" by online users, Zhengding's night market impresses with its sheer scale. Spanning over 10,000 square meters, it functions as a parking lot by day and transforms into a bustling food hub by night, featuring over 600 stalls offering snacks from all over the country.

Customer experience is a top priority. The market employs more than 60 sanitation workers who clean continuously during operating hours. Vendors are required to have health certificates and business licenses, and the number of similar food stalls is strictly limited to prevent repetitive offerings. After visitors reported weak internet signals last year, signal-boosting vehicles were quickly deployed, reflecting a "fan-friendly and responsive" attitude.

The market also provides a unique cultural experience that blends ancient heritage with modern life. Visitors can enjoy street food beside the thousand-year-old Longxing Temple or climb the historic city wall to take in the night view.

Zhengding's night market breaks the usual "dirty and chaotic" stereotype. It reflects innovation in the modern night economy and caters to the public's growing appetite for vibrant street life.

Cross-species chat

When a puppy rolls over or when a cat meows persistently, they're trying to communicate with us in their own way. Now, digital technology is stepping in to help humans understand what they mean.

A recent patent published by China's National Intellectual Property Administration reveals that tech giant Baidu is developing a system designed to decode animal communication.

This system collects sounds and movement data, uses AI to identify the animal's emotional state, and translates those signals into human language — paving the way for potential cross-species conversations.

The inventors say the inspiration came from a 2023 news report about a hunting dog attacking a child. This incident highlighted the need for better prevention and sparked the idea of using AI to recognize animal emotions and behavioral cues.

This technology could also be valuable in places like zoos and wildlife conservation. For instance, around World Dolphin Day (April 14) this year, Google unveiled "DolphinGemma", an AI model designed to enable real-time underwater communication with dolphins. Dolphins communicate using short bursts of sound called "codas", produced by pushing air through their nasal passages — functioning somewhat like Morse code.

Additionally, a recent study published in Nature analyzed nearly 9,000 sperm whale codas. The research found that whales use distinct codas based on conversational context and even proposed a "sperm whale phonetic alphabet".