Block of the Week: Melon

Few cubes get our mouths-watering and stomachs rumbling quite like the melon block. It's a tasty treat that drops slices which keep your food bar looking healthy and a block that can be used to build a deliciously nutritious looking house. But hang on a second... a block that's also a melon? Has the world gone mad?

Yes, but the melon block isn't actually as far-fetched as you might think. Japanese farmers have been producing square watermelons for decades now. They achieve this by growing the melons in glass boxes which cause them to grow into the same shape. Originally, this was done to make melons easier to store and stack. Great idea! But upon realising the popularity of the novelty of square watermelons, retailers jacked up the prices. Greedy idea! Highly profitable too, with square watermelons that were imported into Moscow in 2013 going for prices as high as $860. Whatever your job is, quit it right now and become a square watermelon farmer. Thank us when you're rich! With money!

A regular watermelon is still well worth a bite. They're rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that defends the body from heart disease, asthma and cancer. It's a 'water-rich' fruit too, making it a hit in dry, desert regions like Egypt. Where other, pathetic fruits just can't handle that intense Egyptian heat, the watermelon stays edible for weeks. Ancient Egyptian Kings even had melons stored in their burial tombs so their souls would keep getting nutrition during the long trip to the afterlife. Unbelievable! Those cheapskates running the afterlife have a bring-your-own-food policy! Remind us to get buried in a tomb full of cheeseburgers.