China experts explain why hugging winter melons for cooling in summer can cause explosions

While many people have embraced the trend of hugging a giant winter melon to sleep as a means of cooling down during summer, some have shared their “painful” experiences, recounting instances where the fruit exploded, releasing a foul-smelling and putrid liquid that soiled their beds and floors.

They detailed this “disastrous scene” on social media, noting that the winter melons exploded after several nights of being held, as reported by the Sichuan Daily.

“It exploded. The stench was unbearable. It was like a burst sewer,” one internet user remembered.