This year’s book takes its inspiration “MakerMovem from the featured chapte ent” (see our Thomas is a pr r on pp.126– 47). im a “Maker”: he de e example of and wears amazsigns, builds outfits. His auto ing cosplay here, had its firbot, pictured st NewYork Com outing at ic Co inOct2017. n
Meet the Makers… Introducing this year’s book is cosplay designer Thomas DePetrillo (USA) of Extreme Costumes. He’s joined by one of his latest record-breaking creations: theautobot Bumblebee from the Transformers franchise. At 9ft6in (2.89m) tall to the top of its “wings” and 8ft 9in (2.66m) tall to the top of its antennae, it’s the tallest mobile cosplay costume (single person). Bumblebee is just one ofthe awe-inspiring projects you’ll find inside the “Maker”‑themed Guinness World Records 2019…
W H AT ’ S N E W ?
CONTENTS Our 10 fact-packed chapters include a Meet the Makers section, detailing the stories behind 10 record-breaking structures. Watch out too for our Making History features, which celebrate eight iconic constructions by means of stunning LEGO® models.
Each section of the book is colour-coded by chapter.
Infographics at the top of the page provide you with snappy, bite-sized chunks of information.
Hungry for more detail? These In Focus pages offer an extended study of one subject. They’re illustrated with fullcolour photographs and sumptuous artwork.
Meet the Makers! On these pages, you’ll get behind-the-scenes insights into some of our most inventive records. There are also Q&As with the record holders, who explain how they planned their attempt and reveal what inspired them to try for aGWR title.
Look out for these strips at the bottom of pages. They feature records that are related in some way. The 100% icon means you’re seeing a record holder at actual size.
You’ll find 1,000-plus photographs in this edition of GWR!
FANTASTIC FEATS. . . . . . . . 96
100% Editor’s Letter . . . 4
GWR Day . . . . . . . . 8
Making History: Statue of Liberty. . . 10
UNIVERSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Deep Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Moons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN FOCUS: 60 Years of NASA. . . . . . . . . . Near-Earth Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Universe Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Making History: Eiffel Tower. . . . . . . . 28
PLANET EARTH. . . . . . . . . . . 30 Continents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 IN FOCUS: Mountains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Bodies of Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Rivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Biomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Natural Disasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Planet Earth Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Making History: The Wright Flyer. . . 48 2
LIVING PLANET . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Terrestrial Mammals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Aquatic/Semi-Aquatic Mammals . . . . . 56 Birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Reptiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Fishes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Molluscs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Crustaceans & Myriapods. . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Insects & Arachnids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Jellyfishes & Sponges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 IN FOCUS: Dinosaurs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Living Planet Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Making History: Saturn V. . . . . . . . . . . . 78
HUMAN BEINGS . . . . . . . . . . 80 IN FOCUS: Heaviest Humans. . . . . . . . . Size Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Body Mods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oldest People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Family Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Human Beings Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . .
82 84 86 88 90 92
Making History: Disney Castle. . . . . . . 94
Food Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Big Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 IN FOCUS: Collections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Odd Talents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Mass Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Sdrawkcab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Fight!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Slacklining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Extreme Performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Endurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Epic Journeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Multi-Disciplinarians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Mountaineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Fantastic Feats Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . 124
MEET THE MAKERS
Introduction by Edd China . . . . 126 Largest Yo-Yo. . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Largest Hamburger. . . . . . . . . . 130 Largest Rubber-Band Ball. . . . . 132 Largest Origami Rhino . . . . . . . 134 Largest Display of Toothpick Sculptures. . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Fastest Jet-Powered Go-Kart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Largest Skateboard . . . . . . . . . 140 Largest Rube Goldberg. . . . . . . 142 Largest Water Pistol. . . . . . . . . 144 Largest Rideable Hexapod. . . . . 146
Making History: Bucket-wheel Excavator . . . . . . . . . . . 148
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Big Stuff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Computing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Virtual Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Robots & AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Aircraft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 IN FOCUS: Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Motorcycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Boats & Ships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Cutting-Edge Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Epic Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Sci-Tech Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Making History: Container Ship. . . . 178
ARTS & MEDIA. . . . . . . . . . . 180 Movies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TV..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IN FOCUS: Videogames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Instagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Twitter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YouTube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arts & Media Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . .
182 186 190 192 194 196 198 200
Making History: Millennium Falcon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 American Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baseball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basketball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ice Hockey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soccer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rugby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rugby World Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Combat Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cricket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extreme Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Target Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track & Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marathons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swimming & Water Sports. . . . . . . . . . Winter Olympics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
206 207 208 209 210 212 213 214 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 224 226 228 230 232
DO TRY THIS AT HOME. . 242 Rubber-Band Figurine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ring-Pull Necklace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balloon Dog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Origami Cube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper Banger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
243 244 245 246 247
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Stop Press!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Meet Ally Zing! Get ready to welcome a new member to the Guinness World Records team: AllyZing! You can follow Ally’s adventures on our kids’ website (guinnessworldrecords.com/kids) and over at our PopJam channel – and you might even meet him in person at one of our GWR LIVE! events. It’s Ally’s job to collect the world’s most amazing superlatives, so don’t be surprised if he turns up at a record attempt near you. It’stime to “Bring the Zing!”
W H AT ’ S N E W ?
Making History This year, GWR proudly celebrates the “maker movement”, a term that covers amateur inventors and hobbyists who plan and construct their own innovative designs, or tinker with existing ones. Our Making History spreads put the spotlight on record-breaking builds via the medium of LEGO. Some of the models are record-breaking LEGO kits in their own right, while others are LEGO-fied representations of recordbreaking structures in the real world. By building these models, you begin to understand what makes them such great designs. And who knows – maybe you’ll be inspired tocome up with some jaw-dropping LEGO creations of your own…
INTRODUCTION
EDITOR’S LETTER Welcome to the latest edition of Guinness World Records! Thisnew volume has been updated and represents the very bestof the most recent records – whittled down from nearly40,000 applications! – alongside some classic favourites…
I
n the past 12months, our Records Management Team has logged an incredible 38,205 applications from wannabe record-breakers – that’s more than 100 every day! In total, 3,178 records were approved during this same period – a success rate of 8%. The idea that Guinness World Records “will accept records for anything these days” is simply not true!
If you’re one of the lucky few, congratulations! You’ve joined an elite group – only 0.0054% of the world’s population has the right to display a Guinness World Records certificate on their wall. Out of this happy few, an even smaller group has been included in the pages of this book. With only room for about 3,500 records, we have to make an editorial decision about what to include. ABSOLUTE RADIO Award-winning presenter Richie Firth (UK) recorded the farthest single push and ride of a shopping trolley – 10.56m (34ft 7in) – on 6Jul 2017. The feat took place at homefurnishings store Dunelm, at Valley Retail Park in Croydon, UK, and followed on from Richie’s on-air claim that he was world class at gliding on trolleys!
RECORD HOLDERS AT GWR HQ This year, we welcomed the woman with the longest legs, Ekaterina Lisina (RUS, above): her left leg is 132.8cm (52.2in) long and the right one measures 132.2cm (52in). Martial-arts experts Lisa and Chris Pitman (both UK, below) also popped in. Chris has recorded the most pine boards broken in one minute with one hand (male) – 315 – and Lisa holds the women’s title, with 230. They also accidentally broke our TV, much to Lisa’s shock (see inset)!
We’ve been inspired this year by the “Maker Movement”. This exciting cultural trend encourages everyone to channel their inner creative and have a go at building or crafting something awesome from scratch, or modding something to recycle it or extend its usefulness. To help us honour the most imaginative of our Maker‑inspired record holders, we’ve joined forces with TV star Edd China – the eccentric inventor behind records such as the fastest toilet, garden shed and sofa. On pp.126–47, Edd introduces us to 10 of his favourite Makers, and also previews his latest project: converting
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN On 7Jul 2017, Jamie Redknapp (UK, left) and Chelsea footballer Cesc Fàbregas (ESP, right) exchanged the most football volley passes in 30 seconds by a pair – 15 – for sports panel show ALeague of Their Own (CPL, UK) in London, UK. What’s more, each player stood on a separate platform some 40ft (12m) in the air, suspended from cranes!
JOE WICKS The largest high-intensity interval training class comprised 3,804 participants and was led by fitness guru Joe “The Body Coach” Wicks (UK) as part of Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park. The event took place on 5Jul 2017 in London, UK, and proceeds from ticket sales went to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
GOOD MORNING BRITAIN On 6Apr 2018, Jack Reynolds (UK, b. 6Apr 1912) became the oldest person to ride a zip wire at Go Ape! adventure centre in Grizedale, Cumbria, UK, aged exactly 106 years. He was filmed gliding down the 347-m-long (1,138-ft) line, some 50m (160ft) in the air, for ITV’s breakfast show GoodMorning Britain (UK). 4
a diesel ice-cream van into an environmentally friendly electric version that he hopes one day will be the fastest electric ice-cream van. Find out how he’s getting on in his “Meet the Makers” chapter. The Makers theme continues in another feature new to the 2019 edition. We’ve called it “Making History”, because on these posterstyle pages we explore eight technological wonders from history. Among them are the Statue of Liberty (heaviest statue, pp.10–11), the Wright Flyer (first powered flight, pp.48–49) and the SaturnV rocket (largest rocket, pp.78–79). Our unique spin on these features is that we’ve built them from LEGO® bricks,
monitoring the latest trends, fashions and technologies. So you’ll also find records involving fidget spinners (p.176) – we’ve handled 983record applications for these alone! – slime (p.152), virtual reality (pp.156–57), quantum computing (p.155), artificial intelligence (p.158), drones (pp.172–73) and cosplay (p.180). A number of these topics didn’t even exist 10yearsago! The same can be said forthe likes of Instagram and Twitter (pp.194–197), social-media phenomena such as unboxing (p.152) andstreaming TV shows such as Stranger Things (p.191). If records are being set, you can guarantee we’ll be there tomonitorthem…
INTRODUCTION
STRICTLY COMEDANCING Giovanni Pernice (ITA) performed the most Charleston swivel steps in 30seconds – 24 – in London, UK, on 20Oct 2017. Seen here with GWR’s Shantha Chinniah, Giovanni achieved the record as part of the Strictly Pro Challenge onthe set of BBC2’s Strictly Come Dancing: ItTakes Two (UK).
so you can build the same models at home and learn first-hand what goes into designing these pioneering vehicles andstructures. A final nod to the Maker Movement comes in our special “Do Try This At Home” feature at the back of the book. Turn to pp.242–47 and you’ll find our guide to becoming a record holder, plus five newly minted GWR challenges with a make-at-home theme. Whether you have a go at the record, or just attempt the projects for fun, you’ll get the chance to become a Maker in your own right. Good luck! These Maker features attest to the fact that GWR Records Managers and consultants are constantly
SCRAMBLED! On 17Jan 2018, Sam Homewood (UK) achieved the fastesttime to assemble a MrPotato Head blindfolded – 15.58sec – on the set of CITV children’s show Scrambled! in Bedgebury, Kent, UK. Seen here with GWR adjudicator AnnaOrford, Sam is apresenter on the show and also amultiple Guinness World Records title holder.
BLUE PETER The longest-running children’s magazine TV programme – 60years on air as of Oct2018 – has a host of GWR titles (see below). In Sep 2017, the show’s World Record Special! (inset) saw a string of record attempts, including the most modelling balloon sculptures made in one minute – 14 – by Ryan Tracey (IRL).
TOP GEAR The fastest tractor (modified) was driven to a speed of 140.45km/h (87.27mph) by The Stig – the “tame racing driver” of BBC’s Top Gear – on 14Mar 2018 at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, a former RAF base inLeicestershire, UK. The tractor’s modifications included a 5.7-litre (1.5-USgal) Chevrolet V8engine.
Other new additions include IN FOCUS features that explore a topic in more detail (read about NASA on pp.22–23 and dinosaurs on pp.72– 73, for example), and thanks to our friends at 55Design, the design has been completely refreshed. You’ll also find more than 1,000 photographs, many of which are unique to GWR and seen here for the first time. Finally, if you’re not one of the 0.0054% but want to join the club, then visit usat guinnessworldrecords.com – we’re keen to hear your ideas! There’s no guarantee you’ll make it as a record holder, but it’s all about making the effort and having a go.
Craig Glenday Editor-in-Chief
SATURDAY MORNING WITH JAMES MARTIN The fastest time to assemble a yule log is 1min 17sec, by James Martin (UK, above right) on 8Dec 2017. He put together the festive treat live on his TV show, filmed in Stoke Charity, Hampshire, UK, beating fellow chef Galton Blackiston’s (above left) time of 1min 55sec. GWR’s Pravin Patel was on hand to adjudicate the achievement. 5
INTRODUCTION
BEYOND THE BOOK There’s much more to Guinness World Records than the book that you’re reading! You might come across us at special national events, such as The Big Bang Fair, or see us adjudicating recordbreaking attempts on a fun TV show such as CITV’s Scrambled! or CBBC’s Officially Amazing. Throughout the year, we also arrange our own events to showcase the amazing record holders we’re proud to know. You’ll discover more about events with our collaborators in the pages of this book. And don’t forget, there are plenty of ways to engage with us online too, from the official GWR website to our Facebook page, YouTube channel andviaPopJam. So if you love record-breaking and simply can’t get enough, there’s plenty more beyond the book. There’s never been a better time to get involved with Guinness World Records!
Record-breaking on TV In Oct 2017, a special edition of CITV show Scrambled! saw TV presenters, teachers and pupils at Hempshill Hall Primary School in Nottingham, UK, perform the most limbos in three minutes (team of 25) – 142. Elsewhere, CBBC’s Officially Amazing TV show brought you weird and wonderful GWR attempts from around the world – from the fastest time to set up and topple a set of dominoes (team of two) – 18.42sec – to the fastest time to move five egg yolks with chopsticks – 51.61sec.
Check us out online! Why not try your hand at some record-breaking at home? To start, just go online (guinnessworldrecords.com/kids) to find out about records you can attempt yourself.You’ll find updates on the latest news stories and lots of record-breakers to inspire you, such as 12-year-old Madison Greenspan: she founded Maddie Rae’s Slime Glue and, with the help of 100volunteers (allUSA), created the largest slime (6,268.64kg, or 13,820lb) on 4Nov 2017! Discover videos of the most incredible people and things atyoutube.com/GuinnessWorldRecords. You can also create, share, comment and re-jam with usonPopJam (@guinnessworldrecords).
s of One of the star rin our website is Pu Japan, the beagle froms for most rd who’s held reco a dog with balls caught by e minute the paws in on t 10m (14) and fastes ball by travelled on a ec). a dog (9.45s
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Inspiration meets collaboration Throughout the year, GWR teams up with lots of different organizations to share the passion that record-breaking evokes. We collaborate with respected bodies such as the Ocean Rowing Society – who monitor the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (see below) – and we also work with companies, universities and schools (see right). In 2018, we were at The Big Bang Fair, celebrating scientific innovation and the launch of our title Guinness World Records: Science & Stuff. We also created a unique pop-up Fluffytorium in 2017, tomark the publication of our book Amazing Animals (below right) and to give visitors the chance to meet gorgeous furry animals face to face!
Ocean Rowing Society Established in 1983, this British organization monitors attempts to row the world’s major bodies of water. It also verifies and adjudicates ocean-rowing records that are then ratified by GWR. Seen here are “The Four Oarsmen”, the fastest team to row the Atlantic on the Trade WindsI route (open-class category). During the tough Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, they rowed 4,722km (2,550nauticalmi) from LaGomera to Antigua in 29days 14hr 34min, arriving on 13Jan 2018.
Science & Stuff
The Big Bang Fair To celebrate the launch of Science & Stuff, we teamed up with The Big Bang Fair, the UK’s largest science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) event for young people. Visitors could try official record attempts in front of an adjudicator in the Guinness World Records Hotspot Challenge. Live shows saw a team from GWR joined by record holder Paul Hunn (top right), the man with the loudest burp. Elsewhere, scientist/comedian Robin Ince presented the Guinness World Records: Science & Stuff Inspire Award to Bethan Padbury (centre), who designed an electricity generator.
National Schools Partnership GWR worked with the National Schools Partnership, part of We are Futures, to bring the excitement of record-breaking to students across the UK. Our free scienceand-design education programme challenged KS2 pupils to become “Record-breaking Experimenters”. Theywere encouraged to think scientifically via three experiments fromour Science & Stuff book. Students also discovered how animals adapt to their environment and were invited to create a “hybrid hero”, combining human excellence with amazing animal features. GWR’s Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday (above right) and adjudicator Mark McKinley presented a prize tothe winner – Jackson-Jai Jones – for hisinventive “Shark Builder” (above).
Amazing Animals
Our book Amazing Animals focuses on the biggest, strangest and most talented pets and wildlife. To mark its release, we created the Fluffytorium, a unique pop-up venue where animal lovers could stroke long-haired cats and dogs in aroom covered in soft, colourful (artificial) fur.
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INTRODUCTION
GWR DAY Every year in November, would-be record holders worldwide take on a huge variety of challenges to mark Guinness World Records Day. Some are genuinely awe-inspiring; others are magnificently eccentric. You’ll find a selection of highlights from recent events on these pages, ranging from the longest videogame marathon on a hackand-slash game (24hr 25min, by Germany’s Peer Bresser and Jimmie Smets in 2017) to the most Queen songs recognized by their lyrics in one minute (17, by the UK’s Bernie Keith in 2017). Have you got an idea for a record that you think you could achieve? If you’d like to try for a place in the Guinness World Records book, start by visiting our website guinnessworldrecords.com. Andturn to p.242 for more information on how tobe a record-breaker.
Largest vegan cake Therese Lindgren (SWE) created a vegan cake weighing in at 462.4kg (1,019lb 6oz) – about the same weight as a concert grand piano – that was presented and measured in Stockholm, Sweden, on 3Nov 2017. The cake was made to create awareness about veganism (a diet that includes no animal products) and the importance of healthy eating.
Fastest time to build a 171-cup pyramid
Largest hula hoop spun
Japan’s Yuya Yamada rotated a hula hoop with a diameter of 5.14m (16ft 10in) six consecutive times in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, on 9Nov 2017. The outer circumference of the hoop measured 16.17m (53ft 0.6in). Yuya’s shown here celebrating – while GWR adjudicator Kaoru Ishikawa (right) helps hold up the hoop – and in action.
Nimble-fingered James Acraman (UK) assembled a pyramid comprising 171cups in just 59.10sec in London, UK, on 9Nov 2017. In doing so, he comfortably broke his own record of 1min 26.9sec, set on 3Jan earlier the same year. His successful attempt was broadcast on Facebook Live.
Fastest speed inabody-controlled jet-engine-poweredsuit Taking inspiration from Iron Man’s famous armour, the UK’s Richard Browning flew in his own levitating outfit on GWR Day 2017. For further details about his recordbreaking invention, take off for p.96.
Fastest time to travel 20m in a contortion roll
Liu Teng (CHN) covered a distance of 20m (65ft 7in) in a contortion roll in 15.54sec at the NUO Hotel Beijing in China’s capital city on 6Nov 2017. A contortion roll requires the performer to start with her feet on the ground before arching backwards and propelling herself forward in a chestdown roll.
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The most people spor t stacking across is es multiple venu orld W 622,809, by thesociation As Spor t Stacking their 11th (USA) during STACK annual WSSA UP! event on 17Nov 2016.
On 9Nov 2017, the UK’s Nathan Tansley identified 16Star Wars characters from quotes in 60sec in London, UK. Nathan had a high hit rate, missing just four of the 20quotes read out by GWR’s Editor-inChief, Craig Glenday.
INTRODUCTION
Most Star Wars characters identified fromquotes in one minute
Heaviest aircraft pulled for 100 m by a team
A team selected from the Dubai Police Force (UAE) tugged a 302.68-tonne (667,295-lb) Boeing 747 a distance of 100m (328ft) at Dubai International Airport, UAE, on 9Nov 2017. The attempt lasted 2min 38sec and was part of Dubai Fitness Challenge, acommunal 30-day health drive in the city.
Most full-twist fire-breathing backflips in one minute
Loudest crunch of an apple Felix Michels (DEU) registered a volume of 84.6 dBc when biting into an apple on the set of So Geht Das in Cologne, Germany, on 7Nov 2017. Felix achieved the feat during a contest with his co-host Kim Unger. The microphone recording his crunch was placed 2.5m (8ft 2in) away and1.5m (4ft 11in) above the ground.
Highest upwards basketball shot Corey “Thunder” Law (USA) of the Harlem Globetrotters launched a basketball 15.26m (50ft 1in) up through the air and into a hoop outside the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on 5Nov 2017. This headturning trick shot is the talented player’s fourth solo Guinness World Records title, all of which have been attempted forGWRDay.
Most hula hoops spun while suspended from the wrists Marawa Ibrahim (AUS) kept 50hula hoops circling around her waist while hanging from her wrists at Hollywood Aerial Arts in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 17Nov 2016. Her feat was streamed live on Facebook. GWR requires that at least three 360° rotations must be made during any attempt. Most football (soccer ball) rolls from eye to eye in one minute
On 6Nov 2017, Japan’s Yuuki Yoshinaga managed to roll a football between his eyes an astonishing 189 times in just 60sec in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan. The previous month, on 9Oct, Yuuki had achieved a new world record for the most football touches with the shoulders in one minute (male): 230.
On 9Nov 2017, Australia’s Aiden Malacaria achieved the double challenge of 10full-twist backflips while fire-breathing at the same time – and all in 60sec. The record took place at Studio 10 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Aiden achieved the record on his first attempt.
Most Risley flips in 30 seconds
Giuliano and Fabio Anastasini (both USA) performed 32 Risley flips in 30 sec in the Big Apple Circus tent at Lincoln Center in New York City, USA, on 31Oct 2017. In this manoeuvre, one acrobat lies on a surface as the base, flipping the other acrobat (or “flyer”) with the feet. Circus tricks are very much in this family’s blood: the brothers’ father, Giovanni, performed a Risley act with his own brother, Luciano, for more than 25years.
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The Statue of Liberty’s crown has a viewing platform with 25windows, representing the 25different types of gemstones found on Earth. Sightseers must climb 377steps from the main lobby to the observation platform. Only 365tickets are available each day, and must be purchased in advance. Originally there was also public access to the torch, but this was closed in1916 in the wake of the “Black Tom” explosion, an act of wartime sabotage that damaged the statue.
Viewing Platform
The torch-bearing armmeasures 42ft (12.8m) inlength
Originally entitled Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue was the brainchild of sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who was inspired to celebrate the USA’s independence. On a visit to the country in1871, he selected Bedloe’s (now Liberty) Island in the harbour of New York City – which he viewed as the “gateway to America” – as the location for his creation. With the aid of construction visionary Gustave Eiffel, Bartholdi spent the next 15years building the Statue of Liberty in France before shipping it over to the USA. The completed statue’s total weight was 27,156tons (24,635.5tonnes) – making it the heaviest statue.
Since its dedication on 28Oct 1886, the Statue of Liberty has stood watch over the harbour of New York City, USA. It was a powerful symbol of freedom and democracy to the scores of immigrants who came to the USA in the 20th century to start a new life in the New World. Yet this feat of monumental engineering was conceived, designed and constructed thousands of miles away, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Statue of Liberty
Making History
The crown has seven rays to represent the world’s seven seas and continents
In1986, the copper torch was replaced by one overlaid with 24-carat gold
The statue carries a tablet inscribed with the date of theUS Declaration of Independence – 4Jul1776 –inRoman numerals
Construction of the statue was completed in Paris, France, in 1884. She was then disassembled into 350individual pieces and delivered to New York by the French frigate Isère, arriving on 17Jun 1885. Liberty remained in crates for 11months while the concrete base upon which she would stand was being finished. When she was finally uncrated on Bedloe’s Island in New York City harbour (above), Liberty’s face was revealed in all its glory, roughly 17ft (5.18m) inlength, with a 4.6‑ft (1.37‑m) nose.
Crate Expectations
rd
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Fo r th e R e co
The smallest Statue of Liberty that conforms exactly to the dimensions of the New York original is“Lady Liberty” (left), a sculpture by “microminiaturist” Willard Wigan (UK). At approximately 0.5mm (0.019in) tall, it can fit within the eye of a needle. The sculpture is made from a single speck of gold that was painstakingly hand-carved using special tools crafted by Wigan himself.
Lady Liberty
46.05m 46.94m
When she was first unveiled, the Statue of Liberty was a dull brown colour. She owes her famous green colouration to a chemical process known as oxidization. Within 20years, her copper outer layer had reacted with the oxygen in the air to cover the statue in a green patina. In1906, theUSCongress authorized Liberty’s repainting, only to back downin the face of popular protest.
Did You Know?
A person!
The Statue of Liberty was an engineering masterpiece. She was fashioned from thin sheets of copper (beaten to a thickness of just 2.38mm; 0.09in) connected to a steel framework by a series of flat iron bars and hand-crafted metal straps known as “saddles”. This meant that the lightweight statue could sway in high winds without damage. A pair of interior spiral staircases allowed visitors to reach the viewing platform in the crown.
Construction
Liberty has a 35‑ft (10.6‑m) waistline
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UNIVERSE Largest anticyclone in the Solar System The Great Red Spot on Jupiter – the largest planet in the Solar System – varies in size but can be 40,000km (24,800mi) long and 14,000km (8,700mi) wide. The clouds in this raging high-pressure storm rise some 8km (5mi) above the surrounding cloudscape, and the entire anticlockwise cyclone can grow to three times the size of Earth. The dark spot on the right is the shadow of Jupiter’s third-largest moon, Io. Although not visible here, enormous volcanic plumes erupt from the moon’s surface, making it the most volcanically active body in the Solar System. Io’s intense geological activity is the result of the interaction between Jupiter, Io and another moon, Europa (Jupiter’s fourth-largest satellite), which can beseen below.
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CONTENTS
Deep Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Stars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Planets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Moons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 IN FOCUS: 60 Years of NASA. . . . . . . . 22 Near-Earth Objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Universe Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
This image was pieced together from captured by th 16frames e probe during Voyager1 3Mar 1979. Voyaa flyby on most remote mger1 is the object, 21.15bian-made (13.14billionmllionkm Earth, and couni) from tin as of May2018. g,
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UNIVERSE
DEEP SPACE Largest structure in the universe
The Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall is a massive superstructure of galaxies measuring around 10billion light years across. Itsexistence was announced on 5Nov 2013, in the wake of its discovery by astronomers charting the locations of gamma-ray bursts that had been detected by theSwift Gamma-Ray Burst mission. The largest galaxy is IC1101. Located at the centre ofthe Abell2029 galaxy cluster, it has a major diameter of 5,600,000light years – around 50times larger than our own MilkyWay. Itslight output is equivalent to 2trillion Suns.
Largest void
AR-Lp 36 – also known as the Giant Void – is a huge areaof space with an abnormally low density of galaxies and other matter within the constellation Canes Venatici. Described in1988 by the Special Astrophysical Observatory inNizhny Arkhyz, Russia, ithas an estimated diameter of 1–1.3billion light years. Our galaxy may be part of an even larger void, first suggested in 2013. Known as the KBC Void, it could be 2 billion light years across.
Farthest object visible to the naked eye ever
At06:12 Coordinated Universal Time on 19Mar 2008, NASA’s Swift satellite detected a gamma-ray burst from a galaxy some 7.5billion light years away. Known as GRB080319B, it reached a peak apparent magnitude of5.8 andwas visible to the naked eye for around 30sec. Apparent magnitude is a measurement of the brightness of an object as seen from Earth.
Fastest-approaching galaxy
M86, a lenticular (lens-shaped) galaxy some 52million light years away in the Virgo cluster, is nearing the Milky Way at 419 km/s (260 mi/s). It is one of a small number of galaxies approaching our own, moving counter to the overall expansion of the universe.
Longest galactic jet Heaviest black hole The supermassive black hole at the centre of the quasar S50014+81 has a mass of around 40billion solar masses. This makes it about 10,000times more massive than the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. It was measured in2009 by astronomers utilizing NASA’s Swift gammaray space telescope, based on the quasar’s luminosityoutput.
In Dec2007, astronomers announced the discovery of an energetic jet of matter issuing from a supermassive black hole inthe centre of the active galaxy CGCG 049-033. Measuring some 1.5million light years long, the high-energy jet happens to be aimed at a nearby galaxy. Any planets caught in its line of fire would have their atmospheres ionized, and all life would be extinguished.
Most distant object in the universe Light detected by the Hubble space telescope from the galaxy GN-z11 (inset) dates back 13.4billion years. Given the expansion of the universe, it is estimated that GN-z11 is now around 32billion light years from Earth. The galaxy possesses a redshift (a measure of how light stretches as ittravels through the cosmos) of11.1.
Coldest place in the Milky Way
A cloud of dust and gases 5,000 light years from Earth, the Boomerang Nebula has a temperature of -272°C (-457.6°F) – only just warmer than absolute zero: -273.15°C (-459.67°F).
Deepest note in the universe
Acoustic waves generated by a supermassive black hole in the centre of the Perseus cluster of galaxies sound a Bflat that is 57octaves below middleC. This is more than a million billion times lower than a human ear can detect. Most remote object visible to the naked eye Located in our galaxy cluster (the “Local Group”), the Andromeda spiral galaxy M31 lies some 2.5 million light years from Earth. Results announced in Jan2007 suggest Andromeda is five times larger than previously thought, with the discovery of stars orbiting itscentre at a distance of at least 500,000 light years.
BRIGHT LIGHTS Brightest active galaxies Active galaxies have a bright centre and emit energy over the electromagnetic spectrum. Their cores are believed to house supermassive black holes, which suck in matter around them and eject jets of ionized gas at near the speed of light. When a jet is pointing towards Earth, these galaxies appear more luminous and areknownas “blazars”. 14
Brightest quasar in the sky
Brightest nebula The Orion Nebula – a vast, diffuse cloud of gas and dust – has an apparent magnitude of4. Located in the “sword” of the constellation of Orion, it is the nearest star-formation region toEarth, and is visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch of light.
Quasars are bright discs of matter that swirl around supermassive black holes at the centres of distant galaxies. The quasar 3C273 has an apparent magnitude of12.9 – bright enough to be seen with relatively modest telescopes. This is despite its location in the Virgo constellation, 2.5billion light years away. It was the firstquasar ever identified.
The evolution of the universe Big Bang:nuclear, gravitational and electromagnetic forces combine into one fundamental force.
Dark Ages: no stars had formed. There was no light.
Formation of the first astronomical objects: first stars begin to form from hydrogen, helium and lithium.
At 4 billion yearsold, the universe contains stars and galaxies.
Present day: many of the earliest stars are dead, having created heavier elements.
Nearest bright planetary nebula
la was If the Helix Nebube easily to brightenough aked eye, it visible tothen area of sk y wouldcoveranesize of the aroundhalf th on. full Mo
Brightest open star cluster Even from within a major light-polluted city, around six of the Pleiades (M45) – also known as the Seven Sisters – can be seen with the naked eye. Located in the constellation of Taurus (“The Bull”), this cluster contains around 500individual stars. Many of the brighter ones are still surrounded by dusty nebulae – the leftover material from which they formed.
UNIVERSE
The Helix Nebula (also known as NGC7293) lies around 700light years from Earth. It formed when a dying star threw off its outer layers, which are gradually expanding into space. Planetary nebulae are so-called because they were originally believed to be new planets, owing to their often spherical shapes. The Helix Nebula remains around 100times more distant than the nearest stars (excluding the Sun).
Nearest active galaxy The enormous elliptical galaxy Centaurus A is “just” 11million light years from Earth. Active galaxies contain a compact, highly luminous core that emits intense radiation. The source of this is thought to be a vast disc of shredded stars and other matter being swallowed by a supermassive black hole.
Brightest supernova Noted in Apr1006ce near the star Beta Lupi, the supernova SN1006 flared for two years and reached a magnitude of-7.5. This titanic cosmic explosion was brilliant enough to be seen with the naked eye and, at its most luminous, was 1,500times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star viewed from Earth. The supernova took place around 7,000light years away.
Brightest supernova remnant The Crab Nebula (M1), situated in the constellation of Taurus, has a magnitude of8.4. The massive star that formed it was seen to explode in a supernova by Chinese astronomers in 1054ce. The explosion was sufficiently bright to be seen with the naked eye in broad daylight for 23days. 15
UNIVERSE
STARS Most common type of star
By far the most numerous class of star is the red dwarf, which accounts for around 80% of all stars in our local neighbourhood. These are weak, dim stars with no more than 40% of the mass of the Sun, and the brightest of them shine at only 10% of the Sun’s luminosity. Because they burn their fuel so slowly, they have lifespans of at least 10billion years.
Largest star with a planet
Smallest stars Neutron stars, which may have a mass three times that of the Sun, only have a diameter of 10–30km (6–19mi). By contrast, the Sun’s average diameter is 864,000mi (1,390,473km). Neutron stars are also the densest stars in the universe. A sand-grain size of neutron star material would have the mass of askyscraper.
Astronomers using the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at the McDonald Observatory in Texas, USA, announced in Oct2011 that they had discovered a planet orbiting HD96127, a star around 540parsecs from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It is a K2-type red giant, whose radius is around 35times that of the Sun. The orbiting planet is believed to possess a mass four times that of Jupiter, and 1,271times that of Earth.
Oldest star in the galaxy
HD140283, some 190light years from Earth, is believed to have formed soon after the Big Bang, 13.8billion years ago. When the universe formed, it consisted of hydrogen with some helium. As it evolved, the other chemical elements appeared, formed by nuclear synthesis in stars. HD140283 has almost no metal content, so must have formed from clouds of gas comprising almost pure hydrogen and helium, when the universe was still inits infancy. The oldest stars to form planets are BPPiscium and TYCHO41443292, both c.400million years old. In Jan2008, astronomers announced their discovery of what seem to be dusty discs around these stars. Such discs formed the planets orbiting the Sun, but are usually seen around recently formed stars. These two stars probably threw out stellar material to form the discs after swallowing another star or an earlier system of planets.
Flattest star The least spherical known star in our galaxy is the southern star Achernar (Alpha Eridani). Observations made using the VLT Interferometer at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Atacama, Chile, have revealed that Achernar is spinning so rapidly that its equatorial diameter is more than 50% greater than its polar diameter.
Fastest star in the galaxy
Largest star UYScuti has an estimated radius 1,708 times that of our Sun. This corresponds to a diameter of 2,276,511,200km (1,414,558,478mi), but owing to the difficulty in measuring the sizes of stars accurately, the margin of error could be as high as +/- 192 solar radii. The inset above shows the Sun in relation to UY Scuti.
On 8 Feb 2005, a team from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, announced their discovery of a star travelling at more than 2.4 millionkm/h (1.5 million mph). Named SDSSJ090745.0+24507, it was probably accelerated by an encounter with the supermassive black hole at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy slightly less than 80million years ago. The fastest-moving star in the sky is Barnard’s star, which moves at 10,357.704 mas/yr (milliarcseconds/year). To put that in perspective, an arcminute is just one-sixtieth of an angle of one degree. In 170years, Barnard’s star moves a distance in the sky equivalent to the size of a full Moon. This shift in the apparent positions of stars in the sky is termed “proper motion”.
Most stars in a star system
The greatest number of stars in a single star system is six. There are several known examples, but the best known is Castor, the second-brightest star in the constellation of Gemini. From a distance, Castor appears as a single entity, butit actually consists of three pairs of stars.
Most luminous star in the galaxy A “Wolf-Rayet star” is a very hot and bright star in its early stages. WR25 (seen near the centre of the image above) is a Wolf-Rayet star in the Trumpler 16 cluster within the Carina Nebula, some 7,500 light years from Earth. The presence of acompanion star makes it difficult to ascertain the absolute luminosity of WR25, but it is believed to be around 6,300,000 times more luminous than the Sun.
MOST COMMON TYPES OF STAR Astronomers classify stars according to the Morgan-Keenan system, which categorizes them by surface temperature, from hottest (O) to coolest (M). They may be further subdivided by temperature and brightness. The hottest stars are also the most luminous and the largest, but are far less abundant than the coolest stars. Hot stars also have shorter lives: ClassM stars, or red dwarfs, can theoretically last for some 200billionyears, but those of ClassO have a lifetime of “just” 10million years. 16
Class O Rare, hot stars (30,000 kelvin) around 100,000 times brighter than our Sun.
Class B A lifetime of c. 100 million years. Surface temperatures reach c. 15,000 kelvin.
Class A Temperatures reach 10,000 kelvin, with a mass around twice that of our Sun.
What is our Sun? Gas: like all stars, the Sun is a large ball of gas. Hydrogen accounts for more than 70% of its mass and helium 27%.
Diameter: at 864,000mi (1,390,473km) across, the Sun is around 109times larger than Earth.
Temperature: the heat at the Sun’s core is c.27,000,000°F (15,000,000°C). At its surface, it is “just” 10,000°F (5,537°C).
Rotation: the Sun rotates faster at the equator (about 27days) thanit doesat the poles (about 36days).
UNIVERSE
Photosphere: visible surface of the Sun
Nearest star Radiative zone: energy from the core moves outwards as electromagnetic radiation
Core: hottest part of the Sun (c.27,000,000°F; 15,000,000°C) – where nuclear fusion occurs
At “just” 149,600,000km (93,000,000mi) from Earth, the Sun is considered astronomically close. The next nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is 4.2lightyears away, or 40,000,000,000,000km (24,000,000,000,000mi). The pioneering work carried out by Father Angelo Secchi (ITA, 1818–78) in spectroscopy led to his classification scheme for stars, and to his conclusion that our own Sun was a star andnot a phenomenon unique totheSolarSystem.
Prominence: a large eruption from the Sun’s surface that extends into space Sunspots: cooler spots on the surface, where temperatures are around 10,000°F (5,537°C)
Class F Surface temperatures of up to 7,400kelvin. Live for c. 3 billion years.
The Sun has a around 333,00 mass greater than th 0 times This representsat of Earth. 99% of the mas more than s of the entire Solar System, wh ich is held together an orbit around th d kept in e Sun by our star’s immen se gravity.
Class G Includes our Sun. Temperatures may reach 6,000 kelvin.
Class K Surface temperature of c. 5,000kelvin. May live for more than 20billion years.
Class M Most common and, at c.3,000kelvin, coolest of the main star types. 17
UNIVERSE
PLANETS First discovered
On 13Mar 1781, from his garden in Bath, UK, British astronomer William Herschel observed a “star” that would eventually be named the planet Uranus. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were all bright enough in the sky to be known to ancient civilizations. Uranus had been seen before, but never actually recognized as a planet.
Hottest
Brightest planet fromEarth In astronomy, “magnitude” describes the brightness of an object seen from Earth; the lower the number, the higher the brightness. Venus, has a maximum magnitude of -4.4. This is due in part to the highly reflective clouds in its atmosphere, which contain droplets of sulphuric acid (see right).
Venus has an average temperature of 462–480°C (863–896°F), with a surface hot enough to melt lead. Its toxic atmosphere contains the most acidic rain in the Solar System, with showers of almost pure sulphuric acid falling from clouds around 48–58km (30–36mi) above the surface. This extreme environment would make exploration of the Venusian surface very difficult.
Fastest
Largest core The metallic core of the planet Mercury has a radius of approximately 1,800km (1,118mi) and accounts for around 42%of its volume and 85% of its radius, making it the largest core relative to planet size. The combination of large core and comparatively thin outer shell has led to speculation that Mercury suffered a violent impact early inits formation that stripped away part of its crust.
Mercury has an average speed in orbit of 172,248km/h (107,030mph). This is almost twice as fast as Earth. Mercury orbits the Sun at an average distance of 57.9million km (35.9million mi) – making it the closest planet to the Sun –and has an orbital period of 87.9686days.
Lowest density
Saturn’s average density is only0.71 that of water. The planet is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements in the universe. The densest planet is Earth, which has an average density 5.517times that of water.
Largest tilt
The axis of spin of Uranus is tilted 97.86° from its plane of orbit – compared to 23.45° on Earth. One possible theory suggests that Uranus was struck by another planet during the formation of the Solar System, knocking it over on its side. Owing to this axial tilt, Uranus’s polar regions take turns to point directly at the Sun. Over the course of the planet’s 84-year-long orbit of the Sun, each pole receives 42years of sunlight followed by 42 years of darkness – the longest period of darkness/daylight on a planet in the Solar System. Fastest winds in the Solar System The winds on the planet Neptune blow at around 2,400 km/h (1,500 mph), as measured by NASA’s Voyager 2 in1989. The probe also captured images of white clouds of frozen methane crystals (pictured) and a fast‑moving anticyclonicstorm.
HEAVENLY BODIES
Mercury 87.9 days 57.9 million km 0.330 4,879km 167°C 18
Strongest magnetic field
Generated by the liquid metallic hydrogen in its interior, Jupiter’s magnetic field is 19,000 times stronger than Earth’s and extends several millions of kilometres into space from the planet’s cloud tops. Were it visible to the naked eye from Earth, it would appear twice as large as the full Moon, despite being almost 1,700 times further away.
Tallest volcano in the Solar System The peak of Olympus Mons on Mars is 25km (15mi) above its base – nearly three times the height of Everest on Earth. Termed a shield volcano owing to its shape – it’s more than 20times wide than it is high – it is the result of the build-up of many thousands of lava flows from eruptions. Olympus Mons is also the tallest mountain in the Solar System.
Longest day
While Earth has a rotation period or day lasting 23 hr 56 min 4sec, Venus takes 243.16 “Earth days” to spin on its axis. Its proximity to the Sun means that a Venusian year is shorter than a Venusian day, lasting just 224.7 “Earth days”. Year (orbital period)
Venus 224.7 days 108.2 million km 4.87 12,104km 480°C
Distance from Sun
Mass (x1024 kg)
Earth 365.2 days 149.6 million km 5.97 12,756km 15°C
Diameter
Temperature
Mars 687 days 227.9 million km 0.642 6,792km -65°C
Solar System
Milky Way
Solar System orbit
Largest ring system in the Solar System UNIVERSE
The intricate system of rings around the gas giant Saturn have a combined mass of around 4x 1019kg (9 x 1019 lb) – the equivalent of 30 million Everests on Earth. Saturn’s rings are made up of millions of independently orbiting particles of ice and dust. It is likely that they were formed from the debris of a small moon following its destruction by a comet. The other gas giants in the Solar System – Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune – also have rings, but none on Saturn’s scale.
e Saturn’s rings ared as od being slowly er wnwards do particles spiral itself. Some on to the planettimate that scientistses ll have the rings wi pletely m disappeared cond in arou s. 100million year
Seen here is the dark-red eye of a hurricane at Saturn’s north pole bordered by a jet stream and clouds, representing the largest hexagon in the Solar System. In2009, the longest-lasting lightning storm raged for more than eight months in Saturn’s upper atmosphere. With a diameter of several thousand kilometres, it saw lightning flashes 10,000times the intensity of Earth’s.
Jupiter 4,331 days (11.8 yr) 778.6 million km 1,898 142,984km -110°C
Saturn 10,747 days (29.4 yr) 1,433.5 million km 568 120,536km -140°C
Uranus 30,589 days (84 yr) 2,872.5 million km 86.8 51,118km -195°C
Neptune 59,800 days (164.8 yr) 4,495.1 million km 102 49,528km -200°C 19
UNIVERSE
MOONS Earth
The youngest Moon rocks date back some 3.2 billion years. They are a type of volcanic basalt, originating from the dark lunar maria (seas), and are not dissimilar in age to the oldest dateable rocks on Earth.
Mars
Of the Solar System’s inner rocky planets, only Earth and Mars have moons. Mars has two – Phobos (see right) and Deimos – the most moons for a rocky planet.
Jupiter Most powerful volcano in the Solar System Loki Patera on Jupiter’s moon Io emits more heat than all of Earth’s active volcanoes combined. It is seen here erupting above Io’s surface. The volcano’s caldera (crater) – more than 10,000km² (4,000sqmi) in size – often floods with molten lava.
One of the four largest moons of Jupiter, Io (see left) has an average density of 3.53g/cm³ (2.04oz/cuin), making it the densest moon. Earth’s own Moon is the second-densest, at 3.346g/cm³ (1.934oz/cuin). On 6Aug 2001, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft performed a close flyby of Io. Over the following months, mission scientists realised that the spacecraft had passed through the top of a 500-km-high (310-mi) volcanic plume. This is the highest volcanic eruption ever witnessed in the Solar System. Jupiter’s icy moon Europa has the smoothest surface of any solid body in the Solar System. The only prominent relief on its surface are ridges a few hundred metres tall. The tidal forces that cause Io’s intense volcanic activity (see above left) also affect Europa. There are very few impact craters, meaning that the surface is geologically young. By contrast, Callisto – the outermost of the Galilean moons (see below) – is the most heavily cratered moon. This ancient relic is 100% covered with impact craters.
Saturn
Highest cliffs in the Solar System In 1986, NASA’s Voyager2 probe encountered Uranus and its moons. Miranda, a small moon with a 472-km (293-mi) diameter, has a cliff with a vertical relief of about 20km (12mi). Named Verona Rupes, it is more than 10times higher than the walls of Arizona’s Grand Canyon. The white material in the cliff face is probably mostly water ice.
With orbital paths 50km (31mi) apart, Saturn’s moons Janus and Epimetheus are the closest moons to each other. Every four years, the two satellites come within 10,000km (6,200mi) of each other and swap orbits. Kraken Mare, on Saturn’s moon Titan, is the largest methane sea. It is 1,170km (727mi) across and has an area of 400,000km² (154,000sqmi) – larger than Earth’s Caspian Sea. Observations of Saturn’s moon Iapetus by the NASA/ESA spacecraft Cassini-Huygens on 31Dec 2004 revealed a huge ridge at least 1,300km (800mi) long. Reaching an altitude of 20km (12mi) above the surface, it is the tallest ridge in the Solar System. Iapetus is 1,400km (870mi) in diameter.
Closest moon to a planet The tiny Martian satellite Phobos is 9,378km (5,827mi) from the centre of Mars, or 5,981 km (3,716mi) above the Martian surface. This small, potato-shaped irregular moon measures 27 x 22 x 18km (17 x 14 x 11mi). Dark and covered with dusty craters, it is almost certainly an asteroid captured by Mars’s gravity millions of years ago. Largest object chaotically rotating Saturn’s highly irregularly shaped moon Hyperion measures 410 x 260 x 220km (254 x 161 x 136mi). It is notable for its completely chaotic rotation – that is to say, it is randomly tumbling in its orbit around the planet Saturn. The asteroid 4179Toutatis, as well as Pluto’s moons Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx, are also believed torotate chaotically.
Neptune
When Voyager2 passed by Neptune and its moon Triton in 1989, its cameras recorded active cryovolcanism in the form of eruptions of nitrogen gas and snow. The tallest nitrogen geysers, these reach heights of 8km (5mi) and are thought to be caused by weak sunlight heating nitrogen ice just below the moon’s surface. With a diameter of 2,706km (1,681mi), Triton is the largest retrograde moon (i.e., it orbits Neptune in the opposite direction to Neptune’s orbit around the Sun). It is also the seventh-largest moon in the Solar System.
MOONS WITHIN THE SOLAR SYSTEM Moons are natural satellites that orbit a planet. Only two planets in our Solar System have no moons – Mercury and Venus. The planet with the most moons is Jupiter, with 69, but new moons are still being discovered. In Apr2016, NASA revealed that Earth has a “mini moon”, named 2016HO3, that follows a similar orbital path around the Sun – at a distance of some 9millionmi (14.5millionkm). “Since 2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the Sun, we refer to it as a quasi-satellite of Earth,” says Paul Chodas, of NASA’s Center for NearEarth Object (NEO) Studies. For more about moons, read on…
Mercury (0)
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Venus (0)
Earth (1) The Moon takes 27 days to orbit Earth, and the same time to rotate once. So the same side of the Moon always faces Earth and the other side (the “dark side”) always faces away. This is termed “tidal locking”. In reality, of course, both sides of the Moon see sunlight as it turns.
Mars (2) The two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, are named after the sons of the god of war, Ares, in Greek myth (known as Mars in Roman myth). Both were discovered in 1877 by USastronomer Asaph Hall.
The make-up of a moon Rock: moons are generally solid and usually rocky. It’s likely that most were formed from discs ofdust and gas.
Atmosphere: there are thin atmospheric layers around several moons, including some Jovian and Saturnian satellites.
Volcanic activity: ancient lava flows scar our Moon’s surface, while Jupiter’s moon Io is volcanically very much alive (see p.20).
Rings: the Cassini– Huygens probe found evidence suggesting that Rhea, Saturn’s second-largest moon, may have its own rings.
Largest moon in the Solar System Jupiter’s Ganymede has a diameter of some 5,262.4 km (3,269.9mi) and is more than twice as heavy as our Moon. It is also the largest body in the Solar System without a substantial atmosphere.
Largest moon compared with its planet At 3,474km (2,158mi) across, our Moon is 0.27times the diameter of Earth. This natural satellite is the largest of the three moons in the inner Solar System and the only other world to have been visited by humans. According to the prevailing scientific theory, it was formed around 4.6billion years ago from the debris created when a Mars-sized planet struck Earth. Gravity brought the lumps of material together, creating the Moon. Jupiter (69) The four largest Jovian moons – Io, Callisto, Ganymede and Europa – are called the “Galilean” satellites, as they were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610.
Saturn (62) The characteristic rings encircling Saturn are partly the result of the gravitational effect of some of its moons – known as “shepherd moons”.
UNIVERSE
TheMoon ha negligible atmos s a so as it rotate phere, out of sunlight s in and heats up and coits surface dramatically. ols down temperature raThe lunar nges -250°F (-156°C) from to 250°F(121°C).
Uranus (27) Most Uranian moons are named after characters in Shakespeare’s works. Oberon and Titania, the largest, were the first tobe discovered, in 1787.
Neptune (14) Astronomer Gerard Kuiper discovered Nereid, Neptune’s third-largest moon, in 1949. But he missed the second-largest, Proteus. It was too close to Neptune, and too dark, to be seen with his telescope.
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IN FOCUS
60 YEARS OF NASA
The year 2018 sees NASA celebrate its 60th anniversary, while 2019 marks 50years since the first manned mission landed on the Moon. Here, we commemorate these two milestones with an overview of the space agency’s key record achievements.
I NASA insignia Affectionately known as the “meatball”, the NASA emblem was designed by James Modarelli in 1959 and visually references the organization’s aims. Within the round blue planet is a starscape. The red arrow signifies aeronautics, while the orbital ellipsis around the name denotes space travel.
n the 1950s, the “Space Race” between the US and Soviet Union space agencies accelerated research and development on both sides. On 4 Oct 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik1. In response, the President of the USA and the US Congress initiated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 1 Oct 1958 with “An Act to provide for research into the problems of flight within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere, and for other purposes.” Another Soviet coup came with the first manned space flight (by cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin in Vostok 1 on 12Apr 1961). The following month, however, Alan B Shepard became the first American in space and completed the shortest manned space flight (15 min 28sec). President JohnF Kennedy gave NASA renewed impetus on 25May 1961, declaring: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” In 1962, JohnH Glenn Jr became the first US astronaut to orbit Earth; on 3Jun 1965, Edward H White Jr took the first spacewalk by an US astronaut. NASA finally delivered on Kennedy’s challenge in Jul1969, when Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the Moon. The programme had cost $25.4billion (£10.8 billion) by the time of the sixth and final Apollo lunar landing in 1972. But the work was far from over. NASA launched the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes in 1972 and 1973 respectively, on a fact-finding journey to Jupiter and Saturn. In1977, the two Voyager probes set off for
NASA’s latest recruits line up for a selfie The recruitment process for Astronaut Group22 began in Dec 2015 and saw NASA receive the most applications for an astronaut selection process: 18,300. These were rigorously whittled down to 12people (seen here), whose names were announced on 7Jun 2017.
Mission Control Located in the Lyndon B Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, USA, this famous room is the coordination and communication hub for NASA’s space flights. Also known as FCR-1, it became operational in 1965. Skylab Launched on 14May 1973, NASA’s space station Skylab (below) housed the largest room in space. The workshop in this cylindrical construction had a pressurised volume of 238.3m3 (8,419cuft), of which 173m3 (6,112cuft) was accessible to crew members.
the four giant outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Both are still in touch with NASA, making them the most durable nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft. On 12 Apr 1981, the first Space Shuttle mission (STS-1) took off; the seventh mission, which launched on 18 Jun 1983, saw Sally K Ride become the first female US astronaut in space. Today, human space flight is firmly back on the agenda. NASA plans to use its Orion spacecraft to return to the Moon, where astronauts will test technologies that will enable us to journey farther into the Solar System, and for longer. NASA’s Sojourner (the first Mars rover) explored the Martian surface way back in 1997, but now the agency hopes to send manned missions to Mars by the 2030s. Watch this space.
NASA TIMELINE
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1969: Fastest speed achieved by humans
1977: launch of the first probe to leave our Solar System
The command module of Apollo 10, carrying Thomas Patten Stafford, Eugene Andrew Cernan and John Watts Young (all USA), reached a speed of 39,937km/h (24,816mph) on 26May 1969. The record was achieved during the module’s trans-Earth returnflight.
Voyager1 and Voyager2 were launched on 5 Sep and 20Aug 1977 respectively. On or around 25Aug2012, Voyager1 entered interstellar space. En route, Voyager 1 made the first observations of Jupiter’s ring system (on 5Mar 1979), while Voyager2 recorded the first flyby of Uranus (on 24Jan 1986) and Neptune (on 25Aug 1989).
1976: First successful Mars lander Viking 1 touched down on the “Red Planet” at 11:53a.m. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on 20Jul 1976. This stationary lander was fitted with a suite of cameras, scientific instruments and a robot arm. The Soviet Union’s Mars3 lander had touched down five years earlier, on 2 Dec 1971, but failed soon afterwards.
UNIVERSE
IN FOCUS
The pioneering astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission. From left to right: commander Neil Alden Armstrong, command module pilot Michael Collins and lunar module pilot BuzzAldrin (b. Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr).
First manned mission to land on the Moon At 22:56 and 15 sec EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) on 20Jul 1969, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (both USA) became the first people ever to set foot on the Moon. They spent some two-and-a-half hours on the surface, while their colleague, Michael Collins (USA), orbited in the Command Module. This photograph of Aldrin standing near the Eagle lunar module was taken by Armstrong, who is visible in Aldrin’s visor. 1981: First reusable spacecraft The Columbia Space Shuttle made its maiden flight on 12Apr 1981. Over a series of 135 missions, running up to 2011, the five Space Shuttles carried out many roles, including astronaut transit and supply carrying. They were also pivotal in the 10-year project to build the largest artificial satellite, the International Space Station (ISS).
The Saturn V rocket took Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins on their historic flight to the Moon in 1969. Altogether, 13SaturnVs were launched between 1967 and 1973. For more about this remarkable spacecraft, see pp.78–79.
1998: Largest space station The International Space Station has been under construction since its first component, the Zarya module, was launched in Nov 1998. It is some 357ft (109 m) long and weighs 924,739 lb (419,455 kg). The internal pressurized volume is 32,333 cu ft (916m 3), similar to that of a Boeing 747, but less than half of this is habitable. 23
UNIVERSE
NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS Greatest impact on Earth
Most astronomers now believe that, 4.5billion years ago, a planet the size of Mars collided with the young Earth. Some of the debris from this cataclysm went into orbit around the Earth and collected under its own gravity to form the Moon. The largest impact crater on Earth is the Vredefort crater near Johannesburg in South Africa, which has a diameter of 300km (186mi). The now largely eroded crater was formed around 2billion years ago, when an asteroid orcomet collided with Earth.
Shortest period comet
Encke’s Comet has an orbital period of 1,198days (3.28years). The first periodic comet discovered after Halley’s Comet, it was initially recorded in1786, and its orbitcalculated by Johann Franz Encke in1819. Largest recorded impact in the Solar System On 16–22Jul 1994, more than 20fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy9 collided with Jupiter. Thegreatest impact was made by the “G” fragment, which exploded with the energy of roughly 6million megatons of TNT – around 1,000times Earth’s combined nuclear arsenal. The comet was discovered in Mar1993 by David Levy and Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker(below).
Largest observed coma
The coma – the cloud around the nucleus in the head of a comet – that encircled the Great Comet of1811 was about 2millionkm (1.2millionmi) indiameter.
Largest comet
Discovered on 1Nov 1977 – and initially reported in some quarters to be the 10thplanet of the Solar System – Centaur 2060Chiron possesses a diameter of 182km (113mi). Also classified as a minor planet, the giant comet get no closer than1,273million km (791millionmi) to the Sun.
Closest approach to Earth by a comet
On 12Jun 1999, the tiny comet P/1999 J6 passed within 0.012astronomical units (1,795,169km; 1,115,466mi) of Earth.This is only 4.7times farther away than the Moon.
Most recent Great Comet First discovered by Robert McNaught (AUS, b.UK) in2006, Comet McNaught (also known as C/2006P1) achieved peak brightness on 12Jan 2007, its tail measuring a maximum of 35° long in the sky. Great Comets are spectacularly bright in the night sky: notable examples include the GreatComets of 1577, 1811 (see left) and Halley’s Comet.
Most distant observations of a comet
On 3Sep 2003, astronomers at the European Southern Observatory in Paranal, Chile, released an image showing Halley’s Comet at 4,200millionkm (2,609millionmi) from the Sun. The image shows Halley as a fuzzy dot with a brightness of magnitude28.2, nearly a billion times fainter than the faintest objects visible with the naked eye. It was the first comet discovered to be periodic, by Edmond Halley in1705.
Darkest object in the Solar System
The least reflective body in the Solar System is Comet Borrelly, a comet nucleus imaged by the Deep Space1 unmanned spacecraft on 22Sep 2001. Owing to its coating of dark dust, Borrelly reflects less than 3% of the sunlight it receives.
Longest measured comet tail
The tail of the comet Hyakutake measured 570millionkm (350millionmi) – more than three times the distance from the Earth to the Sun. It was discovered by Geraint Jones of Imperial College London, UK, on 13Sep 1999, using datagathered by the ESA/NASA spacecraft Ulysses.
Planet with the most Trojan asteroids
Trojan asteroids circle the Sun in the same orbit as a planet. As of 9Nov 2017, some 6,703Trojan asteroids had been discovered sharing Jupiter’s orbit, withNeptune having17, Mars nine, and Earth and Uranus one apiece.
Largest meteorite A block measuring 9ft (2.7m) long and 8ft (2.4m) wide andwith an estimated weight of 130,000lb (59tonnes) was found in 1920 at Hoba West, near Grootfontein in Namibia. The meteorite, which is largely composed of iron and is notable for the flatness of its major sides, was declared a national monument in1955 in an effort to protect it from trophy hunters removing pieces (see inset).
AMAZING ASTEROIDS Brightest asteroid Discovered on 29Mar 1807, 4Vesta is the only asteroid visible to the naked eye. This is owing to a combination ofthe brightness of its surface, its size (576km; 357.9mi across), and the fact thatit can approach Earth as close as 177millionkm (110millionmi).
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First near-Earth asteroiddiscovered In 1898, astronomers Carl Gustav Witt (DEU) and Auguste Charlois (FRA) independently discovered the asteroid 433 Eros. Its curious orbit brought it closer to Earth than any other asteroid or any major planet, leading to its nearEarth asteroid designation.
Largest metal asteroid Located in the main asteroid belt orbiting the Sun, 16Psyche measures around 279x 232x 189km (173x 144x 117mi). Radar observations indicate that it is probably 90%iron. InJan2017, NASA approved a mission to this body, which may be asuitable candidate for future asteroid mining.
Four types of asteroid orbits
Fastest meteor shower Typically occurring between 15and 20Nov each year, the Leonids meteor shower enters Earth’s atmosphere at around 71km (44mi) per second and begins to glow at an altitude of around 155km (96mi). The high speed of the Leonids is due to the fact that the motion of the parent meteoroid stream – from comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle – is almost directly opposite to the orbital motion of Earth around the Sun. This results in an almost head-on collision between the tiny particlesand the Earth.
Apollos Earth-crossing NEAs with semi-major axes larger than Earth’s. Named after asteroid 1862 Apollo.
Atens Earth-crossing NEAs with semi-major axes smaller than Earth’s. Named after asteroid 2062 Aten.
Atiras NEAs whose orbits are contained entirely within the orbit of the Earth. Named after asteroid 163693 Atira.
Orbit of comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle
UNIVERSE
Amors Earth-approaching NEAs* with orbits exterior to Earth’s but interior to Mars’. Named after asteroid 1221 Amor. *Near-Earth Asteroids
Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus
The Leonid namedin theas were of a spec taculaftermath rshower overtheW Hemisphere on estern 12 Contemporary Nov 1833. suggestthat asestimates 240,00 0meteo many as rs fe thecourse of 9hll over r.
Largest concentration ofasteroids The main asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and contains between 700,000 and 1.7million asteroids that are at least 1 km (0.6 mi) across. The total mass of the belt is equivalent to just 4% of the Moon, with around half of this accounted for by the fourlargest asteroids.
First asteroid with a moon En route to Jupiter, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft performed a flyby of the asteroid Ida (left) in1993. On 17Feb 1994, examination of the resulting images revealed that Ida – which measures 53.6km (33.3mi) along its longest axis – has its own natural satellite (below). Dactyl measures just 1.6x 1.4x 1.2km (0.99x 0.86x 0.74mi) and orbits Ida once every 20hr.
Most tails for an asteroid On 10Sep2013, the Hubble Space Telescope spotted a bizarre asteroid with six distinct tails like a comet. Asteroid P/2013P5 is a rocky body around 480m (1,574ft) across and it is likely that the tails are due to the pressure of solar radiation, which has increased the asteroid’s spin to the extent that it loses mass owing to its own rotation. 25
UNIVERSE
ROUND-UP Most magnetic objects in the universe
First interstellar asteroid On 19 Oct 2017, astronomer Robert Weryk (CAN) spotted an unusual object through the Pan-STARRS telescope at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, USA. Along its longest axis, it measures some 400m (1,312ft), but it is only about one-tenth as wide. Named ‘Oumuamua, it is now thought to be an elongated asteroid. It originated outside the Solar System and will leave it again in around 20,000 years.
Oldest recorded sound from a star
In Jun2016, scientists at the University of Birmingham, UK, announced that they had measured the 13-billion-year-old acoustic oscillations of stars in star cluster M4 in our Milky Way. By applying a technique called “asteroseismology” on data from NASA’s Kepler/ K2 mission, they could measure the oscillations and record the low frequencies of sound inside the star that cause them. The scientists were hearing the sound stars had made in their nuclear furnaces“just” 0.8billion years after the Big Bang. At the instant of the Big Bang, the universe is thought to have been infinitely hot – the highest temperature ever – as well as infinitely small and infinitely dense.
Longest-lasting supernova In Sep 2014, astronomers noticed an exploding star, or supernova, in a dwarf galaxy 509million light years away. The supernova, which was given the name iPTF14hls, was expected to fade after around 100 days. Several months later, however, it became brighter again. After studying archive data, astronomers discovered that iPTF14hls had exploded in1954 too, but somehow survived. As of Dec2017, the supernova is still ongoing after more than three years. This unique event may represent the first time a theoretical “pulsational pair instability supernova” 26
Magnetars are neutron stars that possess stupendously powerful magnetic fields of up to 100billion teslas. By way of comparison, Earth hasa magnetic field of around 50 microteslas. Measuring around 20km (12mi) across, a magnetar should theoretically be able to strip the data from a credit card at a distance equivalent to halfway to the Moon.
Closest black hole to Earth
The nearest black hole to our home planet is A0620‑00, a binary system containing
First white dwarf pulsar On 23Jan 2017, a team at the University of Warwick, UK, published research on AR Scorpii, 380 lightyears from Earth. This binary star system comprises a white dwarf stellar remnant (the pulsar) and a cool star in close orbit. The white dwarf rotates once every 2min, blasting its star with a bright radiation beam as it turns – rather like a lighthouse lamp.
Most distant supermassive black hole On 6Dec 2017, a team of astronomers revealed their discovery of a black hole some 800million times larger than the Sun, in the centre of a galaxy with a redshift of7.5. This redshift value means that the light we see from this quasar was emitted “only” 690million years after the Big Bang. It is not yet clear how something so large could have formed so soon after the birth of the universe.
(in which a star’s outer layers blast off but the core remains) has been observed.
Largest planetary system (number of planets)
On 14Dec 2017, NASA and Google announced that the Kepler spacecraft had discovered the planet Kepler90i orbiting the star Kepler-90, some 2,545light years away. This new planet joins seven other worlds known to orbit this star. Kepler-90 now ties with our own Solar System in having eight known planets, more than any other planetary system. Of the 3,700 known planets orbiting other stars, none lies in a planetary system as large as our Solar System. Some 100,000AU (9.3trillionmi; 15trillionkm) across, it is thelargest planetary system bydiameter.
First observations of merging neutron stars On 17Aug 2017, scientists at the US-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Europe-based Virgo interferometer detected gravitational waves from around 130million light years away. These ripples in space-time were followed by a gamma-ray burst. The ripples are thought to have been caused by two neutron stars spiralling together and colliding, creating the gamma-ray burst. The event has been given the designation GW170817.
a low-mass K-type star (aka an orange dwarf) and a stellar black hole. The system is some 3,000lightyears away, in the constellation Monoceros.
Closest galaxy to the Milky Way
The Canis Major dwarf galaxy was discovered in 2003 and lies an average of “just” 42,000light years from the centre of our galaxy. It was hard to detect as it is behind the plane of our spiral galaxy, as seen
Most distant sound recorded from Earth
Largest planet compared with its parent star On 31Oct 2017, an international team of astronomers located a planet orbiting the star NGTS-1, some 600 light years away. The star is a red dwarf around half the radius of the Sun. But the planet, NGTS-1b, is a type of extrasolar planet known as a “hot Jupiter”. Approximately one-anda-third times the radius of Jupiter, this gas giant orbits its star in just 2.6 days, owing to its proximity. from Earth. Its shape indicates that it is in the process of being ripped apart and absorbed by the gravity of the Milky Way.
Smallest orbital rocket
SS-520-5 is just 9.54m (31ft 3.5in) tall by 52cm (1ft 8in) in diameter and has a mass of only 2,600kg (5,732lb). This tiny rocket was launched at 2:03p.m. (Japan Standard Time) on 3Feb 2018 from the Japanese space agency’s Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. It carried a 3-kg (6-lb 9-oz) CubeSat satellite called TRICOM-1R, which was renamed “Tasuki” once in low-Earth orbit. SS‑520‑5 reportedly reached orbit lessthan 4min 30sec after lift-off.
In May 2013, the NASA space probe Voyager1 –the most remote man-made object – recorded sounds in denser regions of ionized gas and plasma in interstellar space. Although there is no oxygen atmosphere in space, gas and plasma are present, and these can vibrate at audible frequencies. When Voyager1 recorded and played these vibrations back to Mission Control, they took the form of a rising tone as the density of the plasma increased. Mission Control heard these sounds twice: once from Oct to Nov2012 and then again from Apr to May2013, when the probe was 12billionmi (19billionkm) from the Sun.
Most planets devoured by their parent star On 12Oct 2017, astronomers at Princeton University, USA, announced their discovery of the strange properties of the binary stars HD240430 and HD240429. One, dubbed Kronos, contains high amounts of silicon, magnesium, iron, aluminium and other metals. They are concentrated in the star’s outer atmosphere, suggesting that Kronos has devoured around 15 Earth-sized rocky planets orbiting it.
First trans-Neptunian object with a ring
Most powerful ion thruster In Jul and Aug2017, scientists at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and TheUniversity of Michigan (both USA) tested the X3 Hall thruster. This system accelerates a stream of ionized (electrically charged) atoms from an engine, creating thrust. In the tests, the X3 operated at 102kW of power, producing 5.4N (1.2lbf) of thrust. Ion thrusters have a much higher fuel efficiency than chemical rockets, which gives them added potential for longdistance space travel.
On 11Oct 2017, an international team of astronomers revealed the discovery of a ring surrounding the dwarf planet Haumea. They had predicted that Haumea would occult (pass in front of) a star on 21Jan 2017. An array of a dozen telescopes from 10European observatories focused on the event, to refine knowledge of the dwarf planet’s size and shape. In the process, a ring was observed around this small, distant object. Haumea is some 50times farther from the Sun than Earth, and takes 284years to complete an orbit. It has a “rugby ball” shape, with a long axis of some 2,320km (1,441mi).
Largest cloud of primordial hydrogen
Largest lunar cave On 18Oct 2017, Japan’s space agency JAXA reported that its lunar orbiter probe SELENE (or “Kaguya”) had discovered a large cave below the Moon’s surface in the Marius Hills region. With an opening (right) of around 50m (164ft) across, the cave descends some 50m below the surface. SELENE’s lunar radar sounder revealed that the opening leads to a larger cavity around 50km (31mi) long and 100m (328ft) wide. This could be a spot for a future manned lunar base.
Discovered in 2000, LAB-1 is a type of astronomical object known as a lyman-alpha blob. Measuring around 300,000 light years across and some 11.5 billion light years from Earth, LAB-1 is a cloud of hydrogen gas that has yet to coalesce into galaxies. The blob is glowing – possibly due to the light from galaxies within, which have already formed. Owing to its distance we see LAB-1 as it was when the universe was only around 15% of its current age.
Largest eruptive ice plumes In 2005, the NASA/ESA Cassini spacecraft recorded eruptions of water ice from Saturn’s moon Enceladus rising at least 505km (313mi) into space. In Feb2017, Ted Stryk (USA) announced that he had processed an imagetaken by Voyager1 as it passed Saturn on 13Nov 1980that appeared to show even earlier evidence of this phenomenon. 27
The design for the “Iron Lady” was selected from more than 100submissions for a competition to build an entrance arch for the 1889Exposition Universelle (World Fair) held in Paris. The fair marked the 100thanniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison, and the beginning of the French Revolution.
Exposition Universelle
Digging for the tower began on 28Jan 1887. Each one of its 18,038metallic parts was manufactured and measured at Gustave Eiffel’s factory on the outskirts of Paris, before transportation to the construction site on the Champ de Mars. The Eiffel Tower was completed in a little over two years, with work finishing in Mar1889. There had been angry protests by prominent writers and artists that such a giant construction – at 300m (984ft 3in), it is the tallest iron structure – would ruin the city. Yet today theEiffel Tower attracts as many as 7million annual visitors, with around 300million people thought to have visited it over the years.
One of the most iconic landmarks on Earth, the Eiffel Tower pierces the skyline of the French capital, Paris. Built by Gustave Eiffel’s company for the 1889World Fair, its wrought-iron lattice design and unprecedented height made it an engineering marvel. At the time of its unveiling inMar1889, the tower was the tallest man-made structure in history, a record itwould hold for more than 40years.
Eiffel Tower
Making History
There are 1,665steps from the base to the top
The tower was originally coated in 60tonnes (132,277lb) of red‑brown paint
An antenna enables the tower to make radio transmissions
The tower weighs around 10,100tonnes (22.2millionlb)
in g
s It may have born e his not ac tually desig name, but the Eiffel Tower was ne It was Maurice Ko d by Gustave Eiffel (above left). echlin (above rig ht), engineer who wo rked for Eiffel’s co a struc tural mpany, who together with Ém ile Nouguier cam e up with the ide for a tall, pylon-li a ke tower built on four columns of lat ticed work gir ders. Koechlin’s original drawing can be seen left: s to th comparisons with e right of the tower are size ot he r famous building the Notre -Dame s such as cathedral and th e Statue of Liber pp.10 –11). Eiffel ty (see and the iconic America Koechlin hadalso worked toge ther on n monument, wh years before the ichwas unveiled Eiffel Tower. three
O r ig in a l D r aw
Near the summit of the tower is a 276-m-high (905-ft) viewing platform offering panoramic views of Paris. Gustave Eiffel had his office here, where he entertained guests such as theAmerican inventor Thomas Edison.
Room at the Top
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Glass-cage hydraulic lifts became operational on 26May 1889, only days after the Eiffel Tower had opened to the public. They were powered from below, rather than being pulled from above. Two of the original elevators are still in operation today, a testament to the durability of their design. In total, the lifts travel more than 103,000km (64,000mi) ayear – or two-and-a-half times around the world.
Elevators
Did You Know?
Restaurants, booths and boutiques were set up inside the tower to take advantage ofthe large numbers of visitors. LeFigaro newspaper installed aprinting press on the second floor, where it printed a daily edition entitled LeFigaro de la Tour. Visitors could have their names inserted into the paper to prove that they had been there.
Base pillars are aligned to the four cardinal points of the compass
Upon completion on 31Mar 1889, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, was the world’s tallest man-made structure. It stood 300m (984ft) tall – a 24-m (78-ft 8-in) television antenna was added in the1950s, but this is not usually counted as part of the structural height. The tower remained the tallest until1930, when the 319‑m (1,046‑ft) Chrysler Building in NewYork City, USA, was completed.
For the Record
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PLANET EARTH
This image was ’s SA produced by NA launched ich satellite Terra, wh. Its sensors on 18Dec 1999 oviding data pr monitor Earth, tists to track our ien that enables sc g climate. There planet’s changintellites involved in are a series of sa llectively known this mission, co serving System. as the Earth Obe mission’s Terra is th . flagshipsatellite
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CONTENTS
PLANET EARTH
Continents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 IN FOCUS: Mountains . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Bodies of Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Rivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Islands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Biomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Natural Disasters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Planet Earth Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Largest terrestrial planet Of all the known planetary bodies in our Solar System comprising mostly silicate metals or rocks, Earth is the largest. It has a diameter of12,742km (7,917.5mi), a mass of around 5.9722 × 1021tonnes (6.5832× 1021 UStons) and is home to the only confirmed life in the universe. Thename “Earth” is around 1,000years old and has its roots in Old English and Proto-Germanic nouns. All of the other planets in theSolar System bear Greek or Roman titles. 31
PLANET EARTH
CONTINENTS Earliest continent
Geological evidence suggests that there was a single continental land mass on Earth from around 3.6billion to 2.8billion years ago. Referred to as Vaalbara, this continent was smaller than any of today’s continents. The Kaapvaal and Pilbara cratons in southern Africa and north-west Australia are surviving remnants of Vaalbara.
Longest-inhabited continent
Highest continent According to the British Antarctic Survey, excluding its ice shelves Antarctica has an average elevation of 2,194m (7,198ft) above the OSU91A Geoid, a geopotential model similar to sea level. Its highest point is the summit of Vinson Massif, at 4,897m (16,066ft) above sea level.
For many years it was thought that modern humans, hom*o sapiens, first appeared in East Africa around 200,000years ago. However, in2017, remains of human face and jaw bones dating to approximately 315,000years ago were found at JebelIrhoud in Morocco. This means that hom*o sapiens wasliving in Africa some 100,000 yearsearlier than had previously been assumed.
Most countries in a continent
There are 54internationally recognized sovereign states on the continent of Africa. The most recent, South Sudan, gained independence on 9Jul2011. The disputed territory of Western Sahara is a member of the African Union, but as of 2018 had not been recognized by the United Nations. Antarctica has the fewest countries in a continent, with no native population and no countries recognized below the latitude of 60°S. Although various countries have claimed parts of the territory, the Antarctic Treaty of1959 pledges to keep the continent open for peaceful scientific investigation and precludes any military activity.
Largest submerged continent New Zealand represents just the highest part of the continent of Zealandia. With a total area of some 4,900,000km2 (1,891,900sqmi), Zealandia is around 94% under water and forms a shallow sea around the coast of New Zealand. In 2017, geologists argued that Zealandia fulfilled the criteria to be considered a continent proper.
Smallest continent
Australia has a west-to-east width of some 4,042km (2,511mi) and an area of 7,617,930km2 (2,941,299sqmi). It is simultaneously the smallest continent and the sixth-largest country, behind Russia, Canada, China, the USA and Brazil.
Flattest continental land mass
Australia’s mean elevation is just over 330m (1,082ft) above sea level, not including its outlying islands. It is the only major land mass on Earth to lack a major mountain range. The highest point on its mainland is the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, at 2,228m (7,310ft) above sea level. Largest continent Asia covers an area of 44,579,000km2 (17,212,000sq mi), ahead of Africa with 30,221,532km2 (11,668,600sqmi). It is home to 49internationally recognized sovereign states and more than 4.4billion people, makingit also the mostpopulous continent (see top right).
Highest seasonal population difference
Over the course of a year, the population of Antarctica swells by a factor of five, from around 1,000 in the winter to around 5,000 in the summer. The vast majority of scientists who work in the continent’s research stations only live there during the summer, in order to avoid the harsh Antarctic winters.
Thickest crust
The Earth’s crust is the cold, solid, outermost layer of its lithosphere. In the Himalayan mountains in China, this crust has a variable thickness of 40–75 km (24.85–46.6 mi). The thinnest crust is just 6km (3.7mi) thick, and can be found in parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Largest discrete land mass The combined continents of Africa and Eurasia form a continuous land mass covering 84,980,532km2 (32,811,166sqmi). It is referred to as Afro-Eurasia, and sometimes as The World Island. It is home to approximately 85%of the world’s human population.
WORLD IN MOTION It’s easy to think of continents as vast, static land masses, but in fact the world is continually shifting beneath our feet. The rigid outer shell of Earth, known as the lithosphere, is divided into vast tectonic plates that have been slowly moving for millions of years. In the process, they are shaping andre-shaping theworld as we know it. 32
Fastest land mass on Earth
LARGEST TECTONIC PLATES Name
Area
Pacific Plate (see right)
103,300,000 km2
North American Plate
75,900,000 km2
Eurasian Plate
67,800,000 km2
African Plate
61,300,000 km2
Antarctic Plate
60,900,000 km2
Source: WorldAtlas.com, retrieved 9 Nov 2017
Owing to convection currents in the Earth’s mantle, all of the continental plates are in constant motion. Where the boundaries of these plates meet others, one will slide under the other to create a subduction zone. The Tonga microplate, centred near Samoa, is currently moving under the Pacific Plate at a rate of 24cm (9.4in) each year.
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The largest and most populous continent on Earth is Asia (see opposite page). It is home to nearly two-thirds of theworld’spopulation.
Largest continent ever PLANET EARTH
By 299–273 million years ago, all of today’s continents were joined together in one “supercontinent”, Pangea (which means “all lands” in Greek). Pangea began to slowly break apart around 200 million years ago due to plate tectonics, leading eventually to the land masses of today. Evidence of Pangea is apparent when you see how the coastlines ofAfrica and South America fit together. A computer projection shows Earth 250million years into the future. A new supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, has formed, with the Indian Ocean at its heart.
tion The first suggesift was dr of continental been made believed to haveaker Abraham m by Flemish map98), who argued Or telius (1527– uth America had So that Africa and ed. The theory of once been join would only gain continental drift mainstream acceptance by e latter half academia in th ntur y. ofthe 20thce
Slowest continental plate The Eurasian Plate contains most of the Eurasian continent and extends west to the MidAtlantic Ridge. In contrast to subduction zones (see left), ridge zones move the most slowly of all continental boundaries. The Eurasian Plate is moving at c.2.1cm (0.8in) a year. Its divergence with the North American Plate has led to volcanic activity on Iceland.
Largest continental collision zone Around 40–50million years ago, the Indian subcontinent began colliding with the Eurasian continent. The collision, which is still ongoing along a zone about 2,900km (1,800mi) long, created the Himalayan mountains. In the aftermath of the breakup of Pangea (see above), the Indian subcontinent had been part of the southern supercontinent of Gondwana, before becoming separated from the eastern coast of modern Africa and drifting north across the Tethys Sea. It collided with the supercontinent of Laurasia, causing extensive surface upliftin the shape of the Himalayas.
Pangea’s break-up began in the Early Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago. Rifts between continents created the North Atlantic Ocean, gradually leading to the globe we recognize today.
Largest tectonic plate The Pacific Plate has an approximate area of 103,300,000km2 (39.8million sqmi). It is moving gradually north-west with respect to North America at a speed of approximately 7cm (2.7in) per year, as measured around the Hawaiian Islands. This is more than three times the speed of the Eurasian Plate, the slowest continental plate (see left). 33
IN FOCUS
MOUNTAINS
Rising majestically up towards the clouds, mountains provide some of the most breathtaking sights of the natural world. Measuring Earth’s loftiest mountains is far from easy, and there aremorechallengers to Everest’s crown than might be imagined...
A
Sea level 0m
Everest Chimborazo
2.
3k
m
4,205m
Denali base elevation 594m
Denali (5,500m) 6,190m
8,848m
Everest base elevation 4,70 0m
Figure 2: Geocentric height
Everest (4,148m)
38
Figure 1: Tallest vs highest
Highest glacier The Khumbu Glacier in Nepal begins at, and is fed by, the glacial bed of the Western Cwm – a valley of ice between the peaks of Everest and the Lhotse-Nuptse Ridge. Theglacier head is situated at an altitude of around 7,600m (24,934ft) above sea level, and runs for 17km (10.5mi) to the west and south before terminating.
6,
Greatest mountain range on Earth Separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas contain 96 of the world’s 109 (as per 1969 figures) peaks of over 24,000 ft (7,315 m) and 10of the 14peaks above 8,000m (26,246ft). The range takes its name from the Sanskrit himālaya – literally, “abode of snow”.
common misconception is that Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. At 8,848m (29,029ft), it’s actually the highest mountain (see right), meaning thatit* summit lies at the highest altitude above sea level. This is typically how mountain heights are described – from sea level to summit. If you started your climb of Everest at sealevel, you would ultimately need to travel a vertical distance ofnearly 5.5mi (8.8km). (Incidentally, the first person to climb Everest from sea level was Tim MacartneySnape (AUS), whose three-month climb set off from the Bay ofBengal in 1990.) Everest, however, sits atop the Himalayan Plateau. (The latter – along with the region’s famous mountain ranges – wascreated by the action of the Indian tectonic plate colliding with the Eurasian tectonic plate, a process that began some 50million years ago.) This means that the climb to the top, which typically begins at base camp, starts at an altitude of 5,364m (17,598ft), if you take the most popular southroute. You “only” need to climb the last 3,484m (11,430ft). Still no mean feat, of course, as our adventurers onpp.122–23 attest. Mauna Kea, located in Hawaii, USA, may peak just 4,205m (13,796ft) above sea level, but its base actually lies below sea level (Figure 1). If you measure from the submarine base of the mountain to the top, it’s a majestic 10,205m (33,480ft).
6,38 4.4 km
Mauna Kea (10,205m)
Mauna Kea (submarine) base -6,000m
PEAKS OF PLENTY Highest Arctic mountain Gunnbjørn Fjeld in Greenland’s Watkins Range is the highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle, with its summit reaching 3,694m (12,119ft) above sea level. It is a type of mountain known as a nunatak: an exposed rocky peak that protrudes through a glacier or ice field. The summit was first climbed on16Aug1935. 34
Tallest mountain Mauna Kea (“White Mountain”) on the islands of Hawaii, USA, measures 10,205m (33,480ft) from its submarine base in the Hawaiian Trough to its summit. Of this total height, only 4,205m (13,796ft) is above sealevel, making Mauna Kea the tallest mountain in the world, but notthe highest (seeabove).
Highest mountain tabletop Monte Roraima, on the border of Brazil and Venezuela, is a sandstone plateau measuring 2,810m (9,219ft) in height. Its harsh environment has resulted in around one-third of its plant species being unique to the mountain. Monte Roraima is believed to have been the inspiration for SirArthur Conan Doyle’s TheLost World.
Everest, by comparison, has a “height” of 4,148m (13,608ft) when measured from the average base elevation (4,200m on the Nepal side to 5,200m in Tibet). This makes Mauna Kea theworld’s tallest mountain. Denali, aka Mount McKinley, in Alaska also beats Everest when measured from its base. It rises 6,190m (20,310ft) above sea level but sits on a sloping plain that gives it an average base-to-summit height of about 5,500m (18,044ft). Finally, to complicate matters further, what happens when you take Earth’s shape into account? The snow-covered summit of Chimborazo, just one degree south of the equator in Ecuador, rises 6,268m (20,564ft) above sea level. This isn’t particularly tall – it’s not even the tallest peak in the Andes. But the planet is not perfectly spherical, and Earth’s radius in Ecuador is longer than the radius at the latitude of Everest (Figure 2). This means that Chimborazo is the farthestmountain peak from Earth’s centre. Specifically, itssummit is 6,384.4km (3,967.1mi) from Earth’scentre – 2,168m (7,113ft) farther away than the summit ofEverest, at6,382.3km (3,965.8mi). Identifying record holders can be a challenge, even when dealing with millennia-old claimants such as mountains. Despite the semantics, though, Everest rightly stands proud as the highest point on Earth.
PLANET EARTH
IN FOCUS
Fastest-rising mountain Nanga Parbat in Pakistan is growing taller at a rate of 7mm (0.27in) per year. The mountain is part of the Himalayan Plateau, which was formed when India began colliding with the Eurasian continental plate between 40and 50million years ago (see p.33). Although the Himalayas are still being uplifted fractionally every year (see left), this is oftencounterbalanced by erosion caused by freeze-thaw, seismic shocks and avalanches.
Highest mountain
ed In1998, a fossiliz was ale wh a of ne bo jaw e Himalayan discovered in th acetus would ay al m Hi . lls foothi e Tethys Sea, haveswam in that disappeared th a se nt cie an an subcontinent whenthe Indianthe Eurasian th wi ed llid co the Plate,creating Himalayas.
The summit of Everest, on the Tibet-Nepal border, rises to a height of 8,848m (29,029ft) – the highest point in the world. Originally known as Peak XV, the mountain was given its present name in1865 in honour of Sir George Everest (1790–1866), formerly the British Surveyor General of India. Everest’s official height was obtained in1955; in2017, the Nepalese government announced new plans to measure the mountain using GPS receivers.
Highest unclimbed mountain
Highest mountain face underwater
At 7,570m (24,835ft), Kangkar Pünzum in Bhutan is the world’s 40th highest mountain. Unsuccessful attempts were made to summit it in the 1980s before a partial ban of mountaineering was declared in the country in1994. Since2003, all climbing in Bhutan has been outlawed forreligious reasons.
Monte Pico in the Azores (Portugal) extends 20,000ft (6,096m) below the waves to the ocean floor. Above the water, the mountain has a height of 7,711ft (2,350m),giving it a total base-to-height summit of 27,711ft (8,446m) – just fractionally shorter than Everest (see above).
Greatest vertical drop The granite peak of Mount Thor, located on Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, has a west face that consists of a vertical drop of 1,250m (4,101ft). The face has an average angle of 105° and, unsurprisingly, is popular with rock climbers.
35
PLANET EARTH
BODIES OF WATER Deepest point in the sea
The Challenger Deep, located beneath the Pacific Ocean 300km (186mi) south-west of Guam, is the deepest point in the world’s oceans. Recent surveys have found that the bottom of the Challenger Deep lies 10,994m (36,070ft) below sea level. The Challenger Deep was the location for the deepest manned ocean descent, carried out in the bathyscaphe Trieste by Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard and US Navy officer LtDon Walsh on 23Jan 1960. The two explorers descended tothe ocean floor in a section of the Challenger Deep that was10,911m (35,797ft; 6.78mi) below sea level.
Longest fjord Deepest blue hole “Blue holes” are underwater sinkholes – deep vertical shafts created by the slow erosion of limestone bedrock. The deepest blue hole is the Dragon Hole, situated off the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. A survey carried out in 2016 by the Sansha Ship Course Research Institute for Coral Protection (CHN) measured its depth at 300.89m (987ft). That’s deep enough to almost completely submerge theEiffel Tower.
The Nordvest Fjord in eastern Greenland extends inland 313km (195mi) from the sea. Fjords are narrow, steep-sided inlets created by glacial erosion.
Deepest lake
Lake Baikal is a freshwater lake located in a geological rift valley in south-eastern Siberia. It is 395mi (636km) long, with an average width of only 30mi (48km). In1974, the lake’s Olkhon Crevice was measured by the Hydrographic Service of the Soviet Pacific Navy and found to be 5,371ft (1,637m) deep. This extraordinary depth is why Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake by volume – holding an estimated 23,000km³ (5,500cumi) of water – despite being only the seventh-largest lake by area.
Largest area of calm water
Covering an area of some 6.2millionkm² (2.4millionsqmi) in the centre of the North Atlantic, the Sargasso Sea is the world’s largest area of calm water. The region is formed by a system of ocean currents called the North Atlantic Gyre, and is named forthe sargassum seaweed that covers its surface. The Sargasso Sea’s counterpart at the centre of the North Pacific Gyre has the dubious honour of being the largest oceanic “garbage patch”. This roughly Texas-sized region ofcalm sea has around 5.114kg of plastic for every 1km2 (29lb3oz per sq mi) ofseawater.
Flattest place on Earth
Abyssal plains are vast expanses of flat, featureless terrain found at the deepest parts of the ocean. They cover approximately 40% of the ocean floor. The uniform flatness is caused by the accumulation of sediments, up to 3mi (5km) thick in places. This means that there is less than 5ft (1.5m) ofvertical variation in a square mile (2.78km²) of seafloor.
Largest lake The largest body of water enclosed entirely by land is the Caspian Sea in Central Asia. It covers 371,000km² (143,243sqmi) and measures 1,199 km (745mi) at its longest from north to south. Some would argue, however, that the salty Caspian Sea is a sea, not a lake. In that case the title would pass to the largest freshwater lake: Lake Superior on the US–Canada border, which covers 82,414km² (31,820sqmi).
Shallowest sea
At its deepest point, the Sea of Azov (an area of the northern Black Sea almost completely surrounded by land) is only 14m (45.9ft) deep, and it has an average depth of only 7m (23ft). The largest passenger liner, MS Harmony of the Seas, would run aground if it entered the Sea of Azov, as its hull extends some 9.3m (30ft 6in) below the waterline.
Largest ocean The Pacific Ocean covers approximately 59millionsqmi (152.8million km²) of Earth’s surface, representing around half of the world’s oceans by area. The movement of Earth’s crust is causing the Pacific to shrink (at a rate of 2–3cm peryear), which means that itwill likely lose its record to the slow-growing Atlantic in the far-distant future. With an area of some 5.4millionsqmi (13.9million km²), the Arctic is the smallest ocean. It has an average depth of 12,000 ft (3,657m), making it also the shallowest ocean.
The survey team ay deoR used a small Vi ated remotely oper above) vehicle (pictured pth fitted with a de rm sensor to confi . theirresults
LEADING LAKES Largest lake created by anuclear explosion On 15Jan 1965, the Soviet Union detonated a 140-kiloton nuclear bomb under the Chagan River, in what is now north-eastern Kazakhstan. The debris thrown up by this test dammed the river, forming a reservoir. It is now known as Lake Chagan and holds around 100,000m³ (3,531,000cuft) of significantly radioactive water. 36
Saltiest lake The Gaet’ale Pond in the Danakil Depression, Ethiopia, has 43.3% salt by weight – nearly twice the salinity of the Dead Sea and more than 12times the average salinity of the world’s oceans (3.5%). The least salty sea is the Baltic Sea. The waters in some of its bays have as little as 0.6–0.8% salt by weight, rising to around 3.3% nearer the North Sea.
Largest crater lake
Most contaminated lake
Lake Toba, in the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is the site of a supervolcanic eruption around 75,000 years ago that drove humanity to the brink of extinction. The crater formed by the eruption has since filled with water to form Lake Toba, which is around 100km (62mi) by 30km (18mi) in extent, and 505m (1,656ft) atit*deepestpoint.
Between 1951 and the mid‑1970s, Lake Karachay in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, was used as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. In 1968, a drought uncovered the 11‑ft-deep (3.4‑m) layer of toxic sludge on the lakebed, exposing thousands of local people to dangerous radioactive dust. Today, the lake has been filled in with concrete, but the area is still dangerous.
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Largest body of fresh water
In1956, the USSGlacier sighted an icebe rg in the Southern Oc estimated area ean with an of 31,000km² (12,000sqmi). If tru have dwar fed th e, it would iceberg ever re e largest co there were no sarded, but back then to cotellites nfirm thesize.
Giant icebergs In Jul2017, an iceberg measuring some 5,800km² (2,200sqmi) broke away from the LarsenC ice shelf in Antarctica (above). It isn’t the largest iceberg ever recorded, however; that was B‑15, an 11,000-km² (4,200‑sq‑mi) iceberg that broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in Mar2000.
Largest ephemeral lake Ephemeral lakes are bodies of water created by exceptionally heavy rainfall in areas that typically get very little. The largest is Lake Eyre in Australia, a dry salt flat that is sometimes flooded by heavy rainfall. In 1974, unusually heavy monsoon rains created a temporary inland sea up to 6m (19ft 8in) deep and covering some 8,020km² (3,100 sqmi).
PLANET EARTH
The Antarctic ice cap is not a sea or a lake, but it is a body of water nonetheless. It holds some 26.92 millionkm3 (6.45 million cumi) of fresh water – about 70% of all the fresh water in the world. This body of water also has a body of water under it. Lake Vostok, the largest subglacial lake, lies 3,700–4,200m (12,139–13,779ft) below the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. It covers an area of some 15,000km² (5,791sqmi) and has adepthof at least 100m (330ft).
Largest desert lake Lake Turkana, located on the edge of Kenya’s Chalbi Desert in the Great Rift Valley, has a surface area of 6,405km² (2,472sqmi) and an average depth of 100ft (30.2m). It is fed by the Omo, Turkwel and Kerio rivers, though its inflow is threatened by irrigation projects. There is no outflow from Lake Turkana, so the only water loss is by evaporation.
Largest pink lake Retba Lake, better known as Lac Rose (Pink Lake), is a shallow lagoon measuring 1.5 x 5km (0.9 x 3mi) located near Dakar in Senegal. Its intense pink colour is the result of a micro-organism called Dunaliella salina, which thrives in the lake’s highly salty water. 37
PLANET EARTH
RIVERS Largest river basin
The term river basin – or drainage basin – describes an area in which all rainfall (or snowmelt) ends up flowing into the same river. Unsurprisingly, the largest of these is the one that feeds the largest river (see right). The Amazon basin covers some 7,045,000km² (2,720,000sq mi), including parts of Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.
Largest delta
Highest river The source of the Yarlung Zangbo River lies some 6,020m (19,750ft) above sea level at the foot of the Angsi Glacier in Tibet, China. No continuously flowing river has a higher origin. It flows east across the Tibetan Plateau, falling to 3,000m (9,800ft) before crossing into India, where it is known as the Brahmaputra River.
Deepest river The Congo River, which runs 4,700km (2,920mi) through central Africa, is the second-largest river by flow rate (see top right). In some places, it has carved a channel 220m (721ft) deep – twice as deep as the Amazon at its deepest point.
A delta is a fan-shaped pattern of forked channels, islands and wetlands that forms at the mouth of some large sedimentcarrying rivers. The largest is found in Bangladesh, where two massive rivers, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, meet to form the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. This covers an area of 75,000km² (30,000 sqmi) and stretches from eastern Bangladesh to West Bengal in India. In areas with a greater tidal range, large rivers form estuaries instead of deltas where they meet the sea. These are areas where the river water and seawater mix to create a partially tidal stretch of river. The longest estuary is that of the Ob, in northern Russia. It is 885km (550mi) long and some 80km (50mi) wide.
Largest subglacial river
Satellite studies of lakes under the Antarctic ice revealed huge rivers of water at its base. A flow of 1.8km³ (0.43cumi) of water over 16 months, roughly three-quarters the discharge rate of the River Thames (UK), could account for changes in the elevation of the ice surface above. The studies were led by University College London and Bristol University (both UK).
Lowest river
The mouth of the Jordan River lies roughly 430m (1,410ft) below sea level. It is the only major water source that flows into the Dead Sea, the lowest exposed body of water. The Dead Sea is what is known as an endorheic basin, lacking any outlet to the ocean. The hot climate ensures that the water flowing in from the Jordan evaporates before the lake can overflow.
Longest river with its drainage basin in one country
At 6,300km (3,915mi) in length, the Chāng Jiāng River (also known as the Yangtze) is the third-longest river and the longest in Asia. Unusually for such a long river, its complete length and entire drainage basin is contained within just one country: China. China’s second-longest river, the Huang He (or “Yellow River”), is also a record holder, though for very different reasons. In Sep 1887, massive flooding on the HuangHe killed an estimated 900,000 people – the highest death toll from a flood and highest death toll from a natural disaster. It flooded again in
Largest river (by flow rate) The Amazon River discharges an average of 200,000m³ (7,100,000cuft) into the Atlantic Ocean every second – that’s enough to fill Lake Geneva in about five days. This increases to more than 340,000m³ (12,000,000cuft) per second in full flood. The flow of the Amazon is 60 times greater than that of the Nile. The Amazon drawsfrom the world’s largest river basin (see left). While not in flood, the main stretches of the river (i.e., not its tidal reaches, where an estuary/delta can be much wider) can reach widths of up to 11km (7mi), making it the world’s widest river. 1931, probably with far more fatalities, but no reliable records exist for this catastrophe. Over the course of the 20th century, however, this once fearsome river (nicknamed “China’s Sorrow”) has been so extensively diverted for irrigation that it holds the dubious honour of being the largest river to run dry. For several months each year, its channel becomes choked with silt in Henan Province, some 400km (250mi) before it reaches the sea.
Longest underground river
In Mar 2007, cave divers Stephen Bogaerts (UK) and Robbie Schmittner (DEU) reported that two months previously they had discovered a 153‑km (95‑mi) river beneath the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. The river has so many twists and turns that it manages to reach this length despite its source and mouth being only 10km (6mi) apart. Theworst of the Citarum’s pollution com the local textile es from in which uses ha dustry, chemicals and rmful he metals to dye anav y prepare fabrics d .
Most polluted river (current) The Citarum River, which flows through the industrial districts to the east of Jakarta, Indonesia, is the most polluted in the world. According to studies carried out in 2013, the river holds 1,000 times more lead than is considered safe, as well as faecal matter, household waste and various toxic chemicals.
WONDERFUL WATERFALLS Largest by vertical area Victoria Falls (also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya) is neither the tallest nor the widest waterfall in the world (see right), but it is the largest. It is here that the wide Zambezi River plunges into a series of zigzagging gorges. The falls are 1,708m (5,604ft) wide and 108m (354ft) high, creating a sheet of falling water with an area of around 2million sqft (184,400m²). 38
Greatest annual flow Inga Falls is a series of rapids and waterfalls located on the Congo River (see above left), some 280km (174mi) downstream from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Waterfall Database estimates that 910,000cuft (25,768m³) of water flows over Inga Falls every second. The largest single drop is 21m (69ft) high.
Largest ever During the last Ice Age, which peaked some 22,000years ago, a roughly 600‑m‑high (1,968‑ft) ice dam blocked the Clark Fork River in what is now Montana, USA. A lake holding around 2,000km³ (500cumi) of water formed behind it, called Glacial Lake Missoula. On around 40 occasions, rising temperatures caused the dam to fail, creating monstrous
100‑km/h (62‑mph) walls of water that tore across what is now Washington and Oregon, draining the lake in 48hr. On their way to the Pacific, these torrents flowed over a giant waterfall that was 115m (377ft) high and 5.6km (3.4mi) wide. Its remains, called Dry Falls, can still be seen in the floodwaterscoured region known as the ChanneledScablands, west ofSeattle.
Nile 6,695km (4,160mi) Amazon 6,400km (3,976mi) Chāng Jiāng (Yangtze) 6,300km (3,915mi)
PLANET EARTH
erable There is consid er the ov y rs ve ro nt co ich is the question of whme expert s So . er riv t es long e Amazon believe that thlongest at e th ly al tu ac is mi). 6,992km (4,3 44
Longest river Measured from its delta in Egypt to the headwaters of its most distant tributary in Burundi, the Nile is c.6,695km (4,160mi) long. That’s about the same as the straight-line distance from New York, USA, to Helsinki, Finland. The Nile passes through 11countries in north-eastern Africa – Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt – before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Despite its length and vast drainage basin, the Nile has just 1.5% of the flow rate of the Amazon (see opposite). Widest With a total average width of 10,783m (35,377ft), the Khône Falls on the Mekong River in Laos are around eight times the width of the famous Niagara Falls on the US–Canadian border. The falls comprise a series of rapids and waterfalls – the tallest of which is about 21m (69ft) high – which weave between an archipelago of small islands and rocky outcrops.
Tallest (multi-tiered) The Tugela Falls are near the source of the Tugela River in South Africa’s Royal Natal National Park. The falls descend 948m (3,110ft) in a series of five drops from a high plateau in the Drakensberg Mountains. Their name is a phonetic spelling of the Zulu word “Thukela”, which means “startling” – a reference to the Tugela River’s sudden drop from a huge escarpment.
The Nile (highlighted in red) has two major tributaries: the Blue Nile (light blue), which flows from Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the longer White Nile (yellow), which flows from Lake Victoria in central Africa.
Tallest (single drop) Most sources regard Angel Falls (known locally as Kerepakupai Merú) in eastern Venezuela as the tallest continuous waterfall. Based on a 1949 survey, it has a total drop of 979m (3,212ft). Most of this height is accounted for by what is widely accepted as the longest single-drop waterfall (left), plunging 807m (2,648ft) from a tepui (table-top mountain) calledAuyán-tepui. 39
PLANET EARTH
ISLANDS Largest continental island
Most remote inhabitedisland Tristan da Cunha (A on map below) lies 2,435km (1,315nauticalmi) to the south-west of the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic. In 1961, owing to volcanic activity Tristan’s inhabitants were evacuated – 198returned in Nov1963. It has an area of 98km2 (38sqmi).
Australia draws mixed views as to whether it should be classified as an island or a continent (see p.32). It is, in fact, the largest continental island in the world, and is unique in the definition as it has tectonic independence from other tectonic plates and possesses its own distinct species of flora and fauna. With a totalland area of 7,617,930 km2 (2,941,299 sq mi), Australia is more than three times the size of Greenland, which is considered the largest island (see below right).
Largest sand island
Fraser Island stretches for 120km (75mi) along the coast of the Australian state of Queensland and covers a total area of 1,840km2 (720sqmi). It is formed from vast sand deposits that can reach heights of up to 240m (787ft) above sea level.
Largest uninhabited island
Devon Island is part of the Canadian archipelago in the Arctic Circle, and lies to the north of Baffin Island (the world’s fifth largest island). It has an area of around 55,247km2 (21,331sqmi). A third of the island is covered with ice while the rest ismostly barren, with glacial meltwater gullies and lakes.
Oldest island
A
Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean, became an island 80–100 million years ago, when it split off from the Indian subcontinent. An area of 587,041km2 (226,657 sqmi) makes itthe fourth-largest island in the world.
B
Largest raised coral atoll
A raised coral atoll is an island that forms as a normal coral atoll, only to be uplifted by tectonic forces. The largest of these is Lifou Island, which forms part of French New Caledonia in the south-west Pacific Ocean. It measures 1,207km2 (466sqmi) in area and is the most populous of the Loyalty Islands, with around 9,000inhabitants as of2014.
Most islands within an atoll
Huvadhu Atoll, located in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, covers an area of around 2,900km2 (1,120 sq mi) and contains some 255 islands within its boundary.
Longest barrier island Remotest island Discovered in the South Atlantic by explorer Jean‑Baptiste Bouvet de Lozier on 1Jan1739, Bouvet Island (B above) is an uninhabited Norwegian dependency. It lies around 2,600 km (1,404 nautical mi) from the nearest inhabited place – Tristan de Cunha.
Formed by wave and current action, barrier islands are narrow and run parallel to mainline coastlines. Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coastline of the US state of Texas, measures around 182km (113mi) in length.
Most islands for an archipelago The Archipelago Sea lies within Finnish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea and contains around 40,000separate islands. It includes the Åland Islands, an autonomous and Swedish-speaking region of Finland. The archipelago is still gradually rising in the water following the end of the last Ice Age: a process known as “post-glacial rebound”.
Lowest island
Situated within Āfrēra Ye’ch’ew lake in Ethiopia, the island of Āfrēra Desēt sits at 103m (338ft) below sea level. The lowest lake on a sea-level island is Lake Enriquillo, which lies around 46m (151ft) below sea level in a rift valley inthe south of the Dominican Republic. The highest islands are located in the Orba Co lake in Tibet, which lies at 17,090ft (5,209m) above sea level. Largest island Discounting Australia (see above left), the largest island in the world is Greenland, with an area of about 840,000sqmi (2,175,600km2). Most of the island is situated north of the Arctic Circle, buried in a permanent ice cap that measures as much as 3km (1.8mi) thick. Itscoastline is shaped by hundreds of glacial fjords.
Tallest island in a lake
Isla Ometepe is an island formed by two volcanoes (Volcán Maderas and Volcán Concepción) on Nicaragua’s Lake Nicaragua. The higher of the two volcanoes, Concepción, rises to a height of 1,610m (5,282ft) above sea level, making it the tallest island in a lake on Earth.
RECURSIVE LAKE ISLANDS The formation of lake islands is due to a number of causes: a build-up of sedimentation, earthquakes, volcanic activity or shoreline erosions. But when lake islands have their own lakes – and their own islands in turn – things start to get really complicated! Check out our head-spinning list of the largest lakes and islands contained within them. (Diagrams not to scale.) 40
Largest island
Largest lake
Largest island in a lake
Largest lake on an island
Greenland (see above right) has an area of 840,000sqmi (2,175,600km2) – more than three times the size of the USstate of Texas. As of2017, it had a population of around 56,000, ranking it 207th out of233countries on Earth.
Situated on the border of south-eastern Europe and the Asian continent, the Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water. It has a total coastline of 7,000km (4,350mi) and a surface area of371,000km2 (143,243 sq mi).
Manitoulin Island, in the Canadian section of Lake Huron, measures 2,766km2 (1,068sqmi). The 174th largest island in the world, it has four major rivers and 108freshwater lakes, some of which have their own islands.
A freshwater lake located on Baffin Island, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Nettilling Lake measures 5,542km2 (2,140 sqmi) in area. Frozen for long periods of the year, it is home to ring seals and three species of fish.
Top five islands by area 1. Greenland – 2,175,600 km 2 (840,000 sqmi) 2. New Guinea – 785,753 km 2 (303,381 sqmi) 3. Borneo – 748,168 km 2 (288,869 sqmi) 4. Madagascar – 587,041 km 2 (226,657 sqmi) 5. Baffin Island – 503,944 km 2 (194,574 sq mi)
PLANET EARTH
Hidden away in Icelandic Highla the Lake Langisj nds, off icially discov ór was late 19thcentur ered in the (12mi) long an y. It is 20km d (1.2mi) wide – just 2km hence its name, which tra nsla as “Long Sea”. tes
Youngest island Surtsey, off the south coast of Iceland, formed on 14Nov 1963 when the new land created by an undersea volcano finally breached the ocean surface. By 1967, Surtsey had grown to around 1sqmi (2.7km2), although it is gradually shrinking owing to erosion.
Largest island created by volcanic eruptions Measuring 103,000km2 (39,768 sqmi), Iceland was formed about 70 million years ago from volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a seam under the North Atlantic Ocean where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. Molten lava poured to the surface and began to cool (artist’s impression inset), creating land. There are 35active volcanoes on Iceland – among the most feared are Hekla and Katla, known as the “Angry Sisters”. Largest island in a lakeonanisland
Largest lake on an islandinalake
Largest island in a lake onanisland in a lake
Largest lake on an island inalake on an island
Largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island
The island of Samosir, situated in Lake Toba on Sumatra, Indonesia, has an area of 630km2 (243 sqmi). It is a volcanic island, formed by anerupting supervolcano around 75,000 years ago.
Manitou Lake has an area of 106km2 (41sqmi) and is located on Canada’s Manitoulin Island, the world’s largest island in a lake (see left). The lake itself contains anumber of islands.
Treasure Island (or Mindemoya Island) is 1.4km (0.87mi) in length and has an area of 0.4km2 (0.15sqmi). It is found on Lake Mindemoya, on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, Canada.
A nameless 1.5-km2 (0.57sqmi) lake sits on a nameless islandwithin Nettilling Lakeon Baffin Island in northern Canada. Nettilling Lake is itself Canada’s 11th‑largest lake.
A small islet measuring 0.016km2 (0.006sqm) lies in a lake on an island within a bigger lake on Canada’s Victoria Island. Satellite images have confirmed itssizeand island status.
41
PLANET EARTH
BIOMES Largest biome
The pelagic zone covers the open ocean away from the shore and the seabed, and has a volume of around 1.3billion km3 (319million cumi). This massive biome contains many of the largest animals on Earth, including whales and giant squids.
Largest alpine biome
Youngest biome The Arctic tundra formed only around 10,000years ago. It is a treeless and windy region encircling the North Pole along the northern coastlines of Russia and Canada, as well as parts of Greenland. Its 48species of animal include polar bears, foxes, wolves, rodents and caribou.
The Tibetan alpine steppe covers around 875,000km2 (337,839sqmi). Alpine biomes begin at an altitude of around 10,000ft (3,048m) and continue up to the snowline. The harsh conditions have led to an absence of any cold-blooded animals. Plants tend to grow close to the ground because of the wind and cold.
Largest desert
With around 50mm (2in) of precipitation per year, Antarctica meets the geographical definition of a desert (see below right). The polar continent has an area of 14millionkm2 (5.4millionsqmi). The largest hot desert is the Sahara in North Africa, whichcovers about 9.1million km2 (3.5million sqmi) andhasan east-to-west extent of 5,150km (3,200mi).
Largest temperate deciduous forest biome
Temperate deciduous forests lose their leaves each year and receive an average of 30–60in (76–152cm) of rainfall annually. The largest example extends for about 1,900mi (3,057km) north along the Pacific coast of North America, from San Francisco Bay to Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Its total area is around 17,873,700km2 (6,901,074sqmi).
Greatest mangrove cover by country
Deepest marine biome The hadal zone covers ocean trenches and begins at a depth of around 6,000m (19,685ft). This region is characterized by a lack of sunlight and pressures up to 986.9atmospheres (1.01tonnes percm2/ 14,503 psi). Most animals at this depth have evolved to use bioluminescence as a lightsource.
According to a report by USscientists Stuart Hamilton and Daniel Casey, Indonesia has the largest area of any country containing mangroves. By analysing data from ecosystem databases, they calculated that, as of2014, Indonesia had 42,278km2 (16,323sqmi) of mangrove biome– 25.79% of the global total.
in Animals found e the taiga biom ars, er, be include elk, de bbits, wolverines, ra ound squirrels and aries 32,000spec of insect.
Largest greenhouse The Eden Project (see above right), near St Austell in Cornwall, UK, consists of two giant domed biomes. The humid tropics biome covers 25,390m2 (273,295sqft) andhas a total volume of 415,730m3 (14.681million cuft). The warm temperate biome has 6,540m2 (70,395sqft) of floor space and a volume of 85,620m3 (3.02million cuft).
Deepest cold seep
First discovered in the Gulf of Mexico in1983, cold seeps are an ocean-floor biome sustained by methane- and sulphide-rich fluids seeping from the seabed. The deepest yet discovered lies at a depth of 7,434m (24,389ft) in the Japan Trench, off thecoast of Japan, in the Pacific Ocean.
Oldest terrestrial biome
Earth’s current rainforests have been established for at least a million years. The last Ice Age, which ended around 10,000years ago, had covered much of the world’s forests inice but left the equatorial forests untouched.
Largest terrestrial biome The taiga (Russian for “forest”) is a boreal, coniferous forest with an area of 16.6million km2 (6.4million sq mi). Itencircles land south of the Arctic tundra biome, covering vast swathes of North America, Russia and Asia. The taiga accounts for around one-third of the world’s forested area and is larger than any other major region ofdesert, tundra or grassland.
BIOMES The term “biome” refers to communities of plants and animals characterized by theiradaptations to a particular environment. Terrestrial biomes are defined by temperature and amount of precipitation, while aquatic biomes are divided into fresh water and marine. Many subdivisions exist in scientific literature. Here are some of the most commonly recognized: 42
Marine The largest biome (see above) covers around70% of Earth’s surface, including estuaries, coral reefs and oceans.
Freshwater Bodies of water with very little salt, such as rivers, lakes, ponds and streams, accounting for some 20% of Earth.
Temperate grasslands Plains and gentle hills where grasses, herbs and flowers grow, such as the US prairies or Argentina’s pampas.
Savanna Grasslands that experience very wet and very dry seasons (too dry for forests). Found near the Equator.
The Eden Project
11
Plants: 135,000, from4,500 species.
Temperature: 18–35°C (64–95°F), in the humid tropicsbiome.
1,000,000
Visitors: 1million passed through its doors in2016.
Height: the tropics biome is as tall as 11double-decker buses – and the length of24.
24
Current-best estimates suggest that as many as 50–75% of all Earth’s living species are concentrated in rainforests, which cover around 6–7% of the planet’s land. The largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon, which spans nine South American countries and covers between 6.24and 6.56million km2 (2.4–2.53million sqmi), depending upon the exact definition. The rainforest represents more than 80%of the Amazon biome, and contains a dazzling array of different animal species (see below).
PLANET EARTH
Biome with the greatest biodiversity
The biodive terrestrial biom rsity of due to differe es is mainly microbes. Ocea nt species of fewer species bun biomes have number of diffe t a far higher re phyla, and thus nt animal ar diverse on that e more level.
Animals of the Amazon
Mammals The Amazon rainforest is home to many species of monkey, including howlers, spiders, tamarinsand capuchins.
Temperate forest Wooded areas with moist conditions and four distinct seasons. Home to large, deciduous (leaf-shedding) trees.
Birds The curl-crested aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii) inhabits the south-western zone of the Amazon basin.
Tundra Very little precipitation, low temperatures, poor soil nutrition and brief growing seasons typify this biome.
Amphibians The nocturnal Manaus slender-legged tree frog (Osteocephalus taurinus) perches in Amazon basin trees and by ponds.
Rainforest Tropical areas occupying 6–7% of the planet, but home to most of the flora and fauna. Produce around 40% of Earth’s oxygen.
Reptiles The yellow-spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) can be sighted in tributaries ofthe Amazon river.
Taiga/boreal forest Vast wooded areas in cold climates. Home to conifers, pines and other trees with needles rather than leaves.
Insects The spiny devil katydid (Panacanthus cuspidatus) is a predatory insect indigenous to the Amazonbasin.
Desert Some 10% of Earth. Defined by annual precipitation – less than 250mm (9.8in) – rather than temperature (see above left). 43
PLANET EARTH
NATURAL DISASTERS Most powerful earthquake
The Chilean earthquake of 22May1960 registered 9.5 on the moment magnitude (MW) scale. In Chile, it killed more than 2,000 people, injured 3,000 and left some 2million homeless, with a tsunami (giant wave) that caused great damage and around 200deaths in Hawaii, Japan and the US west coast.
Deadliest lake
The lake responsible for the most deaths without drowning is Lake Nyos in Cameroon, Central Africa. On the night of 21Aug 1986, between 1,600 and 1,800 people and countless animals were killed by a large natural release of carbon dioxide gas.
HIGHEST DEATH TOLL CAUSED BY… Lightning strike (direct)
Highest earthquake death toll of modern times At 4:53 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 12Jan2010, a 7-Mw earthquake struck with an epicentre around 25km (15.5mi) west of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Official estimates from the Haitian government one year after the disaster estimated the number of people killed by the quake at 316,000, although other estimates place the death toll at nearer 100,000. Some 1.3million people were displaced by theearthquake, with 97,294 houses destroyed.
On 23Dec 1975, a lightning flash killed 21people in a hut in Manica Tribal Trust Lands in eastern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The mortality record was confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in May2017. The WMO also revealed that on 2Nov 1994, there were 469confirmed fatalities in the highest death toll caused by a lightning strike (indirect). During thunderstorms over Dronka in Egypt, a lightning flash had ignited three tanker cars, each holding aircraft or diesel fuel. The railway line under the cars collapsed in a flood, which carried the blazing fuel into the town. The highest death toll from an in-flight lightning strike is 91 people, who died when Peruvian airline LANSA’s Flight 508 was hit and crashed into the Amazon rainforest on 24Dec 1971.
Hailstorm
In May2017, a WMO committee made public its in-depth investigation of documented mortality records for tropical cyclones, tornadoes, direct and indirect lightning strikes and hailstorms. The report noted that a hailstorm near Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, India, on 30Apr 1888 had killed 246 people.
Tornado
On 26Apr 1989, two towns in Manikganj District in Bangladesh were wiped out by a tornado. This violent storm, with a track of about 1mi (1.6km) wide, injured more than 12,000people and purportedly killed around 1,300 individuals, with as many as 80,000 made homeless, according to the WMO.
Highest death toll from a tsunami On 26Dec 2004, an earthquake with a value of 9 MW occurred under the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Indonesia. The resulting tsunami inundated the coasts of nine different countries around the Indian Ocean. As of 20Jan 2005, at least 226,000 people are known tohave perished.
Blizzard
From 3 to 9 Feb 1972, a blizzard dropped more than 10ft (3m) of snow across parts of rural Iran, ending a four-year drought. Approximately 4,000 people are estimated to have died.
Volcanic eruption
When the Tambora volcano in Sumbawa, Indonesia (then Dutch East Indies), erupted from 5 to 10Apr 1815, at least 71,000 people were killed.
Tropical cyclone
The WMO’s May2017 study confirmed that the Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) Cyclone, also referred to as the “Great Bhola Cyclone”, of 12–13 Nov 1970 had killed an estimated 300,000people. Most perished in a large storm surge that hit the islands and tidal flats along the shores of the Bay of Bengal.
Earthquake (ever)
The quake that struck China’s Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan provinces on 2Feb 1556 killed an estimated 830,000 people. Costliest tropical cyclone In terms of property damage (not adjusted for inflation), the most costly cyclones are jointly Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Katrina. Harvey (main picture) hit land on 26Aug 2017, drifting through central Texas and causing major flooding. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report of 23Jan 2018 put the insured losses at $125bn (£92.6bn), as of the end of 2017. Katrina (inset) made landfall on 29Aug 2005. Winds of 280 km/h (174mph) ravaged Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama in particular. The NOAA gauged that it had also caused around $125bn of damage. Adjusted using the US Consumer Price Index, however, this rises to $161.3bn (£119.5bn) in 2017 dollars, making Katrina the costliest tropical cyclone (inflation-adjusted).
THE COST OF A NATURAL DISASTER Costliest year for natural disasters
Worst damage toll from an ice storm The North American Ice Storm of 1998 deposited some 5in (12.7cm) of freezing rain over much of Quebec and Ontario in Canada, as well as northern New England in the USA. The cost of the damage is thought to have exceeded $4.4bn (£2.6bn). 44
According to a report published by The Economist on 31Mar 2012, and based on figures from insurers Swiss Re, the most expensive year for natural disasters was 2011, with an estimated global loss of $362bn (£234.2bn). The worst single event was the Tōhoku earthquake on 11Mar, the costliest single natural disaster ever (see opposite): two-thirds of all the people killed in such events in 2011 died in the Japanese quake and its aftermath. Prior to 2011, the most costly year for natural disasters was 2005, when losses were put at $225bn (£130.7bn). Seen here, a Somali girl carries a water container at the Halabokhad IDP settlement in Galkayo, Somalia, on 20Jul 2011, when drought in East Africa had given rise to famine and displacement.
As of 2016 – the last year for which complete figures are available – Haiti had suffered the most fatalities caused by natural disasters per 100,000 inhabitants*. The full top five is as follows:
Haiti
5.52
Fiji
5.12
Ecuador
4.19
Korea (DPR)
Zimbabwe
1.72
2.42
*Source: Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2016: The Numbers and Trends, from the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).
PLANET EARTH
With a value of 9.1 MW, the Tōho ku quake remains the mos earthquake to t powerful and the four th hit Japan m quake since modost powerful keeping beganern recordin 1900.
Costliest natural disaster According to estimates by The Economist, the earthquake and associated tsunami that struck off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku, Japan, on 11Mar 2011 resulted in an economic loss to the country of $210bn (£130bn). Of that total, however, only $35bn (£21.6bn) was insured. The figure in the foreground turns away from what was once his house. It was swept away in the tsunami that struck Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture, north Japan, some 400km (248 mi) north of Tokyo. Citizens of Natori City in Miyagi Prefecture cycle through the devastation caused by the same earthquake. This photograph was taken nine days after the catastrophic event.
Worst damage toll from a fire disaster The fire following the earthquake on 18Apr 1906 in San Francisco, California, USA, cost an estimated $350m, the equivalent of around $9.22bn (£6.55bn) in 2018. The devastating quake registered 7.8 M W and levelled about 80% of the city. Approximately 3,000people perished in the disaster.
Worst damage toll from a hailstorm A massive hailstorm in Munich, Germany, in Jul1984, which affected around 70,000homes and destroyed trees, buildings and vehicles, led to insurance costs of $500m (£378m). The final bill, which included losses to the economy caused by damage to uninsured buildings and public property, was put at$1bn (£756.9m).
Worst damage toll for a snowstorm Altogether, $5.5bn (£3.8bn) worth of damage was caused by a monumental winter storm that traversed the entire east coast of the USA on 11–14Mar1993. Approximately 300 people died in the storm, which was described by one meteorologist as “a storm with the heart of a blizzard and the soul of a hurricane”. 45
PLANET EARTH
ROUND-UP Largest natural goldreserve
The world’s oceans contain around 20million tonnes (22million US tons) of gold. This is equivalent in value to around 10times the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), as of 2017. However, the concentration of gold in seawater is typically such that one litre of water contains only around 13billionths of a gram of gold. There are no means of economically extracting gold from seawater, so it will remain in this natural gold reserve unless science can provide a solution.
Largest coral-reef die-off
Longest cave system Mammoth Cave (top) in Kentucky, USA, is a network of linked limestone caves, of which around 640km (397mi) has been explored. It took some 25million years to form, via the weathering action of the Green River and its tributaries. In Jan 2018, divers confirmed that the 264‑km (164-mi) Sistema Sac Actun and the 84‑km-long (52‑mi) DosOjos system in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula are linked by a previously unexplored channel. This underwater cave complex (above) is 347km (215.6mi) long overall, making it the longest underwater cave system explored. It is named after the larger of the two systems.
As many as four rainbows could e tim be seen at one ations, rv during the obse d3,520 which include ed time- confirm photographs.
In 1998, a rise in ocean temperatures saw some 16% of all coral reefs bleach and die. Bleaching is a phenomenon in which damaged reefs shed their symbiotic algae, leaving just the stone-like forms of the coral itself. The 1998 ElNiño phenomenon (in which parts of the Pacific Ocean warmed up considerably) probably triggered the event.
Warmest year on record Overall, the year 2016 was the hottest recorded to date, at 0.83°C (1.49°F) higher than the baseline World Meteorological
Largest single crystal on Earth Our planet’s inner core is a sphere of mostly iron, some 2,442km (1,517mi) across. At 5,000–6,000°C (9,000– 10,800°F), it is solid rather than liquid, because of the immense pressures in Earth’s interior. Many geologists now believe that this gigantic ball of iron is actually a single crystal, created by differences in the behaviour of seismic waves passing through it in different directions. Itis about three-quarters the size of the Moon, and has amass of around 100quintillion (1x1020) tonnes. Organization’s (WMO) 1961–90 reference period. This statistic was published by the WMO on 18Jan 2017.
Highest temperature recorded on Earth
On 13Sep 2012, the WMO announced that the existing record for the highest temperature – 58°C (136.4°F) at El Azizia in Libya – was invalid, owing to inaccurate
readings. The declaration came exactly 90years after it had been established. The official highest temperature is now 56.7°C (134°F), as measured on 10Jul 1913 at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California, USA. During the Southern Hemisphere winter on 21Jul 1983, temperatures at Russia’s Vostok research station in Antarctica plunged to -89.2°C (-128.6°F), some 54°C (97.2°F) colder than the seasonal average. This is the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
Longest-lasting rainbow observation On 30Nov 2017, a rainbow over Yangmingshan in Chinese Taipei was continuously observed for 8hr 58min from the observation decks of the Chinese Culture University (TPE) by members of its Atmospheric Sciences department. It is thought that the phenomenon wascaused by the arrival of a seasonal monsoon wind carrying water vapour from the sea. 46
added to by a smaller volcanic event around 90million years ago. Two other south-west Pacific plateaus – the Manihiki and the Hikurangi, which are now separated from the OJP by later ocean basins – are of similar age and composition and are thought to have been formed as a single plateau of lava called the Ontong Java-Manihiki-Hikurangi Plateau. This covered 1% of Earth’s surface and comprised 80,000,000km³ (19,000,000cubicmi) of basaltic magma.
ystals The celestine crlls of this wa e th e lin that 6in cave are up to 1ft d weigh an ss ro ac ) m (46c kg). up to 300lb (136
Largest measuredtornado
A tornado with a diameter of 2.6mi (4.18km) was measured using Doppler radar by the US National Weather Service on 31May 2013 in ElReno, Oklahoma, USA.
Most intense rainfall Largest geode The so-called “Crystal Cave” was discovered in 1897, when the owners of Heineman Winery in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, USA, excavated 40 ft (12.1m) beneath the property to dig a well. The cave is a single geode (a cavity lined with crystals or minerals) of strontium sulphate (SrSO4), aka celestine. The geode measures approximately 35ft (10.7m) at its broadest and is around 10ft (3m) high.
Longest continuously erupting volcano
Mount Stromboli, in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Italy, has been undergoing continuous volcanic eruptions since at least the 7thcenturybce, when its activity was recorded by Greek colonists. Stromboli’s regular mild explosions of gas and lava (usually several each hour) have earned it the nickname the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean”.
It can be difficult to produce accurate readings for brief periods of rainfall. That said, the 38.1mm (1.5in) of rain that fell in just 1min at BasseTerre, Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean on 26Nov 1970 is widely regarded as the most intense shower ever recorded.
Greatest rainfall in 48hours On 15–16 Jun 1995, Cherrapunji in India received 2.493m (8ft 2in) of rain over a two-day period (top), as verified by the WMO. Cherrapunji is a high-altitude town located in the north-east Indian state of Meghalaya. Although its 1,313‑m (4,308-ft) elevation contributes to the levels of annual rainfall it experiences, this is by far the most extreme 48-hr period ever recorded. On 24–27 Feb 2007, Cratère Commerson on Réunion island (above) received total rainfall of 4.936m (16ft 2in) – about as tall as an adult giraffe! This four-day totalrepresents the greatest rainfall in 96hours, as verified by the WMO.
Largest effusive eruption When streams of runny lava (aka “pāhoehoe”) flow from a volcano, rather than violently erupting out of it, it is termed an “effusive eruption”. Kīlauea on Hawaii’s BigIsland (shown) provides a good example: lava has flowed continually from it since 1983. However, it pales in comparison with the largest volumes produced in prehistoric times. Around 64.8million years ago, a single effusive eruption connected with the Mahabaleshwar– Rajahmundry Traps in Andhra Pradesh, India, is thought to have produced 9,300km3 (2,231 cubicmi) of pāhoehoe. This is around 3,000–4,000 times more lava than has ever been produced by the current Kīlauea eruption event.
Largest oceanic lavaplateau
During some periods in Earth’s history, volcanic magma (molten rock below the surface) has been produced in huge volumes that spread out over large areas of the planet. We have never witnessed one of these events in human history, but evidence for them can be found in huge oceanic lava plateaus. Located in the south-west Pacific Ocean, the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) was produced around 120million years ago and 47
Making History
The Wright Flyer The “LEGO®-fied” plane you see before you is a slightly truncated version of the original Wright Flyer*. But all the components are present and correct. In 1892, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright had opened a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio. Repairing as well as selling cycles, they honed their mechanical skills. They also kept upto-date with the latest experiments in manned flight, such as Otto Lilienthal’s work with gliders in Germany.
The Wrights observed the way that birds angled their wings for control in flight. This inspired the brothers’ patented “wing warping”, whereby the rear edges of an aircraft’s wings could be twisted in opposite directions. By late 1902, they had made a glider with a steerable rudder, enabling a pilot to control its flight. The following year saw a new design, with a custombuilt gasoline engine and a sprocket bicycle chain to turn the propellers: the Wright Flyer (or Flyer I). An attempt on 14Dec 1903, with Wilbur as the pilot, failed. But at 10:35 a.m. on 17Dec, in the Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina, Orville flew 120ft (36.5m) in a flight lasting 12sec. Three more test flights took place over the next 90min; the last saw Wilbur airborne for 59sec, covering 852ft (259.7m).
Elevator The two-wing structure at the front of the aircraft controlled the “pitch” (i.e., the up-and-down angle of the nose). The pilot was able to create more lift (i.e., gain height) by pulling back on the elevator lever (see below).
The wings were covered with muslin to make them smoother and so improve aerodynamic efficiency
Bicycle spoke wire was used as rigging to strengthen thestruts
Total length of the Wright Flyer : 21ft 11in (6.6m)
Fo r th e R e co
rd
ar the Kill ight occurred ne USA , at fl ed er w po t The firs Carolina, tt y Hawk, Nor th ille Wright Devil Hills in Ki 1903, when Orv ec D 17 on . m yerI (aka 10:35 a. ) chain- driven Fl hp 2(1 kW 9e aintained an flew th ft (36.5 m). He m 0 12 r fo r) ye Fl nd speed of Wright (48km/h), a grou ph m 30 (2.4 –3.6m) of ed airspe titude of 8–12ft al an d an ) /h ted by 6.8mph (10.9km ch was construc hi w I, r ye Fl e Th . d inthe for about 12sec , isnow exhibite ur ilb W r he ot br theSmithsonian Orville and his ace Museum at Sp d an r Ai l na Natio USA . ashington, DC, Institution in W
Elevator Lever The pilot lay flat in a cradle, facing the direction of flight (see above), and controlled the altitude of the aircraft by pulling and pushing a 1-ft (30.5-cm) rod attached by cables to the elevator. By moving his body – and therefore the cradle – the pilot could also reposition the wing tips and rudder. This, in turn, altered the plane’s “roll” and “yaw” (twisting), allowing for changes in direction while in the air.
*Minifigure and model plane not to scale 48
Wings The 40-ft 3-in-long (12.2-m) pair of wings were covered in a double layer of finely woven cotton muslin. The right wing was 4in (10cm) longer to offset the weight of the engine – this was set to the right of the pilot, who lay horizontally on the left side of the lower wing. The Wrights could twist the plane’s wings using cables connected to their outer edges – an early system of aircraft control that they called “wing warping”. Spruce and ash wood were used for the aircraft’s framework
Engine and Bike Chain The Wrights couldn’t find an appropriate automobile engine to power their aircraft. Instead, Charlie Taylor, an employee at their cycle shop, built them a lightweight gasoline engine. It was connected to the Wright Flyer’s hand-made propellers by means of asprocket bicycle chain. Designed and carved by Wilbur, the laminatedspruce propellers were curved, to provide more thrust. They also rotated in opposite directions, to improve stability in the air
Total wing area: 510sqft (47.4m2)
6-ft (1.8-m) struts between wings
Propellers The two 8-ft 6-in-long (2.6-m) “rotating wings” were carved from sheets of spruce wood laminated together. They tapered from 2in (5cm) at the hub to 8 in (20.3cm) at the tip. The propellers turned at 350rpm (revolutions per minute), converting 66% of the mechanical energy used to turn them into thrust. They were also “contra-rotating”, meaning that they turned in opposite directions.
Did You Know?
In 1878, the young Orville and Wilbur Wright were given a model helicopter by their father. Modelled on a design by French aviation pioneer Alphonse Pénaud, it was constructed from paper, bamboo and cork. A rubber band enabled the helicopter’s rotors to spin around. The brothers were enraptured by the gift and its workings. It sparked a passion for aeronautics in them both.
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Mounds built by termites (order Isoptera) in eastern Australia have measured up to 20ft (6m) tall and 100ft (30.5m) in circumference. These complex structures contain attics, cellars, nurseries and fungus gardens (see below). They are honeycombed with ventilation shafts to regulate temperatures in the brooding chambers and the royal palace, where the queen termite resides. Mounds are made by soldier termites mixing their saliva with particles of sand or clay.
Greatest insect builder
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Termite mou havecomplex in nds teriors, with many ch central chimne annels and a y. mound via its Air enters the day, warm air risporous walls. By external “fluteses up the mound’s ” the cooler chimand sinks down the process is reney. Atnight, circulatesair an versed. This d ke nest at a comfo eps the rtabl temperature. e
Plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Mammals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Reptiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Fishes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Molluscs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Crustaceans & Myriapods . . . . . 66 Insects & Arachnids. . . . . . . . . . . 68 Jellyfishes & Sponges. . . . . . . . . 70 IN FOCUS: Dinosaurs. . . . . . . . . . 72 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Living Planet Round-Up. . . . . . . 76
CONTENTS
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Termite nests consist of many galleries separated by thin walls, providing living space, shelter from predators and a site for the insects to cultivate fungal “gardens”. The termites eat this fungus, which helps them to decompose the wood and leaves they feed on and so extract nutrients from them. The gardens require a constant temperature, provided by the mounds’ complex ventilation systems.
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PLANTS First land plant
Cooksonia appeared approximately 425million years ago, during the mid-Silurian period. It was a simple plant with abranching stalk that lacked leaves, flowers and roots. The first true tree was the maidenhair (Ginkgo biloba) of Zhejiang, China, which first appeared about 160million yearsago, during the Jurassic era.
Deepest plant
Algae were discovered at a depth of 269m (882ft) off San Salvador Island in The Bahamas in Oct1984. The marooncoloured plants had survived despite the fact that 99.9995% ofsunlight had been filtered out by the ocean. Largest meateating plant A giant montane pitcher plant (Nepenthes rajah) was measured at 41cm (16in) tall on the island of Borneo on 26Mar 2011. The pitcher uses its fluid-filled trap to capture and drown insects, spiders and even small vertebrates such as frogsand lizards.
Rarest plant
Only a single specimen of the palm-tree-like cycad Encephalartos woodii hasever been found growing wild, in1895 by John Medley Wood in the Ngoya forest of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It has long since died; others now exist onlyin botanic gardens and are clones of the original.
Smallest flowering plant
Individual watermeals, an aquatic plant related to duckweed, grow to less than 1mm long and 0.3mm wide. They produce a minuscule flower that in turn develops into the smallest fruit, weighing about70micrograms and measuring 0.25mm long.
Smelliest plant
Also known as the corpse flower, Amorphophallus titanum or titan arum releases an extremely foul odour comparable to that of rotten flesh, which can be smelled 0.5mi (0.8km) away. The same plant boasts the largest corm – an underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ. The heaviest example weighed 153.9kg (339lb 4oz).
Heaviest organism A network of quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) called “Pando” in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, USA, grows from a single root system that covers 43ha (106acres) – roughly the same size as the Vatican City, the smallest landlocked country. The trees (seen from above in the inset) act as a single organism, changing colour in unison.
Largest fungi
An Armillaria ostoyae, or honey mushroom fungus, growing in the Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, USA, covers 890ha (2,199acres). This is roughly the same as 1,220soccerpitches.
Tallest tree species
Largest single flower Rafflesia arnoldii has flowers measuring up to 91cm (3ft) across and weighing as much as 11kg (24lb). Native to southeast Asia, it has no leaves, stem or roots. It grows as a parasite inside jungle vines, from which flower buds burst and expand.
Redwoods (genera Sequoia and Sequoiadendron) and eucalyptuses (genus Eucalyptus) haveboth been recorded growing to heights of more than 113m (370ft). The tallest living tree is Hyperion, a coast redwood in Redwood National Park, California, USA. It measured 115.85m(380ft 1in) in2009.
Most remote tree
A solitary 100-year-old Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) grows on Campbell Island, New Zealand, where it had been planted by a former governor-general. Its nearest companion is more than 222km (137.94mi) away on the Auckland Islands.
Largest blossoming plant Planted in1892 at Sierra Madre in California, USA, aChinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) weighed 220tonnes (48,500lb), covered an area of 0.4ha (1acre) and had branches measuring 500ft (152m) long by1994. The weighty wisteria produced an estimated 1.5million blossoms during its five-week blossoming period.
SPEEDY AND SLOW GROWERS Fastest-growing tree The empress or foxglove tree (Paulownia tomentosa) can grow 6m (19ft 8in) in its first year, and as much as 30cm (11.8in) in three weeks. Native to central and western China, and naturalized in the USA, this large species also produces three to four times more oxygen during photosynthesis than any otherknown speciesof tree. 52
Slowest-growing tree A specimen of the white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) located on a cliffside in the Great Lakes region of Canada grew to a height of less than 10.2cm (4in) in 155years – less than twice the size of an average golf tee. The reluctant riser weighed only 17g (0.5oz) andaveraged a growth rate of0.11g (0.003oz) of wood each year.
Fastest-growing plant Certain species of the 45genera of bamboo have been found to grow up to 91cm (2ft 11.8in) per day, an average of 3.7cm (1.4in) every hour. Unusually, bamboo stems or culms emerge from the ground at their full diameter and attain their maximum height in a single growing season of three to four months.
What is a plant? Photosynthesis: plants make food by capturing energy from the Sun using agreen pigment called chlorophyll.
Cells: plant cells possess a distinct nucleus surrounded by a membrane. They are known aseukaryotic cells.
Roots: plants use their root systems toanchor themselves to the ground. They possess limited organs for mobility.
Sugars: plants store the food that they create from photosynthesis (see left) as sugars (pictured) or starches.
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e notable Banyan trees ar at they forthefact th down. op grow fromthetthe ground to op dr s ril nd Te hebranches, from seedsint he tree’s ex tendingt range.
Greatest perimeter length for a tree Thimmamma Marrimanu, a specimen of the giant banyan tree Ficus benghalensis located in Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, India, has a perimeter circumference measuring 846m (2,775ft) – more than the height of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building. The tree, which is thought to be more than 550years old, has its own dedicated temple where worshippers can pray for fertility.
Slowest-flowering plant
Fastest-growing marine plant Growing near rocky shores in the Pacific Ocean, giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera) grows at a speed of up to 34cm (13.3in) per day, an average of 1.4cm (0.5in) every hour. A single specimenhas reached averified length of 60m (197ft). Thegiantkelp is also the fastest‑growing seaweed.
A rare species of giant bromeliad discovered in the Bolivian mountains in1870, Puya raimondii – also known asqueen of the Andes – produces flower clusters after around 80–150 years of its existence. The plant is a monocarp – i.e., upon producing a single immense stalk or panicle bearing numerous flowers, it dies.
Captured as a satellite image, Thimmamma Marrimanu looks like a small forest rather than a single tree. It is an epiphyte, i.e., it grows on other trees – hence the banyan’s other name: the “strangler fig”.
Fastest-growing floweringplant In Jul1978, a Hesperoyucca whipplei planted in Tresco Abbey on the Isles of Scilly, UK, grew 11ft 11in (3.63m) in14days – a rate of about 10in (25.4cm) per day. Also known as the Spanish bayonet or the Quixote yucca, this plant is native to southern California, USA, and parts ofMexico. 53
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MAMMALS – TERRESTRIAL First mammal
In 1991, a partial skull of a mammal named Adelobasileus cromptoni was discovered in 225-million-year-old rocks in New Mexico, USA. It resembled modern tree shrews.
Largest prehistoric land mammal
Most teeth for a landmammal The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) of South America typically has up to 100 teeth. It feeds mostly on ants and termites. Although most mammals do not renew their teeth, those of the pygmy rockwallaby, silvery mole-rat and manatee are continuously replaced.
Indricotherium (aka Paraceratherium) was a longnecked, hornless rhinocerotid thatroamed western Asia and Europe c.35million years ago. It was an estimated 37ft (11.27m) long – the length of a London double-decker bus – and 17ft 9 in (5.41m) to the top of its shoulder hump – or around two storeys high. This rhinocerotid did not have horns, but in prehistoric times there were horned rodents, horned armadillos and even horned kangaroos.
Tallest mammal
An adult male giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is typically 15–18ft (4.6–5.5 m) tall. Found in the dry savannah and open woodland areas of sub-Saharan Africa, the giraffe is also the largest ruminant (cud-chewing hoofed mammal).
Fastest terrestrial mammal over short distances
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) can reach 100km/h (62mph) on level ground for brief periods. It is found mostly in eastern and southern Africa and some parts of Asia, including Iran. The fastest terrestrial mammal over long distances is the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). This antelope-like ungulate, found in North America and parts of Mexico, can travel at 35mph (56km/h) for distances of 4mi (6km). The slowest mammal is the three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) of tropical South America. It has an average groundspeed of 6–8ft (1.8–2.4m) per minute, but in the treesit can accelerate to 15ft (4.6m) per minute.
Rarest land mammal Largest eyes for a mammal The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is one of the world’s smallest primates and lives in the forests of Borneo, Sumatra and the Philippines. Its large, forward-pointing eyes have a diameter of 16mm (0.6in) – which would be the equivalent of grapefruit-sized eyes in a human. The tarsier has an overall length of 85–160mm (3.3–6.3in).
Once widely distributed in south-east Asia, the Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) has declined to around60animals, all confined to the Ujung Kulon NationalPark in Indonesia.
Most horns on a mammal
Newest ape The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) of northwestern Sumatra in Indonesia was formally named as a new species on 2Nov 2017. It was the last mammal to be personally named by eminent anthropologist Prof. Colin Groves, shortly before he passed away. On 28Dec 2017, less than a month after the death of Prof. Groves, a new species was named in his honour. Groves’s dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus grovesi) is native to south-eastern Madagascar. As of 29Jan 2018, it was thenewest species of mammal. Largest home range for a terrestrial animal In a year, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) can typically tramp 30,000km² (11,580sqmi) – approximately the size of Belgium – across its Arctic range. Research by the Norwegian Polar Institute, released in Aug2005, recorded a 74-km (46-mi) swim by afemale polar bear from Spitsbergen to Edgeøya island. A home range is defined as the area where animals typically eat, sleep and interact.
Ewes and rams of the rare Jacob sheep typically grow two or four horns, but six are also common. In sheep that have four horns, one pair usually grows vertically, often exceeding 60cm (2ft), while the other curls around the side of the head. This “polycerate” (multi-horned) breed is found in the USA and UK.
Largest animal to build a nest
Adult male western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) measure 5ft 6in– 6ft (1.7–1.8m) tall and weigh 300–500lb (136–227kg). Every day, they create a new ground nest from the surrounding vegetation. The nests are circular and have a diameter of up to 1.5m (4ft 11in), making them the largest mammalian nest.
MAMMAL GATHERINGS Largest colony of mammals The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is found in the western USA and northern Mexico. One prairie-dog colony discovered in 1901 contained about 400 million individuals and was estimated to cover around 61,400 km² (23,705sqmi) – larger than Croatia.
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Greatest concentration of large mammals
Longest terrestrial animal migration
One herd of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) breeds mostly on St George and StPaul, two islands in Alaska’s Pribilof group with a combined area of 75.1sqmi (194.5km²). The group peaked at around 2.5million animals during the1950s, although hunting reduced numbers to current levels of justbelow 1million.
The farthest distance travelled by migrating land animals is achieved by Grant’s caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti), also known as the porcupine caribou. Herds of these animals travel up to 4,800 km (2,982mi) per year on their way to sheltered wintering grounds. The species is found in Alaska, USA, and Canada’s Yukon Territory.
Largest urban bat colony According to Bat Conservation International, each summer between 750,000 and 1.5million Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) make their home beneath the Ann W Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas, USA. The colony of bats lives below the bridge’s road deck, in gaps between the concrete component structures.
What makes a mammal? Brain: mammalian brains are far larger, in proportion to body size, than those of other vertebrates.
Hair: of all animals, only mammals have hair, although the coverage (and period of cover) varies.
Milk: only mammals produce milk for their offspring, although its composition varies between species.
Temperature: nearly all mammals are warm-blooded and cangenerate their ownbody heat.
Largest terrestrial mammal
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The adult bull African elephant (Loxodonta africana) typically stands 3–3.7 m (9 ft 10 in–12 ft 1 in) at the shoulder and weighs 4–7 tonnes (8,800–15,400 lb). The brain of a fully grown male African elephant can weigh 5.4 kg (11 lb 14.4 oz) – the heaviest brain of any terrestrial mammal. Only the brains of the largest whales are heavier.
African elepha nt have larger ea s than Asian elep rs (Elephas maxim hants female African us). Male and grow tusks, bu elephants can elephants cann t female Asian ot elephants are . In fact, Asian related to the exmore closely tinct woolly mammoths than African elepha to nts.
Smallest mammal The Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai) is no larger than a large bumblebee. It has a head–body length of 29–33mm (1.14–1.29in), a wingspan of 130–145mm (5.1–5.7in) and a weight of 1.7–2g (0.05–0.07oz). The tiny bat is found in a few limestone caves on the KhwaeNoi River in Kanchanaburi Province, south-west Thailand, and in Burma.
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Largest gathering of mammals Every October, 5–10 million straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) converge from all over Africa on 1 ha (2.5 acres) of swamp forest in Zambia’s Kasanka National Park. During a six-week stay, they make nocturnal trips to feed on wild fruit. By day, they sleep upside down on branches, which often break under their weight. Resting, however, also leaves them vulnerable to predators such as fish eagles.
Largest herd of mammals (ever) Herds of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in their millions crossed the plains of southern Africa in the 19thcentury. In 1849, a mass springbok migration, or trekbokke, took threedays to pass through Beaufort West in the Western Cape, South Africa. 55
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MAMMALS – AQUATIC/SEMI-AQUATIC Longest-lived mammal species
In 2007, during a whaling hunt off the coast of Alaska, USA, a group of Iñupiat eskimos reeled in four bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus). Embedded in the neck blubber of one was a late-19th-century explosive harpoon. The whale measured 15m (49ft), so had probably been 80–100 years old when it was originally harpooned. Based on this, scientists estimated that the specimen was around 211 years of age in 2007.
Deepest dive by a mammal
Longest walrus tusks Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus, above) have tusks that average 50cm (1ft 7.6in) in length. In1997, however, a pair of tusks from a walrus were discovered at Bristol Bay in Alaska, USA. Therighthand tusk measured 3ft 1.875in (96.202cm) long; the left-hand tusk was exactly 1in (2.54cm)shorter.
In 2013, marine scientists carried out a three-month study of eight Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) off the coast of southern California, USA. They satellite-linked tags to record the whales’ dives, the deepest of which was 2,992m (9,816ft) – equivalent to more than nine times the height of Paris’s Eiffel Tower. During the same study, one of the whales recorded the longest dive by a mammal, lasting 2 hr 17 min 30 sec.
Smallest aquatic mammal
The American water shrew (Sorex palustris) is 130–170 mm (5.1–6.6 in) long, of which its tail accounts for 57–89 mm (2.2–3.5in). It weighs 8–18 g (0.2–0.6oz). Adult males are larger than females. While diving, it needs to swim continuously, otherwise its extremely light weight would cause it to rise to the surface. It is native to streams and lake fringes in the mountain ranges of the contiguous USA, Alaska and Canada.
Smallest pinniped
Largest pinniped Of the 34 known species of pinniped (seal), the biggest is the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) of the subAntarctic islands. Bulls average 5m (16ft 5in) in length from the tip of the inflated snout to the tips of the outstretched tail flippers. They have a maximum girth of 3.7m (12ft) and weigh 2,000– 3,500kg (4,400–7,720lb).
Densest fur At its densest regions upon the sides and rump, the fur of the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) has around 400,000hairs percm² (2,600,000 hairs per sqin). Sea otters do not have blubber and rely on this dense, water-resistant fur to trap and generate warmth. Most of the world’s sea otter populationis found off the coast of Alaska, USA.
Largest otter ever
The Ethiopian bear otter Enhydriodon dikikae is estimated by palaeontologists to have weighed around 200kg (440lb). Dating back to the Pliocene epoch, approximately 5.3–2.6million years ago, it is known principally from a single fossilized partial skull discovered in Ethiopia’s Afar Valley.
The order Pinnipedia contains meat-eating aquatic mammals including seals and walruses. The smallest pinniped is the Galápagos fur seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis). Adult females average 3ft 11in (1.2m) long and weigh about 60lb (27kg). Males are usually considerably larger, averaging 4ft 11in (1.5m) in length and weighing around 141lb (64kg).
Rarest freshwater mammal
Most dangerous pinniped
Longest mammal migration
The carnivorous leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is the onlyseal species with a reputation for apparently unprovoked attacks on humans. There are documented casesof leopard seals lunging through cracks in the ice to snap at people’s feet and chasing individuals over the ice.
The Sumatran water shrew (Chimarrogale sumatrana) is only known from a single, damaged specimen found in Pagar Alam, southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Based on this, the species was formally described and named in1921. No confirmed sighting of a living specimen has ever been recorded. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrates up to 8,200 km (5,095 mi) each way when journeying between its warm breeding waters near the Equator and the colder, foodrich waters of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Fastest marine mammal On 12Oct 1958, a bull killer whale (Orcinus orca) was timed at 55.5km/h (34.5mph) – around three-quarters the average racing speed of a greyhound – in the north-eastern Pacific. Similar speeds have also been reported for the Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) in short bursts.
BLUE BEHEMOTH Largest mammal Based on weight, the largest animal on Earth is the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), which grows to around 160tonnes (352,740lb). Its average adult length is 24m (80ft), although one huge specimen caught in the Southern Ocean on 20Mar 1947 weighed 190tonnes (418,878lb) and was 27.6m (90ft 6in) long. A blue whale’s arteries are so widethat a basketball could float through them. It also has the heaviest tongue, atapproximately 4tonnes (8,818lb) – comparable to an adult African elephant (Loxodonta africana), andaround the same as a newborn blue whale calf. 56
The animal’s small dorsal fin provides one means of identifying the species.
The fleshy tail, or fluke, helps propel the whale forward. Irregularities in their shape can be used to distinguish individuals.
The blue whale’s body appears dark blue when submerged, but greyish-blue at the water’s surface.
Not all mammals live on land… Aquatic and semi-aquatic species include (left to right) manatees, beavers, whales, walruses, otters and hippopotamuses.
Largest freshwater mammal
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The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) typically weighs 1,300–1,500kg (2,866–3,306lb), but can reach 3,630kg (8,000 lb). Adult males grow in size and weight throughout their lives. By contrast, adult females apparently stop growing at around 25 years old. Hippos are native torivers, lakes and swamps in much of sub-Saharan Africa, emerging only atnightto graze.
The comm hippopotam on widest gape of us has the It is able to op any mammal. remarkable 150° en its jaws to a greater than th – more than 100° e ga can achieve (4 pe that a human hippo’s mouth 5°). The common ca this huge stretc n accommodate h fact that its jaw owing to the s ar sofar back init e hinged s skull.
The term “hippopotamus” can be traced back to an ancient Greek term meaning “river horse”. These hefty creatures spend around 16hr each day in the water, which helps them to keep cool under the hot sun. Despite their weight, they’re no slouches on land: a hippo can run at around 30km/h (19mph). Their rounded form maysuggest they are harmless, but that’s not so: hipposkill several hundred people every year.
There are two blowholes on the top of the head, via which the whale inhales air at the surface.
The flippers are 3–4m (9ft 10in–13ft 1in) long, with white undersides.
In a whale’s upper jaw are plates of baleen, which is made from keratin (a protein found in hooves, wool, hair and nails). It uses them to filter out the tiny krill on which it feeds.
Largest heart The blue whale has a heart larger than that of any other creature. It may grow to the size of a small car and exceed 1,500lb (680kg) – the weight of a dairy cow. Theaorta is large enough for an adult to crawl through and pumps some 8,520litres (2,250US gal) of blood, compared with 4.5litres (1.2USgal) in a human being. 57
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BIRDS First bird
100% Largest hummingbird The giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is the only member of its genus and weighs 18–24g (0.63–0.84oz). It is roughly the same size as a European starling or North American cardinal and is native to much of the extreme western edge of South America, on both sides of the Andes. Smallest bird Male bee hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae) of Cuba and the Isle of Youth measure 57mm (2.24in) long, slightly larger than a golf tee. Up to half of this length is taken up by the bill and tail. The males of the species weigh 1.6g (0.056oz) – lighter than a single average-sized playing card. Females are slightly larger.
The earliest fossil bird is known from two partial skeletons found in Texas, USA, dating from 220 million years ago. Named Protoavis texensis in 1991, this pheasantsized creature has proved controversial by pushing the age of birds back many millions of years from the previous record – that of Archaeopteryx lithographica, a 153-million-year-old crow-sized flier found in Jurassic sediments in Germany. It is still unclear whether Protoavis will be accepted as a true bird, however, making Archaeopteryx the earliest unambiguous fossil bird – and the first flying bird.
Largest bird ever
The elephant bird or vouron patra (Aepyornis maximus) from Madagascar became extinct around 1,000 years ago. This ratite (flightless) bird grew to 10–11 ft (3–3.3 m) tall and weighed about 500kg (1,100lb). It produced the largest bird eggs ever, measuring 13in (33cm) long. Their liquid capacity of 8.5litres (2.25USgal) is the equivalent of seven ostrich eggs, 183chicken eggs or more than 12,000hummingbird eggs! The largest living bird is the North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus). Males of this ratite subspecies have been measured at 9ft (2.74m) tall and 345lb (156.5kg) in weight.
Deepest dive by a bird The greatest depth definitively recorded for any dive by a bird is 534m (1,752ft), by a 29-kg (63-lb 14-oz) emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) at Coulman Island in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. It was measured by Prof Gerald Kooyman of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (USA) in Nov1993. Kooyman measured almost 16,000dives from five different birds, thelongest of which lasted 15.8min.
Longest migration by a bird
The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) migrates farther than any other bird species. It breeds north of the Arctic Circle, then flies south to the Antarctic for the northern winter and back again, a round trip of about 50,000mi (80,467km). By contrast, the shortest migration by a bird is that of North America’s blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). In the winter, it inhabits mountainous pine forests. When nesting begins in springtime, it descends just 300m (984ft) to deciduous woods in order to feed upon the early crop of seeds and fresh leaves.
Most airborne bird
After leaving the nesting grounds as a youngster, the sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) remains aloft for three to 10 years while maturing, settling on water from time to time before returning to land to breed as an adult.
Smelliest bird
Native to Colombia’s rainforest, the hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a bizarre-looking bird – variously classified with the pheasants, cuckoos, turacos, and even in a taxonomic group of its own – that stinks like cow manure. Its odour is believed to derive from its diet of green leaves and unique (for birds) bovine digestive system that involves a kind of foregut fermentation.
Most poisonous bird
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The hooded pitohui (Pitohui dichrous) of Papua New Guinea is one of very few poisonous birds. In 1990, scientists discovered that its feathers and skin contain the powerful poison hom*obatrachotoxin, which affects the nerves of its victims.
A pelican us its pouch to dr es ain off any water swallowing fish.before can hold 11litre The pouch s of water at any (2.9USgal) on The pelican can e time. al flutter its pouc so in warm weatheh tocooldown. r
Longest bill At 34–47cm (1ft 1in–1ft 6.5in), the largest bill is that of the Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus, left). The bill has a hooked tip and fleshy pouch that changes colour during courtship. The longest beak in relation to overall body length is that of the sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera). Thebeak measures 10.2cm (4in), making it longer than the bird’s body provided thatthe tail is excluded.
BIRD SPEED Slowest flying bird The American woodco*ck (Scolopax minor) and the Eurasian woodco*ck (Scolopaxrusticola) have both been timed flying at just 8km/h (5mph), withoutstalling, during theircourtship displays.
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Fastest bird swimmer The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) has a maximum burst of speed of about 36km/h (22mph). By way of comparison, when Usain Bolt set a new world record for the fastest 100m sprint at the 2008Beijing Olympics in China, his average speed was slightly over 37km/h (23mph).
Fastest-running flying bird The North American roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a mainly ground-dwelling species of cuckoo native to the southwestern USA. It has been clocked at 42km/h (26mph) over ashortdistance.
14 cm Largest duck egg (white Pekin duck)
12 cm Largest bird egg relative to bodysize (brown kiwi)
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1 cm Smallest bird egg (vervain hummingbird)
5 .3 cm dium Me ’s -size hen egg d
20 cm Largest bird egg and smallest bird egg relative to body size (ostrich)
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Heaviest flying bird The male kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) of South and East Africa can weigh up to 40lb (18.1kg) – the weight of the largest confirmed specimen, as documented in 1936. It was shot in South Africa by H T Glynn, who later presented its head and neck to the British Museum in London, UK.
The largest prehistoric flying bird vulture-like giawas the nt (Argentavis mag teratorn of 6–8million yenificens) Its wingspan ex ars ago. ce 6m (19ft 8in) aneded d it weighed c.80kg (176 lb).
Highest flying bird On 29Nov 1973, a Rüppell’s vulture (Gyps rueppellii) collided with a commercial aircraft over Abidjan, Ivory Coast, at an altitude of 37,000ft (11,300m). Sufficient remains of the bird’s feathers were recovered to allow the American Museum of Natural History to make a positive identification of this high flier, which is rarely seen above 20,000ft (6,100m).
Largest living bird of prey Native to the Andes and South America’s western coasts, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) has a wingspan up to 3.2m (10ft 6in). Males, which are heavier than females, can weigh 15 kg (33lb).
Fastest flightless bird on land Its powerful legs enable the ostrich (Struthio camelus) to reach speeds of 72km/h (45mph) when running. Unlike most birds, the ostrich cannot fly.
Fastest bird in level flight In 2004, French and British researchers reported a mean estimated ground speed of 127km/h (78.9mph), sustained for more than 8hr, by a satellitetagged grey-headed albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma). It was returning to its nest on Bird Island, SouthGeorgia.
Fastest bird in a dive The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) has been estimated as reaching a terminal velocity of 300km/h (186mph) in a dive; at this point, it is the fastest animal. In 2005, “Frightful”, a peregrine falcon owned by Ken Franklin (USA), was clocked at 242 mph (389.46km/h) in a dive after being released from an aircraft at an altitude of 3mi (4.8km). 59
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REPTILES Fastest reptile
Longest lizard The slender Salvadori’s or Papuan monitor (Varanus salvadorii) of Papua NewGuinea has been reliably measured at 4.75m (15ft 7in) in length. Nearly 70% of this is taken up by the tail. The lizard has a life expectancy of around 15years.
The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) typically swims at speeds of 1.8–10.08km/h (1.1–6.2mph), although it can reach 35.28km/h (21.92mph) in bursts. The fastest reptile on land is the Costa Rican spinytailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis), one specimen of which was recorded at 34.6km/h (21.5mph). This information was derived from a series of experiments conducted by Prof Raymond Huey from the University of Washington, USA, and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, using a specially built lizard racetrack. The fastest land snake is the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), which is native to south-eastern tropical Africa. It can reach speeds of 16–19 km/h (10–12mph) in short bursts over level ground.
Smallest reptile
Three separate species share this title. They are the adult male Madagascan minute leaf chameleon (Brookesia minima), Madagascan micro leaf chameleon (B.micra) and Mount d’Ambre leaf chameleon (B.tuberculata). The full-grown length of all three may be as little as 14mm (0.5in) from snout to vent (anus). Females are larger than males.
Oldest reptile fossils Longest reptile migration From 2006 to early 2008, a tagged leatherback sea turtle was tracked by satellite on a 20,558‑km (12,774-mi) journey from its nesting site in Papua, Indonesia, to feeding grounds off the coast of the US state of Oregon. In all, the journey took 647days to complete.
The Joggins Fossil Cliffs are a 15-km-long (9.3-mi) stretch of cliffs on the Bay of Fundy in Canada that represent the richest and most comprehensive record of life in the Carboniferous geological period, c. 354–290 million years ago. It contains fossil remains of 148 species, including Hylonomus, which – at around 315 million years old – remains the oldest confirmed reptile on Earth. The first aquatic reptile was Mesosaurus, which lived in freshwater areas of present-day South Africa and South America in the early Permian period (298–272million years ago). Less than 2m (6ft 6in) long at most, it possessed a pair ofslender jaws brimming with needle-like teeth, a long tail that was possibly finned and webbed feet. The first gliding reptile was Coelurosauravus, which lived some 255 million years ago in the Lopingian epoch of the Upper Permian period. It measured some 40cm (1ft 3.7in) long and looked superficially lizard-like. But its lengthy, flattened body would have been very efficient for gliding purposes, and it possessed a pair of lateral gliding membranes composed of skin stretched across bony rods.
Largest living skink The Solomon Islands skink (Corucia zebrata), also known as the prehensile-tailed or monkey-tailed skink, grows to 81cm (2ft 8in), more than half of which is the tail. This sizeable species occurs on several islands in the Solomon archipelago and feeds upon fruit and vegetables. It is the only member of the genus and is arboreal (tree-living).
Largest chelonian
Turtles, terrapins and tortoises are all commonly described as chelonians. The leatherback turtle averages 6–7ft (1.83–2.13m) from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail and 7ft (2.13m) across the front flippers. It can weigh as much as 914kg (2,019lb). The smallest chelonian is the speckled cape tortoise or speckled padloper (hom*opus signatus), with a shell 6–9.6cm (2.3–3.7in) long. “Padloper” means “road walker” in Afrikaans.
Largest reptile eyes
Based upon estimates derived from studies of fossil remains, palaeontologists consider that the eyeball of one of the largest known ichthyosaurs (or fish-lizards), Temnodontosaurus, may have exceeded 300mm (11.8in) in diameter. It lived in the deep oceans of what is today Europe (specifically the waters around England, France, Germany and Belgium), during the Early Jurassic period (200–175 million years ago).
Longest snake The reticulated python (Python reticulatus), which is found in south-east Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines, regularly exceeds 6.25m (20ft 6in) in length, making it also the longest reptile. The largest specimen ever recorded measured 10m (32ft 9.7in) – see p.61.
SCALY-SKINNED RECORD-BREAKERS Largest venomous lizard In 2009, researchers discovered that a pair of glands in the lower jaw of the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) secrete a venom of different toxicproteins. On average, males grows to 8ft 6in (2.59m) and weigh 175–200lb (79–91kg). The Komodo dragon is also the largest lizard. The title of smallest lizard is shared by geckos Sphaerodactylus parthenopion and S.ariasae. Each has an average snout-to-vent length of 16mm (0.6in).
Longest venomous snake (species) Native to India and south-east Asia, the king cobra or hamadryad (Ophiophagus hannah) grows to 4m (13ft) and weighs about 15lb (6.8kg). The longest venomous snake specimen on record was captured in Apr 1937 near Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It was put on display at London Zoo, UK, and had attained a length of 5.71 m (18ft 8in) by autumn 1939. For the longest snake ever, see above right.
Longest snakes
2.75m – yellow sea snake (Hydrophis spiralis) – longest sea snake 4m – king cobra or hamadryad (Ophiophagus hannah) – longest species of venomous snake 7.67m – Medusa, a female reticulated python – longest snake in captivity 10m – reticulated python (P. reticulatus) shot in Celebes, Indonesia, in 1912 – longest snake specimen
Heaviest reptile The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is found in tropical regions throughout Asia, including India and Indonesia, and the Pacific, including New Guinea and northern Australia. Males may grow up to 1,200kg (2,645lb), equivalent to almost 20 adult men, but typically weigh about 408–520kg (900–1,150lb). Females are far smaller.
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was This photographaurus taken at CrocosNorthern , Cove in Darwin lia. Visitors ra Territory, Aust rtunity to have the oppo ocodile pen cr descend into a close d within for 15min, en gly named the unsettlin th. CageofDea
Largest crocodile in captivity (living) Cassius, an Australian saltwater crocodile, is 5.48m (17ft 11.75in) long. Nowan inhabitant of Marineland Crocodile Park on Green Island in Australia, he is seen here being fed by the park’s founder, George Craig.
Most venomous lizard The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) lives in the southwestern USA and north-western Mexico. An LD50 value of 0.4mg/kg has been recorded for its venom when injected intravenously into mice – similar to the toxicity of the venom of the Sumatran spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana). The term “LD50” is an abbreviation of “lethal dose, 50%”, and representsthe dose needed to kill 50% of test animals. The lower the LD50 value, the more potent the toxin. The Gila monster’s venom is not injected, but seeps into the wound that is created when it bites its victim. Fortunately, human deaths from these species are few, because only relatively small amounts of venom are introduced when the lizard bites.
Most venomous land snake The inland taipan or smallscaled snake (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) is found mainly in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. In one strike, it can inject around 60mg (0.002oz) of venom, which is toxic enough to kill in excess of 50averagesized human adults, or 220,000mice! It has an LD50 of around 0.01–03 mg/kg.
Most venomous marine snake With an LD50 of 0.044mg/kg, the Dubois’ sea snake or reef shallows sea snake (Aipysurus duboisii) is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. The snake is usually found in shallow waters in coral reef habitats around Papua New Guinea, NewCaledonia and the northern, eastern and western coastal areas of Australia. 61
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FISHES Largest predatory fish Adult specimens of the rare great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) average 14–15ft (4.3–4.6m) in length, and generally weigh 1,150–1,700lb (520–770kg). There is plenty of circ*mstantial evidence to suggest that some great whites grow tomore than 20ft (6m) long.
Deepest-living fish
Abyssobrotula galatheae, a cusk eel, has been found 8,370m (27,460ft) deep in the Puerto Rico Trench. To put that in context, the deepest point in the sea – Challenger Deep, within the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean – is 10,994m (36,070ft) below sea level. By contrast, the highest living fish is the Tibetan loach (family Cobitidae), which is found at an altitude of5,200m (17,060ft) in the Himalayas.
Smallest fish
The sexually mature adult male Photocorynus spiniceps measures 6.2mm (0.24in) long and is found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans and the Philippine Sea. This species of anglerfish reproduces via sexual parasitism. The male permanently attaches itself to the larger female by biting her back, belly or sides, essentially turning her into a hermaphrodite. It is also the smallest vertebrate.
Most venomous fish
Venomous creatures kill their victims by injecting venom into them. Synanceia horrida, a species of stonefish found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, has larger venom glands than any known fish. Just 25mg ofits neurotoxic poison would kill a 70-kg (154‑lb) human. Poisonous creatures have poison in their bodies that is passed on when they are eaten, or even touched. The most poisonous edible fish is the puffer fish (Tetraodon spp.) of the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific region. Its ovaries, eggs, blood, liver, intestines and skin contain the poison tetrodotoxin. Adose of 23.38mg would prove deadly for a 70-kg human.
Most electric fish
The electric eel or poraquê (Electrophorus electricus) is live from head to tail; its electrical apparatus comprises two pairs of longitudinal organs. Up to 6ft (1.8m) in length, the eel lives in rivers in Brazil and the Guianas. It stuns prey with shocks of 650volts. The most powerful electric marine fish is the black torpedo ray (Torpedo nobiliana) of the Mediterranean and adjacent parts of the eastern Atlantic. It can discharge 220volts, yielding up to 1kW of electricity. As salt water conducts electricity better than fresh water, the ray does not need to create discharges as high as those of the electric eel.
Fish with most eyes
The six-eyed spookfish (Bathylychnops exilis) lives 300–3,000ft (91–914m) down in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean. A 45-cmlong (1-ft 5-in) pike-like species, it not only has a pair of large, principal eyes, but also a second, smaller pair – known as secondary globes – pointing down within the lower half of itsprincipal eyes. These may help to increase the spookfish’s sensitivity to light in its shadowy surroundings. Behind the secondary globes is a third pair of eyes, which divert incoming light into the principal eyes.
Fastest fish In speed trials at the Long Key Fishing Camp in Florida, USA, a cosmopolitan sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) took out 300ft (91m) of line in 3sec, a velocity of 68mph (109km/h). The cheetah, the fastest land mammal over short distances, can maintain speeds of c.100km/h (62mph). Slowest fish Sea horses’ swimming ability is severely limited by a rigid body structure. Some of the smaller species such as the dwarf sea horse (Hippocampus zosterae), which reaches a maximum length of only 4.2 cm (1.7 in), probably never attain speeds of more than 0.016 km/h (0.001 mph).
Sea horses are ing imm incapable of sw nt. To rre cu e th t ns ai ag ept away, avoid being sw coral and to on ng ha they th their marine plants wi . prehensile tails
UNDERWATER GIANTS Largest pike The muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), often shortened to “muskie”, is native to large rivers in Canada and the USA. Specimens can reach 1.8 m (5ft 10.8in) long and weigh 32kg (70lb 8.7oz). A length of 0.71–1.22m (2ft 3.9in–4ft) and weight of 6.8–16.3kg (14lb 15oz–35lb 14oz) is more common. 62
Largest coelacanths ever
Largest shark ever
Largest fish ever
The fossil marine species of the prehistoric genus Mawsonia and the fossil marine species Megalocoelacanthus dobiei all grew to a length of 3.5–4 m (11ft 5in–13ft 1in), the largest specimens being roughly the size of a rhinoceros. Mawsonia species lived more than 100million years ago and Megalocoelacanthus lived in excess of 65million years ago.
Carcharocles megalodon was c.16m (53ft) long, with a mouth perhaps 2m (6ft) wide. Its teeth were serrated and more than 6in (15.2cm) long – around twice as large as the teeth of its closest living relative, the great white shark, which is the largest carnivorous shark (see above left). It lived during the Pliocene and Miocene epochs some 16–2.6million years ago.
Dating back some 165million years, the marine fossil species Leedsichthys problematicus is thought to have grown to 26–55ft (7.92–16.76m). Much of the fish’s skeleton would have been cartilage, which did not fossilize. Consequently, no complete specimen has ever been found, and its size must be estimated. It is thought to have been a plankton feeder.
Largest family of fish: Cyprinidae, the carp family. Contains more than 2,400species, housed in approximately 220genera.
Most fertile fish: theocean sunfish (Mola mola). Ovaries of one female contained 300 million eggs, each about 1.27mm (0.05in) long.
Most abundant fish: the bristlemouth (genus Cyclothone). There are thought to betrillions of these tiny oceanic fishes.
Heaviest fish
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The elusive whale shark (Rhincodon typus) weighs more than any other fish and is also the largest fish of all. The greatest confirmed weight for a whale shark is an estimated 21.5tonnes (47,400lb) for a specimen captured near Karachi, Pakistan, on 11Nov 1949. The longest scientifically documented specimen is a female found in the Arabian Sea off Veraval in Gujarat, India, on 8May 2001; she measured 18.8 m (61 ft 8 in) long. These planktonfeeding giants favour tropical and subtropical waters.
ssess Whale sharks po imal the thickest an ound ar skin. Typically in), the .5 10 –14cm (4 –5 ishasthe m shark’s epider ubbe r and consistencyofrprotec tion offer sitvital tion. andinsula
Heaviest bony fish Specimens of the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) have been recorded with a weight of 2tonnes (4,400 lb) and measuring 3m (9ft 10in) between fin tips. Sunfish are active in all oceans, both in tropical and temperate climates. They feed on zooplankton, small fishes and algae. Sunfish and oarfish (see below) have a bony skeleton, unlike cartilaginous fish such as sharks and rays. Largest freshwater fish The Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas), mainly of the Mekong River basin in south-east Asia, and Pangasius sanitwongsei, principally of the Chao Phraya River basin in Thailand, are both reputedto reach 3m (9ft 10.25in) and weigh 300kg (660lb).
Largest fish egg Perhaps unsurprisingly, the largest fish egg is produced by the largest fish – the whale shark (R.typus). The greatest specimen on record measured 30.5 x 14 x 8.9cm (12 x 5.5 x 3.5in) and contained a live embryo 35cm (1ft 1 .8in) long – similar in size to an American football. It was discovered on 29Jun 1953 by a shrimp trawler fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Longest bony fish The oarfish (Regalecus glesne), aka “King of the Herrings”, has a worldwide distribution. In c.1885, a 25‑ft-long (7.6‑m) specimen weighing 600lb (272kg) was caught off Pemaquid Point in Maine, USA. Bony fish (Osteichthyes) account for c. 28,000fish species. Thespecimen below was found in2013 in southern California, USA.
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MOLLUSCS Earliest cephalopods
The ellesmeroceridans are known from certain fossils dating back as far as the Upper Cambrian period, approximately 500million years ago. They possessed small, slightly curled shells containing several internal chambers arranged in sequence. Cephalopods are a taxonomic class of molluscs that contains squids, octopuses, cuttlefish and extinct forms such as ammonites and belemnites.
Largest ammonite
Largest clam Found on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, the marine giant clam (Tridacna gigas) is the largest of all existing bivalve shells. A specimen measuring 115cm (3ft 9.2in) long and weighing 333kg (734lb) was collected off Ishigaki Island, Japan, in1956 and scientifically examined in Aug1984.
An incomplete fossil shell of the ammonite Parapuzosia seppenradensis discovered in Germany in1895 measured 1.95m (6ft 4in) across, with the complete shell estimated at around 2.55m (8 ft4in).
Longest-lived mollusc
A quahog clam (Arctica islandica) dredged up in2006 by researchers from the School of Ocean Sciences at Bangor University (UK) is now thought to have been 507years old – around 100 years older than originally estimated. Sclerochronologists established its age by counting annual growth rings on the shell’s exterior, before confirming using the carbon-14 dating method. The clam was nicknamed “Ming”, in honour ofthe Chinese dynasty in power when it was born.
Deepest octopus
The dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis) lives at depths as low as 16,000ft (4,865m), close to the ocean floor. Its soft, semigelatinous body is able to resist the great pressurefound here.
Largest sea slug
The black sea hare or California black sea hare (Aplysia vaccaria) has been known to grow to 99cm (3ft 3in) inlength and weigh nearly 14kg (30lb 14oz).
Largest abalone
Largest cuttlefish The giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) can grow to 1m (3ft) in total length with a 50‑cm (1‑ft 7.6‑in) mantle. Occurring along the south-eastern coast of Australia, it lives as deep as 100m (328ft), favouring rocky coral reefs, seagrass beds and the seafloor. It can weigh more than 10.5kg (23lb).
Largest cowry The Atlantic deer cowry (Macrocypraea cervus) can attain a total length of 19.05cm (7.5in). The marine sea snail is most widely distributed in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, especially the Caribbean Sea. As an adult, the cowry’s shell is pale brown incolour, dappled with distinctive white spots (seeleft) similar to those on a young deer hide, hence its name. These spots are lacking in juveniles. Largest land snail The largest known land gastropod is the African giant snail (Achatina achatina). In Dec1978, the largest recorded specimen measured 39.3cm (1ft 3.5in) from snout to tail when fully extended, with a shell length of 27.3cm (10.75in). It weighed 900g (2lb). Named GeeGeronimo, it was collected in Sierra Leone in Jun1976 and owned byChristoper Hudson of Hove in East Sussex, UK.
The red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) can attain a maximum shell length of 31cm (1ft). It occurs from British Columbia in Canada to Baja California in Mexico, inhabiting rocky creviced areas containing the kelp upon which it feeds.
Smallest species of squid
Currently known only from two specimens, Parateuthis tunicata was collected by the German South Polar Expedition of1901–03. The larger of the two specimens measured 1.27cm (0.5in) in length, including its tentacles.
Most venomous mollusc
Found off the coasts of Australia and parts of south-east Asia, the blue-ringed octopus species Hapalochlaena maculosa and H. lunulata carry a neurotoxic venom that can kill victims within minutes of being bitten. Each octopus is estimated to carry sufficient venom to paralyse 10adult humans.
SUPER-SIZED SQUIDS Heaviest colossal squid An adult male colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) weighing around 450kg (990lb) and measuring 10m (33ft) long was caught by fishermen in the Ross Sea of Antarctica. It was taken to New Zealand for research, and the catch was announced on 22Feb 2007. Despite their vast size, colossal squids – and their close relatives, the giant squid – are strangely elusive creatures, rarely captured alive or even on film.
Squids possess two tentacles even longer than their eight arms.
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In1996, a giant squid caught off the coast of New Zealand was displayed in Wellington. In2002, seven juveniles became the first capture of living giant squids, also off New Zealand.
The underside of each tentacle bears hundreds of chitin-lined suction cups.
Each tentacle is divided into three regions: carpus, manus and dactylus.
Molluscs Three notable extant classes of molluscs are bivalves (clams, mussels and oysters), gastropods (snails and slugs) and cephalopods (octopuses, squids and cuttlefish).
Largest octopus
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A live specimen of the Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) measured almost 4m (13ft 1in) long and weighed 71kg (156lb 8oz), although there are records of an even larger specimen with a tentacle span of 9.6m (31ft 6in) and an estimated weight of 600lb (272kg). These underwater behemoths snare their prey – other molluscs, fish and lobsters – with suckers that measure up to 6.4cm (2.5in) and can support a weight of 16kg (35lb).
The Pacific giant octopus is found inthe cold waters of the North Pacific, off thewest coast of America and Canada, and the east coast of Korea and Japan. It only lives to around four years old, with both males and females dying soon after breeding.
Giant and colossal squids have the largest eye of any animal – up to 40cm (1ft3.75in) in diameter.
The fin (or wing) projects out from the squid’s mantle and aids locomotion.
The squid moves by pulling water into its mantle cavity and out through a fleshy, tube-like structure called a siphon.
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CRUSTACEANS & MYRIAPODS Oldest land animal
The fossil of a 1-cm-long (0.39-in) myriapod found near Stonehaven, UK, by bus driver and amateur palaeontologist Mike Newman (UK) is thought to be 428million years old and the earliest evidence of a creature living on land rather than in the sea. Formally named Pneumodesmus newmani in2004, it had spiracles – air-breathing structures on the outside of its body.
Most heat-tolerant animal
Tardigrades or water bears are a group of tiny, nearindestructible animals that can survive temperatures exceeding 150°C (302°F). They are able to halt their metabolism in challenging environments. These 1-mm-long (0.04-in) invertebrates have even survived in outer space.
Deepest-living crustacean
Most abundant animaltypes Copepods are crustaceans that live in almost every aquatic environment. They include more than 12,000species and, with krill, represent the most important zooplankton. Their groups can number a trillion individuals. Most copepods are very small, measuring less than 1mm(0.04in) long.
In Nov1980, live amphipods were taken from 10,500m (34,450ft) down in the Challenger Deep (Mariana Trench), in the west Pacific Ocean, by the US research vessel ThomasWashington. Amphipods are shrimp-like animals.
First known venomous crustacean
Xibalbanus tulumensis is a blind crustacean that inhabits underwater caves in the Caribbean, off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and feeds upon other crustaceans. Its front claws inject into its prey a toxin similar to rattlesnake venom that breaks down the victim’s internal body tissues, turning it into liquid that the X. tulumensis thensucks up andingests.
Furriest crustacean
The yeti lobster (Kiwa hirsuta) lives on hydrothermal vents on the seafloor in the South Pacific Ocean. Its long claws and shorter thoracic limbs are covered in long, silky, blond-coloured filaments called setae. These distinctive hairlike structures are intertwined with bacteria.
Longest marine crustacean The taka-ashi-gani or giant spider crab (Macrocheira kaempferi) is found off the south-eastern coast of Japan. Ithas an average body size of 10 x 12in (25.4 x 30.5cm) and a leg span of 8–9ft (2.43–2.74m). The largest specimen ever found had a leg span of 12ft 1.5in (3.69 m) – around the same length as a tiger shark – and weighed 41lb (18.6kg).
First barnacle
Fastest-swimming crustacean Henslow’s swimming crab (Polybius henslowii) has been timed at 1.3m/s (4.26ft/s) in captivity. It is likely that it can swim even faster under natural conditions in the wild, however. The fastest-moving crustaceans on land are the tropical ghost crabs of the genus Ocypode. Named for their nocturnality and often pale colouration, they have been timed at speeds of up to 4m/s (13.12ft/s).
The fossil species deemed by many palaeontologists to be the earliest-known barnacle is Priscansermarinus barnetti. Specimens found in the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia in Canada have been estimated to be 509–497 millionyearsold. Discovered in 1975, P.barnetti wasprobably a species of stalked or lepadomorph barnacle. The largest barnacle is the giant acorn barnacle (Balanus nubilus), reaching 12.7 cm (5 in) high – about two-and-a-half times the height of a golf tee – and 7 cm (2.76 in) across.
AMAZING MYRIAPODS Most venomous centipede Known by a variety of names including the Vietnamese centipede, Scolopendra subspinipes is an aggressive predator that injects venom via a modified pair of front limbs. This venom contains an ingredient scientists call “Ssm Spooky Toxin”, and has anLD50 of 130mg/kg. It enables the centipede to kill animals 15times its own size. 66
Most legs ofanyanimal Centipedes do not have 100legs and millipedes do not have1,000, but millipedes do have more legs than centipedes. They have two pairs per body segment, whereas centipedes have just one pair. Millipedes have about 300pairs of legs, but a millipede formally named Illacme plenipes and found in California, USA, has 375pairs (750legs).
Largest millipede The average length of the African giant black millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas) is 16–28 cm (6.2–11in). However, the largest millipede specimen ever recorded was an adult named Millie, owned by Jim Klinger (USA), which measured 38.7cm (1ft 3.2in) long, with a circumference of 6.7cm (2.6in) and a total of 256legs.
Myriapods Mostly terrestrial, myriapods include centipedes and millipedes. Like crustaceans, they are arthropods, with an outer skeleton, pairs of jointed appendages andasegmented body.
Heaviest marine crustacean The American or North Atlantic lobster (Homarus americanus) is the weightiest of all sea-living crustaceans. On 11Feb 1977, a specimen weighing 20.14kg (44lb 6oz) – about twothirds of the weight of a Dalmatian dog – and measuring 1.06m (3ft 6in) from the end of the tail-fan to the tip of the largest claw wascaught off Nova Scotia in Canada.
Largest freshwater crustacean Native to small streams in Tasmania, the Tasmanian or Gould’s giant crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi) can grow to 80cm (2ft 7.4in) – longer than Jyoti Amge, the shortest living woman – and weigh 5kg (11lb). This crayfish is also the largest freshwater invertebrate of anykind.
Largest crustacean on land Also the heaviest crustacean on land, the robber or coconut crab (Birgus latro) lives on Indo-Pacific tropical islands and atolls. Weights of up to 9lb (4.1kg) and a leg span of up to 1m (3ft 3in) have been recorded, although they average around 2.5kg (5lb 8oz) and 3ft (91cm).
First amphibious centipede
Largest class of myriapods
Scolopendra cataracta was formally described and named in May2016. Native to south-east Asia and some 20cm (7.8in) long, this large, venomous, carnivorous species was discovered by Dr George Beccaloni in Thailand in 2001. Unlike all previously known centipedes, it swims powerfully like an eel, via horizontal undulations of its body.
Diplopoda contains the millipedes, of which approximately 12,000 species have currently been described by science. However, there may be many more still awaiting discovery, with estimates of the total number of millipede species in existence worldwide ranging from 15,000 to 80,000. They exist on all continents except for Antarctica.
Thesmallest crustacean (and smallest ar th is St ygotantulu ropod) tantulocarid, s stocki, a crustacean. Onor parasitic long, it lives on ly 0.094mm of harpacticoidthe exterior cope (which are also pods crustaceans).
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Crustaceans Comprising mostly aquatic creatures, the class Crustacea includes lobsters, crabs, barnacles, shrimp and woodlice.
Largest centipede The giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) of Central and South America is 26cm (10.2in) long. Also known as the Peruvian giant yellowleg centipede, it has modified jaws on its head, which can trap and deliver venom to prey such as mice, lizards and frogs. The smallest centipede is Hoffman’s dwarf centipede (Nannarrup hoffmani). It is 10.3mm (0.4in) long and has 41pairs oflegs.
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INSECTS & ARACHNIDS Earliest insect
A fossilized head section of the Rhyniognatha hirsti insect – known from the Rhynie chert rock deposits in Aberdeenshire, UK – dates back approximately 410million years, totheEarlyDevonian period.
Largest taxonomic order of insects
Fastest arachnid Inhabiting arid areas of north Africa and the Middle East, solifugids of the genus Solpuga have an estimated burst sprint capability of 16km/h (10mph). Despite alternative names of camel spider or sun spider, solifugids are not true spiders as they have separate head, thorax and abdomen sections.
Coleoptera, the taxonomic order containing the beetles, comprises approximately 40% of all living insect species. Thisequates to between 350,000 and 400,000 species. Beetlesare of almost global distribution, absent only from Antarctica, northern polar regions and marine habitats.
Heaviest insect
A series of male goliath beetles (family Scarabaeidae) of equatorial Africa weighed 70–100 g(2.5–3.5oz), with lengths of up to 11cm (4.33in) from the tips of the small frontal horns to the abdomen’s end. The largest species are Goliathusregius, G.meleagris, G.goliatus (=G.giganteus) and G.druryi. The heaviest insect larva specimen was a full‑grown larva of the actaeon beetle Megasoma actaeon, bred in Japanin2009, which weighed 228g (8oz). This is almost asheavy as an adult female common rat!
Smallest insect
The “feather-winged” beetles of the family Ptiliidae (or Trichopterygidae) and the taxonomic tribe Nanosellini measure 0.25mm (0.01in). Some of these minute insects live inside the spore tubes on the underside of shelf fungi(Polyporaceae). The lightest insects are the male blood-sucking banded louse (Enderleinellus zonatus) and the parasitic wasp Caraphractus cinctus, which can weigh as little as 0.005mg, or 5,670,000th of an ounce.
Fastest wing-beat of an insect
Fastest insect on land
The tiny midge of the genus Forcipomyia can beat itswings 62,760times per minute – or 1,046times per second! This requires a muscular contraction– expansion cycle of 0.00045sec, the fastest muscle movement ever measured.
Longest insect Made public in Aug2017, the longest recorded specimen of the Phryganistria chinensis stick insect measured 640mm (25.19in) with legs fully outstretched. The specimen – bred at the Insect Museum of West China in Chengdu – is the descendent of the previous record holder, which was discovered on a road during a field inspection in2014.
Most destructive insect
Native to dry regions of Africa, the Middle East and western Asia, the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) measures only 4.5–6cm (1.77–2.36in) long but can eat its own weight in food every day. Certain weather conditions induce vast swarms to gather and devour almost all vegetation in their path.
Biggest vinegaroon
The giant vinegaroon Mastigoproctus giganteus of southern USA and Mexico can grow to 6cm (2.36in) in lengthand weigh up to 12.4g (0.4oz). Vinegaroons are arachnids that spray chemicals from their anal glands toward off predators.
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A species of Australian tiger beetle named Cicindela hudsoni is capable of running at speeds of up to 2.5m/s (5.6mph; 9km/h) – faster than any other insect. At full speed, the beetle’s visual system struggles to keep up, which means it has to slow down if it wants to see properly!
Largest aquatic insect bywingspan A dobsonfly (Acanthacorydalis fruhstorferi) discovered on 12Jul 2015 in Chengdu in Sichuan Province, China, had a wingspan of 21.6cm (8.5in). Dobsonflies are members of the Pterygota subclass of winged insects. Despite the males’ fearsomelooking mandibles, they are so large in proportion to the body that they are relatively weak. Their main form of defence is astrong odour they can emit.
SUPER SPIDERS Heaviest arachnid A two-year-old specimen of the goliath bird-eating spider Theraphosa blondi, bred by Robert Bustard and reared by Brian Burnett (both UK), weighed 170g (6oz) – the same as three tennis balls. The heavyweight spider is native to the coastal rainforests of Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. 68
Most venomous spider
Strongest spider
Highest-living spider
Just 0.2mg/kg of venom from the male Sydney funnelweb spider Atrax robustus is a lethal dose for primates, including humans. Native to Sydney and its environs in New South Wales, Australia, the spider can be found in moist habitats, under logs or foliage, and also frequents gardens. The female’s venom is far less dangerous.
The California trap-door spider Bothriocyrtum californicum can exert a force 38times its own weight while resisting attempts to open itstrapdoor – a silken structure covering the entrance to its underground burrow. This equates to a man trying to keep a door closed while it is being pulled on the other side by a small jet plane!
In1924, a species of jumping spider belonging to the taxonomic family Salticidae was found living at a height of 6,700m (21,981ft) on Everest in Nepal. It wasn’t until 1975 that the aerodynamic arachnid was formally described and named the Himalayan jumpingspiderEuophrys omnisuperstes – which translates as “highest of all”.
Insects The body is comprised of three segments: the head, thorax and abdomen. Insects have six legs, antennae, mandibles and compound eyes. Many have wings.
Arachnids The body is comprised of two sections: the prosoma and abdomen. Arachnids have eight legs, no antennae, chelicerae and simple eyes. No arachnid has wings.
Largest arachnid
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A specimen of the giant forest scorpion Heterometrus swammerdami found during World WarII in the village of Krishnarajapuram, India, measured 29.2cm (11.49in) in length from the tips of its pedipalps (pincers) to the end of its sting. Specimens of this species, found in southern India, regularly attainlengthsof more than 18cm (7in). Most venomous scorpion The Tunisian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus australis) is responsible for 80%of stings and 90%of deaths from scorpion strikes in north Africa. This aggressive nocturnal predator can reach 10cm (3.9in) in length and weigh up to 15g (0.5oz). It is notable for its sizeable metasoma or tail, which does not narrow like that of most other scorpions.
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Largest arachnid leg span The leg span of the giant huntsman spider Heteropoda maxima can reach 30cm (11.8in) across. The species is native to Laos in southeastern Asia. Despite the huntsman’s large size, it remained unknown and undescribed by science until 2001, following its discovery in a cave.
The giant forest scorpion is notable for the low toxicity of its venom, from which there are no reported human fatalities. This may be because it can rely on its large pincers to catch prey.
Rarest spider Counts of the Kauai cave wolf spider Adelocosa anops have never documented more than 30specimens. This20-mmlong (0.78‑in) spider with a distinctive reddish-brown prosoma (conjoined head and thorax) is known only from the Hawaiian island of Kauai, whereit inhabits a few caves in the Koloa lava flows covering an area of10.5km2 (4.05sqmi).
Fastest spider During tests in the UK in 1970, an adult female giant house spider (Eratigena atrica) reached a maximum running speed of 1.9km/h (1.18mph) over short distances. This means that the spider, which is found in Europe, parts of Asia and Africa and North America, covered a distance 33times its own body length in just 1sec. 69
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JELLYFISHES & SPONGES Largest jellyfish
Most jellyfishes have a bell or body diameter ranging from 2to40cm (0.8in–1ft 3.7in), but some species grow far larger. The largest is the Arctic giant jellyfish (Cyanea capillata arctica). An Arctic giant of the north-western Atlantic that washed up inMassachusetts Bay, USA, in 1870 had a bell diameter of 7ft 6in (2.28m) and tentacles stretching 120ft (36.5m).
Smallest jellyfish
There are around 16 species of irukandji box jellies. They are predominantly native to Australia’s marine waters, especially those off Queensland, but also turn up elsewhere, including Japan, the US state of Florida and occasionally even off the English coast. They sport a bell that can be as little as 5mm (0.1in) across and boast a volume as small as 1cm3 (0.06cuin). Irukandji box jellies have four tentacles, which may measure only a few centimetres long. Despite their tiny size, however, they are extremely venomous, occasionally having proven fatal to humans. Unlike all other jellyfishes, they bear nematocysts (stinging cells) not only on their tentacles but also on their bell.
Largest box jellyfish
Also the most venomous jellyfish (see below left), the largest species of box jelly is Flecker’s sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri). It is composed of a cuboidal bell (hence “box” in its common name) with a diameter that can reach 30cm (11.8in) and 60tentacles that may grow to 3m (9ft 10in) long in fully extended form when hunting. Native to the waters off Australia, particularly Queensland, Flecker’s sea wasp is one of the most venomous of all creatures.
Longest-lived jellyfish The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) is native to the Mediterranean Sea and the waters off Japan. If an adult T. dohrnii is threatened, injured or faces an inhospitable environment, it will simply transform back into a polyp and then reproduce asexually, budding off a series of genetically identical specimens that can each then mature into an adult. This cycle can continue indefinitely. Despite its name, this species is not a true jellyfish (scyphozoan) but a hydromedusan (class Hydrozoa).
Largest stalked jellyfish
Most venomous jellyfish The striking but deadly Flecker’s sea wasp or box jellyfish (C. fleckeri) is usually found off the coasts of northern Australia. It has enough poison to kill 60humans, and on average is responsible for one death a year. Symptoms prior to death include vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, shivering, sweating, and aches and pains. The inset above shows sting scars from a box jellyfish encountered in the waters around Queensland, Australia.
These creatures are distinguished by a stalk, with which they anchor themselves to surfaces. With a calyx (cupshaped cavity) diameter of 10cm (3.9in) and a height of 3cm (1.1in) when living, Janet’s stalked jellyfish (Lucernaria janetae) is larger than all others of this group. (Preserved specimens shrink.) First discovered in 2003, it was formally described in 2005 and is the only species of stalked jellyfish (or stauromedusan) known from the Pacific Ocean, where it lives in association with hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. It was named after American marine biologist Dr Janet Voight, in recognition of her commitment to discovering and describing new species of deep-sea invertebrates.
Longest siphonophore
Siphonophores are related to true jellyfishes (scyphozoans). Some, like the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis), greatly resemble them and are often mistakenly identified as such, but in reality belong to a separate taxonomic class, Hydrozoa. The longest species is the giant siphonophore (Praya dubia), distributed through the European Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico off California, USA. Following a study conducted in 1987 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, it is now known that this serpentine, bioluminescent species can grow longer than 40m (131ft).
Rarest jellyfish The Cookii monster (Crambione cookii) – a very large, pink and venomous jellyfish – was seen and sketched by American scientist Alfred Gainsborough Mayor in the sea off Cooktown in Queensland, Australia, in 1910. It was not reported again until 2013, when a specimen was spotted and captured off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
SUPERLATIVE SPONGES Largest sponge The barrel-shaped loggerhead sponge (Spheciospongia vesparium) measures up to 105cm (3ft 5in) tall and 91cm (3ft) in diameter. It is found in the Caribbean and the waters off Florida, USA. The smallest sponge is the widely distributed Leucosolenia blanca, which reaches just 3mm (0.11in) tallwhen fully grown. 70
Longest-lived sponge species Scolymastra joubini is an Antarctic hexactinellid orglass sponge. It grows very slowly in this region’s exceedingly cold waters, and one 2-m-tall (6-ft 6-in) specimen in the Ross Sea had an estimated age of at least 15,000years. Its extraordinary lifespan makes S.joubini one of the oldest animal specimens on Earth.
First reef-building animals The archaeocyathids were primitive cup-shaped organisms resembling hollow horn corals (“archaeocyathid” translates as “ancient cup”). These constitute the first sponges or poriferans. Their reefs (known as bioherms) may have been as deep as 10m (32ft). Their fossils date back to the beginning of the Tommotian Age, 525million years ago.
Jellyfishes These marine creatures have saucer- or bellshaped bodies, often transparent, and are fringed with stinging tentacles.
Sponges Primitive invertebrates with a soft, porous structure and harder skeleton, sponges filter oxygen and nutrients from water currents.
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At 10 0ft (30.4m more, the tent )or the lion’s man acles of can be longer the jelly fish whale. Eight bu an a blue te ntacle s (somnches of et morethan 150pimes bunch)surroun er d itsmouth.
Heaviest jellyfish As they are composed almost entirely of water and soft parts, with no heart, blood, skeleton, respiratory organs or brain, it is not readily possible to obtain precise weights for jellyfishes. However, based upon its huge body size, volume and tentacle mass, the lion’s mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) has been estimated to weigh in excess of 1tonne (2,200lb). The species is found mainly in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and North Sea, and around southern Australia.
Heaviest sponge In 1909, a wool sponge (Hippospongia canaliculata) 6ft(1.83m) in circumference was collected off The Bahamas. It initially weighed 80–90lb (36–41kg), but this fell to 12lb (5.44kg) after it had been dried and relieved of all excrescences. It is now preserved in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, USA.
Largest reef system ever Around 160millionyears ago, during the Late Jurassic period of the Mesozoic Era, the Tethys Ocean was host to a discontinuous system of glass sponge reefs that was around 7,000km (4,350mi) long. The Tethys Ocean once existed between the continents Laurasia and Gondwana, before either the Atlantic or Indian oceans began to form.
Named after its mass of tentacles, likened to the mane of a lion, this huge species is bioluminescent. It feeds onsmaller jellyfishes, small fishes and zooplankton.
First carnivorous sponge Asbestopluma hypogea was discovered in Jan1995 within ashallow-water Mediterranean cave off La Ciotat in France, by researchers from France’s Centre d’Océanologie de Marseille. It uses novel tendrillike structures not previously reported in sponges to seize tiny crustaceans swimming nearby. These are then hauled inside its body and digested (pictured). 71
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DINOSAURS
They lived millions of years ago and were the largest creatures to ever walk Earth. But just how big were the dinosaurs, and how can we be sure? What can individual bone fragments tell us about the size of these “terrible lizards”?
Diplodocus had the longes tail of any an t stretching up toimal, (46ft) in leng th 14m three times the– about le of a London blacng th k taxi cab!
D
Spinosaurus The largest carnivorous dinosaur – and probably the largest land-based predator ever – was Spinosaurus. The analysis of skull fragments suggests that this creature was 17m (56ft) long and weighed up to 9tonnes (19,850 lb).
Tyrannosaurus rex T. rex may not have been the largest dinosaur, but it did have the strongest bite for a land animal. The maximum force generated at the back teeth has been calculated to have reached 57,000N (12,814 lb/f) – equivalent to the force of a mediumsized elephant sitting onthe ground.
inosaurs were among our planet’s most visibly diverse land animals. They ranged in size from the chicken-sized Microraptor zhaoianus – at 39cm (15.3in) in length, the smallest dinosaur – to the titanic, 100-tonne (220,00-lb) sauropods (see right)… a weight difference of 100,000:1. Ever since these prehistoric beasts were first identified – the first scientific description of a dinosaur was in1824, when skeletal remains found in Oxfordshire, UK, were classified as belonging to Megalosaurus bucklandii – palaeontologists have faced the challenge of estimating these creatures’ sizes. It’s fine when the remains are more or less complete: the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex, for example, is “Sue”, who was unearthed in 1990 in South Dakota, USA, and found to be 90% complete. But many dinosaurs – such as the longest, Amphicoelias (right) – are known from incomplete, fragmentary remains. Over 2,000 species of non-avian dinosaur have so far been recognized and named, but many are known from just a single bone. In cases such as these, the dinosaurs’ total sizes can onlybe estimated by comparing the size of their bones with those from closely related species known from much more complete skeletal remains. Argentinosaurus – probably the heaviest dinosaur (right) – is known from only a small number of bones found in Argentina
Diplodocus Sauropoda were herbivorous dinosaurs that first appeared in the late Triassic (c. 200mya) and included the wellknown Diplodocus (above) and Brachiosaurus. There is some debate as to the longest dinosaur, but the most likely contender is Amphicoelias, estimated at around 60m (197ft) – longer than an Olympic swimming pool! in the early 1990s. One vertebra (neck bone) was 1.59m (5ft 3in) long, indicative of a giant sauropod, so to estimate its final size, palaeontologists compared it with vertebrae in the skeletons of more complete members of the sauropod clade, namely Saltasaurus and Rapetosaurus. From this, the final weight of Argentinosaurus was estimated at 100tonnes. Such estimates can be accurate, but problems may sometimes arise. Mongolia’s Therizinosaurus, for instance, was found with claws measuring up to 3ft (91cm) along their outer edge. Estimates of its total body size using only its claw dimensions would suggest an enormous creature. However, partial skeletal remains revealed that its claws were disproportionately long – indeed, the longest dinosaur claws (see below) – so caution is always needed when assessing the true size of these megabeasts. Dinosaurs are not a thing of the past: we continue to make new discoveries that reshape our understanding of these magnificent creatures and how they grew to such epic proportions. The non-avian dinosaurs may have died out 65million years ago, but they continue to fascinate and intrigue us.
DINOSAUR DEFENCES Largest armoured dinosaur Big beasts need big defences, and few dinosaurs had defences as effective as Ankylosaurus. This 2.5-m-wide (8-ft) herbivore (the widest dinosaur, relative to length) was clad in protective plates, studs and spikes, and wielded a heavy club-like tail.
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Longest dinosaur spikes Loricatosaurus, a herbivorous stegosaur that lived in England during the middle Jurassic, had tail spikes up to 1m (3ft 3in) in length. (They may also have been covered in a horny sheath, making them twice as long as this.) These formidable spikes were probably used as weapons against potential attackers, and may also have served to attract or impress mates.
Longest dinosaur claws The therizinosaurids (“scythe lizards”) had long claws – the purpose of which remains unclear but would have surely helped with defence. In the case of Therizinosaurus cheloniformis, the claws measured a record 3ft (91cm) along the outer curve (compared with “just” 20cm (8in) for T. rex).
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The largest-ever land-based animal was the sauropod dinosaur Argentinosaurus huinculensis (pictured). This long-necked, long-tailed, four-legged herbivore lived in the Late Cretaceous period (97–93.5mya). Some estimates put its weight at 124tonnes (273,373lb), but most palaeontologists favour a range of 60–90tonnes (132,277–198,416lb). At the very least, that makes it around 10 times heavier than an adult African elephant.
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Argentinosaurus
From the tip of nose to the tip its tail, A.huinculen of its an estimated sis was (98–131ft) long 30 –40m around twice th, making it e leng th of abowlingalle y.
The Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Germany houses a reconstruction of an Argentinosaurus skeleton. The actual dinosaur’s record-breaking weight was estimatedin 1994, following a study of its vast vertebrae, one of which was 1.59m (5ft 3in) long.
Thickest dinosaur skull Pachycephalosaurus, a domeheaded herbivore that lived during the late Cretaceous, had a 65-cm-long (2-ft) skull with a bone dome measuring 20cm (8in) thick. By comparison, an average male skull is around 0.65cm (0.25in) thick. Pachycephalosaurus may have used head-butting as a last-ditch attempt to deterpredators.
Longest dinosaur horns The paired brow horns borne above the eyes by three genera of ceratopsian or horned dinosaur – the North American Triceratops (left), the North American Torosaurus and the Mexican Coahuilaceratops – measured up to 1.2m (3ft 11in) long. The horns were likely used in defence and in courtship jousting bouts, just as antlers are usedby modern-day deer. The ceratopsids had the largest dinosaur skulls; a Pentaceratops on display at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman, Oklahoma, USA, has a skull measuring 3.2m (10ft 6in) in height – the largest individual dinosaur skull on record.
Fastest dinosaur If the best defence is running away, the most successful dinosaurs would have been the ornithomimosaurs (bird-mimics). The fastest ornithomimosaur was Gallimimus (“chicken mimic”) of Mongolia, whose light bodies, long legs and slender toes enabled them to cruise for some time at speeds of 40–60km/h (24–37mph). 73
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PETS Oldest dog ever
The greatest reliable age recorded for a dog is 29years 5months, for an Australian cattle-dog named Bluey. Owned by Les Hall of Rochester in Victoria, Australia, Bluey was obtained as a puppy in1910 and worked among cattle and sheep for nearly 20years before being put to sleep on 14Nov 1939. The oldest cat ever was Creme Puff, who was born on 3Aug 1967 and lived until 6Aug 2005 – an amazing 38years 3days! She lived with her owner, Jake Perry, in Austin, Texas, USA.
Oldest rabbit ever
Highest jump by a dog On 14Sep 2017, Feather, a two-year-old female greyhound owned by Samantha Valle (USA, see opposite), cleared a jump of 191.7cm (6ft 3.5in) in Frederick, Maryland, USA. Feather smashed the record of 172.7cm (5ft7.9in), set by Cinderella May a Holly Grey in2006. Longest fur on a rabbit An EnglishAngora rabbit named Franchesca, owned by BettyChu (USA), had fur 36.5cm (1ft 2.37in) long when measured in Morgan Hill, California, USA, on 17Aug 2014. This measurement was an average based on various lengths of fur on Franchesca’s body.
A wild rabbit named Flopsy was caught on 6Aug 1964 and died18years 327days later at the home of LBWalker ofLongford in Tasmania, Australia. The oldest guinea pig ever was Snowball, owned by MAWall of Bingham in Nottinghamshire, UK. Snowball diedon14Feb 1979, aged 14years 10months 2weeks.
Most treats balanced on a dog’s nose
Husky cross-breed George balanced 29treats on his nose with handler Dima Yeremenko (UK) for a GWRLIVE! record challenge during the London Pet Show at ExCeL London, UK, on 9May 2015. George is a rescue dog from the RSPCA.
Most dice stacked on a cat’s paw On 18Jun 2017, a domestic short-haired cat named Bibi balanced a total of 10dice on a single steady paw (here, he is pictured with nine). He canalso hold up all 13playing cards in a suit in one paw. A YouTube video of Bibi in action had 37,250views as of 9Feb 2018. He lives with his owner Siew Lian Chui (MYS) inPuchong, Selangor, Malaysia.
Longest human tunnel travelled through onaskateboard by a cat
On 9Feb 2017, Bengal feline Boomer propelled himself on askateboard between the legs of 13people in Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia. He was under the watchful eye of his owner, animal trainerRobert Dollwet (USA/AUS). The longest human tunnel travelled through on a skateboard by a dog is 33people, achieved by five-year-old bulldog Dai-chan on the set of Gyouretsunodekiru Houritsu Soudanjyo inChiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, on 17Sep 2017.
Loudest purr by a domestic cat
On 2Apr 2015, Merlin purred at 67.8dB at his home with owner Tracy Westwood (UK) in Torquay, Devon, UK. This isabout the same volume as a flushing toilet! The loudest bark by a dog measured 113.1dB – louder than a revving motorcycle – and was produced by golden retriever Charlie at the “Bark in the Park” event, which took place inRymillPark in Adelaide, Australia, on 20Oct 2012.
Most tricks performed by a pig in one minute
Guided by her owner, Dawn Bleeker (USA), mini-pig Joy completed 13 tricks in Newton, Iowa, USA, on 16Jan 2018. The tricks included sitting, reverse-walking and honking a horn.
Tallest donkey
Romulus, a nine-year-old American Mammoth Jackstock owned by Cara and Phil Yellott of Red Oak, Texas, USA, stood 17hands (172.7cm; 5ft 8in) tall on 8Feb 2013. The shortest donkey is KneeHi, a brown jack miniature Mediterranean donkey who measured 64.2cm (2ft 1in) to thewithers in Gainesville, Florida, USA, on 26Jul 2011.
Tallest cat scratching tree A cat scratching tree rising 5.93m (19ft 5.5in) was created by Diane Less (USA) at the Angels for Animals shelter in Canfield, Ohio, USA, as verified on 2Dec 2017. Diane used pipe cleaners to model her design, inspired by saguaro cacti. The tree has 35 branches and is made from steel pipes, plywood and AstroTurf.
REIGNING CATS AND DOGS Tallest dog living Freddy, owned by Claire Stoneman (UK), was 1.035m (3ft 4.75in) tall when measured in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, UK, on 13Sep 2016. It took GWR Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday and vet Emma Norris almost a day – and a few of Freddy’s favourite liver-flavoured treats – to measure him. The runt of a litter of13, as a pup Freddy shredded 26sofas! His favourite meal? A whole roast chicken. 74
Smallest dog living A female Chihuahua called Milly measured 9.65cm (3.8in) tall on 21Feb 2013. She is owned by Vanesa Semler of Dorado in Puerto Rico. Born on 1Dec 2011, Milly was so small that she could fit in a teaspoon, and had to be fed milk every two hours with an eye-dropper. She loves having her picture taken and often sticks out her tiny tongue for the camera.
Pet ownership internationally*
dog
12%
cat
6%
fish
bird
other
43%
nopets
*Source: GfK Global Studies
Percentage of people living with different pets across 22 countries (multiple answers possible)
Most skips by a dog inone minute Geronimo, a two-yearold female border collie and kelpie cross, achieved 91skips with her owner Samantha Valle (USA) on 13May 2012. A New Yorkbased travelling performer, Samantha adopted Geronimo from a facility in Missouri. The dog also enjoys double-dutch skipping and Frisbee.
6%
LIVING PL ANET
33% 23%
Spring-heel Jessica can jum ed a horse’s back p on to push a shoppingand also She performs trolley. of the “Crackeras part Ja with another te cks” rri calledJacob. er
Most skips by a dog and person in one minute (single rope) On 1Dec 2016, Rachael Grylls (UK) and her Jack Russell terrier Jessica skipped over a rope 59times in 60sec in Lewdown, Devon, UK. The pair – who have trained together since Jessica was one – regularly perform at animal shows. They spent 15min a day practising skipping in the hope of eclipsing the existing record of58. When they beat it by a single skip, Jessica was rewarded with “sausages and lotsof hugs”. Shortest domestic catliving A nine-year-old female Munchkin cat called Lilieput measured 13.34cm (5.25in) from the floor to the shoulders on 19Jul 2013. Lilieput was discovered as a stray by Christel Young of Napa inCalifornia, USA. In Aug2014, she survived theSouth Napa earthquake.
Longest dog ever Aicama Zorba of La-Susa, an old English mastiff owned by Chris Eraclides of London, UK, had a nose-to-tail length of 254.4cm (8ft 4in) in Sep1987. The huge dog, known as Zorba, stood 94cm (3ft 1in) at the shoulder and by Nov1989 had reached a peak weight of 343lb (155.5kg) – roughly the same as five Dalmatian dogs.
Longest domestic cat ever Mymains Stewart Gilligan – also known as Stewie – was measured at 123cm (4ft) long on 28Aug 2010. He was owned by Robin Hendrickson and Erik Brandsness (USA). Stewie, a Maine Coon, was a therapy cat who frequented alocal senior centre. Sadly, hepassed away in Jan2013. 75
LIVING PL ANET
ROUND-UP Earliest example ofbrood care
Fastest time to pop 100balloons by a dog On 9Apr 2017, Loughren Christmas Star – aka Toby – popped 100balloons with his teeth and claws in 28.22sec in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The whippet, owned by ChristieSprings (CAN), celebrated his ninthbirthday withanewGWR title.
Earliest modern baboon
A fossilized partial skull of a baboon specimen dating back 2.02–2.36million years was found at Malapa, near Johannesburg in South Africa, by a team of researchers from the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits University. The skull was believed to belong to the present-day species known as the
Brood care describes when an animal actively looks after its offspring, rather than leaving them to fend for themselves. In 2015, five female specimens of an archaic relative of shrimps and other crustaceans known as Waptia fieldensis were uncovered in Canada’s Burgess Shale fossil deposits. Each specimen was found to contain a clutch of up to 24eggs tucked inside its carapace. These eggs contained embryos and were relatively large, each egg measuring at least 2mm
Oldest manatee in captivity (ever) Born on 21Jul 1948, Snooty the manatee became a star attraction at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, Florida, USA. “Baby Snoots” was transferred there in1949, and went on to greet more than a million visitors. In1979, he was made Manatee County’s official mascot. Sadly, Snooty died on 23Jul 2017, aged 69years 2days.
hamadryas or sacred baboon Papio hamadryas. The team formally published their research in Aug2015.
Newest insect order
Formally described and named in2017, Aethiocarenodea contains only a single, long-extinct species, Aethiocarenus burmanicus. It is known fromjust one tiny specimen, found embedded inside a sample of amber from Myanmar’s Hukawng Valley and dating back almost 100million years. A. burmanicus possessed a triangular head, giving itan “E.T.-like” appearance. Uniquely, the longest side occurred at the apex of thehead, rather thanconnecting to its neck.
Largest thaliacean A member of the Thaliacea class of free-floating filter feeders, the giant fire salp Pyrostremma spinosum is in fact a colony composed of thousands of tiny individual organisms known as zooids. They exist together as a “super-organism”, a hollow tube that can measure 20–30m (65–98ft) in length and more than 1m (3ft) in width.
(0.078in) – or around onefortieth the length of the mother (80mm; 3.15in). This is an example of a specific type of reproductive strategy known as K selection, in which an animal only produces a small number of offspring but takes care of them for an extended period of time. This makes Waptia fieldensis – who existed approximately 508million years ago, during the midCambrian period – the firstknown caring parents.
Most carnivorous bat
A large prehistoric species known from fossil remains obtained in France’s Quercy Phosphorites Formation, the deatheater Necromantis adhicaster dates back approximately 40million years. Unique among all bats, present and past, were its carnassials – paired upper and lower teeth modified to permit enlarged and often self-sharpening edges to pass by each other in a shearing manner, thus enabling the animal to slice through flesh with ease. Only truly carnivorous mammals possess carnassials, although whether the death-eater killed and devoured live prey or merely scavenged upon already dead carcasses is presently unclear.
Largest population of camels in the wild Estimated in2013 at 300,000individuals – and increasing at roughly 10% per year – the largest population of camels in the wild is in Australia. They are the descendents of camels imported for desert transportation purposes from the 1840s until the early 1900s, whereupon they were released or escaped from captivity. 76
Rarest swallowtail butterfly
Because it can t ou go for days with ,a eating any foodn eat ca Siberian tiger 5kg) of about 10 0lb (4 ting – meat at one sit lf a the same as ha kangaroo!
The Ceylon or Sri Lankan rose Pachliopta (=Atrophaneura) jophon is the only species of swallowtail butterfly categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Its grave state is the result of habitat destruction, and although precise numbers of specimens are not currently confirmed, it is presently confined to the rainforests of the central hill country in south-western SriLanka.
Largest feline carnivore The male Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) averages 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) from nose to tail, stands 99–107 cm (3 ft 3 in–3 ft 6 in) to its shoulder and weighs around 265 kg (584 lb). Roaming the birch forests of eastern Russia and parts of China and North Korea, the giant carnivore eats deer, moose, boar and even bears! There are more than 550 individual tigers in existence – arecovery from a low of 20–30 in the 1930s.
Rarest crane
The Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) is estimated at roughly 3,000birds and is categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Two populations remain – one in the Arctic tundra of eastern Russia, and one in the Arctic tundra of western Russia (of which only10or sosurvive). The eastern population migrates to China for the winter, while the western heads to Iran.
Largest triclad worm
An adult specimen of the flatworm Rimacephalus arecepta can measure 60cm (1ft 11in) in length. Native to Lake Baikal in Russia – at 5,371 ft (1,637 m), the deepest lake – the worm feeds upon the dead and dying specimens of fish that it encounters in the icy waters.
Longest bird ofparadise
Adult male specimens of the black sicklebill (Epimachus fastosus) measure up to 110cm (3ft 7in) in length. The species is native to mid-mountain forests on the island of New Guinea, and is one of several closely related sicklebills. Like most other birds of paradise, the adultfemale is smaller than the male and has muchplainer plumage.
Longest tongue onadog(current) Mochi, a female St Bernard living in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, has an 18.58‑cm-long (7.31‑in) tongue, as measured on 25Aug 2016. She was rescued by owners Carla and Craig Rickert (USA) when she was twoyears old. Mochi’s tongue was measured at the vet clinic while under anaesthesia for dental care.
Smallest echinoderm
Deadliest animal Based on the number of human deaths from the diseases that they transmit – an estimated 725,000 to 1million every year – Anopheles mosquitoes are by far the most lethal animals on Earth. These insects are vectors (carriers/transmitters) of various parasites, which the mosquitoes pass on when feeding on our blood. The most dangerous of these parasites belong to the genus Plasmodium and cause malaria.
In2015, April as Gould appearedthe a contestantonican TV showAmer was he Ninja Warrior.S Goat dubbedthe“ Whisperer”.
A member of the Echinoderm phylum of marine invertebrates, the sea cucumber or holothuriid Psammothuria ganapatii measures no more than 4mm (0.15in) long. It is so small that it exists between individual grains of beach sand on India’s Waltair coast, and remained undescribed by science until May1968. It is so different from all other sea cucumber species that it is housed within its own genus.
Wild Things Take a trip with GWR’s Wild Things as it tracks down the weirdest and most wonderful wildlife in the record books – from blood-sucking bats to fearsome frogs and the real angry birds...
Fastest time to climb over ahumantunnel by a goat On 30Jun 2017, Ninja the goat ran along the backs of 25people forming a human tunnel in 9.40sec in Gilbert, Arizona, USA. Ninja lives with owner April Gould (USA), a former professional waterskiier who now farms goats and trains them for acrobatic participation in her “goat yoga” classes. 77
Making History
Saturn V
Did You Know?
If a malfunction were to take place at launch, this escape system would pull the command module (located beneath it) to safety
Despite its size, Saturn V wasn’t the most powerful rocket ever. That record goes to the former USSR’s N1booster, with a lift-off thrust of around 40,000kN (9.89millionlbf). It launched on 21Feb 1969, but never flew successfully. By contrast, the Falcon Heavy, launched on 6Feb 2018 by SpaceX (USA), hada lift-off thrust of 22,819kN (5.13millionlbf). Itcould take a payload of some 64tonnes (141,096lb) into low-Earth orbit. See pp.176–77. The second stage was powered by five Rocketdyne J-2 engines fuelled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Itspurpose was to take thespacecraftalmost intoEarth’s orbit
In Jul1969, humans first set foot on the Moon as part of NASA’s Apollo11 mission. The rocket that had taken them there was the SaturnV. So successful was it that the same rocket design would be used on all future Apollo missions, the last of which (Apollo17) took place inDec1972. SaturnV would also be employed to launch the USA’s first space station, Skylab, in1973.
The largest rocket, SaturnV stood 110.6 m (363 ft) tall – similar to the height of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, UK – and weighed as much as 2,965tonnes (6.5million lb) when fully fuelled. It had a lift-off thrust of 33,803kN (7.6millionlbf), and could boost 118,000kg (260,145lb) of payload to low-Earth orbit in around 12min – the most powerful rocket by lift capacity (ever). Its development was led by German engineer Wernher von Braun, who had designed the Jupiter-C rocket that took the USA’s first satellite into orbit in1958. Work began in1961, butthe first SaturnV wasn’t launched until 9Nov 1967, as part of the Apollo4 mission. Today, the cost of the project would be around $73billion (£51billion).
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The third stage had one rocket engine, to put the Apollo spacecraft into Earth orbit. Later it reignited, boosting the craft to an escape velocity of around 10.4km/sec (6.4mi/sec) and propelling ittowards the Moon
5
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1: Apollo 11 – From Earth to the Moon 1: Lift-off takes place on 16 Jul 1969 at 9:32 a.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). 2: SaturnV has three main sections, or “stages”. Around 2min 41sec after launch, at an altitude of 42mi (67 km), the rockets shut down and stage one is cast off. The stage-two rockets kick in at around 2min 44sec. Some 33sec later, the launch escape system atop the rocket is ejected. 3: At around 9min, the second stage is ejected and the third stage – equipped with one J-2 engine – ignites. It shuts down at 11min 39sec into the mission – by which time the craft is in Earth’s orbit – but kicks in again at around 2hr44min, to propel the spacecraft out of orbit and towards the Moon. 4–6: Some 4hr 17min into the flight, the command-and-service module Columbia separates from the third stage, turns 180° and pulls the lunar module Eagle away, leaving the third stage to float off. 7: At 100hr 12 min into the mission, the lunar module undocks from Columbia, thereafter to enter the Moon’s orbit and descend to the lunar surface, touching down at 4:17p.m. EDT on 20 Jul 1969.
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Fo r th e R e co
2: On the Moon The lunar module comprises two sections. The upper “ascent” stage houses the crew in a pressurized compartment and its movement is controlled by rockets. The lower “descent” stage has a central rocket and contains equipment for exploration of the lunar surface. The lower stage remains on the Moon when the astronauts take off in the “ascent” stage to rejoin the Columbia command-and-service module in lunar orbit.
rd
of the SaturnV The first stage ered by five launch was pow – the most Rocketdyne F-1s uidle-chamber liq powerful sing da ha engine. Each fuelled rocket f). lb n io (1.52mill thrust of 6,770kN is th min 30sec, Lasting some 2 gal ired 203,400US qu initial stage re d an el fu of kerosene (770,000litres) ) es tr li (1,204,000 318,000USgal , it . By comparison of liquid oxygen fuel of ) es l (3,272litr takes 861US ga 747 off to get a Boeing the ground.
NASA’s emblem for the Apollo11 mission featured a bald eagle (the USA’s national bird) and an olive branch to denote peaceful aims
The first stage was jettisoned after the F-1 engines shut off at an altitude of 42mi (67km)
3: The Journey Home 1: While astronaut Michael Collins stays in Columbia, his colleagues BuzzAldrin and Neil Armstrong conduct experiments on the Moon. 2: Eagle takes off from the lunar surface 124hr 22min into the mission. 3–4: Nearly 4hr later, it docks with Columbia, which Aldrin and Armstrong then enter. Eagle is jettisoned some 2 hr later. 5: Just before Earth re-entry, Columbia’s command module casts off its service module (housing oxygen, water and electricity for the command module, as well as the rocket that propels it to and from the Moon). 6–7: The command module re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. Its parachutes open and it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean at around 12:50p.m.EDT on 24Jul 1969.
Five Rocketdyne F-1 engines (see “For the Record”)
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HUMAN BEINGS Longest fingernails on a hand (ever) The fingernails on the left hand of Shridhar Chillal (IND) measure an aggregate length of 909.6cm (29ft 10.1in), as verified on 17Nov 2014 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Shridhar began growing his nails in1952, inspired by a teacher at his school. His longest individual nail, on the thumb,measures 197.8cm (6ft 5.8in). If it could be straightened out, itwould be taller than NBA basketball star Stephen Curry.
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CONTENTS
IN FOCUS: Heaviest Humans. . . . . . . . 82 Size Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Body Mods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Oldest People. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Family Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Human Beings Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . 92
Shridhar’s na grownmore frails have age, making th gile with ei measurement r accurate a delicate process.GWR ad usedstring tom judicators nails’lengths be ark off the the stringagainfore gauging stano tapemeasure. rmal
81
IN FOCUS
HEAVIEST HUMANS
The story of the heaviest humans on Earth is by turns turbulent, tragic and even uplifting. Record holders face a constant struggle, not only with their extreme size and fluctuating waistlines, but alsothe life-threatening health issues that accompany them.
Jon Brower Minnoch A rare photograph of the heaviest man ever. At his peak of more than 1,400lb (635kg; 100st), he weighed more than sevenaverage adultmen.
T Robert Earl Hughes This outsize American registered the largest chest measurement: 3.15m (10ft4in). He died in 1958.
Manuel Uribe
Peaking at 560kg (1,234lb 9oz), Mexico’s Manuel was the heaviest man from 2006to his death in2014.
he heaviest human category is not one that’s challenged very often. Few individuals wish to publicize their extreme obesity, although occasionally a new story breaks when someone seeks help for what is a very serious medical condition. This is the case with the most recent man to be verified as the world’s heaviest human: Juan Pedro Franco Salas of the central Mexican city of Aguascalientes. In Nov2016, Juan Pedro made headlines around the world when he was hospitalized for life-saving treatment. Initially reported to weigh 1,105lb (501kg; 79st), he actually tipped the scales at594.8kg (1,311lb 4.9oz; 93st 9lb). Prior to Juan Pedro, the heaviest man was fellow Mexican Manuel “Meme” Uribe Garza of Monterrey, who reached a peak weight of 560kg (1,235lb; 88st) – heavier than six average men – in Jan2006. He made a televised plea for help and slimmed down to 840lb (381kg; 60st) with the guidance of obesity experts. Manuel was hospitalized in May2014 suffering from cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and liver failure, and passed away three weeks later at the age of48. Other heaviest men of recent times include Michael Hebranko (USA, 1953–2013), who suffered from morbid obesity his entire life and whose weight peaked at 1,100lb (499kg; 78st) in1999. The wall of Michael’s home had to be removed in order to get him to hospital and a whale sling used to manoeuvre him into bed. TJ Albert Jackson (USA, 1941–88), meanwhile, peaked at 890 lb (404 kg; 63 st 9 lb). “Fat Albert”, ashe was known, had a chest measurement of 305cm (120in), a waist of 294cm (116in) and a 75‑cm (29‑in) neck. The heaviest man ever was Jon Brower Minnoch (USA), who had suffered from obesity since childhood. In Sep1976, he measured 185cm (6ft 1in) tall and weighed 442kg (974lb; 69st 9lb). But just twoyears later, in Mar1978, Jon was admitted to University Hospital, Seattle, USA, where consultant endocrinologist DrRobert Schwartz calculated that he must have
weighed in excess of 1,400lb (635kg; 100st). Agreat deal of this was due to water accumulation – a result of his congestive heart failure. In order to get Jon to hospital, a dozen firemen andan improvised stretcher were required to move him from his home to a ferry boat. When he arrived at University Hospital, saturated with fluid and suffering from heart and respiratory failure, Jon was put in two beds lashed together. Ittook 13people to roll him over. After nearly two years on a diet of 1,200calories per day, Jon was discharged at 216kg (476lb; 34st). In Oct1981, however, hehad to be readmitted after putting on more than 89kg (196lb; 14st). When he passed away on 10Sep1983, the heaviest ever human weighed more than 362kg (798lb; 57st).
HIGHEST OBESITY RATES (INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS) COUNTRY
CONTINENT
PERCENTAGE
USA
North America
38.2
Mexico
North America
32.4
Australia
30.7
New Zealand Hungary
Europe
30
Australia
Australia
27.9
Source: OECD Obesity Update2017
Billy and Benny McCrary The heaviest twins (male): in Nov1978, Billy weighed 337kg (743lb; 53st) andBenny was 328kg (723lb; 51st 9lb).
Billyand Benny McCrar y (both USA) fo as professionaund fame duo the McGuire l wrestling boasted a wa Twins. Each 2.13m (6ft 11.8ist measuring in in a motorcycle ). Billy died ac in 1979, while Becident suffered hear t nny failure in2001.
LARGER-THAN-LIFE LADIES Heaviest living woman Pauline Potter (USA) weighed 293.6kg (647lb; 46st) when measured in Sacramento, California, USA, in Jul2012. She attributes her weight problems to her childhood, when she regularly had to gowithout food. Following gastric bypass surgery, Pauline shed almost 150lb (68kg; 10st), but continues tobattlewith her weight. 82
Heaviest woman togivebirth
Heaviest quadruplets ever born
Highest rate of femaleobesity
Donna Simpson of New Jersey, USA, weighed 532lb (241kg; 38 st) when she delivered daughter Jacqueline in Feb2007. The birth took place at Akron City Hospital in Ohio, USA, carried out by a team of 30 medical professionals. Jacqueline weighed 8lb 7oz (3.8kg) at birth – around 1/60th of her mother’s weight.
Tina Saunders (UK) gave birth to two girls and two boys weighing a combined total of 10.4kg (22lb 15.7oz) at StPeter’s Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey, UK, on 7Feb 1989. The heaviest triplets ever born weighed a total of 24lb(10.9kg) and were born to Mary McDermott (UK) on 18Nov 1914.
According to the World Health Organization, 63.3% of the female population of Nauru are classed as clinically obese, as of 2016. Thenexthighest nation on the list is the CookIslands on 59.2%, with Palau third on 58.8%. The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu make up the top five, with 57.3% and 56.2%respectively.
IN FOCUS
HUMAN BEINGS
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Juan Pedro Franco Salas Weighing in at 594.8kg (1,311lb 4.9oz; 93st 9lb) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, on 18Dec 2016, Juan Pedro is the heaviest living man. He had suffered from morbid obesity since childhood, his condition exacerbated by an injury he sustained aged17. In Nov2016, the 32-year-old left his bedroom for the first time in seven years to undergo life-saving treatment in hospital. Hewas diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, hypertension and liquid in his lungs. By May2017, Juan Pedro had lost 170kg (374lb; 26st 10lb) – roughly the weight of two kangaroos – and was able to have gastric bypass surgery. Itwas hoped that this procedure would help himto cut his bodyweight in half. Heaviest Ms Olympia contestant Nicole Bass (USA) weighed 92.5kg (204lb; 14st 8lb) when she participated in the 1997 international bodybuilding contest. Bass, a bodybuilder and professional wrestler who starred in the WWF (now WWE) in the late 1990s, was also the tallest Ms Olympia contestant, at 188cm (6ft 2in). She passed away in Feb2017.
Juan Pedro said of his spiralling weight gain: “My body just followed its own path without any control whatsoever. I tried to diet day after day, but nothing worked and I became desperate.”
Following his gastric bypass surgery, Juan Pedro has embarked upon a new dietary and exercise regime which has seen him lose a third of his body weight. Aided by a team of 30health professionals, he is hoping to reduce his weight still further – with a target of 120kg (264lb; 19st). Heaviest woman ever Rosalie Bradford (USA) is claimed to have reached a peak weight of 1,200lb (544kg; 85st) in Jan1987. In Aug that year, she was rushed to hospital having developed congestive heart failure. Through a combination of carefully controlled dieting and exercise – including clapping her hands – Rosalie was able to bring her weight
down to 283lb (128kg; 20st) by Feb1994. She went back to higher education and toured the USA, making motivational speeches at weight-loss seminars. Despite her success in controlling her size, however, it continued to be a problem throughout Rosalie’s life. She finally passed away on 29 Nov 2006 at the age of63, owing to weightrelatedcomplications.
Heaviest sportswoman Sumo wrestler Sharran Alexander (UK) weighed 448lb (203.2kg; 32st) on 15Dec 2011. She took up the sport in her early40s, participating in the Sumo World Championships having won a 2006reality TV show. Sharran went on to compete in competitions around the world, winning four goldmedals and attaining second Kyū grade. 83
HUMAN BEINGS
SI ZE MATTERS Tallest teenager ever
By the age of17, Robert Wadlow (USA, 1918–40) had grown to a height of 245cm (8ft 0.5in). Find out more about this remarkable man on p.85. The tallest teenager ever (female) is Anna Haining Swan (CAN, 1846–88), whose height peaked at 241.3cm (7ft 11in) when she was17. On 17Jun 1871, Anna married Martin van Buren Bates, who stood 236.22cm (7ft 9in) tall.See also p.90.
Largest hands on a teenager
Tallest married couple Sun Mingming and his wife Xu Yan (both CHN) stand 236.17cm (7ft 8.98in) and 187.3cm (6ft 1.74 in) tall respectively. They had a combined height of 423.47cm (13ft 10.72in) on 14Nov 2013 when measured in Beijing, China. They had married there on4Aug that year.
The right hand belonging to Mathu-Andrew Budge (UK,b.28Dec 2001) is 22.5cm (8.85in) long from the wristtothe tip of the middle finger, while his left is 22.2cm (8.74in). Hewasmeasured on 13Feb 2018 in London, UK, aged16years47days. Mathu-Andrew also has the largest feet on a teenager (male). His left foot is 32.95cm (12.97in) long, and his right 32.85cm (12.93in). He wears a UKshoe size 18.
SHORTEST… Man ever
Chandra Bahadur Dangi (NPL, 1939–2015) measured 54.6cm (1ft 9.5in) tall, as verified in Lainchaur, Kathmandu, Nepal, on 26Feb 2012. At the time, Chandra weighed 14.5kg (31lb 15.47oz) and claimed to be 72years old.
Woman ever
Pauline Musters (NLD, aka “Princess Pauline”) was born on 26Feb 1876 and measured just over 1ft (30cm) at birth. Shedied of pneumonia with meningitis in New York City, USA,on 1Mar 1895. A post-mortem examination showed herto be exactly 2ft (61cm) tall.
Shortest men and women Jyoti Amge (IND, above left) was 62.8cm (2ft 0.7in) tall when measured in Nagpur, India, on 16Dec 2011, making her the shortest living woman. The shortest living man is Khagendra Thapa Magar (NPL, above right), who stands 67.08cm (2ft 2.41in) tall, as confirmed at Fewa City Hospital in Pokhara, Nepal, on 14Oct 2010. Madge Bester (ZAF) is just 65cm (2ft 1.5in) tall, making her the shortest living non-mobile woman. She suffers from Osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, and is confined to a wheelchair. The shortest living non-mobile man is Junrey Balawing (PHL, left), who was 59.93cm (1ft 11.5in) tall when measured at Sindangan Health Centre in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines, on 12Jun 2011.
Twins ever
Béla and Matyus Matina (1903–c. 1935) of Budapest, Hungary, who later became naturalized American citizens, each stood 76cm (2ft 6in) tall. They appeared in The Wizard of Oz (USA, 1939), billed as Mike and Ike Rogers. Longest legs (female) Russia’s Ekaterina Lisina has legs that measure 132.8 cm (4ft 4.2in) and 132.2cm (4ft 4in) for the left leg and right leg respectively, taken from the heel to the top of the hip. That’s more than twice the height of the shortest woman ever (see above left). Their length was confirmed in Penza, Russia, on 13Jun 2017. Ekaterina is also the tallest professional model, with a height confirmed at 205.16cm (6ft 8.77in) inLabinsk, Russia, on 20Jul 2017.
Shortest married couple Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros and Katyucia Lie Hoshino (both BRA), who married on 17Sep 2016, have a combined height of 181.41cm (5ft 11.42in). Paulo is 90.28cm (2ft11.54in) tall and Katyucia measures 91.13 cm (2ft 11.88in), as verified in Itapeva, São Paulo, Brazil, on 3Nov 2016.
TALL AND SHORT STORIES Shortest stuntman Kiran Shah (UK) stood 126.3cm (4ft 1.7in) tall when measured on 20Oct 2003. Inacareer dating back to 1976, Kiran has worked on many blockbusters. He was the perspective stunt double (for long shots in action scenes) for Elijah Wood in the Lord of the Rings (NZ/USA, 2001–03) trilogy and worked on three of the recent StarWars movies. 84
Shortest spy The smallest recorded spy was Richebourg (FRA, 1768–1858), who measured 58cm (1ft 11in) as an adult. He was employed by the aristocracy to act as a secret agent during the French Revolution (1789–99), dispatching messages into and out of Paris while disguised as an infant, wrapped up and carried by an accomplice posingas a “nurse”.
Tallest athlete at the Paralympic Games (male) Morteza Mehrzad Selakjani (IRN), who is 246cm (8ft 0.85in) tall, competed as a sitting volleyball player at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Riode Janeiro, Brazil, from 7to 18Sep. He has a condition known as acromegaly, caused by an overactive pituitary gland. Symptoms include enlarged hands, feet and facial features.
Shortest nationalities According to a survey published in the journal eLife on 26Jul 2016, the shortest women were those of Guatemala, with an average height of 149.4cm (4ft 10.8in). The shortest men were those from EastTimor, whose height averaged just under 160cm (5ft 3in).
Average height 166cm (5 ft 5 in)
Tallest nationalities As of the same date, eLife reported that the Netherlands had the tallest men, with an average height exceeding 182.5cm (5ft 11.85in). The tallest women lived in Latvia and reached an average height in excess of 168cm (5ft 6.14in).
Sultan Kösen (TUR) stood 251cm (8ft 2.8in) tall when measured in Ankara, Turkey, on 8Feb 2011. On 26 Oct 2013, his dream of finding a soulmate came true: he married 175-cm-tall (5-ft 9-in) Merve Dibo in Mardin, Turkey. He also has the largest hands for a living person, verified at 28.5cm (11.22in) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger when last measured on8Feb 2011.
HUMAN BEINGS
Tallest living man
Tallest living woman Siddiqa Parveen (IND) measured at least 222.2cm (7ft 3.4in) tall in Dec2012. Owing to ill health, she has been unable to stand upright, so it has proved impossible to ascertain her exact stature. However, Dr Debashish Saha – of the Fortis Hospital in Kolkata, India – who performed the measurements, estimated her standing height to be at least 233.6cm (7ft 8in).
Tallest man ever Robert Pershing Wadlow (USA, 1918–40) was found to be 272cm (8ft 11.1in) tall when last measured on 27Jun 1940. He remains the tallest man in medical history forwhom there isirrefutable evidence. The tallest woman ever was Zeng Jinlian (CHN, 1964–82), who measured 246.3cm (8ft 1in) when she died on 13Feb 1982.
On 26Jan2018, visitors to the ancient Giza pyramid complex in Cairo, Egypt, had an unexpected treat in the form of the tallest living man and the shortest living woman. The record-breaking duo had been officially invited by the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board to visit some of the country’s renowned historic sites.
Sultan is 76cm (2ft 6in) taller Merve, but the than greatest height diffe in a married corence up 94.5cm (3ft 1i le is France’s Fabienn) for Natalie Pretou and .
Shortest comedian Imaan Hadchiti (LBN/AUS), who is 102.5cm (3ft 4.3in) tall, has been on the comedy circuit in Australia and the UK since 2005. Imaan and his sister Rima are the only known people with Rima Syndrome, resulting in short stature but usual-sized proportions. He began his career, aged 15, by winning Australia’s Class Clown national stand-up contest.
Tallest ballet dancer Fabrice Calmels (FRA) measured 199.73cm (6ft 6.63in) in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on 25Sep 2014. He began ballet training at the age of three, and when he was 11 entered the Paris Opera Ballet School. In 2002, Fabrice joined Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet and went on to become a lead dancer there two years later. Heremains with the Joffrey Ballet company today.
Tallest astronaut Former US astronauts James Wetherbee (near left) and James van Hoften are both 193cm (6ft 4in) tall. Astronauts grow slightly when they spend time in orbit, however. Although they were the same height on Earth, in space Wetherbee (whose lengthiest mission lasted nearly 14 days) would have been taller than van Hoften (whose longest mission lasted six days). 85
HUMAN BEINGS
BODY MODS Most piercings in a lifetime (female) Since her first piercing in Jan 1997, Elaine Davidson (BRA/UK; below left) had been pierced 4,225 times as of 8 Jun 2006. The former restaurant owner constantly adds and replaces jewellery, mostly in her face. She enhances her exotic looks with tattoos and brightly coloured make-up, and often wears feathers and streamers in her hair.
Most piercings in the tongue
Francesco Vacca (USA) has 20 tongue piercings, as confirmed at Invisibleself, a piercing and jewellery studio located in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, USA, on 5 Jan 2017. As of 17 Feb 2012, Axel Rosales (ARG) had the most piercings on the face, with 280.
Longest neck
The maximum known extension of a human neck is 40cm (1ft 3.75in), created by the successive fitting of copper coils. This is practised by the women of the Padaung or Karenni tribe of Burma, among whom it is considered a sign of beauty. In time, the necks become so long and weak that they cannot support the women’s heads without the coils.
Longest earlobes (stretched)
Monte Pierce (USA) can stretch his earlobes to a length of 5 in (12.7cm) for his left and 4.5in (11.43cm) for his right. When not stretched, his earlobes measure just under 1in (2.54cm). Monte currently also holds the record for the farthest ear sling-shot, having propelled an American dime (10-cent) coin 3.55m (11ft 8in) on the set of Lo Show dei Record inMadrid, Spain, on 16 Feb 2008.
Narrowest waist (current)
Cathie Jung (USA) has a corseted waist measuring 15in (38.1cm). Un-corseted, it measures 21in (53.34cm). Cathie’s enthusiasm for Victorian fashions led her, at the age of 38, to begin wearing a 6-in-wide (15.24-cm) training belt to gradually reduce her then 26‑in (66-cm) waist. She has never had surgery to define her waist.
Most tattooed man Circus performer Lucky Diamond Rich (AUS, b.NZ) has spent more than 1,000hr being tattooed, and boasts more than 200% skin coverage. He overlaid hisfirst layer of colourful tattoos with a total covering of black ink, andisnow adding white designs on top of that. fellow body-mod artist Jesse Jarrell and Todd Huffman, a graduate student at Arizona State University. The implant – aneodymium magnet coated in gold and silicone to seal it from the rest of the body – was fitted beneath the skin of one of Huffman’s fingers. A similar design is now one of the most popular technological body modifications, enabling the finger to lift small metal objects; it can also vibrate in the presence ofinvisible magnetic fields.
Most flesh tunnels in the face
Joel Miggler (DEU) had 11 flesh tunnels (hollow, tube-like jewellery) in his face, as verified in Küssaberg, Germany, on 27Nov 2014. They ranged from 3 mm to 34 mm (0.1–1.3in), although Joel has plans to further increase their size.
FIRST… Implanted antenna
Most pierced senior citizen (male) John Lynch (UK, b. 9Nov 1930; above right), aka “Prince Albert”, had 241 piercings, including 151 in his head and neck, as of 17Oct 2008. The count took place in Hammersmith, London, UK. Before he retired, John worked for 30 years as a bank manager.
In 2004, British-born artist Neil Harbisson had an antenna installed in the back of his head. He was born with a rare form of colour blindness and cannot perceive any colours other than black and white. The antenna is fixed to a camera that hangs in front of Harbisson’s eyes and converts colour, in the form of light waves, into sound waves that he can experience as musical notes. The spectrum he can now hear runs from low notes (dark red) to high notes (purple). Harbisson wears this “eyeborg” at all times. It is even pictured in his passport photograph, making him the firstofficially recognized cyborg.
Sealed magnet finger implants
Steve Haworth (USA) performed the first sealed magnetic implant in 2005. He created the insert in collaboration with
Most body modifications (married couple) As of 7Jul 2014, Victor Hugo Peralta (URY) and his wife Gabriela Peralta (ARG) had 84body mods between them, as verified on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Milan, Italy. These augmentations consist of 50piercings, eight microdermals, 14body implants, five dental implants, fourear expanders, two ear bolts and one forked tongue.
INK-REDIBLE NEEDLEWORK Most insect tattoos Canada’s Rick Genest, aka “Rico”, has 176 insects tattooed on his arms, torso, back and head. The count was verified on LoShow dei Record in Milan, Italy, on 27 Apr 2011. Rick also has the most bones tattooed on the body – 139 – as confirmed at the same time and the samelocation. The tattoos reproduce part of his skeleton.
Most skull tattoos Charles “Chuck” Helmke (USA) has 376skulls tattooed across his body. The designs are featured both as pieces of artwork in their own right and as background and shading. Helmke – the most tattooed senior citizen (male), with 97.5%coverage – is the life partner of Charlotte Guttenberg, who herself holds several GWR titles (see right).
Most tattoos of the same name Mark Evans (UK) has one name tattooed 267 times on his skin, as verified on 25Jan 2017 in Wrexham, UK. It took two tattooists an hour to ink “Lucy” on Mark’s back, in celebration of the birth of his daughter of the same name. The record attempt was also made to raise funds for the hospital that had assisted with Lucy at the time.
What is a body mod? Tattoos: ancient formof body decoration in which patterns are inked into the skin by means of a needle.
Implants: inserts beneath the skin (e.g., horns). “Transdermal” implants sit partly above and partly below the skin.
Piercings: adornments inserted into body parts. And earrings, nose rings and lip piercings are only thebeginning…
Splitting: also known as “bifurcation”, this mod involves dividing the tongue from the tip to the base, giving aforked appearance.
Most body modifications HUMAN BEINGS
Rolf Buchholz (DEU) has 516body mods, as verified on 16Dec 2012 in Dortmund, Germany. Rolf’s body adornments include 481piercings – with 37in his eyebrows and 111around his mouth – two subdermal horn implants, a split tongue and five magnetic implants in the fingertips of his right hand. He also has approximately 90%tattoo coverage. IT consultant Rolf hasbeen modifying his body for almost 20years. He had his first piercing and tattoo on the same day, aged40. Rolf spor ted newlookfor oua brandGWRphoto shoor exclusive runfourmarat t. He has ho pasttwoyears ns in the an aroundathirdofd lost hi body weight. s
Most body modifications (female) María José Cristerna (MEX) has 49 body modifications altogether. These include significant tattoo coverage, arange of transdermal implants on her forehead (including titanium horns), chest and arms, and multiple piercings in her eyebrows, lips, nose, tongue, ear lobes, belly button and nipples. This former lawyer also owns a tattoo parlour and is a mother of four.
Oldest tattoos Discovered in 1991 in the Italian Alps, a mummified man dubbed “Ötzi” has a total of 61 tattoos on his body. Located on his back, ribs, lower legs and left wrist, the tattoos were created by slicing open the skin and rubbing in charcoal dust. Ötzi is thought to have died around 5,300years ago. He was probably killed by an arrowhead found in his back.
Most tattoos of the same cartoon character Lee Weir (NZ) has 41tattoos of Homer Simpson on his left arm, as verified in Auckland, New Zealand, on 5Jun 2014. Adiehard fan of The Simpsons, Lee has a tattoo sleeve boasting multiple versions of the iconic character, including Homer in an elephant suit, as a jack-inthe-box, theGrim Reaper, the Hulk andeven a doughnut.
Most tattooed woman Charlotte Guttenberg (USA) has 98.75% of her body tattooed, as verified in Melbourne, Florida, USA, on 7Nov 2017. At the time of approval, Charlotte also held the Guinness World Records titles for the most tattooed senior citizen and the most feathers tattooed on the body (216). Only the palms of her hands, her fingers and some parts ofher face remain bare. 87
HUMAN BEINGS
OLDEST PEOPLE LONGEST CAREER AS… A motorracing driver
As of 29 Oct 2017, Alan Baillie (UK, b. 17 Jan 1937) had been motor racing for 55 years 135 days. His first race was in an Austin-Healey at Nottingham Sports Car Club’s 10th Annual Motor Race Meeting at Silverstone, UK, on 16Jun 1962. He has raced every year since then.
A comics artist
Al Jaffee (USA) had worked for 73 years 3months from the first publication of his artwork in JokerComics in Dec1942 through to the Apr 2016 issue of MAD magazine. Oldest living person (male) Masazō Nonaka (JPN, b.25Jul 1905) was 112years 282days old as of 3May 2018. A resident of Ashoro in Hokkaido, Japan, he is one of 67,800 centenarians in Japan. Masazō puts his longevity down to soaking in thermal baths (his family owns a hot-springs inn) and eating sweets. The record for oldest living woman – and person – is pending approval. According to the Gerontology Research Group (see table below), Japan’s Chiyo Miyako (b. 2May 1901) was aged 117years 1day old as of 3May 2018, and the mostlikely contender for the title at the time ofgoing to press.
An airline mechanic
As of 17Jul 2017, Azriel “Al” Blackman (USA, b. Aug 1925) hadworked for American Airlines for exactly 75 years. Hewas 91years old at the time, just a month shy ofhis 92ndbirthday.
OLDEST… Radio talk-show host (living)
Walter Bingham (ISR, b. 5Jan 1924) was aged 94years 116daysas of 1May 2018. He presents two programmes – Walter’sWorld on Israel National News and The Walter Bingham File on Israel News Talk Radio – both of which are broadcastfromJerusalem.
Person to ride a zip wire
On 6 Apr 2018, Jack Reynolds (UK, b.6Apr 1912) celebrated his 106th birthday by gliding down a 347-m-long (1,138-ft) line c. 50m (160ft) up in the air. The feat took place at the Go Ape! adventure centre in Grizedale, Cumbria, UK.
Person ever
The greatest age to which any human has lived is 122years 164days by Jeanne Louise Calment. Born in Arles, France, on 21Feb 1875, she died in a nursing home there on 4Aug 1997. The oldest man ever was Jiroemon Kimura (JPN, b.19Apr 1897), who died on 12Jun 2013 aged 116years 54days.
Oldest performing flying trapeze artist (female) Aerial gymnast Betty Goedhart (USA, b.25Oct 1932) was 84 years 249days old on 1 Jul 2017, as confirmed in SanDiego, California, USA. She performs four times a week at Trapeze High in Escondido. Although she loved watching circus trapeze artists as a child, Betty didn’t become a “flyer” herself until she was 78 years old. Oldest competitive ballroom dancer (female) Tao Porchon-Lynch (FRA, b. 13Aug 1918) was still enjoying competitive ballroom dancing at the age of 98 years 302 days, as confirmed in White Plains, New York, USA, on 11 Jun 2017. Tao has been performing in dance contests since the age of 87. She is also a yoga master and has been practising this ancient discipline for 70years.
TOP 10 OLDEST LIVING PEOPLE NAME Chiyo Miyako (JPN)
RESIDENCE
BORN
AGE
Kanagawa, Japan
2 May 1901
117 years 1 day
Giuseppina Projetto-Frau (ITA)
Florence, Italy
30 May 1902
115 years 338 days
f*ckuoka, Japan
2 Jan 1903
115 years 121 days
Apricena, Italy
20 Mar 1903
115 years 44 days
Shimoe Akiyama (JPN)
Aichi, Japan
15 May 1903
114 years 353 days
Delphine Gibson (USA)
Pennsylvania, USA
17 Aug 1903
114 years 259 days
Toulon, France
11 Feb 1904
114 years 81 days
Miyagi, Japan
30 Mar 1904
114 years 34 days
Kagoshima, Japan
2 May 1904
114 years 1 days
Nantes, France
4 Jun 1904
113 years 333 days
Kane Tanaka (JPN) Maria-Giuseppa Robucci-Nargiso (ITA)
Lucile Randon (FRA) Shin Matsush*ta (JPN) Tane Yonekura (JPN) Gabrielle Valentine des Robert (FRA)
ion With “no intent up”, of ever growing gs to rin Tao has many st dancing, her bow. Beyond actor, a she has been anwine critic, a , el od fashion m an activist. an author and ed with ch ar m She hi – Mahatma Gand twice!
Source: Gerontology Research Group & gerontology.wikia.com, as of 3 May 2018; all female
OLDEST... Boxer Stephen “Steve” Ward (UK, b. 12Aug 1956) was 60years 337days old at the time of a bout in Nottinghamshire, UK, on 15Jul 2017. This was to be Steve’s last competitive fight. Germany’s Andreas Sidon knocked him down in the seventh round of the first WBC Veteran Heavyweight title contest and he retired afterwards. 88
Person to cross America by bicycle (female)
Active fighter pilot Squadron Leader Phillip Frawley (AUS, b.8Mar 1952) was 65 years 146days old as of 1Aug 2017. He is a fully operational fighter pilot and flying instructor.
Lynnea C Salvo (USA) was 67years 32days old when she finished her trip from Oceanside, California, to Bethany Beach, Delaware, USA, on 23Oct 2016. A retired teacher, she cycled 3,163mi (5,090.35km) through temperatures that sometimes exceeded 100°F (37.78°C). Lynnea rode in support of a mental-health charity.
Japan 17
USA 6
Italy 6
France 3
Oldest tandem parachute jump (male) On 14May 2017, Bryson William Verdun Hayes (UK, b. 6Apr 1916) performed a parachute jump from a height of 15,000 ft (4,572m) at the age of 101 years 38days. He’s seen here, wearing a yellow jump suit, accompanied by chief instructor Jason Farrant. The attempt took place at Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Honiton, Devon, UK. Verdun performed his first tandem parachute jump aged 100. The oldest tandem parachute jump (female) was by Estrid Geertsen (DNK, b. 1Aug 1904; d. 25Jun 2012). On30Sep2004, aged 100years 60days, she parachuted from an altitude of 4,000m (13,120ft) overRoskilde inDenmark.
UK 2
Canada 1
Netherlands 1
Australia 1
Verdu a Worl n is veteran dWarII memb and former Corps of er of the Royal joined b Signals. He was y his fam 10members of which raily on his jump, ise The Roy d money for al Bri Legion. tish
HUMAN BEINGS
Supercentenarians by country As of 3May 2018, there were 37people alive aged 112years or older, according to the Gerontology Research Group. Their nationalities broke down as follows:
Oldest person to paraglide (male) On 22Jul 2017, Janusz Orłowski (POL, b.14Jan 1926) performed a paraglide at the age of 91years 189days in Brzeska Wola, Poland. Nicknamed “Praszczur” (“Grandpa”), Janusz soared solo above the ground for 12min, during which he reached a maximum altitude of 332m (1,089ft).
Married couple to scuba dive (aggregate age)
Scuba diver Wallace Raymond Woolley (UK, b.28Aug 1923) completed a dive to the Zenobia wreck in Larnaca Bay, Cyprus, on 28Aug 2017, atthe age of 94years. The event was organized for his birthday.
Philip (b. 1Jul 1931) and Grace Hampton (b. 12Aug 1931, both USA) had a total age of 171years 329days when they dived in the Cayman Islands on 4Jul 2017.
Solo helicopter pilot On 14Sep 2017, David Marks (UK, b.5Aug 1930) flew between Northampton Sywell Aerodrome and Fenland Aerodrome, UK, aged 87years 40days.
Ice hockey player On 20Jul 2017, Mark Sertich (USA, b. 18Jul 1921) was aged 96years 2days when he competed in the Snoopy’s Senior World Hockey Tournament in Santa Rosa, California, USA. As of Apr2018, he was still on the ice every week. Mark has been playing for around 85years, but feels that he only became truly serious about the sport when he reached 80 years old. 89
HUMAN BEINGS
FAMILY MATTERS Oldest mother to conceive naturally
On 20Aug 1997, Dawn Brooke (UK) gave birth to a son by Caesarean section at the age of 59years. She conceived accidentally, without the aid of fertility treatment.
Oldest adoptive parent
Muriel Banks Clayton (USA, b.22 Jul 1922) was aged 92years 322days when she officially adopted Mary Banks Smith (USA) in Dallas, Texas, USA, on 9Jun 2015. Mary was 76years 96days of age at the time, making her theoldest person officially adopted.
Most living generations (ever)
Heaviest birth Giantess Anna Bates (née Swan, CAN), who stood 7ft 11 in (241.3cm) tall, gave birth to a boy weighing 22lb (9.98kg) at her home in Seville, Ohio, USA, on 19Jan 1879. The baby was 2ft 4in (71.12cm) long, making him the longest baby everrecorded.
The greatest number of generations that have been alive at the same time in a single family is seven. On the birth of her great-great-great-great-grandson on 21Jan 1989, Augusta Bunge (USA) was aged 109years 97days – making her the youngest great-great-great-great-grandparent. Also alive atthe time were her daughter (aged 89), granddaughter (70), great-granddaughter (52), great-great-granddaughter (33) andgreat‑great-great-granddaughter (15).
Largest family reunion
On 12 Aug 2012, a total of 4,514 members of the Porteau-Boileve family assembled at Saint-Paul-Mont-Penit in Vendée, France.
FIRST… Mother-child supercentenarians
Supercentenarians are people who have attained an age greater than 110. (See pp.88–9 for more.) Mary P Romero Zielke Cota (USA, b.1870) died in 1982 at the age of 112 years 17 days. Her daughter, Rosabell Zielke Champion Fenstermaker (USA, b.1893), was similarly long-lived, finally passing away in 2005 aged 111years 344days.
Fastest marathon run by a married couple Paul Kipchumba Lonyangata and Purity Cherotich Rionoripo (both KEN) ran an aggregate time of 4hr 27min 5sec at the Marathon de Paris in France on 9Apr 2017. Purity set a record of her own on the day – find out more on our Marathons spread (pp.224–25).
Identical twin transplant surgeons to operate on identical twins
Doctors Rafael and Robert Mendez (USA) are identical twins who perform organ transplants as a team. Rafael removes the organ, while Robert places it in the new recipient. In Jan1999, at the University of Southern California Hospital in LosAngeles, USA,the brothers performed a kidney transplant on identical twins Anna Cortez and Petra Martinez. Identical twins are genetically perfect donors and recipients for one another because of their genetic identity. The only risk from such aprocedure is infection.
Married man to give birth
Lightest birth Rumaisa Rahman (USA) weighed 260g (9.17oz) when she was born prematurely in Maywood, Illinois, USA, on19Sep2004. The shortest baby was Nisa Juarez (USA), who was 24cm (9.44in) long when born prematurely on 20Jul 2002 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
A controversial figure, Thomas Beatie (USA) was born female but legally became a man in his home state of Oregon, USA. He underwent sex-reassignment surgery in 2002 but did not have his female reproductive organs removed. As a man, Beatie was legally able to marry Nancy, his female partner, in 2003. Nancy had previously had a hysterectomy, so when the couple wanted to start a family it was Thomas, who, with the help of an anonymous sperm donor, conceived and carried the child. The couple’s daughter, Susan, was born on 29Jun 2008.
Conjoined twins to identify as mixed gender
Lori Lynn and Dori Schappell (USA, b. 18Sep 1961) were born as conjoined – and therefore genetically identical – twin sisters. They became the first such twins to describe themselves as mixed gender when, in 2007, Dori declared that he was transgender, identifying himself as a male named George. The craniopagus twins have separate bodies but partially fused skulls, and share bone, vital blood vessels and30% of their brain (the frontal lobe and the parietal lobe).
Highest fertility rate (country) Measured in terms of the average number of children born to each woman, Niger remains the country with the highest fertility rate, with 7.3children born per woman. This is according to figures from the World Bank, as of Jan2018.
SAME-DAY DELIVERY
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Most siblings born on Leap Day
Most generations born on Leap Day
The children of Karin and Henry Henriksen (both NOR) – Heidi (b.1960), Olav (b.1964) and Leif-Martin (b.1968) – all have infrequent birthdays, as they are on Leap Day: 29Feb. This extra day usually falls once every four years. Its addition resets the Gregorian calendar to align with Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
The only verified example of a family with three consecutive generations born on 29Feb is that of the Keoghs. Peter Anthony (IRL, b.1940), his son Peter Eric (UK, b.1964) and his granddaughter Bethany Wealth (UK, b.1996) all celebrate their birthdays less often than most. The chances of this have been put at around one in 3billion.
Most siblings born on the same day The sole confirmed instance of a family producing five single children with coincident birthdays –excluding multiple births – isthat of Catherine (1952), Carol (1953), Charles (1956), Claudia (1961) and Cecilia (1966) Cummins. All five siblings were born on 20Feb to Carolyn andRalph Cummins (USA).
Most prolific mother Valentina Vassilyev (RUS) had 69 children: four sets of quads (16), seven sets of triplets (21) and 16 sets of twins (32).
Most children delivered in a single birth to survive
dya’s Seen here are Na Noah, famous octet: Josiah, h, Jonah, Jeremia Maliyah Isaiah, Makai, h. andNariya
Largest same-birthday gathering Apenheul Primate Park (NLD) brought together 228 people, all of whom were born on 4Jul, at an event in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, on 4Jul 2012. The attempt was held partly in celebration of the birth of five new gorillas at the park, but also to highlight awareness of the critical state of gorilla populations in the wild.
HUMAN BEINGS
Nadya Suleman (USA) claimed headlines across the world on 26Jan 2009 when she gave birth to six boys and two girls at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Bellflower, California, USA. The babies were conceived with the aid of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and delivered by Caesarean section. The record-breaking multiple birth proved highly controversial, not least because Nadya already had six young children, whohad also been born following IVF treatment.
This photograph of Nadya Suleman was taken when she wasaround 29weeks pregnant. She went on to give birth just a week later – her eight babies were nineweeks premature.
Most generations born on the same day • Mion Masuda (JPN), born in 2005, shares her birthday of 26Mar with her father Hiroshi (1963), grandfather Minao (1933) and great-grandfather Kanamori (1899). She is seen as a baby, with Hiroshi; the main image shows Hiroshi with Minao and a photo of Kanamori. • Born on 23 Aug 2001, Jacob Camren Hildebrandt (USA) shares his birthday with his father (1966), grandmother (1944) and great-grandmother (1919). • Maureen Werner (USA), born on 13Oct 1998, shares her birthday with her mother (1970), grandfather (1938) and great-grandmother (1912). • Veera Tuulia Tuijantyär Kivistö (FIN, b. 1997) was born on 21Mar, as were her mother (1967), grandfather (1940) and great‑grandfather (1903). • Ralph Bertram Williams (USA) was born on 4Jul 1982 in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, the same day ashis father, grandfather and (in 1876) great-grandfather. 91
HUMAN BEINGS
ROUND-UP verified in Himatnagar, Gujarat, India, on 11Nov 2014. As a carpenter, he has to be particularly careful not to damage them at work.
Largest object removed from a human skull
Longest time to live with a bullet in the head William Lawlis Pace (USA, b. 27Feb 1909) was accidentally shot in Oct1917, at the age of eight, in Wheeler, Texas, USA. The gunshot caused facial disfigurement, total hearing loss in the right ear and near blindness in the right eye. He died on 23Apr 2012, aged 103, by which time the bullet had remained in his head for 94 years and at least 175 days.
On 15Aug 2003, builder Ron Hunt (USA) fell off a ladder while using a drill and fell face-first on to the still-revolving 46-cm (1-ft 6-in) drill bit. It passed through his right eye and exited through his skull above his right ear. Surgeons at Washoe Medical Center in Nevada, USA, found that it had pushed his brain aside rather than penetrating it, thereby saving his life.
le The super-flexib only ands Mohammed st ) tall and 4 ft 6 in (1.37m kg (6 4lb). 29 weighs aroundnatural gifts He hones his r 3hr ever y by practising fo ts club day at a spor . in GazaCity
Gregory Sean Dillon (USA) completed 243rotations of a hula hoop around his body in 60sec at Vivos Fitness in California, USA, on 20Mar 2012. He used a 3-ft (91.4‑cm) aluminium hoop for the record attempt.
Mehmet Özyürek (TUR) has a nose that measures 8.8cm (3.46in) from the bridge to the tip, as confirmed on the set of LoShow dei Record in Rome, Italy, on 18Mar 2010.
Youngest person to have a wisdom tooth extracted
Most quarters held in the nose
At the age of 9years 339days, Matthew Adams (USA, b.19Nov 1992) had his lower two wisdom teeth removed, owing to lack of space. The operation
On 29Jun 2012, Thomas Gartin (USA) successfully kept 14 quarters in his nose on the set of Guinness World Records Gone Wild! in Los Angeles, California, USA. As stipulated in GWR guidelines, the quarters had to remain in the nose for 10sec without being held in with the hands.
Farthest eyeball pop
Most fingers and toes (polydactylism) on a living person
Devendra Suthar (IND) has 28digits (comprising 14fingers and 14toes), as 92
Longest human tooth extracted A 3.67-cm-long (1.44-in) tooth was removed from Urvil Patel (IND) in Gujarat, India, on 3Feb 2017. Almost twice the average size for this type of tooth, it was extracted by Dr Jaimin Patel in an operation that lasted some 30min.
Most hula-hoop revolutions in oneminute
Longest nose on a living person
Kim Goodman (USA) can pop her eyeballs to a protrusion of 12 mm (0.47 in) beyond her eye sockets. Her eyes were measured in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 Nov 2007.
100%
Most full-body revolutions maintaining a chest stand in one minute With his chest flat on the ground and his arms stretched behind him, Mohammed al-Sheikh (PSE) completed 38 rotations of his legs around his torso in 60sec in Amman, Jordan, on 8Feb 2017. Nicknamed “Spider-Boy”, the youthful contortionist had been one of the final three contenders on reality show Arabs Got Talent the previous year.
took place at Midland Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Michigan, USA, on 24Oct2002.
Youngest person to wear a full set of dentures On 25Feb2005, Daniel Sanchez-Ruiz (UK) was given dentures at the age of 3years 301days. He suffers from a genetic disorder known as hypohydrotic ectodermal dysplasia, the symptoms of which include abnormal development of the teeth.
Hairiest teenager
According to the FerrimanGallwey method, which grades hair density on nine areas of
Oldest false teeth Based on discoveries made in Etruscan tombs, partial dentures of bridge-work (above) were worn in what is now Tuscany, Italy, as early as 700bce. Some were permanently attached to existing teeth, while others were removable. The most expensive false teeth sold at auction (below) had belonged to British prime minister Winston Churchill. They sold for £15,200 ($23,700) to an anonymous bidder on 29Jul 2010 at an auction staged by Keys Fine Art Auctioneers in Aylsham, Norfolk, UK.
Longest moustache (ever)
India’s Ram Singh Chauhan had a moustache measuring 14ft (4.26m) – about the length of a London black cab – as verified on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy, on 4Mar 2010.
LONGEST SURVIVAL… Without a pulse
Most tongue-to-nose touches in one minute Ashish Peri (IND) brought the tip of his tongue up to touch his nose 142 times in 60sec in Mumbai, India, on 12Jun 2017. the body from 0 (little) to 4 (heavy coverage) Supatra “Nat” Sasuphan (THA, b. 5Aug 2000) was the most hirsute adolescent when measured on 4Mar 2010. She scored4 in four areas: face, neck, chest and upper back. In2018, Nat revealed on social media that she had fallen in love and shaved her face.
Longest beard on a living person
Sarwan Singh (CAN) had grown his beard to a length of 8ft 2.5in (2.5m) when measured in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on 8Sep 2011. It had initially been measured on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Rome, Italy, on 4Mar 2010, at which time it was 7ft 9in (2.36m) long.
Julie Mills (UK) was at the point of death owing to severe heart failure and viral myocarditis when, on 14Aug 1998, cardiac surgeons at The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, UK, used a non-pulsatile blood pump (AB180) to support her for a week. For three days during that period, she had no pulse. Her heart recovered and the pump wasremoved. She was the first person to survive this procedure.
Longest ear hair Retired headmaster Anthony Victor (IND) has hair sprouting from the centre of his outer ears that measures 18.1 cm (7.12 in) at its longest point. The record-breaking growth was measured and verified on 10 Oct 2007 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
After a single-lung transplant
As of 25Sep 2017, Veronica Dwyer (IRE, b. 22Mar 1941) had lived 29 years 129days following her lung transplant on 19May 1988 in Harefield, Middlesex, UK.
After a heart transplant
Ted Nowakowski (USA, b. 23Nov 1948) died on 11Jan 2018, a total of 34years 261days after his heart transplant on25Apr 1983.
With diabetes
Hazel Davies (AUS, 1902–2002) had type1 diabetes for 81years, having been diagnosed at the age of19 in 1921. At the time, she was forced to rely on a strict diet to control her condition, because insulin was not yet used as a treatment. Most cloth es pegs cl ipped on a On 17Jul 2 face 013, Garr y Turne attached 16 1 clothes p r (UK) egs to his fa on the set of ce Istanbul, Tu Rekorlar Dünyası in rkey. Garr y p skin and is ossesses the stretch stomach to able to pull the skin iest (6.22in). H a distended leng th of his e ha of 1 called Ehle s a rare medical con 5.8cm d rs-Danlos syndrome ition condition, . Wit th the skin an e collagen that stre h this becomes d d determines its ela ng thens st e things) loo fective, resulting in (a icity se skin and m hypermob ong other ile joints.
RD
isney le at the Walt D Cinderella Cast , SA U Florida, World Resort in ht (57.6m) in heig ft 9 measures 18 eme th a in st castle and is the talle ure is made from park. The struct reglass and concrete and fib s ite appearance does not – desp e th is It le brick. – feature a sing cture in the ru st third-tallest Twilight Zone resort after The and Expedition Tower of Terror under which are kept Everest – all of om prevent them fr 200ft (61m) to lights. ng ni ar w aircrafthaving to carr y
FO R TH E R EC O
The design for Cinderella Castle was inspired by Disney’s own animated version and real-life fortresses such as the Alcázar of Segovia in Spain, Moszna Castle in Poland and Neuschwanstein in Germany (see right). Thanks to an architectural trick known as forced perspective, the castle appears even taller than it really is. The proportions of the doors and windows at the top of the castle are smaller than thoseat the bottom, fooling the eye into thinking that they are even higher in the air. The entire castle took around 18months to build, and was completed in Jul1971.
The elaborate turrets and royal-blue rooftops of Cinderella Castle have become an enduring symbol of The Walt Disney Company and its celluloid fairy tales. Dreamed up by artist Herbert Ryman, the castle sits surrounded by a moat in the heart of the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida, USA. Atnight, the building comes alive with 16million coloured lights and regular firework displays.
DISNEY CASTLE
MAKING HISTORY
The castle boasts 27towers, numbered 1–29 (towers 13 and 17 were scrapped beforeconstruction)
Perched atop an Alpine crag overlooking the village of Hohenschwangau in Bavaria, Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle looks as though it has sprung straight from the pages of a storybook. Its northern tower rises 213ft (65m) into the air, making it the tallest castle. Neuschwanstein was commissioned at great expense by LudwigII of Bavaria, who moved into the still-incomplete building in1884. Helived there for only 172days before dying inmysterious circ*mstances on 13Jun 1886.
Fortress Of Fairy tales
An 18-min firework show is launched from the castle every night
The royal residence of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, UK, is designed in the shape of a waisted parallelogram measuring 576x164m (1,890x 538ft) and is the largest inhabited castle. Itwas built in the 11th century, in the aftermath of the Norman invasion of England. Forty kings and queens have called Windsor Castle home since HenryI (c. 1068–1135).
Monarch’s Manor
Cinderella Castle is taller than Nelson’s Column in London, UK,and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy
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The LEGO ® Disney Castle comprises 4,080pieces and measures more than 74cm (29in) high, 48cm (18.8in) wide and 31cm (12in) deep. The set includes five Minifigures: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck and – making her first appearance in this form – Peter Pan’s Tinker Bell. Inside the castle, there are references to numerous Disney movies, from Sleeping Beauty’s spinning wheel and Snow White’s magic mirror to the rose from Beauty and the Beast.
Brick-By-Brick Guide
Much of the exterior is fibre-reinforced gypsum plaster
Did You Know?
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The story of Cinderella is a classic folk tale, told most famously by the Brothers Grimm. Yet there are many different variations. The earliestknown example is Rhodopis, recorded by the Greek historian Strabo in the 1st century bce. In the story, aking searches for a girl after her sandal is dropped into his lap by an eagle flying overhead.
Roofs are shingled in the same kind of plastic used forcomputer monitorshells
FANTASTIC FEATS
Fastest speed in a body-controlled jet-engine-poweredsuit
Inventor Richard Browning (UK) reached an airborne speed of 32.02mph (51.53km/h) using his Gravity Jet Suit at Lagoona Park in Reading, Berkshire, UK, on 7Nov 2017. Inspired by the cinematic exploits of Iron Man’s Tony Stark, Browning achieved his dreams of flight by constructing a light exoskeleton suit attached to six kerosene-fuelled micro gas turbines with a combined thrust of 1,274N (130kgf, or 286.6lbf). The outfit is completed by ultra-light snake-resistant walking boots. Once in the air, Browning uses his body to adjust his speed and direction – to go faster, he pulls in his arms and pushes out his chest.
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CONTENTS
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
Food Feats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Big Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 IN FOCUS: Collections. . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Odd Talents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Mass Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Sdrawkcab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Fight!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Slacklining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Extreme Performers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Endurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Epic Journeys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Multi-Disciplinarians . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Mountaineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Fantastic Feats Round-Up. . . . . . . . 124
The Gravity Je named Daedal t Suit – the ancient Gree us, after has a potential k inventor – 450km/h (279m top speed of ph Richard has be ). However, to tryhissuit at en unable owingtothe on top speed e thing his invention is miss ing. aparachute. ..
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FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
FOOD FEATS Tallest tower of cupcakes
On 23Sep 2017, Cupcakes of Hope (ZAF) built a tower of sweettreats measuring 10.77m (35ft 4in) in height in Vereeniging, Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Most people grilling/barbecuing simultaneously
Yuca Expoeventos (MEX) brought together 394 barbecuers to do their stuff on the Plaza de la Mexicanidad in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, on 19Aug 2017. Largest M&M’s mosaic(logo) Mars Incorporated (BGR) created a mosaic of the M&M’s logo measuring 533sqft (49.51m2) in Sofia, Bulgaria, as verified on 29Sep 2017. Consisting of approximately 291,500M&M’s, the mosaic was constructed by 27people and took 17hr 30min to assemble.
Most flautas served in eight hours
Financial institution BBVA Bancomer (MEX) served 12,000flautas (rolled tacos) on 9 Oct 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. They required 396kg (873 lb) of tortillas, 495kg (1,091lb) of beef, 165 kg (363lb) of panela cheese, 429 kg (945lb) of guacamole and 200litres (52.8 US gal) of cream.
Largest serving of plov
On 8Sep 2017, Uzbek entertainment TV channel Milliy TV cooked up a serving of plov weighing 7,360kg (16,226lb) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Plov is a traditional rice-and-meat dish, often served from a cauldron known as a kazan.
Most blueberries stuffed in the mouth in one minute Dinesh Shivnath Upadhyaya (IND) crammed 86blueberries in his mouth in 60sec on 16Jan 2018 in Mumbai, India. Dinesh is the holder of multiple GWR food-related titles (see below) – this was the fourth time he had broken this particular record.
Most juice extracted from grapes bytreading in one minute
Martina Servaty (DEU) squeezed out 12.76litres (3.37US gal) of juice by treading grapes in 60sec live on Gordon Ramsay’s The FWord in Los Angeles, California, USA,on26Jul 2017.
Most beer steins carried over 40m (male) Michael Sturm (DEU) carried 26 steins containing 26litres (6.9 US gal) of beer along a 40-m (130-ft) course at the Oktoberfest Brahma Extra São Paulo in Brazil on 27Sep 2017. He managed to retain 98.33% of the total weight – well above the 90% lowest permitted rate. Michael had tried28 steins, but was unable to complete the course.
Largest locro de papa soup
Sixteen-year-old Paulina Baum (ECU) made a traditional Ecuadorianpotato soup weighing 12,760lb (5,787.84kg) with20,000 servings inQuito, Ecuador, on 5Mar 2017.
Largest ceviche
On 14Apr 2017, the Universidad Tecnológica de Manzanillo (MEX) prepared a fresh seafood dish weighing 11,480kg (25,309lb) in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico.
Largest cake ball
To celebrate their 150th anniversary, on 3Sep 2017 SheffieldWednesday Football Club (UK) built a cake in theshape of a soccer ball weighing 285kg(628lb 5oz). Itwasdecorated with the club crest. Most sausages produced in a minute On 3Apr 2017, Barry John Crowe (IRL) made 78sausages in 60sec on the set of RTÉ’s Big Week on the Farm in Cavan, Ireland. World champion butcher Barry has been making sausages since the age of13. Each one he produced had to be at least 4in (10.16cm) long. He smashed the previous record of60, setin2016.
Largest candy mosaic On 16Apr 2017, CYENingbo Cultural Square Development (CHN) unveiled a candy mosaic measuring 160.22m2 (1,724 sqft) in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. The image, which was created by 60people, used almost 300,000lollipops and took 11hr to complete.
FASTEST TIME TO... Drink a bottle ofketchup On 7Sep 2017, Dinesh Shivnath Upadhyaya (IND) downed a 500-g (17.6-oz) bottle of ketchup in 25.37sec in Mumbai, India. The gastronomic guzzler (see above, and right) beat the previous best by more than 4sec. 98
Peel and eat a grapefruit
Eat 500g of mozzarella
Eat a KitKat (no hands)
Assemble a yule log
On 16Mar 2017, multi-record holder Dinesh (see left) peeled and ate a grapefruit in 14.22sec in Mumbai, India.
On 12Apr 2016, Ashrita Furman (USA) ate half a kilo (1lb 1oz) ofcheese in New York City, USA, in 1min 34.44sec.
Daniel Dickinson (UK) ate two fingers of chocolate in 22.52sec at Lakeland Leisure Park in Cumbria, UK, on 31Aug 2016.
TV chef James Martin (UK) built a yule log in 1 min 17sec on Saturday Morning with James Martin on 8Dec 2017.
Tallest stack of... M&M’s: Silvio Sabba (ITA) balanced four M&M’s on top ofone another in Rodano, Milan,Italy, on 21Dec 2016.
Doughnuts in one minute: On 17Jan 2018, StevenRuppel (USA) stacked 11doughnuts in 60sec in Wausau, Wisconsin, USA.
Macarons: A 2.07-m-high (6‑ft 9.4‑in) tower of macarons was built by the Vocational School ofVisionary Arts in Tokyo, Japan, on 22–23Aug 2014.
Fastest time to eat threepickledeggs
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
On7Dec 2017, Kevin “L.A. Beast” Strahle (USA) wolfed down three pickled eggs in just 21.09sec in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA. Kevin is a competitive eater who thinks nothing of knocking back 12raw eggs in a single serving, drinking a gallon of honey while covered in bees or eating 10cacti. In2017, he devoured one GWR title after another – see below and right, ifyou’re hungry for more...
Kevin’s ex tre eating challeng me es earned his Yo had channel “skippyuTube 62 morethan2m able” illio subscribers as n ofMar 2018.
The activities on these pages are strictly for experts only – don’t try them at home!
On 3May 2017, Kevin achieved the most bhut jolokia chillies eaten in two minutes, munching down 121g (4.3oz) of the fearsomely hot peppers – formerly the hottest chilli.
On 12 May 2017, Kevin gobbled up the most powdered doughnuts in three minutes – nine. He could not lick his lips at any time during the attempt.
On 12May 2017, Kevin stopped by the GWR office in New York City, USA, and set the fastest time to drink a bottle of maple syrup – 10.84sec.
Kevin battled to avoid the dreaded “brain freeze” while achieving the most ice lollies (popsicles) eaten inone minute – six – on 7 Dec 2017.
Eat a 12-in pizza
Eat 500g of cranberry sauce
Eat a hot dog (no hands)
Eat a bowl of pasta
Kelvin Medina (PHL) put away a pizza in 23.62sec in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, on 12Apr 2015.
André Ortolf (DEU) ate 500g (17.6oz) of cranberry sauce in 42.94sec in Augsburg, Germany, on 19Aug 2016.
On 16May 2016, Peter Czerwinski (CAN) ate a hot dog withno hands in 23.12sec inNew York City, USA.
Michelle Lesco (USA) downed a 150-g (5.2-oz) serving of pasta in 26.69sec in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, on 18Sep 2017.
Eat all chocolates from anadvent calendar Kevin Strahle (see above) ate all the festive chocolates in 1min 27.84sec on 4 Dec 2017. 99
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
BIG FOOD LARGEST... Jam-filled biscuit
Frances Quinn – winner of the 2013 Great British Bake Off TV show – and Hambleton Bakery (both UK) designed and baked a giant jam-filled biscuit weighing 26.76kg (58lb 15oz). The“Grand Slammy Dodger”, as it was named, was sculpted into the shape of a tennis racket to celebrate the 2017 Wimbledon Championships. Unveiled on 14Jul 2017, itweighed about the sameas a Dalmatian dog.
Bread dumpling
Largest serving ofguacamole A 2,980‑kg (6,569‑lb) serving of guacamole – heavier than four average dairy cows – was dished up by Empacadora de Aguacates Sierra del Tigre (MEX) in Concepción de Buenos Aires, Jalisco, Mexico, on 3Sep 2017.
A 170-lb (77.1-kg) dumpling was prepared by Andrea, Filippo and Matteo Bettega, Andrea Nascimbene, Andrea Andrighetti in an event organized by Gruppo G.A.R.I. (all ITA) in Imer, Trento, Italy, on 10Jun 2017. The traditional Italian canederlo or knödel contained flour, parsley, speck, chives and sage.
Ice-cream-scoop pyramid
A total of 5,435 scoops of ice-cream were piled into a 23-layer pyramid by Diplom-Is (NOR) in Strömstad, Sweden, on 28Jan 2017. The final structure weighed 500kg (1,102lb) andmeasured 1.1m (3ft 7in) tall.
Dulce de leche candy
A cajeta de Sayula weighing 1,615.5kg (3,561lb 9oz) was made by Cajeteros de Sayula (MEX) in Jalisco, Mexico, on 28Feb 2017. This dish, a regionalvariation on dulce de leche (“sweet milk”), was made from milk, sugar, vanilla and rice flour, which was poured into a wooden case and cooked with a blowtorch.
Chili con carne
A rhinoceros-sized serving of chili con carne weighing 4,800lb (2,177kg) was prepared by the Spirit of Texas Festival inCollege Station, Texas, USA, on 4Mar 2017.
Chocolate rabbit
The largest rabbit made of chocolate weighed 4,245.5kg (9,359lb 11oz) – more than 4,000times heavier than the average pet bunny. It was sculpted by Equipe da Casa do Chocolate at Shopping Uberaba in Minas Gerais, Brazil, on 25Feb 2017. The giraffe-sized confection stood 4.52m (14ft 9.9in) tall and contained an estimated 21.2million calories.
Largest chocolate truffle On 21Apr 2017, Sweet Shop USA of Mount Pleasant, Texas, produced a giant chocolate truffle weighing 1,074.33kg (2,368 lb 8oz). The “Milk Swiss Mint Truffle” – about 5.5million calories – was equivalent in weight to 12 adult men!
On 14 May 2017, five professional pastry chefs at the Strawberry Festival in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, France, prepared a fraisier pâtissier that stretched 32.24m (105ft 9in). The confection – about the same length as a blue whale – was built from layers of pastry, crème pâtissiere (athick custard) and strawberries.
Largest samosa A samosa weighing 153.1kg (337lb 8.4oz) was made by Muslim Aid in London, UK, on 22Aug 2017. The triangular – and vegetarian – treat measured 1.4m (4ft 7in) along its longest side and weighed more than two average adult women. It was made as part of the 2017Eid celebrations to raise awareness of global poverty andstarvation.
Cachupa stew
The national dish of Cape Verde in West Africa, cachupa stew typically comprises meats cooked with corn, sweet potato, beans and cabbage. On 9 Jul 2017, 6,360 kg (14,021 lb) of it – equivalent in weight to a large African elephant – was cooked by Cavibel SA and Grupo Mirage (both CPV) in the country’s capital, Praia. No elephants were involved: the meats used were porkand chicken.
MOST EXPENSIVE… Hot dog The “Juuni Ban” hot dog at Tokyo Dog in Seattle, Washington, USA, sells for $169 (£101.69), as verified on 23Feb 2014. For this, you get smoked-cheese bratwurst, butter-teriyaki-grilled onions, maitake mushrooms, wagyu beef, foie gras, shaved black truffles and caviar. 100
Longest French strawberry cake
*Sold at auction
Slice of wedding cake*
Imperial bottle of wine*
Bottle of whisky*
A box containing a piece of the Duke and duch*ess of Windsor’s 1937 wedding cake was sold at Sotheby’s in New York, USA, on 27Feb 1998 for $29,900 (£18,152) to Benjamin and Amanda Yin of San Francisco, USA. When asked if they would be exhibiting the cake, the buyers replied, “We’re sure not going to eat it! It represents the epitome of a great romance.”
A bottle of 1947 French ChevalBlanc was sold at Christie’s in Geneva, Switzerland, on 16Nov 2010 for £192,000 ($307,805). “Imperial” bottles contain the equivalent of eight standard 75‑cl (750-ml; 25.36-fl-oz) bottles. The most expensive wine by the glass cost FF8,600 (£983; $1,453.07), paid by Robert Denby (UK) for the first glass ofBeaujolais Nouveau 1993.
The Macallan M Decanter ”Constantine” sold at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, China, on 23Jan 2014 for $628,000 (£380,169). The 6-litre (1.59‑US‑gal) decanter stands 70cm (2ft 4in) tall and was created as part of a four-bottle “Imperiales” range named after Roman emperors. The whisky for the M Decanter was created by Bob Dalgarno, whisky-maker at The Macallan.
The longest kebab – of meat and vegetables – was skewered by staff of ArcelorMittal in Newcastle, South Africa, on 17Oct 2008 and measured 2.04km (1.26mi).
The longest sushi roll measured 2.84km (1.76mi) and was made by 400 volunteers for the Tamana Otawara Festival in Kumamoto, Japan, on 20Nov 2016.
The longest sausage chain stretched 3.54km (2.2mi) and was linked together by Worstenfeesten (BEL) at Kerkhofstraat in Vlimmeren, Belgium, on 15Aug 2013.
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
The prodigioused ar pizza was prepto Club Au at California’s the event, Spee dway. Afterning slices all of the remaid to food were donate eless banks and hom. charities
Longest pizza A mega-sized margherita pizza measuring 1.2mi (1.93km) in length was made by Pizzaovens.com, Venice Bakery, Orlando Foods, AT-PAC, Sysco, TFX NonStick!, Capstone Scaffold Services, Scaffold Works, SoCalGas, Tony Gemignani, Giulio Adriani, John Arena (all USA) and Italforni (ITA) in Fontana, California, USA, on 10Jun 2017. It took eight hours to cook the pizza: the raw dough and its toppings were passed through three industrial ovens using a conveyor belt.
More than 100 people took 54hr to create the pizza and top it with some 5,000lb (2,267kg) of tomato sauce.
Sandwich The “Quintessential Grilled Cheese” sells for $214 (£132.64) at Serendipity3 in New York, USA. The cheese used in the toastie is made from the milk of the Podolico cow, which grazes in southern Italy on aromatic plants such as fennel, liquorice, juniper, bay laurel and wild strawberries. Only around 25,000 such cows exist.
After 3,900lb (1,769 kg) of cheese was added, the pizza travelled 7,000ft (2,133m) along aconveyor belt and into the three ovens used to bake it.
MAKE YOUR OWN 1. Bake bread with Dom Pérignon Champa gne 23-carat edible go and ld flakes. 2. Cut two slices and cover with truffle bu tte r. Add caciocavallo Podolico cheese, toast until golden and dip edges in more gold flakes. 3. Serve with lobster bisque, crème fraîche andtruf fle oil.
Mangoes*
Hamburger
The most expensive mangoes in the world cost AUS$2,562.50 (£888; $1,284) each! They were purchased by Sam Coco (AUS) when he bought a tray of 16 Top End mangoes at the Brisbane Produce Markets Charity Auction in Australia for AUS$41,000 (£14,212; $20,544) on 12Oct 2001. The mangoes were donated to Brisbane’s Mater Children’s Hospital.
Since 2Jul 2011, the most that you can spend on a commercially available hamburger – as listed on a restaurant menu – is $5,000 (£3,115.86), for the burger served at Juicys Outlaw Grill in Corvallis, Oregon, USA. The hamburger weighs 777lb (352.44kg) and is available for ordering with 48 hours’ notice for preparation time. 101
IN FOCUS
COLLECTIONS
Whether it’s yo-yos or fishing lures, bus tickets or ballpoint pens, once you’ve got the collecting bug it’s hard to stop! These record holders have spent time, effort and money pursuing the ultimate assemblages. What will you start collecting? Recent record-worthy collections Advertising statues:8,917 Michael Pollack (USA) Brandy bottles:1,057 Manuel Bru Vicente (ESP) Computers (single brand):250 Wang Zhaoyu (CHN) Ear trumpets (below):359 Myk Briggs (UK) Fishing lures:3,563 Will “Spike” Yocum (USA) Irons:30,071 Ion Chirescu (ROM) Jigsaw puzzles:1,047 Luiza Figueiredo (BRA) Lip balms:730 Bailey Leigh Sheppard (UK) Miniature books:3,137 Sathar Adhoor (IND) Model cars:37,777 Nabil Karam (LBN) Model trains:2,956 Bernd Schumacher (USA) Paper cups:736 VSankaranarayanan (IND)
C
ollections are among the most popular and recognizable GWR categories. They can be fun, such as the largest collection of banana-related memorabilia – 17,000, amassed by Ken Bannister (USA), owner of the International Banana Club Museum. They can be wonderfully eccentric: Rainer Weichert (DEU) amassed the largest collection of “Do Not Disturb” signs – 11,570. They can even be a little bit gruesome: the largest collection of human teeth numbered 2,000,744, andwas collected by an Italian monk named Brother GiovanniBattista Orsenigo (1837–1904). Almost any object can form the basis of a collection, but it definitely helps to have a passion for it. Maybe that’s why animal-related collections are so popular, although few people can rival the largest collection of mouse- and rat-related items – a staggering 47,398, owned by Christa Behmenburg (DEU). See below for other notable examples. Sport fans and TV show aficionados can also assemble huge hoards, such as the largest collection of sporting memorabilia – 40,669 items, by Philippos Stavrou Platini (CYP). No object is too humble or too small: witness Ed Brassard’s (USA) amazing largest collection of matchbook covers, totalling 3,159,119. Then there’s the largest collection of espionage-related items, which includes more than 7,000 items of spying equipment and belongs to military and intelligence historian and author Keith Melton (USA). It’s so secret that we cannot reveal where it’s located! If you have a collection that you think might be eligible for a Guinness World Records title, follow our top tips to give yourself the best possible chance:
Postcards:15,089 Marina Noutsou (GRC) Snow globes:4,059 Wendy Suen (CHN) Ties:21,321 Irene Sparks (NZ)
Largest collection of clown-related items FM Kahn (DEU) has been collecting clown memorabilia since1989, and as of 11Apr 2017 had amassed4,348items in Hoogvliet, Netherlands. He has opened his own clown museum, which includes figurines of comic creations made from Murano glass, porcelain and 24-carat gold. • You must provide a clear inventory of all your items in a spreadsheet or logbook, together with photographic evidence of every single object. • You’ll also need to video a count of the collection, which must be attended by two witnesses. Both witnesses must produce a signed statement confirming what they have seen. • Remember that records are based on the number of different individual items – duplicates will not be counted. If items are usually paired, such as earrings or cufflinks, the number of pairs must begiven. • You’ll also need a covering letter, in which you can give a brief history of your collection, and tell us how and why you got started. For full guidelines concerning collections and all other records, go to guinnessworldrecords.com. Good luck!
Toy soldiers:1,020 Jonathan Perry Waters (USA)
Largest collection of Sylvanian Families Dance teacher Jacc Batch (UK) owns 3,489items connected to the popular woodland animal toy range in Kettering, Northamptonshire, UK, as verified on 19May 2017. He began collecting aged seven, with the hedgehog brother becoming his first figurine.
ANIMALS ASSEMBLE!
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Largest collection of hippopotamus-related items
Largest collection of frog‑related items
Largest collection ofrubber ducks
On 12Jul 2016, Rebecca Fusco of Meriden in Connecticut, USA, had her collection of unique hipporelated memorabilia verified at 604. Rebecca began her hippo haul almost 20years ago. It ranges from figurines and toys to Russian nesting dolls and salt and pepper shakers.
Sheila Crown (UK) began collecting frog items in 1979, when she bought a frog for her green-painted study. She added to her “hopping list” until they numbered 10,502, and she had to move to a bigger property to house them all. On12May 2002, the frogs were put on display at the FrogsGalore Museum in Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK.
Charlotte Lee (USA) had 5,631different rubber ducks as of 10Apr 2011, which she displayed in glass showcases on the walls of her dedicated duck room. Charlotte is an associate professor at the University of Washington, andhas given talks on “Collecting Rubber Ducks andthe Path to Mastery”.
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IN FOCUS
Frank’s favourite tcave LEGO set is a BaBatman ic ss cla e th from He 1960sT V series.iconic e th r fo it s ve lo characters and vehicles.
Largest collection of LEGO® sets Frank Smoes (AUS) and his family have been stockpiling and building LEGO® sets since1980. On 9May 2017, their private collection of interlocking plastic brick sets was verified at3,837 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Frank’s collection has at least 1.2million individual bricks and pieces, and includes more than 8,000LEGOMinifigures.
Largest collection of penguin-related items Birgit Berends (DEU) had amassed a collection of 11,062different penguin-themed objects in Cuxhaven, Germany, as of 14Mar 2011. She began collecting in earnest at the age of 18, inspired by the animated series Pingu. Besides stuffed toys, Birgit owns penguin books, mugs, posters, ties, towels and evenunderwear!
Largest collection of sheep-related items Alessia Citti (ITA) had amassed 1,822sheep-related items in Ciampino, Rome, Italy, as of 19Feb 2017. She was given her first toy sheep by her mother when she was just six months old. Most of Alessia’s collection is kept in her bedroom, which she has dubbed her “Sacred Temple for Sheep” (IlVittoriale delle Pecore). 103
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ODD TALENTS Farthest distance to limbo-skate under bars
GDevisri Prasad (IND) travelled 184m (603ft 8in) on skates beneath 10-in-high (25.4-cm) bars at Ramakrishna Housing in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India, on 31Aug 2017. A national skating champion, he was 10years old at the time.
Longest underwater walk with one breath (female)
On 27Oct 2017, Marina Kazankova (ITA) walked 69.4m (227 ft 8in) underwater on one breath inside an aquariumtank filled with fish inDubai, UAE. Kazankova is a freediver and actress who in 2015 starred in a single-shot, real-time music video thatwas filmed entirely underwater.
Fastest time to make an origami boat with the mouth
Gao Guangli (CHN) took just 3min 34sec to fold a paper sheet into the shape of a boat using only his mouth. The feat took place in Jining, Shandong Province, China, on 2Dec 2017. Guangli suffered from polio as a child and wanted to break the record to show that he can still achieve amazing feats.
Fastest time to deposit 20 coins into a piggy bank using chopsticks
On 8 Nov 2017, Rocco Mercurio (ITA) took only 38.94sec to drop 20 coins into a piggy bank with a pair of chopsticks in Villa San Giovanni, Calabria, Italy. The most coffee beans moved in a minute using chopsticks is 48, by Silvio Sabba (ITA) on 10Aug 2017 in Rodano, Lombardy, Italy.
Longest duration spinning a basketball on a toothbrush
On 25Dec 2017, Sandeep Singh Kaila (IND) spun a basketball on a toothbrush for 60.50sec in British Columbia, Canada.
Most walnuts crushed by hand in one minute
Prabhakar Reddy (IND) crushed 251walnuts with his right hand in 60sec in Andhra Pradesh, India,on 5 Jan 2018.
Most consecutive pinky pull-ups
Fastest 50m on hand skates Mirko Hanssen (DEU) covered a distance of 50m (164ft) on hand skates in 8.55 sec in Bocholt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on 16 Nov 2017. Mirko wore K2Mach100 skates to achieve the newspeed record, whichwas measured using light sensors.
On 27Nov 2017, Tazio Gavioli (ITA) completed 23pull-ups in a row using just his little fingers in Carpi, Modena, Italy. Tazio began strength training when his cat Kali lost a paw– helearned to climb with one arm to show “solidarity”.
Most balls thrown into a target from a jumpingmotorcycle in one minute (team) On 5Sep 2017, the BoldogFMX Team (UK) performed a series of ramp jumps up to a 6-m-high (19-ft 8-in) ring, slotting home 10balls in 60sec for CBBC’s Officially Amazing in York, North Yorkshire, UK. The daredevil riderswere ArranPowley, Samson Eaton and Dan Whitby.
Most bō staff rotations around the body ononeleginone minute
Chloé Bruce (UK) rotated a Japanese martial arts staff around her body 51times in 60sec, while standing on one leg, on CBBC’s Officially Amazing in Bracknell, Berkshire, UK, on 9Sep 2017. Martial artist Chloé has worked as a stunt double on blockbusters such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens (USA, 2015). Fastest speed for a snowboarder towed by a vehicle Jamie Barrow (UK) reached 149.65km/h (92.98mph) while being towed behind a Maserati Levante in St Moritz, Switzerland, on 19Feb 2018. He broke his own record of 99.84km/h (62.03mph), set back in 2016 (pictured below). A bad back injury forced Jamie to retire from Britain’s snowboard cross team in2013, but it clearly hasn’t slowed down his appetite for breaking records! The fastest speed for a skier towed by a vehicle is 189.07km/h (117.48mph), by Graham Bell and Jaguar Land Rover (both UK) in Arjeplog, Sweden, on 7Mar 2017.
JUMPING FOR JOY
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Fastest 100m on a space hopper (female)
Highest jump above one’sown head
Fastest time to bunny hop 15 hurdles on a trials bicycle
Ali Spagnola (USA) covered 100m (328ft) on a space hopper in a mere 38.22sec at UCLA’s Drake Track & Field Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 9Mar 2017. Ashrita Furman (USA) holds the overall record for the fastest 100m on a space hopper, with a time of 30.2sec set on 16Nov 2004.
Franklin Jacobs (USA) cleared the height of his head by 1ft 11.75in (59cm) via a 7-ft 7.25‑in (2.32‑m) high jump in New York City, USA, on 27Jan 1978. The highest jump above one’s own head (female) is 32cm (12.60in) by Yolanda Henry (USA). She reached 2m (6ft 6.74in) with a jump in Seville, Spain, on 30May 1990.
Joe Oakley (UK) hopped over 15hurdles on a trials bicycle in 13.88sec at the Urban Games in Newcastle, UK, on 19Aug 2012. He also set the record for the fastest time to complete an oil barrel course on a trials bicycle: 10.63 sec. He crossed nine barrels on the set of Officially Amazing (CBBC) at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham, UK, on 12Jun 2014.
Extreme juggling… Most bowling balls juggled: Milan Roskopf (SVK) kept three 10-lb (4.53-kg) bowling balls in the air for 28.69 sec at the Prague juggling marathon in Prague, Czech Republic, on 19 Nov 2011.
Most times to juggle hats on to the head in oneminute: on 7Jul 2015, while juggling three hats, Marcos Ruiz Ceballos (ESP) caught one on his head 71 times in 60seconds.
Greatest combined weight juggled: on 17Jul 2013, Ukraine’s Denys Ilchenko juggled three tyres with an overall weight of 26.98kg (59lb 7.6oz) on the set of Officially Amazing in Nairn, UK.
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Most samurai swords juggled Josh Horton (USA) kept four samurai swords rotating in the air at once at Art Factory Studios in Paterson, New Jersey, USA, on 3Nov 2017. His successful attempt was recorded as part of the ongoing Chronicles of a Record Breaker series by sports entertainment network Whistle Sports. Look left and you’ll find five other records that Josh has also achieved. Josh risked getting the chop when he completed the most consecutive axe juggling catches – 604, at Art Factory on 3Nov 2017.
Also on 3Nov 2017, Josh achieved the longest duration juggling five soccer balls with a time of1 min 15.02 sec. In all, Josh has picked up nine gold medals from the World Juggling Federation andInternational Jugglers’ Association.
The most toilet rolls balanced on the head in 30 sec is 12, by Josh in Malibu, California, USA, on16May2017.
On 17Nov 2017, Josh set the longest duration balancing a guitar on theforehead (7 min 3.9sec) in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Josh kept his cool while achieving the most torches juggled on a balance board (5) at Art Factory on 3Nov 2017. The activities on these pages are strictly for experts only – don’t try them at home!
Longest reverse vault (parkour) Ryan Luney (UK, below) covered an unprecedented 4.06m (13ft 3.8in) witha reverse vault in Carrickfergus Gym & Trampoline Club, County Antrim, UK, on 22Jun 2016. The longest distance vaulted between two objects (parkour) is4m (13ft 1.48in), by Toby Segar (UK) on 15 Aug 2014.
Farthest forward-flip trampoline slam dunk In this feat, an individual attempts to thrust a basketball through a hoop having first completed a front flip from a trampoline. Kerim Daghistani (HUN) performed an 8.1-m (26-ft 6.89‑in) forward-flip trampoline slam dunk – measured from the centre of the trampoline to the backboard – in Budapest, Hungary, on 4Nov 2017.
Highest standing jump Canada’s Evan Ungar made a 1.616-m (5-ft 3.6-in) jump from a standing position in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, on 13 May 2016. He broke the record at OneHealth Clubs, with 100 people cheering him on. A year to the day later, Evan also achieved the highest standing jump on one leg – 1.346m (4ft 4.99in) – in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. 105
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MASS PARTICIPATION Largest gathering of people dressed as Peter Pan
“The Boy Who Never Grew Up” inspired the Cancer Research UK Relay for Life, held in Kirriemuir, UK, on 12Aug 2017. Altogether, 534runners dressed as Peter Pan joined the race, which was staged in the birthplace of JMBarrie – creator of the famous literary character.
Largest cricket lesson (single venue)
Most people dancing with swords It sounds dangerous, but sword-dancing is a traditional art form in many cultures, including several regions of India. Vijayalakshmi Bhoopathi (IND) organized a sword dance by 798students of the Mayuri Academy of Performing Arts in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, on 29Jul 2017.
Sports charity Chance to Shine (UK) brought together 580people to learn more about cricket at Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London, UK, on 17Jul 2017. Charlotte Edwards, a former captain of the England women’s team and Chance to Shine ambassador, led the lesson, assisted by 25 cricket coaches.
Most people wolf-howling
To mark 150 years since Canada was established, on 1Jul 2017 the Great Wolf Lodge (CAN) gathered 803 people to howl like wolves in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Largest gathering of people with the same forename No introductions had to be made at this same-name party, which was held in Kupres, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 30Jul 2017. That’s because all 2,325 people in attendance were called Ivan. The event was arranged by Kupreški kosci (BIH). The largest gathering of people with the same surname, meanwhile, is 1,488 Gallaghers, who met in Letterkenny, Ireland, on 9Sep 2007, beating 1,224 Joneses from Wales.
Largest Peruvian folk dance
A total of 3,170 people paired up on 24Jun 2017 to perform the pandilla moyobambina, a traditional dance from the San Martín region of northern Peru. The record was part of the feast of San Juan festivities, when locals gather in Moyobamba, Peru, to take a dip in natural thermal pools – acustom known as the “Baño Bendito” (“Blessed Bath”).
Largest yoga lesson On 21Jun 2017 – International Yoga Day – 55,506yogis came together to practise spiritual and physical well-being in Mysuru, Karnataka, India. The session was organized by the District Administration of Mysuru (IND).
Most people modelling on a catwalk
On 4Jul 2015, a crowd of 3,651 fashion models and members of the public took to a 40-m-long (131-ft) catwalk in Pier Head, Liverpool, UK. The event was organized by Culture Liverpool in association with very.co.uk (both UK). It took a full 3hr 50min for all the participants to strut their stuff.
Most people dressed in traditional Romanian clothing
A gathering of 9,643 people wearing historic Romanian dress assembled in Năsăud, Romania, on 14May 2017 in an event arranged by the Bistriţa-Năsăud community (ROM). They were celebrating National Day of Folk Costume in Romania, which aims to preserve the country’s cultural values, with an emphasis ontraditional folk costume, music and dance.
Wally has many different names , rld around the wo in the including Waldo rway, USA, Willy in Noce and Charlie in Fran nam. Văn-lang in Viet
Largest gathering of people dressed as Wally Where’s Wally? It wasn’t very difficult to find the iconic book character in his stripy red jumper at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, on 8Oct 2017: there were 4,626 of him! It was a case of third time lucky for the amusem*nt park, having previously failed to break this record twice before.
LARGEST HUMAN IMAGE OF A… Letter
Mouth
Give us a “C”! On 15Aug 2017, the University of California, Berkeley (USA) formed a colossal letter “C” with 7,194students at the California Memorial Stadium. This smashed the mark set just a few months before by the University of Tennessee, who – not surprisingly – created a giant“T” with 4,223people.
The University of Glasgow Dental School in Scotland, UK, must have raised a few smiles on 9Jun 2017… A supersized mouth was made up of 756students and other localsfrom the Glasgow area – all wearing either red or white ponchos to recreate lips and teeth. They were seeking to raise awareness for goodoral hygiene.
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Bicycle Hoping to inspire “the future generation of commuters to make the choice to travel in an active way”, Auckland Transport (NZ) created a bike with 1,799 students, parents and staff at Glen Eden Intermediate School in Auckland, New Zealand, on 9Jun 2017.
Flower Country Garden Crape Myrtle Real Estate (CHN) amassed 2,567people to form a humongous human bloom on 10Sep 2017. The red flower was created outside the Shaoyang Cultural and Art Center in Shaoyang, Hunan, China, and surpassed the previous record – a lotus formed in California, USA, on 15Jul 2017 – by 162 people.
The Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (IND) organized the largest Kuchipudi dance on11Apr 2017, bringingtogether 7,002 dancers.
Welcoming the spirits of deceased ancestors, 2,872people took part in the largest bon dance, on 9Sep 2017. The event was organized by Yao Kawachi Ondo Festival Association (JPN) and held in Yao, Osaka, Japan.
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Celebrating local culture, the Câmara Municipal de Ponte da Barca in Portugal staged the largest Portuguese folk dance on 20Aug 2017. There were 661 dancers involved.
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Largest gathering of people dressed as Harry Potter The date 10 Nov 2017 was a spellbinding day for 823 students from Wembley Primary School (AUS) in Perth, Australia. They achieved a new GWRtitle for the greatest number of people assembled together wearing Harry Potter’s iconic school uniform and zigzag scar. Year 6 student Charlotte Raston (centre) had the magic idea. Largest gathering of people dressed as emojis (multiple locations) Sony Pictures convinced 531 people to get in touch with their emotions in five different countries on 15Jul 2017 to celebrate the release of The Emoji Movie.
Largest gathering of people dressed as sunflowers To encourage outdoor activities, Chinese realtors Mayland City hosted 889 people dressed assunflowers in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, on 4Nov 2017.
Camera Marking the centenary of camera-maker Nikon, NITAL (ITA) – the firm’s official distributor in Italy – snapped 1,454people standing in the shape of a camera on 17Jun 2017. Participants dressed in black, grey, red or white, and gathered in formation outside the castle at Stupinigi, near Turin in northern Italy.
Maple leaf Gamania Digital Entertainment (TPE) created a massive maple leaf with 1,558people during a family fun day at the EXPO Dome in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, on 25Jun 2017. Although this plant is most commonly associated with Canada, the giant leaf design was chosen in honour of Gamania’s bestselling online role‑playing game, MapleStory.
Motorcycle It took 1,325 participants to recreate a Yamaha Exciter on 30Jul 2017, recognizing the millionth sale of this model. At the same event, put on by Yamaha Motor Vietnam, they also achieved thelargest motorcycle logo, using 554 motorbikes.
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SDRAWKCAB Longest journey walking backwards
The greatest-ever exponent of reverse pedestrianism has to be Plennie LWingo (USA), who between 15Apr 1931 and24Oct 1932 completed an 8,000‑mi (12,875‑km) transcontinental walk from Santa Monica in California, USA, to Istanbul in Turkey. Plennie wore special glasses with rearview mirrors to help him see where he was going, and funded his trek bysellingpostcards of himself.
Longest distance walking backwards in 24 hours
Most consecutive backflips on a pogo stick Henry Cabelus (USA) bounced his way into the record books during half-time at an Oregon Ducks American football game, executing 20pogo backflips in a row in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on 7Oct 2017. Most fire-breathing backflips in one minute On 23 Jun 2017, Ryan Luney (UK) performed 14fire-breathing backflips in 60sec in Antrim, UK. He was inspired to attempt this record after seeing Steve-O do the same trick on “The Slow Mo Guys” YouTube channel.
Longest backflip into a pair of trousers On 5Sep 2016, Raymond Butler (USA) reclaimed his record for acrobatic attire on the set of The Today Show in New York City, USA. Cheered on by a watching crowd, he backflipped a distance of 8ft 6in (2.59m) into a pair of trousers. Raymond, a self-taught acrobat, had first set the record in2013, only to be outbounced three months later.
Anthony Thornton (USA) walked 153.52km (95.4mi) backwards from 31Dec 1988 to 1Jan 1989 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. He averaged a speed of 6.4km/h (3.9mph).
Longest distance driving in reverse
Brian “Cub” Keene and James “Wilbur” Wright (both USA) drove their Chevrolet Blazer 14,534km (9,031mi) in reverse for37days between 1Aug and 6Sep 1984. They passed through 15US states and parts of Canada.
Most books typed backwards
Fastest mile driven in reverse
Terry Grant (UK) drove a mile backwards in 1 min 37.02 sec at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, UK, on 1Jul 2012. He steered an electric Nissan Leaf along an uphill course at an average speed of 55 mph (88 km/h).
Fastest run backwards mile
Aaron Yoder (USA) ran a mile backwards in 5min 54.25sec in Lindsborg, Kansas, USA, on 23Nov 2015. He trained by running backwards for 45min a day for eight weeks. On 25Jul 1991, Ferdie Ato Adoboe (GHA) ran the fastest backwards 100m (male) in 13.6sec in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA.
As of 10Apr 2017, Michele Santelia (ITA) had re-typed 76books from back to front in Campobasso, Italy. Each book was copied in its original language using a computer with four blank keyboards and without looking at the screen. Michele’s most recent work, The Indian Vedas Backwards, was typed using the ancient characters of the Sanskrit alphabet. It is composed of 1,153pages, 9,277paragraphs, 20,924lines, 107,216words and 635,995characters.
Longest palindrome
The longest known palindrome – a word that reads the same forwards or backwards – is the 19-letter “saippuakivikauppias”. It is a Finnish term for a dealer inlye(caustic soda).
Fastest 50 m using backflips
Vitaly Scherbo (BLR) backwardssomersaulted 50m (164ft) in 10.22sec at Makuhari Messe Event Hall in Chiba, Japan, on 31Aug 1995.
Most backwards rolls in one minute
On 16Apr 2012, Jack Leonard Riley (AUS) completed 56backwards rolls in 60sec in Calwell, Australia.
Longest jump backwards from standing
Jan Hempel (DEU) leapt backwards a total distance of2.01m (6ft 7in) in Munich, Germany, for Guinness –Die Show der Rekorde on 22Feb 2002.
ckflip The longest ba .71in), 11 is 4.26m (13ft er (AUT) by Lukas Stein Show dei on the set of Lo Italy, on Record in Milan,11. 28Apr20
Farthest basketball shot made backwards
Thunder Law of the Harlem Globetrotters (both USA) sunk abasketball shot backwards from 25m (82ft) at the USAirways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, on 3 Nov 2014.
Most consecutive back handsprings (one hand) Zama Mofokeng (ZAF) achieved34 one-handed back handsprings in a row in Tembisa, Gauteng, South Africa, on 4Mar 2017. He attempted the record to encourage township children to take part in gymnastics. Zama has been training since the age of10, and came back from a seriously fractured hand to master a variety of acrobatic techniques.
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Longest distance riding backwards on a motorcycle
Longest distance cycling backwards on a unicycle
Longest distance cyclingbackwards
On 7Oct 2014, Dipayan Choudhury (IND) rode backwards for 202 km (125.5mi) in Jabalpur, India. A Lance Havildar in the Indian Army Corps of Signals, Dipayan is part of the “Dare Devils” motorcycle display team. He more than trebled the distance achieved by the previous record holder.
Steve Gordon (USA) rode backwards on a unicycle for a distance of 68mi (109.4km) at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, USA, on 24Jun 1999. The longest distance by unicycle on a line of bottles backwards is 8.5m (27ft 10in), achieved by Chen Zhong Qin (CHN) on 7Jan 2015.
On 7–8Oct 2013, charity fundraiser Andrew Hellinga (AUS) cycled backwards while sat on the handlebars for 337.6km (209.7mi) at the Holden Performance Driving Centre in Norwell, Queensland, Australia. This is also the longest distance cycling backwards in 24hours.
The fastest marathon backwards on inline skates is 1hr 39min 59sec, achieved by Tomasz Kwiecień (POL) in Warsaw, Poland,on 22Sep 2013.
The fastest marathon joggling backwards (three objects) is 5hr 51min 25sec, by Joe Salter (USA) atthe Quad Cities Marathon in Moline, Illinois, USA, on 22 Sep 2013.
The fastest marathon running backwards (male) is 3hr 43min 39sec, by Xu Zhenjun (CHN) at theBeijing International Marathon in China on 17Oct 2004.
On 27Mar 2017, freestyle skier Emilie Cruz (FRA) reached a speed of 107.143km/h (66.57mph) skiing backwards at Les Carroz in the French resort of Grand Massif. She was inspired to attempt the record after she saw Elias Ambüehl (CHE) achieve the fastest speed downhill skiing backwards (male) – 131.23 km/h (81.54 mph), on 27Feb 2017 – and learned that there was no female equivalent.
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Fastest speed downhill skiing backwards (female)
In 2012, Emilie qualified for th Freest yle Ski Jue FIS nior World Champion She finished fift ships. h Slopestyle evenin the t.
Ski instructor Emilie Cruz lives in a village at the base of an alpine resort. She began skiing at the age of two-anda-half, and was introduced to the freestyle discipline – in which competitors perform aerial flips and spins – at14.
Longest distance driving inreverse in 24 hours John and Brian Smith (both USA) drove backwards for 1,369.95km (851.25mi) at theI-94 Speedway in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, USA, from13to 14Jun 1999. The longest distance reversing a tractor and trailer is 20.16km (12.52mi), by Patrick Shalvey (IRE) on 29Mar 2017 inCavan, Ireland.
Farthest reverse ramp jump by car On 13Feb 2014, ex-pro skateboarder and multiple GWR title holder Rob Dyrdek (USA) celebrated the series finale of MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory with a reverse ramp jump of 27.2m (89ft 2.8in) atSix Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, USA. He drove a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic RS Turbo.
Longest distance reversing an articulated truck (team) On 3Oct 2009, a team of 11drivers reversed a 19-m (62‑ft) semi-trailer (articulated lorry) adistance of 109.76km (68.2mi)in Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia. The longest distance driving in reverse in an articulated truck (individual) is 64km (39.7mi), by Marco Hellgrewe (DEU) on 22Sep 2008. 109
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FIGHT! Largest streamer-string fight
A fight between 629 participants armed with cans of streamer string was organized by the Funatorium Explorium at the CECentre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on 20Feb 2012. At the same venue on 18Feb 2013, the Funatorium was also responsible for the world’s largest paper-ball fight. Atotal of 282 combatants took part in the brawl, which wasbilled as an “indoor paper snowball fight”.
Largest pillow fight
Largest snowball fight The town of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada, played host to a snowball fight between 7,681 people on 31Jan 2016. The event was staged by the PotashCorp WinterShines Festival to send off Team Canada for the Yukigassen (“Snow Battle”) World Championships – an annual professional snowball-fighting competition held in Hokkaido, Japan.
Bedding manufacturer MyPillow (USA) hosted a fluffy fight between 6,261 pillow-wielding pugilists on 21Jul 2015. Thebattle was staged during a StPaul Saints’ baseball gameat CHSField in Minnesota, USA, and was introduced byactor Stephen Baldwin, who also took part. The longest-running pillow-fight contest is the annual World Pillow Fight Championships, which were staged in Kenwood, California, USA, between1964 and2006. Approximately 100pillow-fighters battled it out with wet pillows while sitting astride a steel pole placed over a mud‑filled creek. The event was revived on 4Jul2014, andanotherChampionship was planned for2018.
Largest shaving-cream pie fight Ulverston in Cumbria, UK, was the birthplace of Stan Laurel, one half of the comedy partnership Laurel and Hardy (see below left). On 18Jun 2016, at the town’s Another Fine Fest event, celebrating Laurel’s birth, 1,180 people took part in a pie fight using paper plates loaded with shaving cream.
Largest toy-pistol fight
“Jared’s Epic NERF Battle” took place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, USA, on 12Mar 2016. In all, 2,289 sharpshooters took part, raising money for the Rebuild Rowlett Foundation for Long Term Relief, on behalf of victims of adevastating tornado. Participants were also urged to leave their NERF blasters behind at the end of the attempt so that they could be donated to the Buckner Children’s Home (USA).
Largest water-balloon fight
The Christian Student Fellowship at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, USA, staged a water-balloon fight between 8,957 participants on 26Aug 2011. A total of 175,141water balloons were lobbed in the conflict. The most hits with water balloons in oneminute is 42, byAshrita Furman (victim) and Bipin Larkin (both USA) in Jamaica, New York City, USA, on 21 Sep 2016.
Largest laser-tag survival match Largest water-pistol fight Two teams from the University of California, Irvine, USA, faced off for a water-pistol fight on24Sep 2013. Thebattle, organized by NLA Sports (USA), saw 3,875 shooters get soaked in the 12-min conflict on the campus’s sports field. Seeright for the largest toy-pistol fight.
The most participants in a laser-tag survival match is 307 and was achieved by ECombat (UK) at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, on 6Apr 2013. The attempt took place during The Gadget Show LIVE, and after the two-hour battle was up, the last man standing was Marcus van Wiml.
Most custard pies thrown in a movie sequence
The Laurel and Hardy silent two-reeler The Battle of the Century (USA, 1927) saw 3,000custard pies flung in a single scene. The producer, Hal Roach, bought the entire day’s stock from the Los Angeles Pie Company. (See also above right.) Guinness World Records no longer accepts claims for custard-pie throwing owing to concerns about food wastage.
Largest robots to fight In the summer of 2015, US robotics collective MegaBots challenged Japan’s Suidobashi Heavy Industry to a fight… using giant mecha robots! The robot rumble finally took place and was aired on 17Oct 2017, when Suidobashi’s 4-m-tall (13‑ft) Kuratas – the largest mecha robot controlled by smartphone – battled with MegaBots’ 4.8-m-tall (16-ft) Eagle Prime. The 16.78‑tonne (18.5‑ton) cataclysmic clashended with Eagle Prime flooring Kuratas.
MORE WACKY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Toe-wrestling Alan “Nasty” Nash (UK, left) has secured the most wins of the Toe Wrestling World Championships (men), taking home the trophy for the 14th time on 19Aug 2017 in Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire, UK. The most wins by a woman is four by Karen Davies (UK), in1999–2002. Men never wrestle women, owing to arisk of “myxomatoesis”! 110
Redneck Games In 1996, radio DJ Mac Davis ofstation Y96 in East Dublin, Georgia, USA, started the first Redneck Games as an antidote to that year’s Olympic Games in nearby Atlanta. The annual charity event features disciplines such as redneck horseshoes (aka toilet-seat throwing, left), bobbing for pigs’ trotters and the mud-pit belly flop.
Phone-throwing The Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships was founded in 2000 in Savonlinna, Finland. The farthest distance to throw a mobile phone is 110.42m (362ft 3in) – the length of a soccer pitch – by javelin thrower Dries Feremans (BEL)at the national championships in Kessel-Lo, Belgium, on 27Aug 2014.
The Spanish enjoy flinging meringue! The Festival of Vilanova i la Geltrú – a town near Barcelona – features a day-long food fight known as La Merengada.
Over in Italy, the Battle of the Oranges is staged annually in the town of Ivrea. The three-day fight pits nine teams of aranceri (orange throwers) against each other.
Oranges are not the only fruit to be thrown around: the normally quiet town of Binissalem in Mallorca, Spain, plays host to an annual grape-throwing festival.
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Largest annual food fight On the last Wednesday in August, the town of Buñol, near Valencia, Spain, holds its annual tomato festival, La Tomatina. The origins of the food fight are unknown, but each year tens of thousands of participants gather to throw tomatoes at each other. At the peak of the event’s popularity in2012 – the last time that attendance was free – an estimated 40,000visitors descended on the small village to take part, throwing at least 40tonnes (88,185lb) of tomatoes. Buñol’s streets run with tomato pulp during La Tomatina. The fruit acid actually helps clean the pavements – after the pulp is hosed away, they’re left sparklingly clean.
The tomatoes are trucked into Buñol, often from as far away as Extremadura, 550km (341mi) to the west. Tourists pay extra to ride in the trucks and throw the first tomatoes.
Bog-snorkelling The most entrants at a World Bog Snorkelling Championships is 200, for the event on 31Aug 2009 at Waen Rhydd peat bog in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, UK. Bogsnorkelling requires entrants to negotiate two lengths of a 60-yard-long (180-ft; 55-m) waterlogged trench cut into a peat bog… wearing obligatory snorkels and flippers.
Wife-carrying Despite its name, the sport of wife-carrying does not require competitors to carry their wives – any male may carry any willing female, as long as she is more than 49kg (108lb) and at least 17years old. World Championships have been held annually in Sonkajärvi, Finland, since1992. The most Wife Carrying World
Championships won is six, by Taisto Miettinen and his “wife” Kristiina Haapanen (both FIN) in 2009– 13 and 2017. The “couple” are pictured here from the 2017 competition, held on30Jun and 1Jul.
Shin-kicking First held in England in 1612, Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks have hosted the longest-running shinkicking competition since 1636. Modern competitors wear white coats to represent shepherds’ smocks and can use straw to cushion their shins. Steel toe caps arestrictlyforbidden! 111
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SLACKLINING Fastest 100m slackline walk
French funambulist Lucas Milliard completed a 100‑m (328‑ft) slackline walk in 1min 59.73sec at an event organized by Hailuogou National Glacier Forest Park in Luding, Sichuan Province, China, on 12Jun 2016.
Fastest 200m slackline walk The International Slackline Association (ISA) aims to support and develop slackline communities of all sizes, including the urban-alpine activity of slacklining as well as competitive slackline sports. The ISA is devoted to increasing safety in all forms of slacklining through education and active risk management. All records in this section have been approved by the ISA, except for those in the “Balance Skills” section below.
On 17Jul 2017, Daniel Ivan Laruelle (BEL) walked a 200‑m (256‑ft) slackline in just 4min 17sec at Shenxianju Scenic Spot in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China. In his successful record attempt, he went head-to-head with Lucas Milliard (4min 26sec) and Alexander Helmut Schulz (4min 36sec).
First triple buttflip on a slackline
The first ever official triple buttflip – a triple front flip starting and finishing in a sitting position – was achieved by French gymnast-turned-slackliner Louis Boniface in Apr2017.
Longest highline walk with harness (female) Mia Noblet (CAN) shattered her own world record with a highline walk of 493m (1,617ft 5.4in) on 13Nov2017. The line was rigged 120m (393 ft 8.4in) high between Castleton Tower and the Rectory rock formations in CastleValley, Utah, USA.
Longest urban highline walk with harness (male)
Longest waterline walk with harness (male)
Longest free solo highline (male)
Longest longline without harness (male)
On 9Dec 2017, Nathan Paulin (FRA) crossed the 670m (2,198ft 1.9in) between the Eiffel Tower and the Place duTrocadéro in Paris, France, along a 2.5‑cm‑wide (1‑in) highline suspended 60m (196ft 10.2in) above the ground. On 19Sep 2017, Friedi Kühne (DEU) walked without a safety harness across a 110-m-long (360‑ft 10.7‑in) line suspended around 200m (656ft) above the ground in the Verdon Gorge in France. He beat his own mark of 72m (236ft 2.6in), established at Hunlen Falls in British Columbia, Canada. The longest free solo highline (female) is 28m (91ft 10.3in), by Faith Dickey (USA) in Sep2012 on a highline rigged 25m (82ft) above the ground in Ostrov, Czech Republic.
The team of Samuel Volery (CHE), Lukas Irmler (DEU) and Tijmen van Dieren (NLD) crossed a 750‑m‑long (2,460‑ft 7.5‑in) waterline suspended 35m (114ft 9.9in) above Kalterer See (Lake Kaltern) in South Tyrol, Italy, on 29Apr 2017. On 9May 2015, Alexander Schulz (DEU) traversed a 610-m (2,001-ft 3.7-in) longline rigged between two dunes in the Inner Mongolia deserts of China. He completed the feat in fading light on his final attempt of the day. The line sagged toamaximum of 30m (98ft) during Schulz’s epic walk. The longest longline without harness (female) is 230m (754ft 7.1in), by Laetitia Gonnon (CHE/FRA) on 28 Sep 2014. The line was installedover a field in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Longest waterline without harness (male) On 13Jul 2013, Mich Kemeter (AUT) walked a 250‑m (820‑ft 2.5‑in) slackline installed over Grüner See (Green Lake) in Tragöss, Austria, without a safety harness. He kept his arms extended from his sides for the duration of the walk, which lasted for 20min. He beat his own record of 222m (728ft 4.1in), set the previous year over the same lake.
Longest highline walk with harness (male) On 9Jun 2017, Pablo Signoret (inset left) and Nathan Paulin (inset right, both FRA) – members of the slackline team SDD – walked 1,662m (5,452ft) along a highline suspended 340m (1,115ft) above the Cirque de Navacelles valley in the Massif Central mountains of France. The next day, SDD’s Lucas Milliard (FRA, main image) also completed the walk, recording the fastest time of 1hr6min. A fourth SDD team member, Antony Newton, attempted the feat on the same day but fell just 152m (499ft) from the end of the line.
BALANCE SKILLS (VERIFIED BY GWR) Greatest distance travelled on a slackline whilejuggling three objects Lyle Bennett (ZAF) travelled 33.35m (109ft 4in) while juggling three balls at the Wild Clover Farm in Stellenbosch, South Africa, on 4Oct 2014. He covered almost four times the distance of the previous record during his charity performance, which took him 4min 2sec. 112
Longest distance travelled on a slackline by unicycle Lutz Eichholz (DEU) covered 15.66m (51ft 4in) across a slackline on his unicycle on the set of CCTV – Guinness World Records Special in Beijing, China, on 9Sep 2013. Eichholz has also achieved the most 180ºjumps (switches) on a unicycle in one minute –26– in Cannes, France, on 18Jun 2016.
Greatest distance travelled on a slackline bybicycle On 11May 2014, Vittorio Brumotti (ITA) travelled 10.05m (32ft 11.6in) on a bicycle across a slackline at Parco Leonardo in Fiumicino, Rome, Italy. It took the freewheeling funambulist 20sec to cross the line, which was suspended 1.05m (3ft 5in) above the ground.
Highline: a slackline high above the ground, from where an unmitigated fall would cause major injuries or fatality.
Longline: a long slackline from which a safe landing on solid ground is stillpossible.
Waterline: a slackline strung over a body of water, not usually at a greatheight.
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Slackline: a 2.5-cm (1‑in) piece of synthetic fabric strung between anchor points for the purposes of balancing.
Highest highline (male) On 28Feb 2014, Andy “Sketchy” Lewis (USA) walked a 40‑ft (12.19‑m) line stretched between two hotair balloons floating 4,000ft (1,219m) above the Mojave Desert in Nevada, USA. Upon the successful completion of his mid-air highline, daredevil Lewis leapt from the balloon and parachuted to Earth.
Highest elevation highline withharness (male)
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Most side surfs on a slacklinein one minute Slackline legend Andy Lewis (USA, see above) achieved 143side surfs on a slackline in 60sec at the Diaoshuilou Waterfall at Jingpo Lake, Mudanjiang City, China, on 28Aug 2011. Side surfs are when the slackline is rocked back and forth at great speed, in the same way a surfer might carve their surfboard through the waves.
Stephan Siegrist (CHE) walked a 21‑m‑long (69‑ft) highline on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania at an altitude of 5,700m (18,700ft) on 29Jun 2016. The low oxygen content of the air at such high altitude made it even harder to ward off dizziness and maintain balance, while the unexpected snow on Kilimanjaro only increased the difficulty ofSiegrist’s record attempt.
Longest duration controlling a soccer ball onaslackline Football freestyler John Farnworth (UK) performed mid-air “keepie-uppies” with a soccer ball while balancing on a slackline for 29.82sec in Preston, Lancashire, UK, on 14Jan 2016. Farnworth has achieved numerous GWR titles thanks to his supreme freestyling skills.
Most Korean butt bounces on a slackline in one minute Lukas Irmler (DEU) achieved 29Korean butt bounces on a slackline in 60sec on the set of CCTV – Guinness World Records Special in Beijing, China, on 9Dec 2012. A Koreanbutt bounce begins withthe slackliner standing ontheir feet, before they drop down totheir backside and bounce back to their feet. 113
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EXTREME PERFORMERS Most knives thrown around a human target inoneminute
On 26Dec2007, “The Great Throwdini” (aka Dr David R Adamovich, USA) hurled 102 throwing knives – each14in (35.5cm) long – around “Target Girl”, aka Tina Nagy (USA), in60secin Freeport, New York, USA.
Most nails inserted into the nose in 30 seconds
Burnaby Q Orbax (CAN) – one half of the Monsters of Schlock duo – inserted 15nails into his nose in half a minute in SaintJohn, New Brunswick, Canada, on 16Jul 2015. The next day, Orbax reclaimed the record for the heaviest weight lifted using hooks through the forearms– 45.18kg (99lb 9.6oz). Most hulahoops spun simultaneously on multi‑body parts Dunja Kuhn (DEU) spun 59 hulahoops around her body in London, UK, on 24 May 2017. It was one of three hula-hoop attempts on the same day broadcast by GWR on Facebook Live.
Fastest time to escape from a straitjacket while suspended from a hot-air balloon
On 22Jul 2017, Super Ning (CHN) freed herself from a straitjacket in 53.70sec while hanging from a hot-air balloon flying 30m (98ft) above the ground in Weihai, Shandong Province, China.
Longest time spent on a bed of nails
The duration record for lying on a bed of nails with6-in (15.2-cm) nails placed 2in (5cm) apart is 300 hr, by Ken Owen (UK) from 3to 14May 1986. His longest uninterrupted stretch lasted 132hr 30min!
Heaviest concrete-block break onabedofnails(male)
On 12 Feb 2012, kung fu master Neal Hardy (AUS) had 15 blocks weighing 774.99kg (1,708lb 8 oz) – about the same as nine adult men – placed on his chestand broken while he lay on a bed of nails at PetriePlaza inCanberra, ACT, Australia.
Most nails hammered with the head in one minute Wrestler and strongman John Ferraro (USA) knocked 13nails into a block of wood with his head in 60sec on theset of Guinness World Records Gone Wild! in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 3Jul 2012. MRI scans suggestthat Ferraro’s skull is almost two-and-a-half timesthicker than average. Longest duration performing a six‑hula‑hoop box split On 10 Feb 2018, “Queenofthe Rings” Brookelynn Bley (USA) spun six hulahoops on her body while simultaneously performing a box split position for 1 min 13sec – an epic feat of hoopingendurance.
Most apples held in own mouth andcutbychainsawin one minute The “Space Cowboy” (aka Chayne Hultgren, AUS) cut 21apples held in his mouth with a chainsaw in 60sec in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on19Apr 2017. On 10May 2017, Chayne followed up with the mostconsecutive underlegchainsaw-juggling catches –14.
POGO-A-GO-GO
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Fewest pogo-stick jumpsinone minute
Fastest mile onapogostick
On 11Jul 2016, Henry Cabelus (USA) managed to jump just 38times in 60sec in New York City, USA – beating Biff Hutchison’s previous record by one. In order to minimize the number of jumps, pogo performers have to gain as much height as possible, without stalling or stepping down from the stick.
On 24 Jun 2017, Drew McQuiston (USA) covered a mile on a pogo stick in 7min 40sec at an athletics track in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He didn’t fall from his stick once during his four-lap dash. Drew’s soundtrack for his attempt included “Jump Around” by House of Pain andVan Halen’s “Jump”.
Fastest 10m walked en pointe on a slackline On 16Aug 2017, Olga Henry (RUS/USA) walked 10m (32ft 9in) along a slackline en pointe (i.e., on the tips of the toes) in 2 min 33.71 sec in Carlson Park, Culver City, California, USA. The line was 5.08cm (2in) wide and raised more than 1m (3ft 3.3 in) above the ground.
Farthest distance by a human cannonball
On 13Mar 2018, “The Bullet” (aka David SmithJr, USA) flew 195ft (59.43 m) from a cannon on behalf of Xbox and Sea of Thieves at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, USA. “The Bullet” also achieved the greatest height by a human cannonball – 26m (85ft 4in) – on Guinness World Records Unleashed in California, USA, on 8Jul 2013. Longest time controlling a football with the soles while on the roof of a moving car Football freestyler Ash Randall (UK) juggled a ball on the soles of his feet while lying on the roof of a moving car for 93sec at Cardiff Airport, UK, on 15Nov 2014. During the attempt, Ash battled cross-winds and cramp in his legs as he was carried along at a speed of more than 10 mph (16 km/h).
Death-defying stunts… Lowest death dive escape: Robert Gallup (AUS) escaped from a chained mailbag inside a locked cage, having being thrown out ofaplane at 18,000ft (5,486 m).
Most magic tricks performed inasingle skydive: 11, by MartinRees(UK) at GoSkydive inSalisbury, Wiltshire, UK, on15Oct 2016.
Most deadly magic trick: at least 12people (eight magicians and four bystanders) have been killed during the bullet-catch trick, in which a magician appears to catch a marked bullet in his teeth.
Heaviest Strongman deadlift
In the run-up to a contest, Eddie super-sizes his meals. Every day, he consumes 12,500calories – including a full English breakfast, steak, cheesecake and protein shakes.
The rules for a aStrongman deadlift in arenotable forcompetition useofdouble loallowing the ultra‑tightliftin op straps, unlimited“hitc g suits and hing barupthe thig ” of the hs.
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Eddie “The Beast” Hall (UK) achieved a deadlift of 500kg (1,102lb 4.9oz) – around the same weight as an adult male polar bear – at the World Deadlift Championships inLeeds,UK, on 9 Jul 2016. Eddie had set a new record of 465kg (1,025lb 2.3oz) earlier that day, but he went on to obliterate that mark, becoming the first human to deadlift half a tonne. He collapsed soon after his winning lift, having burst blood vessels in his head with his superhuman effort.
The activities on these pages are strictly for experts only – don’t try them at home!
Fastest mile on a pogo stick while juggling three balls
Highest jump onapogo stick
Ashrita Furman (USA) covered a mile on a pogo stick while juggling three balls in 23min 28sec in New York City, USA, on 26Sep 2007. He shaved more than a minute off his own record. On 28 Jan 2010, Ashrita set the greatest distance juggling on a pogo stick: 4 mi (6.44km) on Easter Island, Chile.
Twenty-year-old Dmitry Arsenyev (RUS) cleared abar set at 3.378m (11ft0.99in) onhis pogo stickinWilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, USA, on 5Nov2017. On the same day, Michael Mena (USA) achieved the highest forward-flip pogo-stick jump – 3.086m (10ft 1.49in) – also in Wilkinsburg.
Most consecutive cars jumped over on a pogo stick Xpogo Stunt Team member Dalton Smith (USA) leaped over three cars lined up by Nissan (JPN) in consecutive jumps on the roof of a car park in Croydon, Greater London, UK, on 6 Jun 2017. Not content with clearing the three vehicles, Smith rounded off the feat by dismounting from his stick with a somersault. 115
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ENDURANCE LONGEST DURATION… Balancing an umbrella on one finger
Himanshu Gupta (IND) kept an umbrella aloft on the middle finger of his right hand for a total of 2hr 22min 22sec in Bangalore, India, on 7Oct 2017.
Underwater live radio broadcasting (unsupported)
On 13 May 2017, New Zealand’s Stu Tolan hosted a submarine radio broadcast lasting 5 hr 25 min 25 sec for 104.8Channel 4. He was stationed at a depth of 3m (9ft 10in) in the 11-millionlitre Atlantis Ambassador Lagoon aquarium at the Palm resort in Dubai, UAE. During the attempt, Stu underwent 11 air-tank changes, which were carried out by ateam of six scuba divers. Longest duration on a balance board Tatum Braun (USA) maintained her equilibrium on a balance board for 7hr 25min 30.86sec in Charlotte, Vermont, USA, on 10Jul 2015. It must be something in the genes: her mother, Cricket Braun, held this record in 2005.
Standing on a Swiss ball
Garrett Lam (USA) kept his footing on a Swiss ball for 5hr 25min 36.98sec in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on 18Sep 2015.
Indoor freefalling
Stef Millet and Manu Sarrazin (both FRA) jointly achieved a 7-hr 15-min 18-sec freefall at the Windoor wind tunnel in Empuriabrava, Spain, on 7Jul 2017. They beat the previous attempt, set the previous year, by more than 15min.
Balancing a soccer ball on the head
On 27Jan 2017, Arash Ahmadi Tifakani (IRN) kept a soccer ball balanced on his head for 8hr 42min 12sec without letting it drop in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan, Iran.
Standing motionless
Om Prakash Singh (IND) stood motionless, except for involuntary blinking, for 20hr 10min 6sec in Allahabad, India, on 13–14Aug 1997. He was recovering from chicken pox when he made the record attempt and claimed afterwards that he would have lasted longer if doctors had not advised him to stop.
Longest marathon on a roller-coaster Richard Rodriguez (USA) rode the Pepsi Max Big One and Big Dipper roller-coasters at Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK, for 405hr 40min from 27Jul to 13Aug 2007. For the duration of his 17-day attempt, he was allowed only a five-minute rest break between rides togetsomething to eat, shower or change his clothes.
Trampolining by a team
The eight-strong Autism Together (UK) team trampolined for 25hr in Birkenhead, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, UK, from 2to 3Apr 2017. The octet, who took turns to bounce in 20-min shifts, began the session on World AutismAwareness Day to raise awareness of the condition. Longest marathon on a dance videogame Carrie Swidecki (USA) completed a 138-hr 34-sec session of Just Dance 2015 (Ubisoft, 2014) at Otto’s Video Games & More! in Bakersfield, California, USA, from 11 to 17 Jul 2015. She live-streamed the attempt on Twitch and raised $7,305 (£4,677) for the charity ExtraLife4Kids.
Skipping
On 4–5Dec 2009, Joey Motsay (USA) skipped rope for 33hr 20min at Positive Stress Workout in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. His record attempt raised $38,000 (£22,949) for Smile Train, a charity providing free cleft lip and palate surgeries for children worldwide.
Playing futsal
From 30 Jun to 2 Jul 2017, the Lee Knight Foundation (UK) completed a non-stop 50-hr futsal marathon in Birkenhead, UK. The teams – the Green Knights and the White Knights – took part in the event to raise funds for disabled supporters’ facilities.
Longest marathon in a bumper car On 10–11 Aug 2016, Manuela Benus and Jan Spekker (both DEU) carried out a 28-hr marathon bumper-car session at the Hamburger Dom festival in Hamburg, Germany. The event was organized by TV channel RTL Nord. Manuela and Jan both work for the channel and rode the cars for exactly 28 hr to mark its 28th anniversary.
MARATHON MUSIC Sitar Renuka Punwani (IND) played sitar for an unbroken stretch of exactly 25hr at the Pancham Academy of Indian Music in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, from 26 to 27 Nov 2011. Renuka was a sprightly 76years old at the time. She has also accompanied other members of the academy in marathon musicmakingattempts. 116
Piano From 11 to 17 Oct 2015, India’s Mrityunjay Sharma performed a127-hr 8-min 38-sec keyboard recital in Delhi, India. His instrument of choice was a Korg professional arranger Pa300 keyboard. He dedicated his achievement to recordbreaking Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
Guitar
Ukulele
Ireland‘s David Browne played guitar continuously for 114hr 6min 30sec at the Temple Bar pub in Dublin, Ireland, from 12to 17Jun 2011. David was allowed a 30-sec break between songs, and a 40-min break after 8hr, during which time he had the chance to catch up on sleep, freshen up, change his clothes and eat aprotein snack.
Between 26 and 27Nov 2016, Robin Evans (UK) completed a 30-hr 2-min ukulele marathon at the Duke of Uke music shop in London, UK. Robin had a playlist of 129songs – including numbers by Rick Astley, The Bangles and Justin Bieber – that he played through a total of six times. He was allowed only a 30‑sec break between numbers.
Continuous footballcontrol 21hr 1min Abraham Muñoz (MEX)
Table-tennis-batand-ball duration 5hr 2min 37sec Aryan Raj (IND)
Tennis-racketand-ball duration 4hr 30min Aswin Sridhar (IND)
Golf-cluband-ball duration 1hr 37min 58sec Brad Weston (USA)
Longest marathon rocking a rocking chair
Longest duration balancing on one foot Suresh stood on just one foot for 76hr 40min inColombo, Sri Lanka, on 22–25May 1997.
Violin Nikolay Madoyan (ARM) played violin for 33hr 2min 41sec continuously (apart from 30-sec breaks between pieces) at Komitas Chamber Music House in Yerevan, Armenia, from 11 to 12Feb 2017. His repertoire included works by JSBach, Beethoven, Mozart and Paganini.
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d Suresh declare y er “v be to lf se m hi er an comfortable” aftut maybe “B lf. ha a d hour an e. I’m rocking too comfortabl , so I’m going rth fo d back an at could be to get sleepy. Thproblem!” lt cu ffi di a very other Hemanaged an . 73hr 33min
Suresh Joachim (CAN, b.LKA) rocked on a rocking chair continuously for 75hr 3min from 24to 27Aug 2005 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. To stay awake, he played guitar, read about golf and interacted with his family, who were present in the room for the entire time. You’ll find two more of his record-breaking feats below.
Longest continuouscrawl On 18–19 May 2001, Suresh crawled 56.62km (35.18mi), with at least one knee grounded at all times. He completed more than 2,500 laps of a circuit 66ft (20.1 m) in circumference outside the Queen Victoria Building inSydney, Australia.
Accordion America’s Cory Pesaturo carried out a 32-hr 14-min 52‑sec session on the accordion from 4 to 5 Aug 2017 at Optik Neuroth in Graz, Austria. Cory’s recordbreaking performance included renditions of classical compositions such as Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” alongside techno songs such asDarude’s “Sandstorm”.
Bagpipes From 12 to 13 Aug 2015, RikkiEvans (UK) performed alung-bursting 26-hr 5-min 32-sec bagpipe marathon at The National Piping Centre in Glasgow, UK. Rikki used his record attempt to raise money for a number of good causes, including CLAN Cancer Support, Cash for Kids and the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust. 117
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EPIC JOURNEYS First recorded walk from John O’Groats to Land’sEnd In1871, brothers John and Robert Naylor (both UK) walked the length of the UK from John O’Groats to Land’s End. They covered 1,372mi (2,208km) in two months – more than twice the distance of the journey as the crow flies – owing to diversions for sightseeing.
First circumnavigation by walking
Longest journey by aquabike (jetski) South Africans Marinus du Plessis (above) and Adriaan Marais survived choppy seas, mechanical issues and a dock-leaping sea lion to complete a 95-day 17,266.69‑km (10,729‑mi) aquabike odyssey. Starting in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, they reached Panama City, Panama, on 19Sep 2006, having followed the west coast of North America.
The first person reputed to have walked around the world is George Matthew Schilling (USA), from1897 to1904. However, the first verified ambulatory circumnavigation was by David Kunst (USA), who walked 23,250km (14,450mi) across four continents between 20Jun 1970 and 5Oct 1974.
Longest journey by bicycle (individual)
Itinerant lecturer Walter Stolle (CZE) cycled 402,000mi (646,960km) in an 18-year tour through 159countries that lasted from 24Jan 1959 to 12Dec 1976. Five of Stolle’s bikes were stolen and six broke down, while he suffered 1,000flat tyres. He was robbed more than 200times and gored by a gazelle in Africa, but claimed to have never once fallen ill.
First person to sail around the world (soloandnon‑stop)
Robin Knox-Johnston (UK) circumnavigated the globe singlehandedly in his yacht Suhaili between 14Jun 1968 and 22Apr 1969. Having entered the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, hewas the only remaining competitor by the time he reached the finishing line at Falmouth in Cornwall, UK.
First surface circumnavigation via both poles
On 29Aug 1982, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Charles Burton (both UK) of the British Trans-Globe Expedition arrived back at Greenwich in London, UK, after a three-year journey covering some 35,000mi (56,300km). Having left Greenwich on 2Sep 1979, they crossed the South Pole on 15Dec 1980 and the North Pole on 10Apr 1982.
Fastest circumnavigation sailing solo Francois Gabart (FRA) sailed alone around the world in 42days 16hr 40min 35sec on board his 100‑ft (30.48‑m) trimaran MACIF, completing his epic journey on 17Dec 2017. On 13–14Nov 2017, he achieved the greatest distance sailed in 24hours single-handedly – 850.68nauticalmi (1,575.45km) in the South Atlantic. Both records were ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.
Fastest circumnavigation by scheduled flights (sixcontinents)
Longest journey by taxi Leigh Purnell, Paul Archer and Johno Ellison (all UK) travelled 69,716.12km (43,319.58mi) around the globe in a 1992 LTI Fairway FX4 London black taxi cab named Hannah from 17Feb 2011 to 11May 2012. Their journey clocked up a charge on the meter of £79,006.80 ($127,530) – excluding tip.
Michael Quandt (DEU), travel editor of the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, flew around the world in 66hr 31min on 6–8Jul 2004. Taking only scheduled flights, he flew from Singapore to Australia, the USA, Venezuela, the UK, Egypt andMalaysia before returning to Singapore.
Fastest circumnavigation by car
The record for the first and fastest man and woman to havecircumnavigated the Earth by car covering six continents under the rules applicable in1989 and1991 embracing more than an equator’s length of driving (24,901road miles; 40,075km) is held by Saloo Choudhury and his wife Neena Choudhury (both India). The journey took 69days 19hours 5minutes from 9September to 17November 1989. The couple drove a 1989Hindustan “Contessa Classic” startingand finishing in Delhi, India.
Longest journey by wheelchair From 21Mar 1985 to 22May 1987, Rick Hansen (CAN) wheeled his way through four continents and 34countries on an epic journey totalling 40,075.16km (24,901.55mi). Hansen, who was paralysed from the waist down in1973 as a result of a motor accident, started and finished in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
POLES APART First person to reach theSouth Pole
First undisputed overland journey to the North Pole
First person to walk toboth poles
A party of five Norwegian explorers led by Captain Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole at 11 a.m. on 14Dec 1911. They had endured a 53‑day march with dog sledges from the Bay of Whales. The first women to reach the South Pole by landwere Tori Murden and Shirley Metz (both USA), on 17 Jan 1989.
At 3p.m. on 19Apr 1968, expedition leader Ralph Plaisted (USA) arrived at the North Pole accompanied by athree-man team. They had travelled for 42days on snowmobiles. Earlier claims to have reached the pole have proved unverifiable.
Robert Swan (UK) headed the eight-man “Icewalk” expedition that arrived at the North Pole on 14May 1989. He had previously led the three-man “In the Footsteps of Scott” trek that reached the South Pole on 11Jan 1986. The first person to visit both poles was Dr Albert Crary (USA), completed on 12Feb 1961.
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Longest journey.... Walking on hands: 1,400km (870mi), by Johann Hurlinger (AUT) between Viennaand Paris over55days in 1900.
On stilts: 4,840km (3,008mi), by Joe Bowen (USA) from Los Angeles, California, USA, to Bowen, Kentucky, USA, in 1980.
By skateboard: 12,159km (7,555mi), by Rob Thomson (NZ) in2007–08 – from Leysin in Switzerland toShanghai in China.
Pushing a wheelbarrow: around 14,500km (9,000mi), by Bob Hanley (AUS) across Australia from Apr 1975 to May 1978.
Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle
Canada USA
UK
Poland
Spain
Mark Beaumon is no stranger tot endurance cy In2015, he achi cling. fastest bicyclejevedthe from Cairoto ourney Town (male)– Cape 41d 10hr22min. ays
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
Between 2Jul and 18Sep 2017, Mark Beaumont (UK) cycled around the world in 78days 14hr 40min, starting and ending at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Beaumont – who had first held this record in 2008 – completed his “Around the World in 80Days Challenge” ahead of schedule, beating the previous record holder by morethan 40days. Between 2 Jul and 31 Jul, he covered 11,315.29km (7,031mi) – the farthest distance cycled in one month (male).
Russia Kazakhstan Mongolia China
Indonesia
Australia
New Zealand
Beaumont’s 18,000-mi (28,968‑km) route took him through 16countries in total, ending in a final “sprint finish” from Lisbon, Portugal, back to his starting point in Paris, France.
Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle (female) Paola Gianotti (ITA) cycled around the world in 144days between 8Mar and 30Nov 2014. Starting and ending in Turin, Italy, her journey comprised a distance of 29,595km (18,389mi). She overcame 32punctures, a fractured vertebra, a flood, an earthquake, a tsunami and 16attacks by stray dogs during the course of her marathon adventure.
First person to trek to both poles solo (unsupported and unassisted) In1995, Marek Kamiński (USA, b.POL) skiied to both poles with no external assistance. He reached the North Pole from Cape Columbia on 23May after a 70-day, 770‑km (478‑mi) journey. On 27Dec, hereached the South Pole from Berkner Island after a 53-day, 1,300‑km (807‑mi) trek.
First women to reachbothpoles
First winter expedition tothe North Pole
Catherine Hartley and Fiona Thornewill (both UK) reached the geographic North Pole on 5May 2001, having set out from Ward Hunt Island, Northwest Territories, Canada, on 11Mar. Both women had previously skiied to the South Pole on 4Jan 2000, setting out fromHercules Inlet.
Matvey Shparo and Boris Smolin (left to right, both RUS) began their winter expedition on 22 Dec 2007, arriving at the North Pole on 14 Mar 2008. They travelled in complete darkness, hauling sleds of160kg (352lb 11oz) each andnavigating by thelight oftheirheadlamps. 119
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MULTI-DISCIPLINARIANS First person to complete the Adventurers Grand Slam
On these pages, we celebrate multi-talented record holders who have excelled in more than one field. One of them is David Hempleman-Adams (UK), who completed the Adventurers Grand Slam by climbing the highest peak on every continent (Seven Summits) and trekking to the North and South poles. He began his quest in1980, climbing Denali (also known as Mount McKinley) in Alaska, USA, and completed it 18years later by reaching the North Pole with Rune Gjeldnes in May1998. The first person to complete the Explorers Grand Slam was Park Young-seok (KOR), upon reaching the North Pole on 30Apr 2005. This challenge involves climbing the Seven Summits, all 14mountains over 8,000m (26,246ft), and reaching both poles on foot. Fastest electric motorcycle Inventor and greentechnology pioneer Chip Yates (USA) reached a speed of 316.899 km/h (196.912 mph) on his SWIGZ Electric Superbike Protoype at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, on 30Aug 2011. On 24Nov 2013, Chip achieved the fastest time to climb to 3,000m in an electric aircraft – 5min 32sec, in a modified Rutan Long-EZ aircraft in Inyokern, California, USA.
First Atlantic crossing by hot-air balloon
On 2–3Jul 1987, Richard Branson (UK) and Per Lindstrand (SWE) flew from Sugarloaf in Maine, USA, to Limavady in Northern Ireland, UK. They covered 4,947km (3,074mi) in31hr 41min. The same duo went on to achieve the first Pacific crossing by hot-air balloon, piloting the Virgin Otsuka Pacific Flyer from Japan to Lac la Martre in Yukon, Canada, on 15–17Jan 1991. Entrepreneur Branson (b.18Jul 1950) is also the oldest person to kiteboard the English Channel. On1Jul 2012, he crossed from Dymchurch in Kent, UK,to Wimereux in France aged 61years 349days.
First person to sail and row the IndianandAtlanticoceans
Fastest circumnavigation by balloon (FAI-approved) On 12–23Jul 2016, Fedor Konyukhov (RUS) flew around the world in a balloon named Morton in 11days 4hr 20min. Hetook off from Northam in Western Australia and landed at Bonnie Rock in the same state. Konyukhov has also set the fastest time to row across the South Pacific east to west (solo) – 159days 16hr 58min, from 22Dec 2013 to 31May 2014. He rowed 7,393mi (6,424nautical mi; 11,897.9km) from Concón, Chile, to Mooloolaba in Queensland, Australia, on board Tourgoyak. This accomplished explorer has also completed the Seven Summits challenge, scaling each continent’s greatest peak between 1992 and 1997.
James Kayll (UK) sailed the Indian Ocean from Thailand to the African country of Djibouti on board Ocean Song on 8Jan– 13Feb 2005, before rowing across it from Geraldton in Western Australia to Mauritius on Indian Runner4 on 21Apr–6Jul 2011. The former army captain has done the same across the Atlantic, sailing from Gran Canaria to St Lucia on board Polyphagus (19Nov–6Dec 2000), and rowing on board Row2 Recovery from La Gomera to Antigua (4Dec 2013–21Jan 2014).
Fastest journey from the lowest to the highest point on Earth (Dead Sea to summit of Everest) On 21May 2006, Pauline Sanderson, Dominic Faulkner, Jamie Rouan (all UK) and Geri Winkler (AUT) summitted Everest having travelled from the Dead Sea after a journey of 150days 19hr 15min.
Longest ramp jump in a car
On 31 Dec 2009, Travis Pastrana (USA) jumped 269ft (81.99m) at the “Red Bull: New Year. No Limits” event in Long Beach, California, USA. Pastrana, a stunt performer and professional motocross competitor who has won the most medals for MotoX at the Summer X Games – 13 – jumped in his rally car off a pier on to a floating barge in the harbour. Pastrana is also responsible for the longest tandem motorcycle backflip – 4.99m (16ft 5in), together with Jolene Van Vugt (CAN) at Godfrey Trucking/Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on 17Nov 2008.
THREE POLES CHALLENGE
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Longest non-stop flight by any aircraft (FAI-approved) Steve Fossett (USA) flew 41,467.53km (25,766.72mi) in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer airplane on 8–11 Feb 2006. He took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, breaking the previous record over Shannon in Ireland. The millionaire owned the largest racing catamaran (yacht), the Cheyenne, which was 125ft (38.1m) long and 60ft (18.3m) wide. In2004, Fossett and crew set a thenrecord circumnavigation time of 58days 9hr 32min.
(NORTH POLE/SOUTH POLE/EVEREST)
First person to complete the Three Poles Challenge
First female to complete theThree Poles Challenge
On 8May 1994, Erling Kagge (NOR) summitted Everest to complete the Three Poles Challenge. On 4May 1990, he and Børge Ousland (NOR) had become the first people to reach the North Pole unsupported (emergencyassisted), while on 7Jan 1993 Kagge completed the first solo expedition to the South Pole.
Tina Sjögren (SWE, b.CZE) reached the North Pole on 29May 2002 to become the first woman to complete the Three Poles Challenge. She had summitted Everest on 26May 1999 and made the South Pole on 2Feb 2002, accompanied by her husband Tom Sjögren. Only 35days separated their polar trips.
First person to complete the Three Poles Challenge without supplementary oxygen on Everest Of the 22explorers tohave completed the challenge, only Antoine De Choudens (FRA) summitted Everest without supplementary oxygen. DeChoudens, who was lost on Shishapangma in2003, finished the trio at the SouthPole on 10Jan 1999.
Number of people who have... Climbed Everest:
Rowed an ocean: 885
4,834
(as of 16Feb 2018)
All three:
North Pole: 247 South Pole: 399
2: Maxime Chaya (LBN) and Fedor Konyukhov (RUS)
(as of Jan2017)
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
(as of 15Mar 2018)
Reached a pole:
Aveteran of ex treme environmen Parazynski hasts, dived into the su also mmit lake on the Lican volcano in Boliv cabur climbed down ia and in Masaya volcanoto the in Nicaragua!
First astronaut to summit Everest
A medical officer for the US Antarctic Program, Parazynski visited the South Pole, where he posed for an “Atlas photo”, i.e., with the world on his shoulders.
First Three Poles Challenge – North Pole to land Johan Ernst Nilson (SWE) topped Everest in May2007, then commenced the polar stages by being dropped at the North Pole on 6May 2011. He walked 775km (481.56mi) unsupported in 48 days beforereaching land on 22Jun. Nilson went on to successfully complete a trek to the South Pole on 19Jan 2012.
On 20 May 2009, NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski (USA) climbed Everest, becoming the first person to travel in space and summit Earth’s highest mountain. Parazynski spent 1,381 hr in space between 1994 and 2007, participating in five spaceflights. He took a Moon rock to Everest that had been collected by the crew of Apollo11, and returned with a summit rock; both rocks now reside on the International Space Station.
Fastest time to complete the Three Poles Challenge (female) Cecilie Skog (NOR) completed the Three Poles Challenge in 1year 336days. She summitted Everest on 23May 2004, reached the South Pole on 27Dec 2005, and arrived at the North Pole on 24Apr 2006. As of 11Dec 2017, she remains one of only two women to have finished the challenge.
Fastest time to complete the Three Poles Challenge (male) It took Adrian Hayes(UK) just 1year 217days to finishthis demanding feat.He summitted Evereston 25May 2006, reached the North Pole on 25Apr 2007 from Ward Hunt Island in Canada, and finally claimed the South Pole on 28Dec 2007, making the journey from the Hercules Inlet. 121
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MOUNTAINEERING First ascent of Everest
Fastest time to climb the north face of the Eiger solo On 16Nov 2015, UeliSteck (CHE) ascended the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps in 2hr 22min 50sec, via the Heckmair route. He first set a speed record for topping this 1,800-m (5,905-ft) expanse in 2007, with a time of 3hr 54min.
Everest (8,848 m; 29,029 ft), on the border between Nepal and China, was first climbed at 11:30 a.m. on 29May 1953 by Edmund Percival Hillary (NZ) and Tenzing Norgay (IND/Tibet). The successful expedition was led by Col (later Hon. Brigadier) Henry Cecil John Hunt (UK). On 16 May 1975, Junko Tabei (JPN) became the first woman to ascend Everest. She also became the first woman to climb the Seven Summits when she topped Elbrus (5,642m; 18,510ft) on 28Jul 1992, completing the Carstensz and Kosciuszko lists (see opposite). Reinhold Messner (ITA) and Peter Habeler (AUT) made the first ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen, on 8May 1978. This feat is regarded by some purist mountaineers as the first “true” ascent of Everest, since overcoming the effects of altitude (i.e., the low oxygen content of the air) is thegreatest challenge for high‑altitude climbers.
First ascent of K2
Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli (both ITA) scaled K2 (8,611m; 28,251ft) – the world’s second-highest mountain – on 31 Jul 1954. The mountain is situated in the Karakoram range on the border between Pakistan and China. Wanda Rutkiewicz (POL) became the first woman to climbK2 when she reached the summit on 23 Jun 1986.
First ascent of Annapurna I
Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal (both FRA) scaled Annapurna I (8,091m; 26,545ft) in Nepal on 3Jun1950. AnnapurnaI is the deadliest mountain to climb. As of 31Jan 2018, only 251 people had reached the top of the mountain during a total of 261 ascents, and 69people had died on its slopes – 11 of them on their descent. For every three climbers who make it safely up and down, one dies trying.
Fastest time to climb El Capitan On 21Oct 2017, Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds (both USA) completed the 883‑m (2,900-ft) “Nose” route of ElCapitan in California, USA, in 2hr 19min 44sec. They broke the previous record – set in 2012 by Alex Honnold and Hans Florine, and once thought “unbeatable” – by just under 4min.
First married couple to climb all 8,000-m mountains Nives Meroi and Romano Benet (both ITA) summitted all 14 mountains higher than 8,000m (26,246ft) between 20Jul 1998 – when they climbed Nanga Parbat (8,125m; 26,656ft) in Pakistan – and 11May 2017, when they topped AnnapurnaI in Nepal. The couple always climb together, without high-altitude porters orsupplementary oxygen.
Fastest ascent of Everest and K2 without supplementary oxygen
Karl Unterkircher (ITA) summitted Everest on 24May 2004 and K2 on 26Jul 2004, with only 63 days between the two ascents. The fastest ascent of Everest and K2 without supplementary oxygen by a woman is 92 days, by Alison Hargreaves (UK). She climbed Everest on 13 May 1995 and K2 on 13Aug 1995. Sadly, she was killed during her K2 descent.
Fastest ascent of the three highest mountains without supplementary oxygen
Silvio Mondinelli (ITA) climbed Everest on 23May 2001, Kangchenjunga (8,586m; 28,169ft), between Nepal and India, on 20May 2003, and K2 on 26Jul 2004. It took 3years 64days in all. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner (AUT) was the first and fastest woman to ascend the three highest mountains without supplementary oxygen. She climbed Kangchenjunga on14May 2006, Everest on 24May 2010 and K2 on 23Aug 2011. It took her 5 years 101 days to summit all three mountains.
Most nationalities on Everest in one season In all, climbers from 46 nations made 667ascents ofEverest from 10 to 25May 2013. Of these, 44 were women. The largest group was the Nepalese, with 363 climbers, followed by India with 66. Some ascents were repeats by the same climbers. Thisalso represents the most ascents of Everest in one year.
OLDEST PERSON TO CLIMB…
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An 8,000-m mountain without bottled oxygen
The Seven Summits (Carstensz list)
The undisputed record goes to Carlos Soria (ESP, b. 5Feb 1939), who summitted Manaslu (8,163m; 26,781ft) on 1Oct 2010, aged 71years 238days. Boris Korshunov (RUS, b. 31 Aug1935) has stated that he topped Cho Oyu (8,188m; 26,863ft) on 2Oct 2007, aged 72years 32days, butsome alpinists dispute this.
On 21Nov 2013, aged 76years 128days, Werner Berger (ZAF/ CAN, b. 16Jul 1937) climbed Carstensz Pyramid, thereby completing the Carstensz list. Some six-and-a-half years earlier, on 22May 2007, Wenger had completed the Kosciuszko list for the Seven Summits when he conquered Everest at the age of 69years 310days.
Everest (female) On 19 May 2012, following an all-night climb, Japan’s Tamae Watanabe (b. 21Nov 1938) summitted Everest for the second time, at the age of 73years 180days. Watanabe reclaimed a record that she hadoriginally held 10 years earlier, when she completed herinitial conquest of the world’s highest mountain atthe age of 63.
The Death Zone Above 7,500m (24,606ft), oxygen levels are around a third of those at sea level. Loss of appetite and dizziness kick in – often with fatal consequences…
Frostbite: low oxygen levels and icy cold make the skin’s blood vessels contract. The body’s extremities quickly get cold.
Pulmonary edema: the lungs begin to fail and fill with body fluids. As a result, climbers may drown in their own liquids.
Cerebral edema: at high altitudes, blood leaks into the brain. This swells, leading to hallucinations and impaired judgement.
FA N TA S T I C F E AT S
The Seven Summits are highest mount the ains on each continen versions of whatt. There are two these constitut however. Th e, include s Mt Koe Kosciuszko list sc iu sz ko (2,228m; 7,309ft) in Aust ra list replaces th lia. The Carstensz is wi th the more challenging Ca rste aka PuncakJayansz Pyramid, (4 16,023ft), in Ne ,884m; wGuinea.
First blind person to climb Everest Erik Weihenmayer (USA) was born with retinoschisis, an eye condition that left him totally blind by the age of 13. Despite this, on 25May 2001, he reached the summit of Everest, becoming the first – and so far only – blind man ever to have done so. He is also the first blind person to climb the Seven Summits (Carstensz list), a feat achieved when he topped that mountain on 26Aug 2008. Most ascents of Everest by a woman Lakpa Sherpa (NPL) reached the summit of Everest for the eighth time on 13 May 2017, more than any other female climber. She made her first ascent via the south side on 18May 2000, while the eighth came on 13May 2017 via the north side. All of her ascents were completed during the spring climbing season.
Everest Yuichiro Miura (JPN, b. 12Oct 1932) summitted Everest on 23May 2013 aged 80years 223days. It was the third time that Miura had held this record: he topped the same mountain as the world’s oldest summiteer in 2003 and again in 2008. Understandably, the climb took its toll: “Three times is enough!” he told a press conference after the 2013 trek.
Most ascents of Everest On 27 May 2017, KamiRitaI (aka “Topke”, left) scaled Everest for the 21st time in his career. In doing so, he equalled the record first set by Apa Sherpa (b.20Jan 1960) – who topped Everest for the 21sttime on 11May 2011 – and matched by Phurba Tashi Sherpa (b. 24 May 1971), whose 21st ascent came on 23May 2013. All three men are Nepalese.
The Seven Summits (Kosciuszko list)
The Seven Summits (Carstensz list, female)
Spanish climber Ramón Blanco (b. 30Apr 1933) summitted Kosciuszko in Australia on 29Dec 2003, at the age of 70years 243days. The oldest woman to climb the Seven Summits (Kosciuszko list) is Carol Masheter (USA, b. 10Oct 1946, right), who completed the feat on 17Mar 2012, aged 65years 159days.
Carol Masheter completed her final Seven Summits climb by ascending Carstensz Pyramid on 12Jul 2012, at the age of 65 years 276 days. She had completed the Kosciuszko list on 17Mar 2012 (see opposite). Carol – who is afraid of heights! – is a keen advocate of what she dubs “optimal aging”, through regular activity. 123
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ROUND-UP Most consecutive pogo‑stick jumps without using hands
Oliver Galbraith (UK) jumped 4,530times on a pogo stick, balancing on his legs and feet, in Bangor, UK, on 21May 2017. Ittook him 38min.
Most casino chips shuffled into one stack
Using one hand, Saar Kessel (ISR) combined two columns of different-coloured casino chips into a stack 20 chips tall, alternating the colours, in Mishmar HaShiv’a, Israel, on 9Nov 2017.
Most basketball halfcourt shots in one hour
Buckets Blakes, Hammer Harrison, Thunder Law, Bull Bullard and Spider Sharpless (all USA) of the Harlem Globetrotters netted 348shots from the court’s halfway line in 60min in New York City, USA, on 11Oct 2017.
Youngest person to row any ocean solo Oliver Crane (USA, b.19 Jul 1998) was 19years 148days old when he embarked on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in his craft SS4. His voyage lasted from 14Dec 2017 to 28Jan 2018 – 44days 16hr 9min in all – taking him from LaGomera in the Spanish Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean. See below for more records set during this gruelling race.
Longest time to hold the breath voluntarily
Spain’s Aleix Segura Vendrell held his breath for 24 min 3.45 sec in Barcelona, Spain, on 28Feb 2016. Aleix is a professional free diver. The longest time to hold the breath underwater (female) is 18min 32.59sec, by Karoline Mariechen Meyer (BRA) at the Racer Academy swimming pool in Florianopolis, Brazil, on 10Jul 2009. Also a professional free diver, Karoline trained for four months beforehand and inhaled oxygen for 24min prior to her attempt. Fastest 100 m wearing ski boots (female) Emma Kirk-Odunubi (UK) took just 16.86sec to run 100m in a pair of ski boots on 2Jun 2016. The event was held at the Barn Elms track in Barnes, Greater London, UK. Each of her ski boots weighed around 1.16kg (2lb 8.9oz). On the sameday, and at the same venue, Max Willco*cks (UK) ran the outrightfastest 100m wearing ski boots in 14.09sec.
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TALISKER WHISKY ATLANTIC CHALLENGE Record First all-female trio to row any ocean
Date/Time Holder(s)
13Feb Dianne Carrington, 2018 Sharon Magrath, Elaine Theaker (all UK) Highest average age for an all57years female team to row the Atlantic 40days First sisters to row 19Jan Camilla and an ocean together 2018 Cornelia Bull (both NOR) Fastest open-class solo row 30days Mark Slats (NLD) of the Atlantic east to west 7hr 49min Fastest open-class pair to 37days Jon Armstrong, Jordan row the Atlantic east to west 8hr 8min Beecher (both UK) Fastest all-female 34days Amber Li Xiaobing, open-class four to row 13hr Sarah Meng Yajie, the Atlantic east to west 13min Cloris Chen Yuli, Lowest average age for an all22years Tina Liang Mintian female team to row any ocean 236days (all CHN) Oldest woman to row 61years Dianne Carrington (UK) any ocean 349days
Oldest person to swim the English Channel
On 6Sep 2014, at the age of 73years 177days, Otto Thaning (ZAF, b. 13Mar 1941) crossed from Shakespeare Beach in Dover, UK, to Wissant Bay near Calais in France. It took him 12hr 52min to complete the swim. The oldest woman to swim the English Channel is Pat Gallant-Charette (USA, b. 2Feb 1951). Aged 66 years 135 days, she crossed from England to France in 17hr 55min on 17 Jun 2017. Sally Anne Minty-Gravett (UK, b. 16Jul 1957) is the oldest person to complete a two-way English Channel swim. On 30Aug 2016, aged 59years 45 days, she swam from Dover to Calais and back again in 36hr 26min.
Most blunt to fakies (ollieblunts) in one hour On 17Jan 2011, Kyle Decot (USA) performed 849 blunt to fakies in 60min on a skateboard at The Flow Skatepark in Columbus, Ohio,USA.
Highest altitude skateboarding
Aleks Stocki (AUS) skated at an altitude of 5,355m (17,569ft) in Leh, a city intheJammu and Kashmir state of India, on 29Aug2017. Longest time to spin a plate on the finger On 18Dec 2016, Himanshu Gupta (IND) kept a plate spinning on his finger for 1hr 10min 39sec in Bangalore, India. Himanshu also used his revolutionary skills to achieve anew GWRtitle for the longest time to spin a Swiss ball on one finger (using one hand): 5min38 sec, in Bangalore, on 12Sep 2016.
Longest duration balancing on a 6-m ladder
On 7Jan 2016, Uzeyer Novruzov (RUS) balanced atop an unsupported 6-m-tall (19-ft 8-in) ladder for 7min 15sec on the set of CCTV – Guinness World Records Special in Beijing, China.
Most binary digits memorized in 30minutes
Longest paperclip chain (individual) Ben Mooney (UK) strung together a 1,997.9-m-long (6,554-ft 9-in) chain of paperclips, as verified in Belfast, UK, on 8Apr 2017. Comprising around 66,000 individual paperclips, the chain was so long that it had to be measured on the ground of the car park of Ben’s school. Ben’s feat was sponsored: he raised around £400 ($497) fora local Marie Curie cancer hospice.
Oldest person to swim the Oceans Seven
Aged 58years 110days, Antonio Argüelles DíazGonzález (MEX, b. 15Apr 1959) completed the Oceans Seven open-water swimming challenge on 3Aug2017. Participants swim the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Oceans Seven is the open-water swimming community’s equivalent of the Seven Summits challenge (for more, see p.122).
Farthest barrel roll in a car
On 11Jul 2017, Terry Grant (UK) performed an aerial roll in a Jaguar E-PACE across a distance of 15.3m (50ft 2in) in London, UK.
Fastest hole of golf by a team of four
Tom Lovelady, Lanto Griffin, Stephan Jaeger and Andrew Yun (all USA) finished a hole of golf in 27.875sec at the Palm Desert Resort Country Club in California, USA, on4Jan 2018.
Most head spins in oneminute (male)
Cirque du Soleil performer Youssef El Toufali (BEL) completed 137rotations on his head in 60sec in LasVegas, Nevada, USA,on 6May2012. The most head spins in one minute (female) is 101 by “B-girl Roxy” (aka Roxanne Milliner, UK), on the set of Officially Amazing in Edinburgh, UK, on 18Jul 2013.
The simplest number system is binary, comprising just the digits 1 and 0. At the World Memory Championships in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, on 6–8Dec 2017, Enkhshur Narmandakh (MNG) memorized abinary sequence of 5,445 digits. The most Pi places memorized is 70,000, by Rajveer Meena (IND) at
Franz se cure d his first , GWR title in 2015the ed when he achievallowed most swords sw ’s since and twisted. He record broken his own uple by adding a co e more swords (se below)…
VITUniversity in Vellore, India, on 21Mar 2015. The recall took him almost10hr.
Highest shallow dive into fire
On 21Jun 2014, “Professor Splash” (aka Darren Taylor, USA) plunged 8m (26ft 3in) into 10in (25.4cm) of water that was covered in flames. The feat took place on NBC’s Show Stopping Sunday special at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Highest BMX vertical air
Mat Hoffman (USA) achieved a 26-ft 6-in (8.07-m) vertical jump on a BMX bicycle from a 24-ft-tall (7.31‑m) quarterpipe on 20Mar 2001 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Longest BMX backflip
On 3 Aug 2005, Mike Escamilla (USA) performed a 62-ft 2-in (18.94‑m) backflip on a BMX bike off the Mega Ramp at XGames 11 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Longest duration balancing a chainsaw on the chin On 4Oct 2017, juggler and multiple GWR record holder David Rush (USA) successfully kept a chainsaw balanced on his chin for a total of 10min 0.78sec at the Cradlepoint Block Party in Boise, Idaho, USA. The next day, David achieved the longest duration balancing a chainsaw on the forehead – 5min 1sec.
Heaviest aircraft pulled Kevin Fast (CAN) pulled a CC‑177 Globemaster III weighing 188.83 tonnes (416,299 lb) for 8.8m (28ft 10in) at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario, Canada, on17Sep2009.
Most swords swallowed simultaneously (male) On 10Sep 2017, Franz Huber (DEU) held 28swords in his throat at the same time in Eggenfelden, Germany. The blades were 51.3 cm (1ft 8.1 in) long and 1.2cm (0.4in) wide. Franz has several throat-stretching GWR records to his name, including the largest curve in a swallowed sword – 133° – in Burghausen, Germany, on 9Jan 2017 (see right). He has also recorded the most push-ups while sword swallowing (20) and the most swords swallowed and twisted (15), both achieved on 9Sep 2017.
Please do not attempt either of the above two records yourself at home!
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ME ET TH E
The first par t of my project involved swapping out the original diesel engine from a Wh itby Morrison ice-cream van.
S R E MAK
the who embody and rs e ld o h rd o c ts acked with re ventors, artists, hobbyis p is e iv h rc is a The GWR vement” - in uper–fast creations. In th o M r e k a “M e d China ized or s spirit of th ome super–s r, engineer and TV star Ed s d in h e b rs e nto DIY– r, British inve cts… special chapte f his favourite Maker proje o selects some
this …and replacing it with electric engine – much nt! betterfor the environme
thinkable! hink the un T . ig b k in Th ng on a new Think fast. er I’m worki at make people ev en h w t in ings th star ting po r creating th straight That ’s my a passion fo em to have stepped t go ve I’ se y latest at m project. th e s invention you can se , – ct e fa ic into tw In look rtoon. converting eam or a ca n that I’m va m ea t. cr out of a dr en em a diesel ic the environ the project here: g it more friendly to in race track at cords, ak e m th , on t re electric ou g it n testing love breakin t I’ve also bee Proving Ground – I es st fa e orpe pt at th Bruntingth success in r an attem ing it up fo van. I’ve had a lot of up so m cords I’ so cream d former re electric ice‑ ’ll find my current an ! ck lu me ou thepast (y you to wish I still need below), but rs IRED B E I N S Pu’ ll meet 10 other invencotords.
ter, yo for re In this chap ho share my passion w bine active s m er co gn o si h w de create and dividuals in e ar everance to s rs er pe d an s ill er sk These Mak rg hese la s,practical d objects. T in ers, imagination -k -a of enate design y, on extraordinar tions, and their passio at some ven m sure that ho came than-life in to us all. I’ e pl am ex tive folk w are an ne. ld the crea to le op pe uldn’t be do point, a few ntastic ideas that it co d te ub e fa they do up with thes e been times when ey hav on until th t ed us sh m e pu er ey Th th the ut in B e es, too. es a plac it themselv ed themselv rn ea d an – Records. succeeded ome nnessWorld ire you toc pages of Gui ese projects will insp e on n ow ur th , sign of yo Hopefully de g in ak re cord-b Edd up with are ys! da e es th of
I’ve had a passion for engineering since I was young; it inspired me to become an inve ntor. I also co-hosted Discovery Channel’s Wheeler Deal ers show.
EDD'S INGE NIOU S INVEN TION S
My fastest office has a top speed of 140km/h (86.9mph).
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I drove my modified garden shed to a speed of 94km/h (58.4mph)!
Myself and GWR’s CraigGlenday relax in a 111‑km/h (69-mph) bed.
On board my 140‑km/h (86.9-mph) “Casual Lofa”.
tyle s World Records-s rt in Fast food…Guinnes g Ground – an airpo vin Pro e orp gth tin inventions. I’ve g kin rea -b Here’s me at Brun test out my record I ere wh , re, trying UK , ire ck Leicestersh .2-km) race tra he d down the 2-mi (3 but I hope t, jec pro g gin en all been zipping up an -cream van. It’s a ch ice the GWR ic ctr ure ele sec w to ne out my ing fast enough go it ve ha at I’ll 18 pro 20 follow my gress that by summer -cream van. You can d ice an ric ies ct ller ele ga st d fin ste o title forfa makers – you’ll als m/ .co ur rds yo co in dre ed orl you to get involv www.guinnessw -breakers to inspire ord rec er oth of s video clip Have fun! own Maker projects.
CONTENT S
Largest Y o-Yo. . . . . . . . . . . Largest H . . . . . . . amburger. . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . Largest R 8 . . . . . . . ubber-Ba nd Ball. . . . . . 130 Largest O . . . . . . . . . rigami Rh ino . . . . . . . . . 132 Tallest To . . . . . . . othpick S . . . . . 13 c ulpture . . Fastest J 4 . . . . . . . et-Powere . . . . . 13 dG Largest S 6 kateboard. . o-Kart. . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 . . . . . . . Largest R . . . . . . . ube Goldb . . . . 140 erg . . . . . Largest W . . . . . . . ater Pisto . . . . . 14 l. . . . . . . Largest R 2 . . . . . . . ideable H . . . . . 14 exapod. . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . 146
My next challenge is hooking up the “Whippy” ice-cream machine to the electric engine.
Marek Turowski reached a speed of 148km/h (92mph) in my super-fast sofa.
My 124.77-km/h (77.53‑mph) milk float takes the chequered flag.
My fleet bathroom /h suite reaches 68km . ph) m .25 (42
Myself, “Mario” and “Lara Croft” ride the 92-km/h (57-mph) fastest mobile gaming rig.
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MEET THE MAKERS
LA RGES T YO –YO
a Volkswagen Beetle and heavier How do you make a yo-yo that’s as big as do you spin it? Say “yo!” to than an adult male rhinoceros? And how why of her titanic toy… BethJohnson, who explains the how and
e can nness World Records titl The journey to a new Gui nson (USA) Joh h Bet s. way nt ere begin in a host of diff rapy she was having chemothe began hersin 2001, when decided “I d, vive sur cancer. Having treatment and surgery for e all nam my get ld wou t tha ing to do something – someth ld’s wor the g ldin mething” was bui over the world!” That “so largestyo‑yo...
UP S AN D DOW NSn and the patriotic paint job, ” From design to constructio she dubbed the “Whoa-Yo
which Beth’s giant-sized toy – re than own work. She spent mo – was pretty much all her a trio in sh cra to yo yothe y for day three years building it, onl per hr 5–6 nt eterred, Beth spe of successive tes ts. Und . ign des new a ing produc over eight to nine weeks than 10 years after firs t On 15Sep 2012 – more h demons trated her giant deciding to build it – Bet Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. in e tim yo-yo for a fourth (3.62m) in diameter and Measuring 11f t 10.75in (2,095.6kg), the gadget lb 20 4,6 weighing a hef ty on a rop e att ached to plunged 120ft (36.5m) ne before successfully cra ) nne a 150,000-lb (68-to conventional yo-yo! rebounding – jus t like a was just so excited,” she I it. “Icouldn’t believe was was so ner vous, my heart admitted afterwards. “I so happy and was I But . ute min a beating 100times took patience, perseverance I am still so excited.” It ’d h Johnson got what she Bet but , and per fectionism books. rd reco the in e plac a and wanted: global recognition
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ME ET TH E MAKE R: BE TH JO HN SON What inspired you to create your record-breaking yo-yo? I wanted to show people you can do anything you put your mind to. If you try hard enough, anything is possible. Have you made anything else onsuch an outsize scale? No, the yo-yo is the only thin g I’ve ever made this large. I really like to make things – if I see somethi ng I’d like to have and it’s too muc h money, I’ll try to make it. Did it cost a lot to constru ct sucha colossal object? Yes, the yo-yo wound up bein g an expensive project. I think we spent somewhere around $3,000 [£1, 850], and that was just making it. How difficult was it to put the yo‑yo together? The most challenging part, I think, other than lifting one side and putting it on to the other, was making sure that I had both sides the sam e. Since I was using a sander to shape it, it was time-consuming. We also had tobuild a customized cart for it.
as ent w t a p on yo (USA) t yo‑ k s c i r r fi t t He Th e sign ven & a H asic de y b b e h d t e fil ut e en 1866. B ce, as s v e o e r N G 0 t 2 ncien ck to a a b s e t 0bce. da e from 44 s a v is h t on
Then we drove it 1,000mi [1,6 00km] to Jacksonville, Florida, three times – and it failed each time! [Be th is shown above preparing for an earlier record attempt.] Yes, it took a few attemp ts for you to get that GWR title! The rope snapped on the third attemp t and the yo-yo was damaged whe n it landed. Did you feel like givi ng up? The first time we tried it, in Florida, when it did the “sleeper” [a common yo‑yo throw] and then fell to the ground, I was really upset. The news reporter who was there asked me what I thought. All I could do was cry and shake my head. After the third time, I had major repairs to carry out, and had to strip all the paint off and repa int it. Everyone thought I was craz y, but I’mnot a quit ter. And when we finally got it to work, at the four th try, it was so rewarding. It was awesome!
- SPEC W eig ht Diam e t e r
4,62 0 lb 2 ,09 5 .6 k
g 11 f t 10 .7 5 in 3 .62 m
Le n gt h 12 0 f t o f rop e 3 6 .5 m
As h e vy as a ra hino!
LA RGEST RU BI K’SCU BE
of There’s no shortage er-size sup ing record-break K) (U r he Fis ny To s. toy be with Cu ’s bik created a Ru sides, 1.57-m (5-ft 1.8-in) pr 5A on ed rm as confi ffolk, 2016 in Ipswich, Su UK. It took lifelong re puzzle fan Tony a me t ruc nst co to ths on twom cube at the fully functional m as home, andvisitors fro e come hav an Jap as ay aw far es. elv ms the to see it for
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MEET THE MAKERS
1
L AR GE ST
HA MBURGE R
k a 1-tonne burger? How long does it take to prepare and coo what do you do with it How do you move it onto the bun? And giant-sized fast food. afterwards? Welcome to the world of
On the day, aroun d 300assistants were on hand to help. Here, the pa tty is being ease d on to the bun.
nces in r ap p eara over the la u g re e s d d Record h av e m a Burgers of Guinness Worl in one minute s n of the p age ost eate rancisco, rgers m the m e, aka Ricardo F u o b fr m , a rs h a ye bit e of the Rix Tera gest lin (five, by ines) to the lon And then there’s Step p r. ). e ip il in rg h u P b .6 e 8 m th ha ft largest m; 1,558 e m eat… (475.10 of them all: the ax out th om m to n y io ,T grand add m en on amiss ng L e e b six ’s Wolfga Hans Maurer forward l 2017, Germ any r, e n Zell an On 9Ju Rudi Dietl, Josef U) took more th E e D r, th e ll d a e in ( n k e r c e Reich ed sna isching iz D s n ra e p ti u s and Chri assemble this s rm any. to Ge alad an ho ur Pilsting, atties, cheese, s town of p ing in a tr s sBavarian sed three m eat t a scale ri a p of m in o d c d w e It eigh ry cro n, a n d w . A hung the b urger and a b u (2,566lb 9oz) h g g to watc om T V 1, 164.2k okers cam e alon h a film crew fr entary. it lo w n m o u 6,000 g adoc er, along in th k e a g m to t d by re b eing p u el Eins who we ess was observe food b c a ro K p th tion , all at een station b naturally le pre p ara The who ygiene exp ert – e the record had e h c n th d O o , . n fo d n l a aloca e waste Kuhlm oing to b by GWR ’s Lena p and sold, with g ’t n s a w u d cho p p e d confirm e aria. officially king b urger was rgartens in Bav a e d re b in k rd o to c re ted e ds don a all proce
3
2
ok at. it to rger, raw me u b e e h h t t d ok pare o co d pre re day t a h they an enti after rly Even eam nea t e th 130
The 360kg (793 usedis the w lb) of mixed salad and ch eight of abou eese t 50 bowling balls.
RECIPE
50) Bun (type 5 r u o fl kg atty ef 60 kg sugar Beef P Bavarian be .6 0 g alt 1,000 k lt 1.2 kg s il a s o g k r g e 18 pp ent 4.2 k lack pe b aking ag b g k g k 2 .8 s 1 onion eggs 60 kg omatoes 4.2 kg alt t 80 kg ucumbers 1.2 kg m ast c e g d k la 0 a s 6 1.8 kg y s water iceberg g r k t li 0 6 .4 e cheese er sauce 32 g k 0 0 1 rg hambu 20 kg ustard 10 kg m
atty into the p °F). and pack 48 er 2 p – Method ep 12 p (2 d ce, salt an min at 100–120°C in m sugar e d th an 1. Mix water hr 30 mixing the eave for a few Cook for 10 . y 2 b . n ld u u b o L e m th st. 4. hile, make the dough in the yea 3. Meanw . 5. Leave ghly dissolving ts d n ie an d b re g tu other in s, thorou in a large mix in all After ward ox. 200°C . en 6 th e. s, ac pl te appr minu warm . 7. Bake at assemble r 1 hr in a d shape it covered fo en an h h T g . u o in d knead the a stone oven for 45m (392°F) in ingredients. remaining
M EE T TH E MAK ER : JOSE F ZE LL NE R
What inspired you to go for this record wit h rain and wind. So our in the first place? barbecue oven was not hot eno We are a group of frie ugh. It took nds who wanted a longer time than exp to put together a spe ected to cook cial event for our theburger. homeland. What were the most dif ficult elements of the process? The trickiest par t wa s putting the hamburger together. Each patty weighed about 260kg [573lb]. We needed a 36-tonne [79,366-lb] Autokran [mobile crane] to move the me at. How long did it take you to prepare the burger? We made the burger the day before it was cooked. It took abo ut 8hr. How long did it take to cook the burger itself? The meat was cooked on Sunday, 9Jul 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30p.m. After cookin g, it took about another hour to put the burgertogether. Did anything go wrong on the day? In the morning we had bad weather,
What happened to it afterwards? The burger was cut up into more than 3,000 “small burgers” and was sold to the spectators [about 6,000 people]. We donated the money we received tokindergar tens here in Bavaria.
Are there any other GWR records that you would like to attempt in the future? After this event, we’ll surely think about the possibility of doing another world record . To cook the largest burgerin the world was really exhausting for all of us, but it was alsovery exciting!
Finally: how does it feel to be a Guinness World Recor ds title holder? It is great to be in the Guinness World Records book, of cou rse! We’re very, very proud to belong to this exclusive circleand hope we can do this anothertime.
4
ub(USA) mbus Italian Cl bers of the Colu em m arou nd n – ve z) se , 4o 11 7.8 8Oct 20 1kg (1,110lb 3.7 50 Between 5and ng hi ig meat and e we ) diameter. Th ssal meatball 8-m (4 -ft 6.3-in prepared a colo 1.3 ported a ns th tra wi , – o ted ra an and pi kg), then refrige 2.6 (2 the same as a gr oven. lb e 50 ad of m ed in batches in a specially spices were mix ssel and cooked A. ve a US , to io in Oh ed s, ck n, pa l in Colu mbu toanother locatio ’s Italian Festiva d at the St John Itwas presente
Large st mea
tbal l
as eavy s h s A alru aw as twice as heavy as more than … w ay er w rg r bu he ot ed put it an The finish ian horse. Or to ab Ar n ow gr lla fu 131
MEET THE MAKERS
LARG EST
D N A B – R E RUBB
L L A B
d ball rubber-ban et a e t a e r c o g es it take t ere do you How long do more than a hippo? Wh ork on w s that weigh ? And why is it best to e loop. ls h the materia et Joel Waul put you in t L it at night? g and the mornin wake up in y driveway,” says ld ou w I “Som etim es it was in m Records even b elieve his Guinness World Icouldn’t all that of ) (USA er-band b 32lb), Joel W aul rgest rubb ,0 la (9 e g h T k t. 97 weighs 4,0 achievem en d Nov le b 13 m on se SA , y as he patientl L aud erhill, Florid a, U b er b ands of b in ru as verified an 700,000 7-in) sphere. t ok more th 2008. It to ake the 2-m-t all (6-f m all sizes to
LL UP an Man” NG I T A B ROU N DIJoel – aka the “Rubb a he saw the
ired when b eing – was insp t rub b er-b and b all es V stunt. g T ar then-l ane for a pl a g of t 004, callin drop p ed ou k in A pr2 or te w la to y B t He se ugget ”. Joel ng b all “N his fledgli his waist. to p u as w r his it fo , ig er b m o sum get ting to as k w ac it b re aliz ed into his e e rolled it or h m so , ed h se hou , it w eig 07 0 2 el pr A Jo y ard. By 8kg) and 0lb (2,26 move it. This than 5,00 to ed d ecid fence ro ugh his once again ashed it th way, where sm e h e, tim drive it into his more and rolled more and d ad to ed e u n am ti n n e co th e h Deciding s. d of an b st rub b er his b ea ”. didn’t suit “Nugget ” it “Megaton ed am n re el Jo l, ab al
Largest ball made of sticker
s
Made from around 100,000stickers and labels, this huge globe weighs 105.052 kg (231lb 9.6oz) and was created by John Fischer (USA) and staff at printers StickerGiant, which John founded. Named “Saul” (simply because it rhymes with “ball”), it was weighed in Longmont, Colorado, USA, on 13Jan 2016. The record was completed in honour of the first National Sticker Day, which was held on that date.
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7 kg W eig ht 4,09 (9 ,032 lb) m H eig ht 2 .0 (6 ft 7 in) ,000 -p lu s num ber 700 ofban ds
a male as heavy as us hippopotam
MEET T HE MAK E R : JO E L WAU L
This record ha s times since th been broken a few When e “Megaton” w as still sm always believe 1990s. Did you did you use m you were dest ore convention all, to be the reco ined alsi ze d rubber band rd holder? s? Yes, I knew fro Yes, I used siz m the moment e-32 I first saw the world rubberbands. record in the 20 00 edition of Guin ness World Reco rds. “Megaton” w as When did you constructed in get started an your howlong did d driveway it take to com plete? by th . Was it af fected I star ted on 10 e hot Florid Apr 2004 and it took four years other weather a sun or and seven mon conditions? ths to complete. It was mostly the sun that affected “Meg aton”. When Where did all I wasn’t workin those bands g on it, I had come from? Did yo it covered with a u have to buy tarpaulin to pr them? it. Up to 3,200lb otect I did a lot of wo [1,451kg] cam e from rk on it at nigh the internet, an t. d after I’d used up all of those my You smashed ball was sponso th e pr evious world red by [physical th record by an erapy specialis incr ts] Stretchwell. In (2,013kg)! Di edible 4,438lb the beginning d you monitor I spent $7,000 [£3,80 the ball’s weight 0] of my own as you made money on rubber band it, or di d you simply s before “Megat st on” was sponsored. ran out of stea op when you m? Yes, I monitore d the weight of With such a bi “Megaton”. An g size, some d no, I certainly of the bands must ha didn’t run out ve been enorm of steam! Actu What are they ous. ally, I ran out of tim used for othe e. If I had had r than two mor helping you to e weeks before break records? the Guinness Therapy bands World Records – they’re used adjudicator cam fo r spor ts injury re e to we igh “Megaton”, habilitation. it would have been 10,000lb [4,536kg].
LET’ S GET YOU STARTE D… Want to make a band ball of your own? Begin by folding one ordinary rubb er band over itself, so that it bunches up. Nex t, carefully wrap a second band over the widest section of the first one, thus pinning down the original set of loops. Wrap another rubber band tightly over the second one. Continue the process, making sure that you are developing both the width and the length evenly.
As you continue to add layers, the shape will begin to balloon outwards.
Eventually, if you have alternated your rubber bands correctly, they should start to take on a spherical shape. Now all you have to do is add another band. Then another. Then another…
133
MEET THE MAKERS
LARGEST
I M A ORIG RHINO ) used his artist Liu Tong (CHN e plight i am ig or al on si es th Prof to draw attention to paper-folding skills rhinoceros. And now he’s te ns. ofthe northern whi her creature creatio ot to nd turninghis ha
paper, making things from yed an interest in pla Germany, dis in Liu ing e, dy ag stu ly From an ear es. In2006, while lan op aer d r and an pe ats pa bo led scrap of constructing small a rose from a crump ate dicated cre de s bu Liu a re, on stu n he saw a ma pressed by this ge Im e. sit po lunch op g my tin g sit folding paper durin present it to a girl job of origami. “I was his art t lef the he ng 14, rni 20 lea himself to s,” he recalls. In nd eke we the g rin break, after work, du e origami artist. to become a full-tim
OR K S. .. ly surviving male dan, the world ’s on ANIMAL ARTaW news story about Su about this,” he
d ed In 2015, Liu watch broken when I learne os. “I was so heart nths of research cer mo no g rhi win ite llo Fo wh it.” ern north do something for to ed ed shopping mall in ne a I in t no tha recalls. “I felt a giant origami rhi d ate cre Liu team 3hr, 017 r2 d his eight-person and design, on 19Ap ina. It took him an Ch de other ce, ma s vin ha Pro n Liu na r, Zhengzhou, He w a GWR title-holde No s. old ttom) – 0f bo 70 ht, n tha leopard (far rig and involved more the largest origami mi whale ga ing ori lud st inc , ge als lar im long – and the huge paper an long. in) 3.7m (12ft 1in) 10 – 5.15m (16ft
The 196-m2 (2 ,109‑sq‑ft) pa per needed fo rhino was too r the origami big to be prod uced by a pape It had to be joined togeth r machine. er from seven smaller pieces .
d work an ed team alking ir u q re w r p ap e volve , heavy uats. ould in ch large single fold c than eight sq u s g in A re . o h Fold t m g l stren pleting physica ft) and com 8 9 ( m 30
s perfecting the Liu spent 13 month rhino, taking mi ga ori his design for dy the real stu trips to the zoo to gle piece of sin a ly on ing thing. Us n for error. rgi ma paper, he had no 134
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0lb W eig ht 11 k g ) (5 0 f t 8in le ngth 2 5 3m) (7.8 f t 4in H eig ht 13 6 m) (4.0
I NO I S LI U ’S RH S TALL T WI CE A ! L R H I NO ASAREA
s is the largest origami Another of Liu Tong’s creation (15ft 2in) high, dove, which measures 4.64m m (9ft 6in) wide. 2.92 and 1.90m (6ft 2in) long
NG ME ET TH E MAKE R: LIU TO What role does accurate planning and precise calculation play in yourorigami creations? Design is the first and most difficult part of the project. You need to make calculations carefully to achieve a reasonable distribution of the paper, ’s which guarantees that the final work structure and proportions are perfect. What tools are involved? g I use both pens and computers durin ly main are uters my design, but comp for verifying whether my design is correct or not, and whether or not it ly can be folded successfully. So most pens using by leted my design is comp andpaper. The tools for folding are simply a pen, one piece of paper, a ruler, a protractor… and that ’sit.
What are the rules of origami? er Modern origami requires that no matt how complicated or how simple the work is, it needs to be done with a completely square piece of paper, without cutting or additional collage. Inother words, if we unfold the work it could be restored to the original square piece of paper. What’s special about the origami paper used in this record? It needs to be very tough, as well asable to handle pressure, whichmeans that after repeated times of folding it’s still not broken. In the meantime, the paper should bevery thick and soft enough, becausehardorfragile paper isn’t suitable forfolding.
What’s your favourite thingtomake? Every work is like my own child – I created them, I’m attached to all of them. IfImust pick one, Iwould still pick thewhite rhino. What’s the next big project? My next project is to work with the China Capital Museum to restore some cultural relics. I will fold someorigami replica works of the relicsforthemuseum to display. 135
MEET THE MAKERS
F Y O A P L S I T D S LA RGE
K C I P H T O O T SCULPTURE S S
kingly makes art out of an Stan Munro (USA) painsta it really take five years to oral-hygiene tool. But can esome sculptures? planjust one of these aw
grade. On 15May othpicking” since fifth Stan Munro has been “to y of toothpick pla dis title for the largest 2014, he earned a GWR ork City, USA. wY Ne in res lptu scu of 101 and figures, sculptures, with a group res lptu scu se years creating the He spent more than 10 lon US gal s (284litres) illion toothpicks and 75 using in excess of 3m countries, built to 1:164 37 es buildings from of glue. His display includ Eiffel Tower in France, Temple of Heaven, the scale, including China’s ysler Building and India’s Taj Mahal, the Chr USA), the UK ’s th (bo e edl Ne ce Seattle Spa rada Familia in Sag La MI6 headquarters and just meant to compare Spain. “The exhibit was stly skyscrapers,” he mo e, buildings side by sid into it, the more explains. “The more I got more intricate the and Ifell in love with it, the structures became.” Gate Bridge is His replica of the Golden patience. “I and l skil n’s Sta to a tribute I could build a how g nin spent five years plan [39-ft 4-in] version,” transportable 12-m-long testing different ant he explains. “That me techniques. I new g nin lear and methods idea for a bridge an h wit eventually came up main sections: two that came apart into 18 k sections, eight dec six towers, two anchors, of suppor ting cables main cables and hundreds d-groove system -an pin a h – all assembled wit at the finished bridge in two days.” One glance ning was wor th it. plan t tells you that all tha
136
n- inspirat io t e bridge golden ga
clude eations in r Wars recr nsport (AT-ST) ta S d le ai Scout Tra Stan’s det ve, along All Terrain oth are shown abo ers. B the iconic . oop le tr ial Shutt nd storm and Imper pick Darth Vader a th with a too
Stan has also cre ated a display of 125 sci -fi spaceships, includ ing this Star Destroyer – the largest Star Wa rs toothpick sculptu re. Incorporating some 15,000toothpicks, it is 39cm tall, 1.48m long and 80cm wide (1 ft 3.3in x 4ft 10.2 in x 2ft 7.4in) and we ighs 7lb 6.4oz (3.4kg) .
MEET
T HE M AK E R : S TA N
Your to MUNR o amazin thpick struc O tures a g blend re art. Ho w did of engineerin an How m you ge The tru g a nd uc t st th Nowada h planning go a bottle is, I had a b arted? es into ys I ca ox of to of glue n do w a bu p hot ot I ha d n o inten and a free aft hpicks, ev os, blueprints nload satellit ild? ery ang tion of ernoon. a big. In n d p hotos f e it g th rom by han le, but I still to crea e beginning, I etting this d d o – te a lit everyth no lase comput tle city just wanted ing rlandma c u t e t r-genera in of rk ted win g, no that ’s a s built to the 10 world d o w sam e s ll I reall cutouts What t ca y do – else’s e . ools ng copy so le. And I u se vario are typically m eon e as faith ineering and u a r t, b u in s fully as cu t t volv clamps t I do it possible and ma ing tools, rule ed? . sking t rs, pieces What’s a t pe og The mo ether until th to hold of buil the hardest s t a d va e glue d ding yo part n a hand u Th e ha -held ro ced tool I use ries. rdest p r structures? tary de is ar t is ju – I sm m ay b e vice [ab oo s t s t ar t s ove] ing. Th window th edges and how to ome sections e c s re u I ’m not do whe I use a with it, but m t out n s worry a pa o bout th I star t, but I ure As long ir of scissors stly don’t at until . a I get th the gra s you cut wit Can yo ere. h in, it ’s u tell u not m u engine s abou differen ch e t the s t th a n I ’m not ring of your tructur cutting p a p e r c o a r a r e l ll a c o a t w rd io e d to us ns? board. toothpic e k a GWR s and glue – anything but What’s that’s n rule, th at’s my turns o ot just challen the next u ru ge? just ma t the tiny too le. But it T he nex t th k the out e the structure pick doesn’t much o challenge is n s ne o t so make t ide, it’s the pe s look good on c ountry: building, but he m s t on e India. A rong on rfect tool to strengt L k otus Te h t mple an shardham, materia of wood and he inside. The were ju d th e T th l is the s t th e perfect e lightweight beginnin aj Mahal probably combin g. I cou ation. s p e n dt ld just bu ilding t he rest of my emples from In life dia…
Tallest toothpick
sculpture
n’s On 22Jun 2013, Sta the Burj of del mo 1:164-scale E, was UA Khalifa in Dubai, ft 8.4in) (16 9m 5.0 at measured r in Phelps, nte at the Phelps Ar t Ce ins at nta co It A. US rk, New Yo “The ks. pic least 300,000tooth s scale thi at ilt bu I e tur first struc ing ild Bu was the Chrysler fe, and it in NYC for my wi me room had to fit in the ga plains. ex he ,” irs downsta 64 scale, “Istuck with the 1:1 keep ly on uld wo I thinking r. he for the one building ” o… ag ars ye 16 s That wa
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MEET THE MAKERS
E D R W E O – P T E J FAS TEST
GO–KART
he turned e a fast go–kart, so ho gave him iv dr to d te an w l al Tom Bagn h UK), w neer Andy Morris (bot to his friend and engi and a Guinness World Records title too! ta really fast go–kar
t es t 1 s ! LOL n e w t y re UK. On 5Sep 2017, Cheadle in Staffordshire, Tom Bagnall comes from mph (180.71km/h) 29 112. at t powered go-kar he drove the fastest jetnear York, UK. g at RAF Elvington airfield for CBBC’s Officially Amazin
CORD this recordTH E ROAD TO A RE designed and constructed who rris Mo y And was ineer. “I’ve had a Although it
l eng self is a qualified mechanica breaking go-kar t, Tom him “I started to design s. lain exp he ,” age ng e a you passion for engineering sinc pulse-jet engines. on rted g time ago. I first sta and build jet engines a lon lot of noise and are not build, but they produce a They’re fun and simple to So I moved on to for! m the lications that I used that practical for the app are far more practical.” produce more power and gas-turbine engines. They and land-speed records. ng raci are drag His other great passions been going to cing fan for years, and has Tom’s been a huge drag-ra a question y onl was It old. rs just 15 yea an racing race meetings since he was beg and s own jet-powered vehicle …and crew of time before he built his pit the of one as m tea them. He joined a jet-car was and car very t tha a few years later he owned with rd reco new a set to ing racing it! Tom’s hop turbine-powered kayak his latest project – a gas can’t beat the look on u “Yo r: with afterburne expect to see a people’s faces when they ir head fighter jet flying over the kayak a see y the ead and inst shredding past them!”
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- S P EC Weight 70kg (154lb 5oz) length 3m (9ft 10.1in) with afterburner 2 .1m (6ft 10.6in) withou t afterburner Width 1.2m (3ft 11.2in) speed 112.29mph (180.71km/h)
annen re tr uck owned by Sh powered fi ed fire tr uck ada. an C , io Faste st jet- awaiian Eagle, a jet-power ar nt ph) in O ol Viper Jul 1998, H 5km /h (407m st On 11 eed of 65 ls-Royce Bri ), reached a sp ed by two Rol er 000hp w 6, po e as Seydel (USA uc w od , gine could pr red 1940 Ford en a e, ch cl Ea hi s. ve . ne The ng engi (12,000lbf) ll after-bur ni st of 53.37kN Mk 633- 41 fu combined thru a g tin ra ne (4,474kW), ge
+
Afterburner fuel pump
12-V gear pump for oil Turbocharger
Main engine fuel pump
Oil filter
Afterburner
Oil tank/cooler
Turbo inlet 50-mm axle
E.C.U.
24-V igniter
NEARLY TWICE AS FAS T AS A CHEETAH
S LI S T T R A P -
oil pump for 12-V gear rsport 044 moto Two Bosch s fuel pump ade Custom-m ge oil tank n a h xc e thea ft igniter a cr 24-V air ngine r for main e afterburne igniter for Spark-gap control ade engine l and o Custom-m tr n co .) to unit (E.C.U ine ng monitor e d m ake n IG JOB) Design a chamber (B n io st u b com d m ake Design an r e rn u rb afte teel hose ugh -s Stainless no ty pe) – e m (hydraulic e st fuel sy for oil and o and b uy nster Turb Find a Mo t/outlet flanges le or make in ntrol valve to co Buy needle fuel flow il filters Fuel and o
ME ET TH E MAKE R: AN DY MORR IS How long have you been interested in engineering? All my life. My father and both grandfathers were engineers: one was a director at the Brough Superior motorcycles firm, and the other worked on the glid ers used at the D-Day landings. As a boy, I loved to take things apa rt tosee what made them tick . But it wasn’t until seeing an episode of Channel 4’s Scraphe ap Challenge featuring Nick Had dock – now a friend – that I realized I could make a jet engine. I buil t my first one about 10years ago, just to see if I could do it; it ended up in a go-kart. The oil reservoir was a stainless-steel biscuit barrel! I like to repurpose materials whe n I can. The combustion chambe r on Tom’s go-kart was the casi ng from an old fire extinguisher.
Tom is the ideal driver for speed runs. He’s got a small frame and he’s light, so the vehicle can accelerate quickly with him in it. Plus, he has greatspatial awareness. How long did it take to buil d Tom’s go-kart? Six months, but after about three years of working out how to obtain optimum performanc e. At one point, I totally rewired it and changed the type of bat tery supply. That saved 6kg [13 lb 3oz] or more, and weight is crucial in speed records: vehicles must be as light as possible. Could it have gone faster? Yes! We didn’t have the time or fuel to do any more runs on the day. And a longer track would have helped, as the go-kart could have built up more speed. For some reason, the afterburner
wasn’t working well on the day either. Thrust jet engines are a very inefficient way of producin g drive; our engines are far sma ller than those in drag-racing jet cars. What else are you working on right now? Well, I’ve got a jet-powered bike in my shed, with a home-made jet engine. That took about thre e months to make. I’m also wor king on another jet engine – hopeful ly one of the most powerful DIY gas turbines yet built, reaching 300 lbf [136kgf] with an afterburner. I’m going to put it in a go-kart, then put Tom in it – although Ihaven’t told him that yet… !
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MEET THE MAKERS
LARGEST
D R A O B E T A SK
? the world in d r a o of ateb iggest sk Ciaglia, one half b e h t d il e to bu rd Jo s. es it take avel? Step forwa rd of your dream o d g n lo bo a How it tr fast can ehind the And how e partnership b tiv the crea
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ks – began rnia Skatepar ifo al C of uct or gn and constr aglia – direct USA) to desi s ago, Joe Ci h ex ar pl ot ye m (b co 10 k de ce nd Arou Rob Dyr ehouse/offi entrepreneur had skatepark/war b id Ro br d hy an a working with e – Jo ntasy Factory show. Soon, ifornia the latter’s Fa eponymous MTV reality ateboards. Cal ntasy sk e iz ts s ou b’ in Ro Fa e s to at k’ e tim de m ul yr ho e D d an eating th TV ’s Rob the idea of cr Unveiled on M the largest skateboard e. er th om fr , come up with it 09 . aftsmen took on 25Feb 20 3ft 7.5in (1.10m) high Skateparks’ cr ngeles, California, USA, e and id w ) m A 4 s .6 Lo Factory in , 8ft 8in (2 (11.15m) long is36ft 7in Skate E S T R E E Te in Pennsylvania’s Woodwardr trying H T O T T te I TAK I NG ok the board out for a solo ciridded to ride the board solo af ard began to e bo I de th l, d el an “W on ? In 2010, Joe t xt go as t happened ne he recalls. “I rrain. As I w Camp. So wha ith kids from the camp,” dangerous te ds ar w to w ft d es le ar the bo it a few tim ar ted drifting I could steer eed, and it st e was no way il before er ba th to picking up sp ed d iz ha al I re the hill, I pile. I knew rt didn’t di I ge t hu bu flying down is f, jumped of ching off th d un an la ge shoe om ed y fr e m away w to th d took . So I got lo t my foot an ier az cr e th it hit the dirt out and the back tyre hi itely one of fin gh de ou en as r w fa it p jum rt, but didn’t get hu off. Luckily I ” d! ha e I’v experiences
1 The supers ized skateb oard weigh 3,600 lb (1 s in at mor ,630 kg), b e than ut was desi the same sp gned ecifications as a normal to exactly -sized board .
- SPE
C-
in 3 6f t 7 Le ngt h ( 11 .15 m) in 8f t 8 WI DT H ( 2 .64m) H E IG H
7.5in T 3f t ) ( 1. 10 m
E AS O N G N O W AS L N ’ S N E ES ! O D N O F LO S T E R B U S MA ROUT E
M E E T T H E MA K E R : JOE CI A G L IA
What is your back ground in skateboarding ? I casually skatebo arded as a kid growing up in Southern California. I starte d California Skateparks in 1998, and we’ve built and designed more than 350skateparks ac ross the world as well as skatebo arding events such as X Games, Street League and Vans Park Serie s.
Is the board in pr oportion and fully functional? If you were big enough, could you steer it and do tricks? The skateboard is to scale. It’s actually 12.5tim es the size of a norm al skateboard. So yes, if you were 12.5tim es your size, you could defin itely skate it!
2
[35mph] down a grass hill at Camp Woodward in Pennsylvania.
What was the mo st dif ficult aspect of the co nstruction? The hardest part wa s not having any directions or blu eprints. We just started an d figured it out as we progresse d with its construction. Every thing was custom-built and fabricated for the skateboard . What did setting the record mean to you? I’ve always liked pu shing the boundaries and bu ilding things people never though t were possible. As soon as the idea to build the skateboard came up, I couldn’t wait to get started. I wanted to make sure to not only set the record , but break the old record by a long way.
How long did it take to build? Do you have any About 10 weeks, wi pla th attempt more Gu ns to three guys working inness on it. World Re cords titles? Not currently, but What’s the top sp I believe ee skateboard has rea d the down the road there’s a ched? chance we could po The fastest the bo tentially ard has build another world gone is probably 56 km/h record-breaker.
4
3
is wooden deck ply (layer) is a de si In The sevenk. 7 cm) thic of steel. 5.5in (13.9 e made out am fr g n ti suppor
The wheels are rac ing car tyres with a 2-ft 6-in (76.2‑cm) diameter . The steel trucks were custommade and the rub ber bushings (whic h allow the board to turn and pivot) are adjustab le.
n’t Hard his tracks “It Ai Nas performed corder re pp e ra th 11, op 20 at In You Look ” from e ad “M d an to Tell” ty, USA. in New York Ci breaking board
141
MEET THE MAKERS
T S E G R A L
G R E B D L O G E RUB
the ays be efficient? Is w al ns io nt ve in t us place Why m best? And is there a e th s ay w al ay w quickest ght so… ering? One man thou for humour in engine zer
lit 0) was a US Pu ldberg (1883–197 from the University Go e” ub “R s ciu Lu eering Reuben Garrett degree in engin hines rtoonist with a sly complex mac lou icu rid g Prize-winning ca in aw dr r simple fo a s e ou ev m hi fa ac is e better – to th of California. He e or m etching e sk th r – e steps e famous fo that used multipl Robinson becam be h to at er He ev n am illi rso W , is the only pe rg be goal. (In the UK e, ld tiv Go jec be ad Ru In fact, tionary as an similar designs.) ican English dic be er uld Am co ’s er gly st in eb m-W at seem listed in Merria mplex means wh r, power omplishing by co s, springs, gravity, flowing wate eve something as defined as “acc hi et ac ck ro to , gs ed co us , be als im can ok. done simply”. An animate or inanimate objects e pages of a bo th g in rn ss lloon or tu tools and countle rning on a light, popping a ba as tu straightforward
D! ts. M P L I CAT E of annual contes K E EP I T CofORube Goldberg lives on in a seriesbuild and demonstrate ways. day, the spirit strive to design, To nded world complex, long-wi m all over the Competitors fro e silly things in capacity ev ’s hi ac an m at of th l s hine ymbo entertaining mac stated, his machines were a “s ”. lts imal resu lf accomplish min As Rube himse imum effort to forexerting max
Arlington, icon X from USA), ub R am te (both shir ted The greenh, Michigan on. ts, and Bat at the 2011 competiti et us ch sa Mas st te e th try to put their en
Largest Rube Goldberg in competition More than 5,000 hr in the making, the most complicated RubeGoldberg machine built under the pressure of a competition is a 300-step device submitted by the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers Rube Goldberg Team (all USA, pictured right and above). Activated at the National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, on 31Mar 2012, its goal was to blow up and pop a balloon! As per official rules, the machine finished one run in under 2min (actually 1min 56sec). It also completed each of the annual tasks set in the contest’s history up to that point, including sharpening a pencil, juicing anorange andmaking a hamburger.
A chain-reactio n machine is painstakingly Detroit, Michi erected in gan, USA, in 2015. It featur amillion obje ed around half cts, including some 250,000 dominoes.
R G M C? C T LY I S A N W HAT E X A e Director of Rube Goldberg Inc.:
th an In the words of est [RGMC] is rg Machine Cont compete with “A Rube Goldbe ents of all ages event where stud ed, designed ey have imagin th s ne hi the mac titive forum. m a fun and co pe work, and created in s encourage team The competition -box g and out-of-the kin in critical th rning lea sh fre a in g problem-solvin ying pla el lev a d on environment an all C, M te in an RG field. To compe ion at in ag im od you need is a go t nk!” To find ou anda pile of ju . ge pa e more, seeopposit
142
Schoolchildren carefully assemble their link in a chainreaction event held at the Rockwell Cage gymnasium in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on 25Nov 2016.
MEET T H E MA J ENNI F E R G EOK E R’ S G R AN DD RG E AUG HT Who are ER
: you? I’m Jennif er George, and we en Rube Gold granddaug cou berg’s hte recycled it rage the repurposin decadeI’ve r, and for the last g ems and ev been the eryday hou of objects. In legacy Dir ofRubeG sehold ad ector oldberg In c. itself, team dition to the RGM s Why do y lists and n need to present step ou arra Since 1988 put on these con themachin tives. And, of cours te , thousand e, es must b s of studen sts? e funny! celebrated ts Rube’s leg acy by crea have How do pe Rube Gold op ting berg Contest re le take part? contest an machines in our an gistration d they’ve nual is d our website learned – laughed – : rubegold one on and a lo b Students this learnin t. On a formal bas from ages erg.com. is, g experien eight thro to 22 ma under the ce now fa ug y enter ou lls category S r contest, h by a Team TEM/STEA (Science, guided Leader. To M Technolog yE gether they an RGM to and Math s) educati ngineering, Art ou b on – somet • Team Lea r specifications an uild that came d rules. hing ders registe naturally to invite stud r a team was trained Ru and en as an engi be, who • Teams d ts to take part. an invento neer but w esign and r and ar ti as buil st at toaccomp [Heis seen lish the ta d a machine above in 19 heart. sk. • Teams co 64 at hom NewYork, mpete in e drawing h either the oronline is last cart in Seen left live contest. oon is • The live self‑operat Rube’s design for a . contest cu ing napkin lminates in championsh from 1931. regional ip ] in their div s, competing forto What are p place ision at th the rules? elive fina • The onlin Students n ls. e ee in individu competition culmin machine [R d to build a Rube G ate a ol l teams fr GM] based dberg om around s the world on determined vying for by Rube G the task top place in their div oldberg In There are ision. c. amaximu m number steps and of size for th e machine, 143
MEET THE MAKERS
LARGEST
L O T S I P R E WAT And what has ? s s la g h g u ro ally smash th our friends Can water re got to do with soaking y r, inventor e rs the planet Ma ot? Step forward YouTub fo from head to A engineer Mark Rober. S A N r e andform
ok, Bob Clagett ds Ken Glazebro en fri s hi d stol. an r Mark Robe rgest water pi On 6Nov 2017, d the world ’s la te ll by en ta es pr t) f A) (4 US m (all easures 1.22 m it and Dani Yuan er, ak red by So we r po ssic Supe wide and is Basedon the cla 25m (9.8in) of water 0. jet by l g rfu lon we in) po 4 ble of firing a pa 2.22m (7ft 3. ca s ed It’ rk n. wo ge rized nitro ventor who atank of pressu engineer and in ss! Mark is an gla s and helped to ar h as ye n sm ve n se ca that boratory for La ion uls l is dedicated to op ne Pr an t at NASA’s Je His YouTube ch s. ar M ntly has on r ve y ro ojects, and curre put the Curiosit irky scientific pr qu g in st te d an researching ribers. 3millionsubsc
S OA K E R T H E S UP E Rwhen he was D N A H C E S PA CE T SA background come in useful ark’s NA ” he So, did M “Absolutely, nt water pistol? y creating his gia g on the Curiosit in rk wo s ar ye n ve e, se ag e St th t f en says. “O the Desc s were spent on r to ve ro e th ed er rover, three year low pack that safely t same which is the jet lied on the exac re ck pa jet at the rover, of se ca e the ground. Th th per Soaker. In Su e th shed pu as at les princip tanks th surized helium the r Fo s. er st we had two pres ru to the eight th el fu n to e in ge az tro dr ni hy used pressurized Super Soaker, we the nozzle. to y back yard push the water be sitting in m “Sometimes I’ll see the dot at the sky and and I’ll look up gives me It tinge [Mars]. that has a red red dot, tle lit at th think goosebumps to ] away, km on s [80.4 milli d built 50million mile an d ne sig de e at I’v as has hardware th it is t Bu surface.” and tested on its tol...? pis r te wa nt a gia cool as building
ilt gun . He has also bu d toy weaponry ze tsi or nia, ou t lif ou Ca , ab ed in Sunnyvale Mark knows all up foam rf gun, as verifi dNe ) ale -m sc 82 ted (1. ea cr ng a 6-ft-lo munition, Mark am the r Fo ich . wh 16 20 rs, n and sink plunge USA, on 22 Ju les (foam floats) od no ol po ). /h m m darts fro mph (64k eed of around 40 gun ejects at a sp
Large st Ner f
144
- comparison Heig ht 1.2 2 m (4ft )
le ngth 2 .22 m (7 ft 3.4 in) widt h 0.2 5 m (9.8 in) maximum 272 mp h wate r sp ee d (437 .7 km/h)
OR K S.. . HOW I T W nk inside the (1) Mark fills a ta ter pistol with handle of the wa en gas. Also in rog nit high-pressure US-gal (7.5-litre) the handle is a 2en the trigger Wh . tank of water flows into the is pulled, the gas the water g cin for , water tank be tu and out down through a the nozzle ) He also adjusts (2 le. of the nozz .003‑in) (0 rrel. A 0.07-mm on the pistol’s ba melons, but ter wa ng c for halvi diameter is terrifi mage. As da r can do serious that kind of powe people in at t oo sh to not good Mark says, “It ’s flow rate e e the water volum form that mode becaus or po red ide ns nerally co zzle no is low and it’s ge a th d’s arm off!” Wi r, to slice your frien ve we ho , in) 5 m (0.2 and diameter of 6.3m perfect for a safe the water flow is . ing ak so ive ns comprehe
1
2
MEET T HE MAR K RO B MAK E R : ER
the longest. W e used the sam e principles as ou lightweight, so r original Supe Which features it’s r Soaker, which of the water still relatively ea uses a pressuriz pistol are you sy to ed tank to push th most proud of move the gun e water out. In ? I love its two m around. the case of the origi odes. If you us nal Super Soak ea narrow-opening er, you built up th nozzle [diamet What did sett at pressure by er: ing the record 0.07mm], the pumping the ha mean to you? water is a ndle, but we ne powerful, conc eded My earliest this to be muc entrated stream memory of goin h more powerf that can slice g to the ul, so we experimen school library in a watermelon in ted with a bunc volves racing to half or rip open h be of different pr the first to get a soda can. es surant tanks an to the school co The second mod d py nozzle sizes to of Guinness W e has a nozzle orld Records. M find the optim that is 6.3mm al wa y to shoot the wa friends and I lov wide and ter the farthest y ed reading abou has a really hi . We settled on t al l gh volumetric th e cr azy and cool th a system that flow rate, so yo ings people ’s pressurized at had accomplish ur friends get 2, ed. I never, ever 400psi, which drenched immed is seven times hi imagined I woul iately. It ’s gher than a fir d one day be in like a fire hose e ho the se bo . Th ok myself! May e second phase with lots of be there’s som wa s force, and that bu ild ing the wooden fra e fu tu re ’s the nozzle en gineer or build me structure to we broke the gl er sitting contain the op ina school libra ass with. timized tank an ry reading this d hose nowwho’ ll right system. This to also be in here ok about a day How long did one day. and we scaled up al it take l the dimensions youto build th You also hold , making the gu e pistol? th n 2.22m long. It took about th largest Nerf gu e record for the Th reemonths e third phase wa and we built it n [s s ad di in three phases ng Ar e you planning ee opposite]. the ex tra EVA foam . The first phase to set more? to ge t the shape was engineerin Yes. It ’s addict right and then g ive! I’ve decided experimentatio painting it to n, which took to se t lo at least one re ok awesome. EVA cord every year foam is a grea I already have . t choice because my ideas for th it’s strong but e ne three years…bu also t I’m not telling xt yet. 145
MEET THE MAKERS
E B L A D E I T R LAR GES
D O P A HEX
d n (UK) to buil o t n e D t t a M ad fan how did it le d Star Wars What inspire echanical marvel? And e Awakens? m c a six-legged g on Episode VII: The For who turns n in a k r m o e h to him w rds meets t reality. o c e R ld r o W pping Guinness into jaw–dro n io t c fi e c n scie
m (9ft bot stands 2.8 ble hexapod ro ea Nov 2017 in rid 15 t on es rg ed la rifi e th diameter, as ve Named Mantis, in) 4t turbo-diesel -f (16 al) s a 5-m litre (0.58-US-g 22. a by 2in) tall and ha by d re erated remotely pshire, UK. Powe its co*ckpit or op Wickham, Ham and m fro om n ed ive fre dr it can be 18degrees of Perkins engine, (4,188lb), has ve s ha ne s on ne t hi 1.9 ac s m igh ing wi-fi. Mantis we (0.6 mph). Walk start? just over 1 km/h t where did it all bu – w no a top speed of s ar ye r fo t’s … at ay M aw of far been a passion in a galaxy far, a long time ago, The answer lies
ck PS F I R S T S T Ears EpisodeV: The Empire Strikes Ba ely
W ediat Matt saw Star n. He was imm en he was seve s ne hi (USA, 1980) wh ac “M -AT walkers: struck by the AT ght ’s cool! ” he thou at th – that walk when ls ee wh e us to himself. “Why he s? ” After school, you can have leg eship, which tic en pr ap cs ni ro began an elect TV show Space him working on But eventually led to ftware for robotic machinery. made him g so tin op ea Sh cr re , ct tu in ea ec Cr Pr Jim Henson’s at ills. rk sk wo s hi s’ e ek threewe to improv atronic work with anim much he needed to w ho on st go ju t ze at ali M re w told sa ua ds sh po Jo xa y, he th ovies. One da His expertise wi … Harry Potter m in e ed th st on re e te in Le t be engineer Joshua m that he migh s working p-secret new fil day job, Matt wa e th m him about a to fro ay aw t Bu . e!) or (see right for m ! r of love: Mantis hard on alabou
- S P EC -
H eig ht
2 .8m ( 9f t 2 in) t 1.9 to nn es (4 ,188lb Diam e t ) e r 5m ( 16f t 4 in) Engin e 2 .2lit res (0 .5 8 US g Top Sp al ) eed 1k m / h (0 .6mp h ) W eig h
As heav y a s T HREE co ws!
KII as a M nd it w yeara – s d n (a uil la model g up p rs to b s– Drawin ook three yea at the MKI nical problem on h t a so t h s c is d t a e e n ic m a – t o M att n g) had ulic systems M in . k n a io m vers ydra the h the h half in and-a- ly issues wit . r up la particu t it to stand o as he g
146
The “brain” ation system of The leg-coordin Its exEngine” box. Mantis is the “H ngine software to control HexE e unit receives Linux PC uses the machine. Th of ce ts en em ov the m Operator Interfa the hexapod’s it. to ck commands from ba ed ) and sends fe (see above right
s On each arm of the driver’ and tick joys seatisa 14buttons to control Mantis ’s movements.
The Operator Interface houses a6.5-in (16.5-cm) touch-screen display showing the position of the six legs.
-8 The birth of BB roid droid The loveable sphe StarWarsVII: in d te bu de -8 BB s. Matt got en ak Aw The Force e film as a dream job on th ic design and ron ct ele FX creature sor. As part rvi development supe d on seven rke wo he , of a team m a static fro , versions of BB-8 ntrolled co iorad o tw robot to e controls os th models. Handling ough: “It ’s th g, sin rai irha could be ite heavy qu s it’ d very powerful, an oving it] around – and you’re [m actors,” some pretty key ou “Y . he explains don’t want to hurt anyone!”
MEET T HE MAT T DE N MAK E R : TO N How many hexa pods have you bu ilt? tank would More than 20, wi work together. Th th various shapes esystem generat and made from diffe so much heat th es rent materials. Mo at initially Iwould’ st were less than 50 ve needed a 0.5 -to nn e [1,100-lb] cooling cm [1ft 7.6in] tank. Justthink: in diameter. One digger has one arm a JCB ended up in a Ha , but Mantis has rry Potter movie as six, meaning six tim es th e flow and sixtime a six-legged torto s the cooling capa ise! Atthat weight, Ma city. ntis wouldn’t have Does it have a been very mo bil e, so practical purpos I had to scale th e tank right down e? One company ap fact, I had to be . In proached me to come an expert ask if I could ma in multiple areas so I spent a lot ke a 200-tonne , of evenings readin [440,925-lb] hexapod for unde rwater use. I wo g! und up making th 1.9-tonne version is partly to “road te What are you wo st” the problems rking on now? I’d face. Also, a South American Nothing as ambit mining company ious as Mantis ! was interested in My friend James Mantis as they are Bruton lent me a 3D printer while operating within the rainfore I was working on st – regarded as a half-scale BB-8 “sensitive prototype, and th terrain”. The pre at got me started ssure of each of on pri nt ing gia Mantis’s feet is no nt LEGO® kits, ba more than that sed on the origin of ahuman foot designs. I’ve built al print, so they do one of a go-kart damage landscape n’t (98pieces), a for . lift truck (216piec kes) and a bulldoz er (372pieces – and 600hr of Did you have m 3D pri nting!). It’s my ho any challenges LEGO Technic se mage to to overcome inmaking Mant ts, which fired up is? my imagination as a ch ild . I probably would Lots! I had very n’t be doing what little experience wi withoutthem. I do now th hydraulics, bu had to figure out t how the engine, hydraulic pump an d 147
Making History
Bucket-wheel Excavator Bucket-wheel excavators are mechanical behemoths that churn up the earth at a staggering rate. They are used in large-scale open-pit mining operations to clear what is known as “overburden” – the material that lies above valuable mining seams. These continuous digging machines are marvels of complex engineering that can take up to five years to construct, and cost as much as $100million (£80million). But once they get to work, look out!
The first bucket-wheel excavators were developed in the early 20thcentury, and evolved from water dredgers. The machines may be massive, but the basic principle is very simple: when the huge wheel at the front of the excavator rotates, it turns buckets that scoop up earth and drop it on to a conveyor belt to be carried away. Modern bucket-wheel excavators perform this operation on a literally earth-shaking scale: the biggest of all is Bagger293, a 14,196‑tonne (31.3‑million-lb) monster that is simultaneously the largest and heaviest land vehicle.
3,000,000 Volume Control The Bagger293 has 18buckets, each with a volume of 6,600 litres (1,743USgal). Working continuously, the excavator is capable of shifting 240,000m3 (8.475million cuft) of earth in a single day. This is the equivalent of around 3million bathtubs’ worth of soil.
A counterweight boom gives the excavator stability
These durable machines are made for inhospitable conditions. They can function at temperatures of -45°C (-49°F) and altitudes of more than 5,000m (16,400ft)
Making Tracks As powerful as bucket-wheel excavators are, they are unlikely to win many races. Moving on three rows of caterpillar-track assemblies, Bagger293 has a top speed of around 0.33mph (0.53km/h). Any roads it crosses have to be rebuilt afterwards, asits sheer weight is enough to crush the concrete.
Conveyor belts carry the earth to a discharge point
Bucket List Bagger293 had a cameo role in Episode4 of the first season of the HBOdrama Westworld (2016). Under the guidance of Dr Ford (Anthony Hopkins), it laid waste to an entire city. 1 48
Excavators can reach 310ft (94m) in height – making them taller than the Statue of Liberty
Fo r th e Re co rd
The largest land vehic le capable of moving under its own power is the 14,196-t onne (31.3 million-lb) Bagger293 bucketwheel excavator, an ea rth-moving machine manufactured by MAN TAKR AF of Leipz ig, Germany. Employe d in an open-cast coal mine in the Germ an state of North-Rhin e Westphalia, it is 220m (722ft) long, 94.5m (310ft) tall at its highest point, andis capable of shifti ng 240,000m³ (8.475m illion cuft) of earth per day. Bagger 293 is also the heavies t land vehicle and the largest mob ile industrial machine . As many as 20buckets may be attached to the wheel, which can itself be as tall asafour-storey house
Did You Know? Launched in Aug2016, the LEGO® Bucket Wheel Excavator comprises 3,929pieces, making it the largest commercially available LEGO Technic set. Its approximate dimensions are 28in (72cm) long, 16in (41cm) high and 11in (29cm) wide. Thanks to a number of motorized elements, including caterpillar tracks, conveyor belts and a rotating bucket wheel, the model works just like a real mining vehicle.
149
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Highest footbridge Suspended some 260m (853ft) above the ground between two mountain cliffs, the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in Sanguansixiang, Hunan Province, China, offers breathtaking views for those with a head for heights. Before opening the bridge to the public on 20Aug 2016, officials took sledgehammers to the panels (above) to reassure visitors that they could cross the glass-bottomed gangway in complete safety. Just 13days after opening, however, the bridge was closed by the authorities: it was attracting 80,000visitors daily (rather than the 8,000anticipated) and the facilities required urgent improvement. It reopened on 30Sep 2016. 150
CONTENTS
Big Stuff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Computing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Virtual Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 Robots & AI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Aircraft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 IN FOCUS: Cars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Motorcycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Boats & Ships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Cutting-Edge Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Epic Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Science & Technology Round-Up. . . 176
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151
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BIG STUFF LARGEST... Bean bag
Created by Comfort Research (USA), “Big Joe’s World’s Largest Bean Bag Chair” measured 147.9m3 (5,223cuft) and weighed more than 4,000lb (1,814kg) on 20Sep 2017. It was installed on the roof of a building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, as an entry in the 2017ArtPrize contest.
Set of bingo balls
On 3Jun 2017, Sun Bingo (UK) hosted a game of bingo in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK, with balls each measuring 73cm (2ft 4in) in diameter – three times bigger than bowling balls! There was also the largest bingo ticket/card tomatch: 171sqft (15.912m2) – the size of a parking space.
Inflatable pool toy
Largest game of JENGA On 11Dec 2015, Caterpillar Inc. (USA) used five of its construction vehicles to build and play a super-sized version of the popular game JENGA. Made out of solid pine, each of the 27blocks measured 8ft (243.8cm) long, 2ft 8in (81.2cm) wide and 1ft4in (40.6cm) high. The tower began with nine layers and ended with 13after a total of 16blocks were added over the course of 28hr.
On 3Jun 2017, an inflatable swan measuring 21.49m (70ft 6in) tall, 16.58m (54ft 4in) wide and 15.33m (50ft 3in) long was unveiled by AT&T (USA) in Hermosa Beach, California, USA. The swan, which took a month tofabricate, was rendered in the company colour of blue. The largest inflatable beach ball had a diameter of 19.97m (65ft 6in) and was displayed on 31May 2017. It was placed on a barge on the River Thames in London, UK, to promote the movie Baywatch (USA, 2017).
Underpants
Cottonil (EGY) displayed a pair of underpants measuring 25.36m (83ft 2in) across the waist and 18.09m (59ft 4in) from waistband to crotch on 7Mar 2018 in Cairo, Egypt. At the same event, they unveiled the largest tank top: 36.49m (119ft8in) from shoulder to Among the othe hem and 27.65m re cordsFlorian r (90ft8in) at theGorilla Ca set between thefastest timfe was eto armpits. jump-pot15
poolballs (UStable)–6.78 se c.
Largest knitting needles Student Elizabeth Bond (UK) fashioned a pair of knitting needles measuring 4.42m (14ft 6.01in) long with a diameter of 9.01cm (3.54in). She presented them for measurement at Wiltshire College in Chippenham, UK, on13Jun 2017. Elizabeth created the needles as part ofher final-year Art and Design project.
Object unboxed
On 11May 2017, three-year-old truck fan Joel Jovine (USA) unboxed a huge 80 x 40 x 18-ft (24.3x 12.1x 5.4‑m) cardboard and cellophane box in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, to find a Volvo VNL truck model measuring 21.95m (72ft) long inside! It was a surprise sent by Volvo Trucks (USA).
Batch of slime
A massive pool of slime weighing 13,820lb (6,268.64kg) – heavier than an African bull elephant – was mixed by Madison Greenspan and Team Maddie Rae’s Slime Glue (both USA) at the Play Fair convention in New York City, USA, on 4Nov 2017. The slime contained liquid starch, purple pigment powder, glitter and Madison’s proprietary slime glue.
Eye chart
On 19May 2017, opticians Louis Nielsen (DNK) constructed anunmissable eye chart measuring 23.07m²(248.32sqft)inCopenhagen,Denmark.
Longest usable pool cue On 13Mar 2017, trick-shot maestro Florian Kohler (FRA) played pool with a cue measuring 5.37m (17ft 7.4in) – almost four times the length of an average cue! He demonstrated its usability by breaking off and potting seven balls before sinking the 8ball. It was one of six pool records Florian achieved in one day at the Gorilla Cafe in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
SUPER-SIZED STATIONERY Largest crayon Serial record-breaker Ashrita Furman (USA, right) created a crayon measuring 5.21m (17ft 1.1in) long and 0.45m (1ft 5.7in) in diameter. It was verified on 10Oct 2017 in Jamaica, New York City, USA.
152
Longest pencil To celebrate the opening of their new factory, BiC (FRA) displayed a pencil measuring 1,091.99m (3,582ft 7.64in) in Samer, France, on 10Oct 2017. The pencil was made out of a graphite centre and recycled polystyrene, which made it bendable. BiC more than doubled the length of the previous record holder, created in 2015.
Largest marker pen On 5 Sep 2017, Zebra Co. (JPN) unveiled a marker pen measuring 1.68m (5ft 6.1in) long and 25.6cm (10.08in) widein Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The pen was made to commemorate the company’s 120-year anniversary. The huge marker pen is exactly 12times larger than Zebra Co.’s regular‑sized commercial Hi‑Mckie marker pen.
Largest clothes Trousers: 40ft (12.19m) long, with a 26‑ft (7.92‑m) waist. Made by Rishi Thobhani (UK) and displayed in Leicester, East Midlands, UK, on 23May 2009.
Socks: 45ft (13.72m) from top to toes, and 10ft (3.05m) wide. Constructed in Oct1986 by Michael Roy Layne (USA) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
T-shirt: 96.86 m (317ft 9.38in) long and 69.77m (228ft 10.84in) wide. Created on 5Jan 2018 by Plastindia Foundation (IND) in Mumbai, India.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The wagon wa inspired by “Coa s Boy”, a45-ft (13.7ster statue of achi -m) Radio Flyer wald in a the 1933 World gonat ’s Chicago,Illinoi Fair in s, USA.
Largest toy wagon To celebrate their 100th anniversary in2017, US toy company Radio Flyer displayed a giant version of their iconic red wagon in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It measured 8.05m (26ft 5in) long, 3.54m (11ft 8in) tall and 3.59m (11ft 9in) wide, as verified on 20Dec 2016. The wagon, which was originally created for Radio Flyer’s 80thanniversary, is more than eighttimes the size of the normal toy and weighs 15,000lb (6,800kg). Itcan comfortably carry more than 75children. Largest ballpoint pen Acharya Makunuri Srinivasa (IND) created a ballpoint pen measuring 5.5m (18ft 0.53in) long and weighing 37.23kg (82lb 1.24oz). It was presented and measured in Hyderabad, India, on 24Apr 2011. The largest fountain pen was 7ft (2.13m) long and wascreated by Zbigniew Różanek (POL) in 1991.
Largest paperclip A paperclip measuring 9.28m (30ft 5in) in height and 2.72m (8ft 11in) in width was created by Evgeny Stepovik (RUS) in Miass, Russia. Created from stainless steel, it weighed 530kg (1,168lb 7oz) and wasunveiled on 29May 2010.
Largest Santa The Portuguese municipality of Águeda created a Santa Claus measuring 21.08m (69ft 1.9in) tall, 9.18m (30ft 1.4in) wide and 12.62m (41ft 4.8in) deep, as verified on 12Dec 2016. It was hoped that the 16,000‑lb (7.25-tonne) statue would draw festive tourists.
Largest pair of scissors Memory expert Neerja Roy Chowdhury (IND) created a pair of scissors measuring 2.31m (7ft 7in) from tip to handle. They were used to cut the ribbon wrapping on her memory-training comic book, launched at the Air Force Auditorium in New Delhi, India, on16Aug 2009. 153
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTING Oldest analogue computer
The 2,000-year-old Antikythera mechanism was found near the Greek island of Antikythera in 1900–01. Now encrusted with sea accretions, this collection of bronze gears was built with a mechanical complexity that has not been demonstrated in any other object prior to the 14th century. Itis believed that the device was used toanticipate eclipses.
First microchip
Oldest working digital computer The Harwell Dekatron Computer (aka WITCH, or Wolverhampton Instrument for Teaching Computation from Harwell) was first used in Apr 1951. After lying dismantled in storage for 20 years, it underwent a complete restoration between Sep2009 and Nov2012 and is currently at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire,UK.
In 1958, two American electrical engineers – Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce – independently devised techniques that allowed multiple transistors and the connections between them to be etched into a single wafer-thin piece ofsemiconductor material.
Fastest internet connection
In Jan2014, scientists in the UK achieved a real-world internet connection speed of 1.4 terabits/sec using commercial-grade fibre-optic cable. (A bit – short for “binary unit” – is a basic element of information used by computers; there are eight bits to a byte.) The test was performed on a 410-km-long (255-mi) underground link between the cities of London and Ipswich, withthe cooperation of BT and Alcatel-Lucent.
Greatest storage device capacity (prototype)
In 2016, the US data-storage company Seagate Technology revealed that they had created a 60-terabyte solid-state drive (SSD). A terabyte (TB) is 1trillionbytes – in terms of data storage, the equivalent of approximately 210 DVDs or 1,423CDs full of data.
Largest online social network
As of 4Jan 2018, Facebook had 2.07billion monthly users. Of these, 1.15billion were mobile users. Facebook reached the 2-billion monthly-user milestone on 30Jun 2017.
Lightest commercially available 14-inch laptop
Weighing 826 g (1 lb 13 oz), the LG Gram 14 was found to be lighter than any of its closest competitors in a comparison carried out by SGS Testing Services in Seoul, South Korea, on 14Dec 2016. Manufactured by LG (KOR), the laptop is about twice the weight of a FIFA standard size-5 soccer ball. The Sunway sks TaihuLight ’s ta d include detaile arch d rese calculations an weatheras ch su s ld fie in ling, systems model dataanalytics and advanced mathematics.
Largest Raspberry Pi-based computing system A BitScope Blade cluster at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, USA, joins up 750 RaspberryPi single-board computers to give it a total of 3,000 working cores. The module was built by scientific hardware manufacturer BitScope (AUS) and IT services provider SICORP (USA) and delivered on 13Nov 2017. The BitScope Blade provides an accessible and affordable testing environment for students and software developers, enabling users to practise and try out new ideas in the notoriously challenging field of supercomputer programming.
Fastest data-sorting operation in a cloud competition
Data plays a crucial role in our lives and it is very important tobe able to rapidly process large amounts of it. “Sorting” isa key step in data-processing, which can be costly and time-consuming. In 2016, Tencent Corporation (CHN) designed and implemented a procedure capable of sorting 100TB in 98.8sec in the Indy GraySort category competition – a sort rate of 60.7TB/min. They used a 512-node OpenPOWER cluster for the task. Fastest computer As announced on 20 Jun 2016, the Sunway TaihuLight at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, China, performs at 93.01 petaflops on the Linpack benchmark. (Apetaflop represents 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second; the Linpack benchmark is a means of measuring acomputer’s power in terms of how quickly it is able to solve a series of equations.) It features 40,960separate processors operating in tandem with one another, allowing it to perform at nearly three times the speed of the previous record holder.
FIRST…
Personal computer Known as “Simon”, the earliest PC was developed by Edmund Berkeley (USA) and released in 1950. It cost around $600 (£214) to build and contained an overall memory capacity of 12 bits. 154
Computer with integrated circuits In 1964, IBM’s System/360 incorporated a type of integrated circuit. Its modules combined discrete transistors with printed circuits and resistors.
Computer mouse Douglas Engelbart (USA) invented the computer mouse in 1964 and was awarded a US patent in 1970. It was nicknamed a “mouse” because of theresemblance of the wire to a tail.
Microprocessor The 4004 chip, by Intel (USA), dates from 1971. A thumbnail-sized single-processor CPU, it had the same power as ENIAC, the room-sized first general-purpose electronic computer, completed in 1946.
Top 5 PC brands Based on total sales between 2013 and 2017, these are the best-selling desktop PC brands (cumulative units), as of 4 Apr 2018.
2
37,399,900 units
32,130,600 units
3
4
21,688,700 units
5
17,772,400 units
15,340,300 units
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Source: Euromonitor
1
IBM’s Jeff Welser presented the quantum computer in LasVegas, Nevada, USA, in Jan2018. The unit is modestly sized, but requires huge cooling systems to function.
Most powerful quantum computer In Nov2017, IBM announced that they had developed a working prototype of a 50-qubit quantum computer, breaking their own record of 7qubits. (A “qubit” is a quantum bit.) To put this into context, Google’s think tank on computing power has stated that 50qubits would be the point at which quantum computers could surpass conventional supercomputer capability. Conventional computers store and process information using either “1” or “0”, but only one of them at a time. However, a quantum computer processor can use “0”, “1”, or both simultaneously, enabling it to store much more information, use less energy and have far greater processing power.
Floppy disk In 1971, a team of IBM engineers led by Alan Shugart (USA) invented the floppy disk. The 8-in (20.3-cm) plastic disk was covered with magnetic iron oxide. Its flexibility led to the nickname “floppy”.
Desktop computer Introduced in 1972, the HP 9830 by Hewlett-Packard (USA) included a display, cassette tape drive, keyboard and processor. It used the BASIC programming language.
In Mar 2018, Google unveiled their 72-qubit Bristlecone quantum computing processor. As of 13Apr 2018, however, this had not been peer-reviewed.
Clamshell laptop Regarded as the first “true” laptop, the GRiD Compass was designed in 1979 by William Moggridge (UK) for GRiD Systems Corporation (USA). It was introduced in 1982 with 512K of RAM.
Hypertext browser In Dec1990, Tim Berners-Lee (UK) released the first web browser: WorldWideWeb. It enabled users to view and navigate between hypertext pages stored on servers anywhere in the world. 155
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
VIRTUAL REALITY First virtual-reality (VR) headset
The Sword of Damocles was developed by computer graphics pioneer Ivan Sutherland and his student Bob Sproull (both USA) at the University of Utah in 1968. The headset showed wire-frame 3D environments (simple square rooms and shapes) generated by a computer. When the operator’s head turned, sensors on the headset relayed the information to the computer, which redrew the model to adjust for the change of perspective and relay the images to the user. (See also below.)
First interactive 3D map
Longest marathon on a VR game system Jack McNee (AUS) completed an epic 36-hr 2-min 16-sec session on a virtual-reality game system in Sydney, Australia, between 1and 2Apr 2017. For the entireduration of the marathon feat, Jack played Google’s 3D paint game TiltBrush.
The Interactive Movie Map (aka the Aspen Movie Map) was an experimental 3D “Surrogate Travel System”. It was created between Oct1977 and Sep1980 by a team led by Andrew Lippman and Nicholas Negroponte at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The map comprised a 3D reconstruction of the town of Aspen in Colorado, USA, texturemapped using thousands of photographs taken by multiple stop-motion cameras mounted on a vehicle. Usersnavigated around the virtual town via a touch-screen display.
First therapeutic use of VR
The earliest use of virtual-reality systems for medical treatment was outlined in an anecdotal report by Ralph Lamson – a psychotherapist with the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in San Rafael, California, USA – in the Apr1994 edition of the CyberEdge Journal. He described using VR systems to enable easily controlled, adaptable exposure therapy for people with severe acrophobia (fear of heights). Patients were placed on the walkway of a virtual bridge, which could beraised incrementally as they gained confidence.
First VR music video
WeMakeVR (NLD) pioneered the earliest virtual-reality music video, featuring hip-hop artist Brainpower (aka Gertjan Mulder, NLD, b. BEL) performing his single “Troubled Soul”. Introducing editing and visual effects techniques not previously seen in VR, it was uploaded to YouTube360 on 14Mar 2015.
Most critically acclaimed VR videogame As of 18Oct 2017, rhythm shooter Rez Infinite, published by List and released for PS4 VR headsets in Oct2016, had a GameRankings score of 89% based on 23reviews. The game is a virtual-reality reimagining of the cult 2001 smash Rez, developed by United Game Artists. Its plaudits included Best VR Game at The Game Awards 2016.
Most expensive augmented-reality (AR) headset
The Gen III Head-Mounted Display System (HMDS) was revealed to the public in Mar 2016, with a price tag of $400,000 (£277,874) per unit. Developed as a joint venture between military contractors Rockwell Collins (USA) and Elbit Systems (ISR), this 2.17-kg (4-lb 12.5-oz) carbon-fibre helmet was designed for use by pilots of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. It contains a miniaturized computer that interfaces with the fighter’s systems, projecting important information as anARoverlay on the inside of the pilot’s visor.
First surgery live-streamed in VR Longest marathon watching VR videocontent On 15–17Apr 2017, Alejandro “A J” Fragoso and AlexChristison (both USA) viewed 50hr of video content in NewYork City, USA, in a collaborative record with CyberLink (TPE) and supported by Diffusion PR (USA). The content included VR movies, streamed video and 360° shorts.
On 14Apr 2016, medical training start-up Medical Realities live-streamed an operation by Bangladesh-born British surgeon Shafi Ahmed to remove a tumour from a patient with colon cancer. Thesurgerytook place at The Royal London Hospital, UK.
Most crowdfunded VR project
In Sep2017, Pimax (CHN) launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their “8K” high-field-ofview VR headset. When the campaign closed on 3Nov 2017, they had raised $4,236,618 (£3,216,530). Their goal had been $200,000 (£151,844). The headset allows users to experience peripheral vision and counteracts sensations of motion sickness.
First cross-platform VR videogame
Released on 26Sep 2017, EVE: Valkyrie – Warzone is an updated version of CCP Games’ multiplayer VR shooter EVE: Valkyrie (2016) that includes modes enabling the game to be played without VR headsets. This new feature also enables cross-platform competition between players on the existing Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and HTC Vive versions, and PC and PS4 players – the first videogame tooffer such options.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF VIRTUAL REALITY VR has been with us for longer than you might think. In the 19thcentury, huge panoramic paintings enveloped viewers within a scene, while stereoscopes combined two 2D images to suggest a sense of depth. The 1950s saw a golden age for 3D movies, but attempts to enhance screenings with smells rarely succeeded. Today, advanced headsets have made gaming an increasingly immersive experience, putting the “real” into “virtual reality”. 156
1962: Sensorama This box of sensory stimuli was the work of cinematographer Morton Heilig. While viewing a 3D film with stereo sound, users smelled aromas and felt breezes.
1968: Sword of Damocles Although slow by modern standards, this system was reportedly close enough to real time to give a convincing impression of standing inside a virtual environment.
Most subscribers for a dedicated VR videogames channel on YouTube As of 20Mar 2018, Nathaniel “Nathie” de Jong (NLD) had 345,389 YouTube subscribers, who join him as he delves into the latest VR games. De Jong’s channel covers games from all three of the main VR headsets currently available: theOculus Rift, HTCVive andSony’s PlayStation VR.
1980s: VPL EyePhone Wearing goggles and a “data glove”, users were able to see and manipulate objects in a virtual world. VPL Research was founded by Jaron Lanier in 1984.
Top 3 AR/VR headset brands by annual revenue* Sony PlayStation VR (JPN): $288.4m (£213.4m)
Samsung Gear (KOR): $241.8m (£178.9m)
HTC Vive (TPE/USA): $174.1m (£128.9m)
*according to Euromonitor, as of latest available figures (for 2016)
First VR flying roller-coaster SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Galactica opened on 24Mar 2016 at Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, UK. All the seats are fitted with Samsung Gear VR headsets that transport the wearers into space. Each headset is individually synced to the twists and curves of the track, so every rider experiences a seamless simulated voyage through the cosmos, regardless of their position in the car.
ic opening, Prior to its publfirst te sted s wa ica Galact tronaut by Canadian ass opinion? Hi . eld dfi Chris Ha y enough to “I’vebeen luckpace flights… es re th serve on se as I’ve but this isas clotual trip vir a to e m co rse.” across the unive
1991: Sega VR Based on an existing Sega arcade headset, the VR was announced in 1991 and presented at a trade show in early 1993 but remained a prototype.
1995: Forte VFX1 headgear This head-mounted display unit came with high-fidelity speakers, ahandheld “Cyberpuck” controller and the VIP Board, a graphics interface.
2013: Oculus Rift DK1 A Kickstarter campaign raised an incredible $2.4m for the Development Kit 1, which incorporated three pairs of lenses and an adjustable focal length.
2016: HTC Vive Features include headset tracking, 360° controllers and directional audio. A camera enables users to view the room around them and so avoid collisions. 157
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ROBOTS & AI First recorded robot
Born in 428 bce, Greek philosopher Archytas is popularly credited with the invention of the first ever robot – the “Flying Pigeon”. Archytas constructed his robotic bird from wood and an animal’s bladder, using steam to powerits movements. The bird was launched from a pivot bar, and could reportedly fly about 200m (656ft).
First robotic surgery
Most skips by a robot inone minute The aptly named Jumpen achieved 106skips in 60sec on 29Apr 2017 at the ROBOCON event in Chiba, Japan. Apenguinshaped jumping robot made by the National Institute of Technology, Nara College (JPN), Jumpen is 0.8m (2ft 7.5in) wide, 0.5m (1ft 7.6in) tall and weighs 14.7kg (32lb 6.52oz). He is made from aluminium alloy and polycarbonate.
Designed to assist in orthopaedic procedures, Arthrobot was used for the first time in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1983. The voice-controlled robot could assist with positioning patients’ limbs. In2016, US scientists developed STAR (Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot). The first robot to performsoft-tissue surgery autonomously, STAR uses machine vision, sensors and intelligence algorithms to trackand execute precise surgical tasks.
First AI tobeata9-danGoplayer
An artificial intelligence (AI) called AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol 4–1 in a five-game Go series on 9–15Mar 2016. AlphaGo’s developers DeepMind (UK) utilized an approach called Deep Reinforcement Learning, which trained the AI using data from past Go matches. AlphaGo’s unique playing style stunned Go experts, who had not expected an AI to master Go so quickly. The following year, artificial intelligence racked up another win against humanity. On 10Aug 2017, an AI developed by the OpenAI Foundation (USA) defeated Sumail “Suma1L” Hassan (PAK) – the youngest gamer to earn $1 million in eSports winnings – in a 1-vs-1 match in the popular eSports videogame Dota 2, becoming the first AI tobeat a Dota 2 world champion.
Fastest-running quadruped robot (untethered) On 4Oct 2013, US company Boston Dynamics released footage of its prototype WildCat four-legged robot. Powered by a two-stroke methanol engine, WildCat employs a galloping gait like a dog or a horse. It can reach speeds of up to 25km/h (15.5mph) across flat terrain, leaning into turns to maintain traction and balance.
Fastest-accelerating underwater robot
The “octo-bot” can travel from 0to 11.7km/h (7.2mph) in0.95sec, with a peak acceleration of 3.8m/s2 (12.4 ft/s2). It has a3D-printed polycarbonate skeleton and an elastic membrane, with no moving parts. It was developed by a teamofinternational scientists and unveiled in 2015.
Smallest self-powered flying robot
Revealed in May2017, Piccolissimo (Italian for “very small”) has a 39-mm (1.5-in) diameter and is 19mm (0.7in) high. Itwasdeveloped by Matt Piccoli and Mark Yim at the Universityof Pennsylvania (all USA). The smallest tethered flying robot capable of landing on ceilings is the revised “RoboBee”, which weighs 0.1g (0.003oz) – about as much as a grain of sand. In May2016, roboticists from Harvard University (USA) announced that their tiny flying robot now included an electro-adhesive patch, allowing it to land on the underside of materials Atlas’s hardwa such as bricks and glass. utilizes 3D prin re keep the robot’sting to down to 75kg (1 weight Ahigh streng 65lb). weight ratio is th-to vit gymnasticfeatal for s.
First bipedal humanoid robot backflip On 17Nov 2017, Boston Dynamics (USA) released a video of its robot Atlas executing a backflip. The robot performsall of the actions of a human gymnast, including using its arms to balance upon landing. Atlas can demonstrate a range of human motion including running, jumping and mid-air pirouettes. It takes a human brain many years to learn the coordination required for a backflip, so this achievement isoneof the most significant robotic breakthroughs of 2017.
RAPID ROBOTS Fastest 25-m sprint by a robot Scuttle, built by Mike Franklin (UK), covered 25m (82ft) in 6.5sec at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK, on 16Jul 2005. Franklin designed several robotic combatants for the UK show Robot Wars.
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Fastest-running humanoid robot On 8Nov 2011, Honda (JPN) revealed that its robot ASIMO – which stands for “Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility” – could run at 9km/h (5.5mph). At this speed, both of ASIMO’sfeet were momentarily off the ground. Laser and infrared sensors enabled the robot to navigate autonomously.
Fastest bipedal running robot In Aug 2011, a bipedal robot named MABEL reached a speed of 6.8mph (10.9km/h) – equivalent to a jog. The robot, developed by the University of Michigan (USA), spends 40% of its time with its feet off the ground – just like a human runner. Ituses a complex set of computer feedback algorithms that enable it to maintain balance as it lands andpropels itself forward.
2
A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings exceptwhere such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict withthe First or Second Laws.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
1
The Three Laws of Robotics, asdevised by science-fiction novelist Isaac Asimov: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow ahuman being to come to harm.
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Most robots dancing simultaneously On 1Feb 2018, a total of 1,372Alpha 1S robots danced in unison for 90sec to “Another Day of Sun” by Mina in Rome, Italy. The display – part of a seriesof adverts by Italian telecommunications company TIM – was filmed to be broadcast during the Sanremo Music Festival. The Alpha1S robot, made of aluminium alloy with plastic coating, measures just under 40cm (15.7in)tall and has 16 degrees of freedom. Fastest 3D-printed robot In May2015, engineers at UC Berkeley (USA) made a robotic co*ckroach using specially 3D-printed components. Because these parts can bend and stretch without breaking, the X2-VelociRoACH can zip around at a blistering 11mph (17.7km/h) – that’s between an average human’s jogging and runningspeed.
Fastest two-wheeled robot Built by Hitachi (JPN) and announced in Mar2005, Emiew is capable of moving at 6km/h (3.7mph). The robot uses sensors to measure gradients in order to be able to move and stop in a stable fashion, allowing it to keep up with a walking human. Emiewstands for “Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate”.
GWR adjudicator Lorenzo Veltri was on hand to make thecount, which had to beat the previous record of 1,069, set byWLIntelligent Technology (CHN) on 17Aug 2017.
Fastest 10-m rope climb bya robot ClimbActic, the mechanical brainchild of John Thorpe and Highfields School (both UK), scaled a 10-m (32-ft 9-in) rope in 5.2sec at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, UK,on17Jul2005. 159
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE First royal palace
Hor-Aha, the second pharaoh of the first Egyptian dynasty, had a whitewashed mud-brick (or possibly limestone) palace built during the 31st centurybce in Memphis, Egypt. At Abydos, one of ancient Egypt’s oldest cities, Hor-Aha also had the outside of his tomb decorated to resemble a palace façade.
Oldest houses
The Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük in present-day Turkey dates from c. 7,500 to 5,700bce. Approximately 5,000–8,000 residents occupied mud-brick homes here, which were entered via roof-top holes that also served for smoke ventilation. Inside, the houses were lime-plastered and had asingle main living space measuring some 6x 4m (20x 13ft).
First shopping mall
Highest observation deck Visitors to the Shanghai Tower (aka Shanghai Center) in China may take in the view from its 561.3-m-high (1,841‑ft) observation deck. The 632-m (2,073-ft) mixeduse office and hotel building stands in the Lujiazui Finance and TradeZone and was finished in 2015.
In terms of a large number of separate shops grouped under a covered roof, the oldest known mall was at Trajan’s Forum in ancient Rome, Italy. Designed by architect Apollodorus of Damascus and built in 100–112ce, the forum included a market area with 150 shops and offices arranged over six gallery levels.
Largest masonry dome
Measuring some 43m (142ft) in diameter, the concrete dome of the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, has a greater span than any dome constructed only of masonry (that is, unreinforced stone or brick). Rising around 22m (71ft) above its base, it was built by the emperor Hadrian between 118and 128ce.
Largest airport (area)
At 780km² (301sqmi), King Fahd International, near Dammam in Saudi Arabia, is bigger than the nearby country of Bahrain (which has three airports).
Largest stadium roof
Tallest Hindu temple The ornamental 13-tiered gopura or gopuram (entrance tower) at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple on the island of Srirangam in India reaches at least 72m (236ft 2in) high. Dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of the Hindu deity Vishnu, the temple is more than a thousand years old. Thegopura, which was only finished in 1987, is decorated with Hindu mythological carvings (inset).
The transparent acrylic glass “tent” roof on the Munich Olympic Stadium in Germany has an area of 85,000m² (915,000sqft). It rests on a steel net that is supported by masts.
Largest stadium (overall capacity) The Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, USA, hasa permanent seated capacity of 235,000 – reduced from 257,325 in 2013 – and covers 253acres (102.3ha). Including non-seated spectators, it can accommodate more than 350,000 fans. Built in1909, the stadium is home to the famous “Indy 500” and “Brickyard 400” races and contains a 2.5‑mi (4.09-km) oval-format race circuit.
HIGH RISERS Tallest airport control tower Tower West at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia measures 133.8m (438ft 11in) tall and was completed on 30Apr 2013. Shaped like an Olympic torch, the tower was built as part of the new KLIA2 terminal at the airport, and was intended to accommodate an increased amount of air traffic. 160
Tallest pyramid The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, Egypt, was built c.2560bce. Also known as the Great Pyramid, it was originally 146.7m (481ft 3in) high, but erosion and vandalism reduced its height to 137.5m (451ft 1in). It was the tallest man-made construction until1311ce, whenthe UK’s Lincoln Cathedral was finished.
Tallest cathedral spire Ulm Minster in Germany has a tower measuring 161.53m (529ft 11in) high. Designed in early Gothic style, construction on the church began in1377. Building was halted in1543, when the spire was 100m (328ft) high, and only resumed in1817. The spire, located in the centre of the west façade, was finally completed in1890.
Tallest house Built in 2010, Antilia is the 173-m (568-ft) home of Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai. Its 27, triple-height floors make the house as tall as a typical 60-storey office tower. It features helipads, swimming pools, a health spa and theatre. At an estimated cost of $2bn (£1.29bn), it is also the most expensive house ever built.
Tallest hotel The Gevora Hotel in Dubai, UAE, stands 356.33m (1,169ft) tall from ground level to apex, and was inaugurated on 9Feb 2018. Known for its gold façade, it has 528rooms set over 75storeys and is around 1m (3ft 3in) taller thanthe previous holder, the JWMarriott MarquisDubai.
Tallest building: Burj Khalifa Cost: $1.5bn (£0.94bn)
Weight: 100,000 elephants
Construction time: 22 million man-hours
Parking spaces: 2,957
Area equivalent: c. 2,020 tennis courts
Heaviest building
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The Palace of the Parliament in the Romanian capital city of Bucharest is believed to be the heaviest building in the world. Its construction materials include 700,000tonnes (771,617tons) of steel and bronze – around twice the weight of the Empire State Building – plus 1millionm³ (35.3million cu ft) of marble, 3,500tonnes (7.7millionlb) of crystal glass and 900,000m³ (31.7 millioncuft) of wood. Virtually all of the materials came from within Romania.
The C A Rosetti Hall is dominated by a grand chandelier, one of 480 in the building. The room has 600fixed seats and is now used for conferences, concertsand plays.
The luxurious, 2,226-m2 (23,960-sq-ft) Unirii (“Union”) Hall boasts an abundance of marble from Transylvania. Its ceiling is 16 m (52ft 5in) high.
Tallest residential building Opened in 2015, the 425.5-m-high (1,396-ft) 432Park Avenue in New York City, USA, is the tallest single-function residential building in the world. The concrete building consists of 85floors; the highest occupied storey is at 392m (1,286ft).
Tallest twin buildings The 88-storey Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are 451.9-m (1,482‑ft 7-in) high. Opened in1996, the towers are joined at levels 41 and42 by a double-decker “Skybridge”.
Tallest office The 599.1-m (1,965-ft) Ping An Finance Center in the Futian District of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, China, is the tallest all-office building. The 115-storey concreteand-steel block opened in Mar2017 and is occupied to a height of 562.2 m (1,844 ft). It has four basem*nt floors.
Tallest tower Formerly known as New Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Skytree rises 634m (2,080ft) to the top of its mast and is located in Sumida, in the Japanese capital. Completed in 2012, the building functions as a television and radio broadcasting and observation tower. It alsohouses a restaurant.
Tallest building The Burj Khalifa (Khalifa Tower) in Dubai, UAE, is 828m (2,716ft 6in) tall, with 160 storeys. It was developed by Emaar Properties (UAE). Construction began on 21Sep 2004 and the building officially opened on 4Jan 2010. See the top of this page for more facts and figures about this iconic record-breaker. 161
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CITIES First city
Dating to around 3200bce, the world’s first true city is generally thought to have been Uruk, located in southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). Home tosome 50,000inhabitants, it was the largest settlement of its time, covering 450ha (1,112acres) and encircled by a 9.5‑km (5.9‑mi) city wall. Thriving as a result of trade and agriculture, Uruk also became a great artistic centre, featuring many elaborate mosaics and monuments. Least expensive city to live in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Worldwide Cost of Living (WCOL) report 2017, published on 21Mar, gives Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty an WCOL index rating of38. (New York City is the base city, ranked 100.) In Almaty, a 1‑kg (2-lb3.2-oz) loaf of bread costs $0.90 (£0.72), compared with $6.81 (£5.49) in Paris, France.
First wi-fi-enabled city
The Middle-Eastern city of Jerusalem was the first to be fully wi-fi-enabled, offering a free, public service across the entire metropolis from 1 Nov 2004. The project was initiated by the Jerusalem WiFi Project – a partnership between the Jerusalem Business Development Corporation, Intel, Compumat and the Jerusalem Municipality.
Largest gambling city (by revenue)
In 2016, the estimated annual gambling revenue for Macau, China, was $27.8bn (£22.5bn). Macau’s gambling industry is 330% larger than that of Las Vegas, USA.
Most billionaires (city)
As of Mar2017, New York City, USA, was home to 82billionaires, according to Forbes. Their combined net worth amounts to a staggering $397.9bn (£319.4bn). By way of comparison, that’s more than the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of countries such as Austria ($386bn; £309.9bn), Iran ($376bn; £301.8bn) and the United Arab Emirates ($371bn; £297.8bn). The BigApple’s richest person was David Koch, with a net worth of $48.4bn, or £38.8bn. Koch is an American businessman and currently serves as vicepresident of the USA’s second-largest privately held company, Koch Industries. Most expensive city to live in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s WCOL report (see above) ranked Singapore as the costliest city to live in. Its cost of living index is ranked 120. Owing to high excise taxes, an average-priced bottle of wine costs $23.68 (£19.11), compared to $10.35 (£8.35)in Paris, France.
Longest commute for a city
After evaluating 50million users and 167 metropolitan areas, a 2015 study by Google-owned traffic app Waze found that commuters in Manila, Philippines, faced average one-way journeys of 45.5min. Indonesia’s Jakarta (42.1min) and Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro (38.4min) were in second and third places. Even car-clogged LosAngeles and NewYork City were less congested than the Filipino capital: journey times in these two large US cities were 35.9min and 38.7min respectively.
City with the highest murder rate Ruthless gang activity in the city of San Salvador in ElSalvador has made the city the murder capital of the world. According to 2016 figures from the Brazilian think tank Igarapé Institute, San Salvador’s murder rate has reached 137 homicides per 100,000 persons.
Safest city
The Japanese capital of Tokyo was ranked as the world’s “safest city” for the third year in a row on The Economist’s Safe Cities Index 2017. Out of 49 diverse indicators of safety, including digital security and personal security, Tokyo obtained a combined final score of 89.8 out of 100.
City with the worst air pollution
PM10 is “particulate matter” such as soot (carbon), metal or dust with a diameter of 10 microns or less. According to the World Health Organization’s Ambient Air Pollution report for 2016, the most air-polluted city in the world is Onitsha, a port in southern Nigeria, which recorded levels of 594 micrograms of PM10 perm3 of air – around 30times the WHO’s recommended levelof 20 micrograms perm3. City with the most buildings 300m or taller According to The Skyscraper Center, by the end of2017 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates had 21buildings that were 300m (984ft) or taller, more than twice as many as any other city, with a further 13 under construction. These mega towers include the Burj Khalifa – currently the world’s tallest building, at 828m (2,716ft) – the PrincessTower (413.4m; 1,356ft) and 23Marina (392.8m; 1,289ft).
WISH YOU LIVED HERE? Most popular city for tourism Bangkok in Thailand attracts more international visitors than any other city, according to the 2017Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index. In the four years to2016, it welcomed 19.41million tourists, helping the Thai capital surpass tourism hubs such as London (with 19.06million visitors) andParis (15.45million). 162
Most bicycle-friendly city According to the Copenhagenize Index2017, the Danish capital of Copenhagen is still the world’s most bicycle-friendly city. In the past 10years, it has spent more than $150m (£111.16m) on its cycling infrastructure, creating 16bridges dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians. More people now enter the city by bike than in their cars.
Most environmentally friendly city In2016, Arcadis (NLD) studied 100 global cities based on the “three dimensions of sustainability”: people, planet and profit. Zurich was ranked top, owing to its efficient public-transit network, commitment to reducing energy usage and performance in business.
Most populated cities, as of 2016 (and projected 2030 populations) Tokyo, Japan: 38.14m (37.19m) Delhi, India: 26.45m (36.06m) Shanghai, China: 24.48m (30.75m) Mumbai, India: 21.35m (27.79m) São Paulo, Brazil: 21.29m (23.44m)
Source: The World’s Cities in 2016, produced by the United Nations
Highest population urban agglomeration
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
With a population of 38,140,000 as of 2016, Tokyo is the world’s most populous urban agglomeration. The Japanese capital is home to so many people that even if you combine the populations of London (10,434,000) and New York-Newark (18,604,000), Tokyo would still outnumber them by 9,102,000residents.
tion Tokyo’s popula cline de is expected to izens by 1million cit this, it by 2030. Despiteworld’s will remain the ly most high populated cit y.
Most densely populated city According to 2017 figures from urban planning policy consultants Demographia (USA), the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka is the world’s most densely populated city. With a population of 16.8million residents spread over an area of 368km² (142 sq mi), the city has an average of 45,700 persons per km2 (118,362 per sq mi).
Most elegant city To determine the world’s most elegant city, online fashion site Zalando analysed 400 cities based on three key categories: “Fashion Factors”, “Urban Factors” and “Accessibility”. Owing to its history of fashion and architecture, Paris was ranked first with a rating of 4.37 (out of 5). Not far behind were the cities of London (4.16), Vienna (4.13) and Venice (4.12).
Most habitable city The Economist’s Global Liveability Ranking rates cities in terms of five overall categories: stability; healthcare; culture and environment; education; and infrastructure. As of Aug2017, Melbourne in Australia was the most liveable city for the seventh year running, with 97.5 points, followed by Viennathen Vancouver.
Least habitable city The ancient Syrian city of Damascus was once dubbed “Pearl of the East”. However, since the devastating civil war in2011, it has been torn apart, and was ranked as the least liveable city in Aug2017 by The Economist’s Global Liveability Ranking. Over the course of the lastfive years, the city’s liveability rating hasdropped by 16.1%. 163
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
AIRCRAFT Highest altitude by an aircraft (FAI-approved)
Longest aircraft (current) Airlander10 is 92m (301ft 10in) long. The aircraft was built by Hybrid Air Vehicles (UK) and its first flight was completed at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire, UK, on 17Aug 2016. Despite appearances, it is not a traditional airship – it is a hybrid of an airship and an aeroplane. The hull is filled with helium, which generates around 60% of the aircraft’s lift.
On 31Aug 1977, Alexandr Fedotov (USSR) flewa highly modified MiG‑25“Foxbat” to37,650m (123,523ft) from Podmoskovnoe aerodrome in Russia. More than four times the height of Everest, this height was verified by the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale).
Highest flight by a hot-air balloon
Dr Vijaypat Singhania (IND) reached an altitude of 21,027m (68,986ft) in a Cameron Z-1600 hot-air balloon over Mumbai, India, on 26 Nov 2005.
Highest flight in a glider
On 3 Sep 2017, Jim Payne (USA) and co-pilot Morgan Sanderco*ck (AUS) reached an altitude of 15,902m (52,172ft) in the Airbus Perlan 2 glider. They flew from Comandante Armando Tola International Airport near El Calafate, Argentina.
Farthest flight by a commercial aircraft
On 9–10Nov 2005, a Boeing 777–200LR Worldliner flew 11,664nauticalmi (21,601.7km; 13,422.7mi) non-stop andwithout refuelling from Hong Kong eastbound to London,UK, in 22hr42min. The 777–200LR is powered by two General Electric GE90– 115B turbofan engines, the most powerful jet engine. One achieved steady-state thrust of 568,927N (127,900lb) during final certification testing at Peebles, Ohio, USA, in Dec2002.
First circumnavigation in a solar‑poweredaeroplane(FAI-approved) Largest aircraft by wingspan Rolled out on 31May2017 at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, USA, the Stratolaunch aeroplane has a wingspan of 117.35m (385ft). The brainchild of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the Stratolaunch is designed to carry space rockets to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere – which is less expensive than launching them from the ground. It is scheduled to make its first flight in2019.
André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard (both CHE) flew around the world in Solar Impulse 2 between 9Mar 2015 and 26Jul 2016, powered entirely by energy from the Sun. Their starting and finishing point was Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The
Fastest speed in a helicopter (non-FAI) During a test on 7Jun 2013, the Eurocopter X3 (above) reached 255knots (472km/h; 293mph) over southern France. It was flown by test pilot Hervé Jammayrac (FRA). The fastest speed in a helicopter (FAI-approved) is 400.87km/h (249.09mph), by John Trevor Egginton and Derek J Clews (both UK) over Glastonbury, Somerset, UK, on11 Aug 1986. They flew in a Westland Lynx demonstrator. total journey time was 505 days 19hr 53min, but for nearly 10months of this time the team were grounded in Hawaii, USA, owing to irreversible damage to overheated batteries in their aircraft. They resumed flying on 21Apr 2016.
Fastest electric aircraft
On 23Mar 2017, an Extra 330LE plane reached a speed of 342.86km/h (213.04mph) during a flight from the Dinslaken Schwarze Heide airfield in Germany. The aircraft, which was piloted by Walter Kampsmann (DEU), is produced by German manufacturer Extra Aircraft.
First loop-the-loop in a helicopter
On 19May1949, test pilot Harold E “Tommy” Thompson (USA) performed the first intentional loop-the-loop in a helicopter, a Sikorsky S-52. He went on to execute 10 perfect loops that day at the Sikorsky helicopter plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.
GIANTS OF THE SKIES Largest fire-fighting aircraft
Largest helicopter The Russian Mil Mi-12 had four 6,500-hp (4,847-kW) turboshaft engines and a rotor diameter of 35m (114ft 9in); it was 37m (121ft 4.7in) long, with a maximum take-off weight of 103.3tonnes (227,737lb). It first flew in 1968, but never went into production. 164
Global SuperTanker Services, founded in 2015, uses a converted Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet as an aerial firefighter. It can carry 74,200litres (19,600USgal) of water or fire retardant for 6,400km (3,976mi). The plane is designed to drop its load on to wildfires from a height of just 120–240 m (393–787ft) at around 260 km/h (161.5 mph). It has a wingspan of 64 m (209ft).
Largest aircraft (propeller-driven) The Russian Antonov An-22 (NATO code name “co*ck”) has a wingspan of 64.4m (211ft), while its maximum take-off weight is250tonnes (550,000lb). Still in service with the Russian military, the An-22 has a cruising speed of 680km/h (422mph).
The first in-flight meal was served up in Oct1919 on the Handley Page Transport (UK) service from London to Paris. The pre-packed lunch of sandwiches and fruit cost three shillings (now £6.33; $8.54).
The first in-flight movie was FirstNational’s The Lost World (USA, 1925), shown in Apr1925 during an Imperial Airways flight from London to Paris in a converted HandleyPage bomber.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
In Mar1912, Heinrich Kubis (DEU) began working as the first flight attendant, on the DELAG Zeppelin LZ-10 Schwaben. He was later supported by an assistant steward on board the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin.
an On1Sep 1974,” flown rd SR-71A“BlackbiV Sullivan by MajorJamesF Widdifield and Major Noel ed the fastest rd (both USA) reco ight (1hr 54min transatlanticflr average spee d 56.4se c). Thei rk to London for the New Yo 8.02km/h stage was 2,90 ph). (1,806.96m
Fastest speed for a manned aircraft (FAI-approved) The highest recorded speed for a manned aircraft capable of taking off and landing under its own power is 3,529.56km/h (2,193.17mph) – some three times the speed of sound. It was achieved on 28Jul 1976 by Captain Eldon W Joersz and Major George T MorganJr in a Lockheed SR-71A “Blackbird” near Beale Air Force Base in California, USA, on a 25-km (15.5-mi) course. The USA’s X-15 rocket planes were faster, but are ineligible for this record as they were air-launched.
The SR-71A “Blackbird” was 107ft 4in (32.72 m) long and stood 18ft 6in (5.63m) tall, from ground level to the tops of the rudders, with a wingspan of 55ft 7in (16.94m). It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney J58 axial-flow turbojets with afterburners.
Heaviest production aircraft
Heaviest operational bomber The Russian Tupolev Tu-160 “Blackjack” bomber has a maximum take-off weight of 275tonnes (606,270lb) and a top speed of around Mach 2.05 (2,200km/h or 1,350mph). Here, “maximum take-off weight” refers to its weight when fully loaded with bombs.
The Airbus A380-800 is a 72.7‑m‑long (238‑ft 6‑in) double-decked behemoth of the skies, with a maximum take-off weight of 575,000kg (1,267,658lb). TheA380made its maiden flight on 27Apr 2005. Airports had to modify their facilities in order to accommodate it, for example by widening runways and reinforcing tunnels.
Heaviest aircraft ever The Antonov An-225 “Mriya” was originally built at 600tonnes (1.32millionlb). Its floor was strengthened in 2000–01, resulting in an increased maximum take-off weight of 640tonnes (1.41millionlb). Only two were ever built. 165
IN FOCUS
CARS
Since the invention of the motor car, engineers and innovators have been seeking ways to make them go faster and faster. Here we celebrate the quickest of them all, ThrustSSC, and explore the history of a very contentious record.
T
BloodhoundSSC The team behind ThrustSSC (see opposite) are working to break their own landspeed record. Their new vehicle, BloodhoundSSC (above), is set for speed trials in SouthAfrica in2018.
SSC Ultimate Aero TT Shelby SuperCars’ (USA) Aero TT achieved two-way timed speeds in excess of 412km/h (256mph) on13Sep 2007.
he record for the fastest production car is one of the most coveted and controversial around. The title has stood empty since2015, due to the difficulties involved in verifying an outright holder. Rival manufacturers trade claims and counter-claims, with several machines purported to be the quickest (see also the fastest car in space on p.177). Sowhy the confusion? Let’s be clear: to be capable of reaching speeds in excess of 400km/h (248mph), all of the cars featured here are marvels of innovation and precision engineering, to be celebrated and admired. However, in order to judge them objectively, there has to be a set of comparable criteria. Firstly, what constitutes a production car? The holder of the land-speed record is Thrust SSC at 1,227.985km/h (763.035mph, see right) – but you wouldn’t expect to see it at your local garage. The “production car” guidelines require “a production run of 30or more vehicles of identical specification”. But as the cars get quicker, their production numbers plummet. The McLarenF1 held the record from 1998 to 2005 at 386.46km/h (240.14 mph), but only 64were made. And this seems like a lot when compared with more recent contenders. Our guidelines also meant that if a single machine had been modified too much, it couldn’t qualify for the record. In2010, the Bugatti Veyron achieved its fastest speed with the electronic limiter switched off; after consultation, however, we decided that this didn’t constitute excess modification to the vehicle. In2017, the Koenigsegg Agera RS set a two-way average of 447.19km/h McLaren F1 (277.87mph), but only 11of The McLaren F1 sports car reached 386.46 km/h Hennessey Venom GT (240.14 mph) at the In 2014, the Venom GT Volkswagen proving ground recorded a speed of in Germany on 31 Mar 1998. 435.31km/h (270.49mph) – but in a one-direction run. Only 12cars (plus a prototype) were made.
Fastest car powered by dry-cell batteries On 4Aug 2007, the Oxyride Racer reached an average speed of 105.95km/h (65.83mph) at JARI Shirosato Test Centre in Ibaraki, Japan, using a power pack of 194AA batteries (left). It was the work of the Oxyride Speed Challenge Team – Matsush*ta Electric Industrial (now Panasonic Corporation) and Osaka Sangyo University (both JPN). The frameof the lightweight Oxyride Racer was made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic andweighed just 38kg (83lb). 25cars to come off the “production line” were fitted with the optional “1 MegaWatt” engine package required to reach that speed. There is also the question of what constitutes a car’s “fastest speed”. We require an average speed to be taken over a 1-km (0.6-mi) section of closed road in both directions (to take into account the effect of headwinds and tailwinds). In2014, a Hennessey VenomGT clocked 435.31km/h (270.49mph) on NASA’s Space Shuttle runway in Florida, USA, but was unable to take a second run. This made its incredible speed ineligible for record purposes. With the difficulties involved in comparing these mega-quick machines, the arguments look set to continue. Perhaps the only way to settle them would be to gather all the contenders together at a track and see who crosses the finishing line first. Irrespective of who won, it would be a race worth watching… Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport The Super Sport achieved a two-way average of 431.072km/h (267.856mph) in2010 – with the electronic limiter switched off.
Koenigsegg Agera RS An advanced version of the AgeraR (below), the RS was unveiled in 2015 and has a two-way average top speed of 447.19km/h (277.87mph) –with the right engine.
NEED FOR SPEED: FASTEST... Solar-powered vehicle Rally driver Kenjiro Shinozuka drove Ashiya University’s (both JPN) Sky Ace TIGA to a speed of 91.332km/h (56.75mph) at Shimojishima Airport in Miyakojima, Okinawa, Japan, on 20Aug 2014. The location for the record attempt had been carefully chosen to provide the most suitable weather conditions in terms of sunlight strength, sun elevation and temperature.
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Compressed-air-powered car Toyota’s three-wheeled KU:RIN car reached a top speed of 129.2km/h (80.3mph) at the Japan Automobile Research Institute’s Ibaraki test track on 9Sep 2011. The car has a compressed-air “fuel tank” – as air is released, it generates thrust. Its final speed was taken from a timed average of two runs. “Ku” and “rin” are Japanese for “air”and“wheel”.
Steam car (FIA-approved) On 25Aug 2009, the British Steam Car Team’s Inspiration reached 225.05km/h (139.84mph), driven by Charles Burnett III (USA) at Edwards Air Force Base in California, USA. The record was approved by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). It beat the record of 205km/h (127.7mph) by Fred Marriott in a Stanley steam car in1906 – an astonishing 103years earlier.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IN FOCUS
Fastest car (female driver) Kitty Hambleton (USA, née O’Neil) achieved a speed of 825.126km/h (512.710mph) in the rocket-powered SM1 Motivator on 6Dec 1976 in the Alvord Desert, Oregon, USA. Hambleton, who lost her hearing in infancy, was a professional stunt performer who made unprecedented stunt falls from more than 100ft (30m) and also set a women’s waterskiing speed record.
Fastest car (land-speed record) On 15Oct 1997, ThrustSSC became the first car to break the sound barrier when it reached 1,227.985km/h (763.035mph; Mach 1.020) over 1mi (1.6km) in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA. The resultant sonic boom caused sprinkler covers to fall off in the town of Gerlach, around 10mi (16km) away. ThrustSSC was piloted by Andy Green (UK, above left), a wing commander in the RAF. The project director was Richard Noble (UK), who in 1983 had set the previous land-speed record of 1,020.406km/h (634.051mph) on board Thrust2.
ThrustSSC brok sound barrier al e the 50years to the most Captain “Chuckday after ” (USA) made the Yeager first supersonic fligh on14Oct 1947 t, .
Electric car (FIA-approved) The Venturi Buckeye Bullet3 achieved an average speed of 549.211km/h (341.264mph) over a two-way flying mile at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, on 19Sep 2016. The electric car was designed and built by engineering students at The Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research, in partnership with French electric car designers Venturi. It was driven by Roger Schroer (USA).
Diesel-engined car On 23Aug 2006, Andy Green (see above) drove the JCB Dieselmax to a speed of 563.418km/h (350.092mph) at Bonneville. Green broke his own record, achieved the day before at 526.027km/h (326.858 mph). Remarkably, he was not even in top gear. The previous mark of 379.413km/h (235.756mph), by Virgil Snyder in the streamliner Thermo King-Wynns, had stood since 1973.
Rocket car Blue Flame, a rocket-powered vehicle driven by Gary Gabelich (USA), attained a speed of 1,016.086km/h (631.367 mph) over the first measured kilometre at Bonneville on 23Oct 1970. The car was powered by a liquid natural-gas/hydrogen-peroxide rocket engine, which could develop thrust up to 22,000lbf (9,979kgf;97,860kN).
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MOTORCYCLES Most motorcycles sold (country)
According to a report by the New Atlas technology news website published on 17Aug 2017, India overtook China in the 2016–17 financial year to sell 17.59million motorcycles.
Greatest distance on a motorcycle in24hours (individual)
On 8Oct 2014, Matthew McKelvey (ZAF) covered 3,256.5km (2,023.5mi) in a day at the Phakisa Freeway in Welkom, South Africa.
Longest motorcycle Fastest conventional motorcycle speed (male) Richard Assen (NZ) reached a two-run average speed of 420.546km/h (261.315mph) on a modified Suzuki Hayabusa at Bonneville on 23Sep 2011. The vehicle was partially streamlined, which meant that Assen was not fully enclosed by the fairing orbodywork.
Bharat Sinh Parmar (IND) created a 26.29-m-long (86-ft 3-in) motorcycle – longer than five London taxi cabs – as confirmed at Lakhota Lake in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India, on 22Jan 2014.
Longest modified motorcycle wheelie (distance)
Yasuyuki Kudo (JPN) rode 331km (205.7mi) non-stop on the rear wheel of his Honda TLM220R motorcycle at the Japan Automobile Research Institute proving ground in Tsukuba, near Tsuchiura, Japan, on 5 May 1991. On 28Feb 2015, Robert Gull (SWE) rode the fastest motorcycle wheelie on ice – 206.09km/h (128.06mph) – onaBMW S1000RR bike in Årsunda, Sweden.
First attempted motorcycle parachute jump
In Nov1926, aviator Fred Osborne (USA) drove a four-cylinder motorcycle off the 200-ft (61-m) Huntington Cliff, north of Los Angeles in California, USA. He pulled the ripcord on his parachute but had not allowed enough time for it to deploy fully. Osbornewas seriously injured but survived – probably because telephone cables partly broke hisfall. The bike was destroyed.
FASTEST… Steam-powered motorcycle
William “Bill” Barnes (USA) reached 80.509mph (129.566km/h) on a steam-powered bike at the EastCoast Timing Association’s Ohio Mile speed trialsin Wilmington, Ohio, USA, on 27Sep 2014. Fastest conventional motorcycle speed (female) Leslie Porterfield (USA) reached 374.208km/h (232.522mph) on a modified Suzuki Hayabusa at Bonneville on 5Sep 2008. In accordance with standard practice, the record was the average of two timed runs over amile (1.6km) in oppositedirections.
Motorcycle speed record (fastest motorcycle) On 25Sep 2010, Rocky Robinson (USA) achieved an average speed of 605.697km/h (376.363mph) in his TOP1 Ack Attack streamliner over a measured kilometre (0.6mi) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. The speed is approximately half that of the speed of sound.
Motorcycle crash survived
Jason McVicar (CAN) was travelling at 391km/h (243mph) when he suddenly lost control of his Suzuki Hayabusa at Bonneville in2008. It is believed that the accident was caused by a piece of debris that punctured the rear tyre. Paramedics were amazed to find McVicar alive. He was rushed to hospital suffering a broken kneecap and friction burns, sustained through his leathers from sliding across the salt at such speed. Remarkably, he was discharged the same day. Most expensive motorcycle sold at auction The “Captain America” Harley-Davidson Panhead was ridden by Peter Fonda’s character Wyatt in the movie Easy Rider (USA, 1969). It sold for $1.35 m (£839,133) as part of an auction of Hollywood memorabilia in Los Angeles, California, USA, on 18Oct 2014. Several bikes were made for filming, but this is thought to be the only survivor.
Tandem motorcycle
On 20Sep 2011, Erin Hunter and Andy Sills (both USA) rode a BMW S1000RR to 291.98km/h (181.426mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. The duo took turns as pilot and passenger over two timed runs.
Motorcycle wheelie
On 18Apr 1999, Sweden’s Patrik Fürstenhoff attained a speed of 307.86km/h (191.3mph) on the back wheel of a Honda Super Blackbird 1100cc Turbo. His record run took place at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire, UK.
MOTORCYCLE STUNTS
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Longest motorcycle ramp jump
Longest ramp-to-ramp backflip on a motorcycle
On 29Mar 2008, Robbie Maddison (AUS) performed a 351-ft (106.98-m) ramp jump – around the same distance as the length of an American football field. The record-breaking leap took place at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records at Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria,Australia.
On 29Mar 2008, Cameron “Cam” Sinclair (AUS) carried out a 39.49-m (129-ft 7-in) backflip between ramps at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records at Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne, Australia. In 2009, he had a near-fatal accident, but fought back to win the MotoX Best Trick at 2010’s XGamesXVI with a double backflip.
Largest human motorcycle pyramid On 5Jul 2001, the Dare Devils Team of the Indian Army Signal Corps assembled a motorcycle pyramid of 201men balanced on 10motorcycles, at Gowri Shankar Parade Ground in Jabalpur, India. On 28Dec 2013, the team also achieved the most people ononemotorcycle – 56 – at Dumna Airport in Jabalpur.
First motorcycle: Gottlieb Daimler built a wooden-framed machine at Bad Cannstatt, Germany, in Oct– Nov 1885. It was first ridden by Wilhelm Maybach (both DEU).
Smallest motorcycle Tom Wiberg (SWE) built a motorcycle with a front-wheel diameter of 16mm (0.62in) and a rearwheel diameter of 22mm (0.86in). He rode it for more than 10m (32ft 9in) in Hökerum, Sweden, in 2003. The micro machine has an 80‑mm (3.14-in) wheelbase, a seat height of 65mm (2.55in), weighs 1.1kg (2lb 6oz) and can reach 2km/h (1.24mph), powered by its 0.22-kW (0.3-hp) engine.
First mass-production motorcycle: Germany’s Hildebrand & Wolfmüller factory opened in 1894. In two years, it had issued more than 1,000 bikes with 1,488-cc (90.8-cu-in) engines.
First 3D-printed motorcycle: In 2015, TE Connectivity (CHE/ USA) unveiled an orange-and-blue Harley-Davidson replica. Of its 100parts, 76were 3D-printed.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
It took six mon build the giga ths to below. Measur ntic bike ing (32ft 10in) long10.03m powered by a 5.7, it is V8 motor and ha -litre forward gears,s three plus reverse.
Tallest rideable motorcycle This larger-than-life chopper measures 5.10m (16ft 8.78in) tall from the ground to the top of its handlebars – making it around the same height as a giraffe. It is 2.5m (8ft 2in) wide, weighs some 5,000kg (11,020lb) and is six times larger than a standard chopper. The wheels were taken from industrial excavators. Constructed by FabioReggiani (ITA, pictured), it was ridden around a100-m (328-ft) course at Montecchio Emilia, Italy, on 24Mar 2012.
Longest motorcycle backflip(female)
Longest motorcycle jump with a passenger
Most forward rolls on a motorcycle in one minute
On 17Nov 2008, Jolene Van Vugt (CAN) successfully landed a backflip measuring 12.36m (40ft 7in) for the MTV show Nitro Circus in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. She was riding an RM125 Yamaha motorcross, but had practised using a 110‑ccminibike and a foam pit. It was the first time a female rider had been recorded completing the stunt.
Jason Rennie (UK) jumped 96ft (29.26m) on his Yamaha YZ250 motorcycle, with his girlfriend Sian Phillips riding pillion, on 12Nov 2000. Incredibly, the first time Sian rode on the back of Jason’s motorcycle was at a practice session just four days before the successful jump at Rednal airfield near Oswestry inShropshire, UK.
Balázs Balla (HUN, pictured) performed 10forward rolls on a motorcycle in 60sec at the “Extrém Nap Rétság” event in Nógrád, Hungary, on 27May 2017. For the purpose of the record, a forward roll was defined as an axial roll, where the back wheel lifts up to bring the motorcycle over the rider. Balla was riding a PiaggioZip1996, modified with a special circular frame. He is a member of the Rétság Riders Team, and has been a licensed motorcycle competitor for a decade. 169
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BOATS & SHIPS Oldest shipwreck
A wreck discovered off the Greek island of Dokos in the Aegean on 23Aug 1975 by Peter Throckmorton, of the Hellenic Institute of Marine Archaeology, dates to 2,200bce –making it more than 4,200years old.
Longest time adrift at sea Largest boat lift A mechanical lift for boats and ships located at the Three Gorges Dam on China’s Yangtze River can lift ships of up to 3,000tonnes (6.6millionlb) in weight, 18m (59ft) in width and 120m (394ft) in length. It lifts or lowers them through a vertical distance of 113m (371ft) to the other side.
The longest known time that anyone has survived adrift at sea is approximately 484days, by Captain Oguri Jukichi and one of his sailors, Otokichi (both JPN). After their cargo ship was damaged in a storm off the Japanese coast in Oct1813, they drifted in the Pacific before being rescued by an American ship off California, USA, on 24Mar 1815.
Busiest port for cargo volume
The Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan (CHN) turned over 900million tonnes (992million US tons) of cargo in2016. The 191-berth port rose to dominance after it merged with the neighbouring Zhoushan Port Group in2015. Located on the East China Sea, the port was established in 738ce, during the Tang Dynasty.
LARGEST...
Crew on a warship
Floating crane
Thialf is a 201.6-m-long (661‑ft 5‑in) semi-submersible barge with two cranes and a lifting capacity of 14,200tonnes (31.3millionlb). It has accommodation for 736people and a helicopter pad. The lower section of the hull can be flooded to increase stability and allow the barge to operate in rough seas.
Submarine
The Russian 941Akula-class submarines are believed to have a dived displacement of 26,500tonnes (58.422millionlb) and to measure 171.5m (562ft 7in) in length. The launch of the first Akula class at the secret covered shipyard at Severodvinsk in the White Sea was announced by NATO on 23Sep 1980. Largest rotating boat lift Linking the Forth & Clyde and Union canals, the Falkirk Wheel in Falkirk, UK, measures 35m (114ft)high, 35m wide and 30m (98ft) long. Itcan carry more than eight boats at a time, and has reduced transfer times between the two canals from almost a dayto 15min.
Largest naval hovercraft The Russian Zubr (“Bison”) class of air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC) measures 57m (187ft) long and 25.6m (83ft11in) wide, with a full-load displacement of 555tonnes (1.22million lb). Capable of speeds up to 63knots (116km/h; 72mph), the huge hovercraft can deliver 360troops orthree battle tanks on to beaches. The 10 US Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers each transport around 5,680personnel when battle-ready, of which 3,200are ship’s company and at least 2,280belong to the Air Wing. The carriers are the largest warships afloat and eachcarry around 80aircraft.
Uncrewed ship
In Apr2016, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA, USA) launched the Sea Hunter, an uncrewed trimaran measuring 40m (131ft) in length. It is a prototype for a new class of drone ship, able to head thousands of miles out to sea to monitor ocean depths for submarines. The Sea Hunter cost $20million (£15.2million) to develop.
Largest construction ship Built in South Korea at an approximate cost of $3bn (£2.27bn) and launched on 26Jan 2013, the Pioneering Spirit has a gross tonnage of 403,342. The ship’s hull has alength of 382m (1,253 ft) and a breadth of 124m (407ft). The vessel is used for super-heavy marine construction tasks, for example dismantling oil rigs.
A FLEET FLEET Fastest destroyer
Fastest propeller-driven boat At the International Hot Boat Association (IHBA) World Finals on 22Nov 2009, Daryl Ehrlich (USA) attained a speed of 420km/h (260.98mph; 226.78 knots) in the propeller-driven Problem Child at Firebird Raceway near Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The Top Fuel Hydro boat had been built by “Fast” Eddie Knox (USA). 170
Le Terrible, a 2,900-tonne (6.4-million‑lb) French destroyer, reached a speed of 45.25knots (83.8 km/h; 52mph) in1935. Built in Blainville, France, she was powered by four Yarrow small-tube boilers and two Rateau geared turbines giving 100,000hp (74,570kW). LeTerrible was eventually scrapped in1962.
Fastest operational class of warship First commissioned in1999, the six attack craft of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Skjold class can exceed 60knots (111km/h; 69mph). The ships – known as kystkorvette (coastal corvettes) – rideupon a cushion of air and are perfectly suited for the shallow waters and rocky inlets of the Norwegian fjords.
MS Harmony of the Seas
10
hot tubs
11,252 works of art
1,400 theatre seats
20
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
the The Harmony of“living Seas contains a plants 00 park” with 10,6 ich grow wh s, ee tr 52 d an in automaticallyr irrigated plante beds.
Largest passenger liner Launched on 19Jun 2015, the French-built MS Harmony of the Seas measures 1,188ft (362.1m) long – longer than three soccer pitches – 216ft (66m) wide and has a gross tonnage of226,963. There are 18decks, accommodating 2,100crew and 6,780passengers. The luxury liner is powered by six giant engines developing a total of 96,000kW (128,738hp) of power, giving it a top speed of 25knots (46km/h; 29mph). Fastest military submarine
Water-speed record (fastest boat) On 8Oct 1978, Ken Warby (AUS) reached a speed of 275.97 knots (511.09km/h; 317.58mph) in the unlimited-class jet-powered hydroplane Spirit of Australia on Blowering Dam Lake in New South Wales, Australia. This is the official water-speed record, although Warby may have gone faster at the same location on 20Nov 1977.
The Russian Alfa class of hunter/killer nuclear-powered submarine had a reported maximum speed of more than 40knots (74km/h; 46mph). The sub had a double-hull design constructed from lightweight titanium, and was manned by a small crew operating from a single control room. Itspowerful nuclear reactor wascooled with liquid metal.
Water attractions on the luxury liner Harmony of the Seas include swimming pools, a 10-storey water slide and two FlowRider surf simulators (above).
Fastest ferry Built in2013 and owned by the Argentine ferry company Buquebus, the HSC Francisco is a gas-turbine-powered catamaran ferry that operates the 140-mi (225-km) route across the Río de la Plata estuary between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay. Ithas a top speed of 58.1knots (107km/h; 67mph).
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CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE Largest known prime number
On 26Dec 2017, a free software program installed on a computer by Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) subscriber Jonathan Pace (USA) discovered a new prime number with 23,249,425digits. Known as M77232917, it was found by calculating the result of 2to the power of 77,232,917 and then subtracting 1. At nearly 1million digits larger than the previous record, it sits in a special class of very rare numbers known as Mersenne primes. It is the 50thMersenne prime ever discovered.
Fastest hyperloop (vactrain) pod
Smallest neutrino detector On 4Aug 2017, scientists from the international COHERENT project published a paper confirming that they had detected neutrinos – fundamental particles in the universe – striking the nuclei of atoms. The detector measured 103x 325mm (4in x 1ft 1in) and weighed just 32lb (14.5kg). This interaction had been predicted in1974, but never observed until this point.
A hyperloop is a proposed mass transit system that would send “pods” similar to high-speed train carriages through airless tunnels. As the pods are travelling through a near vacuum, they would not be slowed by air resistance, allowing for energy-efficient travel at speeds currently only practicably attainable by aircraft. The fastest speed reached by a hyperloop pod is 240mph (386km/h), by the XP-1 at the Hyperloop One (USA) test track near Las Vegas in Nevada, USA, in Dec 2017. The XP-1 is an experimental prototype measuring 28ft 6in (8.68m) long and 8ft 10.8in (2.71m) tall. It uses a linear electric motor for propulsion and is supported by magnetic levitation instead of wheels.
First smartphone camera to see around corners
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, introduced image-analysis algorithms into a smartphone camera system known as “CornerCameras” in Oct2017. The algorithms analysed the subtle shading and colour of light scattered off floors and walls in the camera’s view to anticipate what objects around a corner might be producing them. This technology could one day be incorporated into driverless vehicles, enabling them to “see” potential hazards that lie out of sight.
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Most wins of the World Solar Challenge
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is an endurance race for solar-powered cars. It was first run in 1987, and has been held biennially since 1999. The race was created to encourage research into solar-powered vehicles and takes place in Australia during the southern-hemisphere summer along a 3,022‑km (1,878‑mile) route from Darwin to Adelaide. The Nuon Solar Team from the Delft University of Technology (NLD) have won the race a record seven times, in2001 (also the first year they entered), 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2015 and 2017. The Nuon team have also achieved the fastest average speed in the World Solar Challenge, when their Nuna3 completed the 2005 race in 29hr 11min at an average speed of 102.75km/h (63.84mph). The high speeds of the 2005 entrants caused major problems for the support crews trying to keep upwith them in conventional cars. Coldest man-made object Using uniquely configured laser beams, a team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado, USA, cooled a microscopic aluminium drum to 360microkelvin (-273.14964°C; -459.66935°F). At near absolute zero (-273.15°C; 459.67°F) – the lowest temperature possible – this is colder than anywhere in the universe, around 10,000times chillier than the vacuum of space.
GOING ELECTRIC Greatest distance by electric vehicle (single charge; non-solar) On 16–17Oct 2017, the Phoenix electric car covered 1,608.5km (999.5mi) at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, USA. Recycled parts make up more than 90% of the car, which was driven and co-created by Eric Lundgren (USA, left), CEO of IT Asset Partners (ITAP). 172
Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously Intel Corporation (USA) put 1,218 drones in the air at the same time in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, on 12Dec 2017. Among other configurations, the Intel Shooting Star drones (inset) formed five interlocking rings in a display at theJeongseon Alpine Centre in Pyeongchang, where the 2018 Winter Olympics were held.
Most efficient electric vehicle An eight-strong team from TUfast (all DEU; driver Lisa Kugler, right) created eLi14, which has aconsumption of 81.16Watt hours (Wh)/100km, as verified in Neustadt, Germany, on 16Jul 2016. It drove 25km (15.5mi) at an average speed of 25km/h (15.5mph). (1Wh represents 1Watt of power expended over 1hr.)
Ig Noble prize-winners Awarded each year since 1991, these gongs celebrate studies and experiments that combine humour with hard science. Here is a selection from the 2017 ceremony.
Can a cat be both a solid and a liquid? (Physics Prize) Marc-Antoine Fardin used this question to probe fluid dynamics.
Why do old men have big ears? (Anatomy Prize) Past the age of 30, men’s ears grow2mm (0.07in) each decade, JamesHeathcote discovered.
The didgeridoo and sleep (Peace Prize) Sixscientists showed that playing one could help reduce snoring and sleepapnea.
First parachute jump from a drone
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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The drone’s 28 motors are arranged into 14 pusherpuller “nacelles” (engine housings). They give it a payload capacity of 100kg (220lb) – comfortably enough to lift a person.
On 12May 2017, BASE-jumper Ingus Augstkalns (LVA) carried out a parachute jump from a drone near the village of Māļi in Latvia. He was released from a height of 330m (1,082ft) by a heavylift multirotor built by Latvian dronemaker Aerones. The drone measures 34.4sqft (3.2m2) and weighs 70kg (154lb). Sixmonths’ preparationhad gone into this brief flight and parachute jump. During that time, the team at Aerones increased the payload, building upto 200kg (440lb).
Augstkalns climbed to the top of a radio mast, where the drone met him. He clipped himself on to it and flew a short distance before being released and parachuting to the ground.
Fastest speed on an electric skateboard
Longest journey by electric motorcycle
Greatest distance by electric bicycle (single charge)
On 27Oct 2015, Mischo Erban (CAN/CZE) reached 95.83km/h (59.55mph) on an electric skateboard – around the same speed as a running gazelle, and nearly as fast as a cheetah, the fastest land animal over short distances. The record was set on a runway at Portorož Airport, near the village of Sečovlje in Slovenia.
Between 10Jun and 23Jul 2013, Nicola Colombo and Valerio Fumagalli (both ITA) rode 12,379km (7,691.9mi) on 44-hp (32.8-kW) Zero FX electric motorcycles. They crossed 11countries, from Shanghai in China to Milan in Italy, as part of Meneghina Express – a project to investigate global food nutrition and sustainability.
Vitalii Arhipkin (UKR) covered 367.037km (228.066mi) on a Delfast model Prime e-bike at Kiev Velodrome in the Ukrainian capital on 12Oct 2017. That’s greater than the distance from London, UK, to Paris, France. Arhipkin completed 1,317laps of the circuit, with twobrief stops en route, taking approximately 17hr in total. 173
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
EPIC ENGINEERING Widest bridge
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge is a complex of bridges across San Francisco Bay in California, USA. The bridge is 78.740m (258ft 3in) wide, including 10 lanes of roadway, a 4.724-m-wide (15-ft 6-in) bike path and a gap where the central pylon supports the two bridge deck sections.
Longest floating bridge
Opened in Apr2016, the Governor Albert D Rosellini Bridge (or the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge) spans Lake Washington to connect the cities of Seattle and Bellevue in Washington, USA. It is 2,349.55m (7,708ft) long.
Largest highway system
The National Trunk Highway System (NTHS) in China totalled at least 131,000km (81,399mi) by the end of 2016.
Longest road tunnel
Largest observation (Ferris) wheel The Las Vegas High Roller, located at The LINQ in LasVegas, Nevada, USA, has an outside diameter of 161.27m (529ft 1.4in) and a total height of 167.5m (549ft 6.4in). Itopened to the public on31Mar 2014.
es The Three Gorg ired qu Dam projec t re illionm³ m atotal of 27.47 uft) of (970.1millionc e than concrete – morlume of 10times the voramid the Great Py of Giza.
The tunnel between Aurland and Lærdal on the main road between Bergen and Oslo in Norway is 24.5km (15.2mi) long. The two-lane Lærdal Tunnel was opened by King Harald V on 27Nov 2000, and became available for public use in 2001.
Longest rail tunnel
Longest big-ship canal The Suez Canal, which links the Red and Mediterranean seas, opened on 17 Nov 1869. It took 10 years to build, utilizing a workforce of 1.5million people, of whom 120,000 perished during the construction. The canal is 193.3km (120.11mi) long, running from Port Said harbour to the Gulf of Suez. It is 205m (673ft) at its narrowest and 365m (1,198ft) at its widest.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is 57km (35.42mi) long. It runs between Göschenen and Airolo in Switzerland. The tunnel’s excavation was completed on 15Oct 2010, when engineers working 2,000m (6,561ft) beneath the Swiss Alps drilled through the last remaining rock. It opened on 1Jun 2016.
415tonnes (457.4tons) and reaches 147 m (482 ft 3in) in height, 12 m (39ft 4in) more than the London Eye observation wheel.
Tallest electricity pylon
Highest dam
Completed in 2010, the Damaoshan electricity pylon carries power cables from China’s Mount Damaoshan in Zhejiang Province to the Zhoushan Islands. The lattice tower stands 370m (1,213ft) tall and weighs 5,999tonnes (13.2millionlb). Itcarries a capacity of 600,000kW per day.
Largest offshore wind farm
The London Array wind farm occupies an offshore area of 100km² (38.6 sq mi) in the Thames Estuary. Its 175 Siemens turbines each generate 3.6 MW, creating total capacity of 630MW – enough power for nearly half a million UK homes. Each blade weighs 18 tonnes (39,683lb) and has a rotor diameter of 120m (393ft 8in). Each turbine tower weighs
The Jinping-I Dam in Sichuan, China, sits across the Yalong River. Featuring a double curvature thin arch, it peaks at 1,000ft (305m), making it almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The wall has a crest length of 568.5m (1,865ft). Designed by HydroChina Chengdu Engineering Corporation (CHIDI), the dam is owned by the Ertan Hydropower Development Company (both CHN). Largest concrete dam Construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China officially began on 14Dec 1994 and it became operational in 2005. The dam was built using 14.86millionm³ (525millioncu ft) of concrete and is 2,335m (7,661ft) long. Its top reaches 185m (607ft) abovesea level – higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza, London’s St Paul’s Cathedral or Seattle’s Space Needle.
MONSTER MACHINES Largest land vehicle The Bagger 293 bucket wheel weighs 14,196tonnes (31.3millionlb). This mammoth earth-mover is manufactured by TAKRAF of Leipzig in Germany. It is 220m (722ft) long, 94.5m (310ft) tall at its highest point and is capable of moving 240,000m³ (8.475millioncuft) of earth in one day. To see it in full LEGO ® glory go to pp.148-49.
Largest tunnel-boring machine Made by Japanese firm Hitachi Zosen, “Bertha” is 300ft (91m) long and weighs 6,900tons (6,259tonnes). Her colossal 17.5-m-diameter (57‑ft 6-in) cutting head – mounted with 600 small grinding discs – began drilling out the State Route99 tunnel below Seattle, USA, in 2013. It finished in 2017, having cut through 2mi (3.2km).
Deepest holes 1.2 km – deepest open pit mine (Bingham Canyon mine in Utah, USA) 3.9 km (as of 2012) – deepest mine (Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg in South Africa) 12.2 km – deepest research borehole (Zapolyarny on Kola Peninsula in Russia) 12.3 km – deepest oil well (Z-44 Chayvo Well on the Sakhalin Shelf in Russia)
Longest bridge
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge, on the Jinghu High-Speed Railway (aka the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway) is 164km (102mi) in length. The line, which opened in Jun2011, crosses the 114-km-long (70.8-mi) Langfang–Qingxian viaduct – itself the second-longest bridge in the world. It took 10,000 workers four years to complete the bridge, which stands at an average height of 100ft (30.48m) above ground level.
i) One 9-km (5.6 -mge part of the brid cheng Yang running across inforced to re Lake has been ral disasters, withstand natu quakes with including earthof 8 on the a magnitude d impact Richter scale, an els. from naval vess
Longest cable suspension bridge Linking Honshu and Awaji Island in Japan, the AkashiKaikyō road bridge has a main span of 1,990.8m (6,532ft, or 1.24mi) between its 297-m-tall (974-ft) towers. The length of a suspension bridge is typically taken to be its main span, as opposed to its total length.
Largest tower crane In standard configuration, the Danish-made Kroll K-10000 is capable of lifting 120tonnes (264,555lb) at an 82-m (269‑ft) radius (i.e., the distance from the central supporting column). It stands 120m (393ft) high on a rotating cylinder just 12m (39ft 4in) in diameter, but has 223tonnes (491,631lb) of counterweights to offset its 84-m (275-ft) load-carrying boom.
Largest dumper truck (two-axle) The BelAZ75710 has a rated payload capacity of 450tonnes (992,080lb). Made by BelAZ (BLR), it was first tested at their premises in Zhodino, Belarus, on 22 Jan 2014. The truck was built as part of the trend in the mining industry for increasing unit sizes of machinery so that they can move greater loads perhaulcycle.
Longest Tibet-style footbridge The 494-m (1,621-ft) Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge stretches 85m (278ft 10in) above the Grabengufer ravine near Randa in Switzerland. It is just 65cm (2ft 1.5in) wide. Built by Swissrope and Lauber SeilbahnenAG (both CHE), the bridge opened on 29Jul 2017.
Tallest bridge The 2,460-m-long (8,070‑ft) Millau Viaduct over the Tarn Valley in France stands on seven concrete piers, the loftiest being 244.96m (804ft) above the ground. The piers also support seven 87-m-tall (285-ft) masts; the distance from the top of the masts to the deepest point in the valley is 343m (1,125ft). Itwas designed by Foster +Partners (UK).
Largest grab dredger The gigantic scooping machines “Gosho” and “Tosho” each have a capacity of 200m³ (7,062.9cu ft), as verified in Tuas, Singapore, on26Jan 2017. Both are manufactured by KojimagumiCo. in association with Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Kawasaki HeavyIndustries (all JPN) andGermany’s Walter Hunger GmbH and Co. KG. 175
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ROUND-UP Longest time survived on Mars by a rover
Largest fatberg A fatberg is a lump of congealed fat, cooking oil, nappies, wet wipes and other personal hygiene products flushed down the toilet that causes a blockage in sewage systems. The largest one ever documented and reported by a water authority measured 250m (820ft) long and weighed an estimated 130tonnes (286,601lb), according to inspectors from Thames Water (UK). They encountered the blockage in a sewage pipe in London’s Whitechapel area in Sep2017.
Smallest greetings card In Dec 2017, the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, UK, used a beam of ions (positively charged atomic particles) to etch a Christmas card only 15x20 micrometres (0.00059x 0.00078in) in size. The card is made from a substrate of platinum-coated silicon nitride, and Christmas greetings are etched on its inner side. The greetings card is so small that when an electron microscope was used to “photograph” it, it moved off its stand and was lost somewhere in the microscope itself. 176
On 25Jan 2004, NASA’s Opportunity rover touched down on the surface of Mars, within a plain named Meridiani Planum. Two weeks earlier, its twin, Spirit, had landed on the other side of the planet. The two solar-powered rovers were intended to remain active for around 90Earth days, but proved to be surprisingly resilient. As of 29Jan 2018, Opportunity was still functioning a total of 14years 4days later. Spirit remained operational until it became stuck in soft soil in May2009; its solar panels became obscured by dust andit finally lost power on 22Mar2010.
Farthest distance driven on Mars Paolo Bellutta (ITA/USA) is a rover planner at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). As of 10 Jan 2018, JPL’s Mars rovers had travelled slightly more than 16.881km (10.489mi) under his control. This total combines the driving distance of the twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity (12,982m; 42,591ft) with that of the Curiosity rover (3,898 m; 12,788ft).
First 3D-printed ship propeller (prototype) The WAAMpeller was a collaboration between Rotterdam Additive Manufacturing LAB (RAMLAB), Promarin, Autodesk, Damen and Bureau Veritas. Created for tugboats, it has 298layers of nickel-aluminium-bronze alloy. Promarin provided the design in Apr2017; RAMLAB used Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) methods to create the propeller itself; and Bureau Veritas verified the process, approving the propeller inNov2017.
Longest orbital survey of an outer planet
At 11:55 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on 15Sep 2017, the Cassini spacecraft completed the “Grand Finale” phase of its near-20-year-long mission to study the planet Saturn and its moons. It then burned up on its final dive into the planet’s upper atmosphere. Cassini had begun its orbital survey 13years 76days earlier.
Longest orbital flight by a reusable spacecraft
Manufactured by Boeing (USA), the X-37B autonomous spaceplane spent 1year 352 days in orbit from 2015 to 2017. Its mission began
on 20May 2015, when it launched on an AtlasV booster from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA. It returned on 7May 2017, descending through the atmosphere with a sonic boom before touching down on the old Space Shuttle landing runway at the Kennedy Space Center.
because of the particular nature of the “blue ice” area drilled, which enables it to preserve ancient frozen layers. Air bubbles in the core were analysed and did not exceed 300 parts per million (PPM) of carbon dioxide. Compared with the levels of carbon dioxide in the air today, which have exceeded 410PPM, this shows how much less greenhouse gas was present in the earlieratmosphere.
Loudest room
The Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility (RATF) is a concrete-walled room 57ft (17.37 m) high, 47 ft 6in (14.47 m) long and 37ft 6in
100%
Oldest ice core
On 15Aug 2017, scientists drilling in the Antarctic announced that they had extracted a core of ice containing gas bubbles from 2.7million years ago. This beats the previous record holder by almost 2million years and is only possible
Longest duration spinning a fidget spinner (one finger) Takayuki Ishikawa (JPN) kept a fidget spinner spinning on one finger for 24min 46.34sec in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, on 11 Dec 2017. The spinner was made by MinebeaMitsumi Inc. and Mitsubishi Precision Co., Ltd (both JPN). MinebeaMitsumi also made the smallest fidget spinner (inset), which measures just 5.09mm (0.20in) wide. It weighs 0.027g (0.00095oz) – lighter than a grain of rice.
(11.43m) wide. The facility was completed in 2011. Part of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, it is located in the Plum Brook Station, a 6,400‑acre (2,590-ha) campus near Sandusky, Ohio, USA. It has 36huge loudspeaker horns (or “noise sources”) covering one wall. Driven by pressurized nitrogen gas, these speakers can saturate the room with 163dB of continuous noise for 10min. The RATF’s purpose is to test rocket parts, satellites and other space-related hardware to ensure that they can cope with the punishing noise ofarocket launch.
First mass-produced car in space The Falcon Heavy rocket’s maiden launch on 6Feb 2018 (see below) was also its test flight. As such, the spacecraft took a dummy payload: a Tesla Roadster car belonging to Elon Musk – owner of the rocket’s manufacturer, SpaceX. Amannequin astronaut is seated in the driver’s seat. At the point of booster engine cut-off, the Tesla Roadster was launched into its heliocentric (i.e., around the Sun) orbit at a calculated velocity of 33.5km/s (20.8mi/s; 74,937mph) relative to the Sun, or 11.15km/s (6.9mi/s; 24,942mph) relative to Earth. That also makes it – technically – the fastest car. taken This image wascameras l ra ve se of e on by e car, which mounted on th feed of the ive al ed id ov pr bit. The car’s spacecraft in orpeatedly plays re em st sy d soun and “Space “Life on Mars?”th by the Oddity”, bo Bowie. late singer David
Tightest knotted structure Knots can occur on a molecular level – even DNA has them. On 12 Jan 2017, a team from the University of Manchester, UK, announced that by braiding together three strands of molecules they had created a microscopicknot 192atoms long that crosses itself eight times – approximately once every 2.5nanometres (24atoms). Known as the 819 knot, it is represented as a model in the photograph above.
Newest chemical element
08/04/2016
(5.12millionlbf) of thrust at sea level and 24,681kN (5.54millionlbf) inthe vacuum of space. The rocket is 70m (229ft 7in) tall and weighs 1,420.788tonnes (3.13millionlb). Able to carry payloads of 63,800kg (140,655lb) into low-Earth orbit, Falcon Heavy is also the most powerful rocket by lift capacity, with around twice the payloadlifting capability of other operational heavy-lift rockets. Its second stage is embarked on an orbit around the Sun that may last for billions of years, carrying an unorthodox payload on its long trip (for more, see above).
First living organism with artificial DNA base pairs
In Nov2017, a new form of the bacterium E.coli was created at the Scripps Research Institute in California, USA. It contained two synthetic DNA base pairs that can create previously unknown proteins. The two new synthetic “X” and “Y” bases integrate into the natural DNA of E.coli. Scientists hope that this will lead to longer-lasting, more effective drugs for treating illnesses. The ability to make hardier proteins that the human body cannot easily break down could greatly improve the effectiveness of some drugs.
30/03/2017
The most recent chemical element to be synthesized is Tennessine (Ts), created in 2010 by Russian and American scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia. Six atoms were produced by shooting a beam of calcium ions into a target of berkelium. Tennessine has an atomic number of 117 and was formally recognized as a new element in Dec2015.
Most powerful rocket (current)
On 6Feb 2018, the Falcon Heavy rocket made its maiden flight, with lift-off at 3:45p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA. Built by UScompany SpaceX, Falcon Heavy has 27engines and three booster cores, creating 22,819kN
Largest Klein bottle First described in1882 by Felix Klein, his eponymous vessel is closed, with no border, and only one “side” (i.e., no discrete “inside” and “outside”). Clifford Stoll (USA, above) designed one 41.75in (106cm) high and 24.5in (62.2cm) wide, with a circumference of 64.37in (163.5cm). It was built by the Killdee Scientific Glass Company (USA) between2001 and2003. The bottle is on display at the Kingbridge Centre in Toronto, Canada – owned by John Abele (USA), who commissioned the vessel.
First 3D robotic billboard
First reuse of an orbital-class rocket stage At 22:27UTC on 30Mar 2017, a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket carrying communications satellite SES-10 took off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. It was deployed into orbit at 22:59UTC, some 32min after launch. This rocket had previously flown (and landed) on 8Apr 2016, having carried NASA commercial resupply mission CRS-8 to the International Space Station. This is the first time that a stage from an orbital-class rocket has been reused successfully.
On 8Aug 2017, The Coca-Cola Company (USA) erected a 210.22‑m² (2,262.78-sq-ft) three-dimensional billboard in Times Square, New York City, USA. It comprises1,960 robotic LED cubes; of these, 1,715 move and 245are static. The billboard is able to detect inclement weather and account for any changesintemperature.
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Making History
Container Ship At nearly 400m (1,312ft) from bow to stern, the largest container ships carry thousands of tonnes of cargo around the globe every day. In 2014, to celebrate the world’s largest ship at the time – the Maersk Line TripleE – LEGO® released a 1,518-piece reproduction. The real thing may be more than600 times larger, but even at this reduced scale, themodel reveals just how staggeringly enormous these container ships are.
Sea-faring vessels such as the Triple E, and the current record holder – the OOCL Hong Kong (right) – are among the largest structures built by humans. Technically, they are known as Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs), meaning that they can accommodate a minimum of 18,000 containers. Container-ship capacity is measured in “twenty-foot equivalent units”, or TEUs, in reference to the number of 20-ft-long (6-m) containers it can carry. More than 90% of cargo is transported by ship – including this very book! – so most of the world relies on these giants of the seas.
Fo r th e Re co rd
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Foremast Reusable freight containers, typically 20or 40ft (6 or 12m) long; stored in the hull and lashed to the deck
Maersk Line AP Møller-Mærsk (DEN) is the world’s largest container shipping line by TEU capacity, with a total of 4,158,171 owned and chartered containers as of Nov2017. It is also the largest by market share, operating 19.4% of the global cargo fleet, and by number of vessels, with779 owned and chartered ships. The firm was founded in1904and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Steel hull
Bulbous bow, designed toreduce wave resistance andlower fuel costs 178
Comparing The Giants of the Seas Container ships now rival oil tankers for the title of longest sea-faring vessels. The longest and largest ship ever was the Mont (previously known as Seawise Giant, Happy Giant, Jahre Viking and Knock Nevis) – an ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC) that measured 458.45m (1,504ft). It also became the largest ship scrapped when it was decommissioned in 2010. Not even the largest passenger ship or the longest naval vessel are as long as today’s container ships.
Mont – largest ship ever (458.45m)
Engines Ships of this size need a large engine. The Maersk Triple E, for example, runs on a pair of two-stroke, 32,000-kW (43,000 hp) engines that propel the ship to 19knots (35 km/h; 22mph). The OOCL Hong Kong, meanwhile, reaches a top speed of 23 knots (42km/h; 26mph) using a single diesel engine with an output of80,080kW (107,390hp).
OOCL - largest container ship (399.87m)
Harmony of the Seas - largest passenger ship (362.12m)
USS Enterprise - longest naval vessel (342m)
Bridge, from where the ship is commanded; positioned at a height ofabout 12 storeys from the deck
Chimneys
Low-drag paintwork Lifeboat
Did You Know? In 2014, the World Shipping Council estimated that 2,683 containers are lost at sea each year as the result of improper stowage, rough seas, collisions and sinkings. While this may sound like a lot, it works out at just 0.002% of the 120million container loads shipped annually. Indeed, container shipping is the most efficient mode of global transport for goods.
Cargo Capacity A single twenty-foot-equivalent (1-TEU) container can hold 6,000 pairs of shoes, so a 20,000-TEU ship would be able to carry 120 million pairs. The most capacious ship – the OOCL Hong Kong – can accommodate 21,413 TEU by storing the containers below deck in its efficient U-shaped hull and stacking them on deck arranged 23rows wide by 24bays long and up to 11 layers high.
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On 27–29Apr 2018, Marvel’s cross-franchise blockbuster Avengers: InfinityWar (USA) took $640,398,183 (£464.5m) worldwide, according to The-Numbers. com. With US-only takings of $257,698,183 (£186.9m) for this period, it is also the highest-grossing opening weekend at the domestic box office.
Highest-grossing opening weekend at the global box office
ARTS & MEDIA Blockbusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Movie Makers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 The Year in Pop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Top of the Pops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 IN FOCUS: Videogames. . . . . . . . . . . 192 Instagram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Twitter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 YouTube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Arts & Media Round-Up . . . . . . . . . . 200
CONTENTS
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BLOCKBUSTERS HIGHEST GLOBAL BOX-OFFICE GROSSERS Comedy Riotous comedy sequel The Hangover Part II (USA, 2011) – in which a group of friends live to regret their pre-wedding feast –has grossed $586,464,305 (£433,653,000). The highest-grossing black comedy is The Wolf of Wall Street (USA, 2013), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Martin Scorsese (both USA), which has earned $389,870,414 (£288,284,000). First fully oil-painted feature film Loving Vincent (POL/UK/ USA, 2017) tells the story of the last days of the artist Vincent van Gogh. In a complex, 10-year production process, actors were filmed in live-action footage, each frame of which was then meticulously over-painted by a team of 125animators. They used oil paints to mimic vanGogh’s characteristic swirling brushstrokes.
Romantic comedy Released worldwide in Feb2016, Stephen Chow’s fantasy adventure film Mei Ren Yu (aka The Mermaid; CHN) has earned $552,198,479 (£398,638,000) worldwide. Although only the 160th highest-grossing film of all time, it is the most financially successful romantic comedy ever. Drama The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (USA, 2012) accumulated $829,724,737 (£585,958,000) worldwide. It was the fifth and final instalment of the teen vampire dramaseriesbased on the books by Stephenie Meyer.
Documentary
Michael Jackson’s This Is It, documenting concert rehearsals by the US pop legend, was released on 28Oct 2009. The film took $200m (£119,673,000) in its first two weeks and went on to gross $252,091,016 (£186,405,000) worldwide. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011), a rare inside look at the rise of the Canadian singer from street performer to superstar, is the highest-grossing concert film ever. It has posted a box-office gross of $99,034,125 (£73,229,400). Live-action musical Disney’s live-action remake of its classic 1991 animation Beauty and the Beast (USA), which premiered at Spencer House in London, UK, on 23Feb 2017, has taken $1,263,109,573 (£845,738,000) at the global box office. The blockbuster musical, starring EmmaWatson as Belle and Dan Stevens (both UK) as Beast, beat out the previous record holder, Mamma Mia! (USA/ UK/DEU, 2008), which now ranks second with a lifetime gross of $615,748,877 (£455,307,000). * all figures as of 11 Apr 2018
THE NUMBERS The Numbers is the web’s biggest database of movie financial information, with figures on more than 31,000movies and 144,000people in the film industry. It was founded in 1997 by Bruce Nash, and is visited by more than 8million people every year. As well as movie fans, the major studios, independent production companies and investors use the site and its services to decide which movies to make and when to release them. The site gathers data from the movie studios, retailers, news reports and other sources to compile its database, known as OpusData. The database contains in excess of 8million facts about the movie business.
Highest-grossing superhero “origin” movie Black Panther (USA, 2018) had grossed $1,300,716,032 (£918,576,000) as of 11 Apr 2018. The Marvel film, starring Chadwick Boseman (USA, above) as hero T’Challa, passed the $1-billion (£706-m) mark in just 26 days. Horror Adapted from Stephen King’s 1986 novel about a group of children terrorized by an evil clown named Pennywise, It (USA, 2017) has taken $697,459,228 (£492,551,000) at the box office. Western Django Unchained (USA, 2012), written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L Jackson, has grossed $449,948,323 (£318,238,000) since its release on 25Dec 2012. In 2013, the western became the director’s highestgrossing film and won Oscars for both Waltz and Tarantino. Highest-grossing film Avatar (US/UK, 2009) had taken $2,783,918,982 (£2,058,530,000) worldwide as of 11Jan 2018. Its director, James Cameron (CAN), also masterminded the first movie to gross $1 billion at the worldwide boxoffice: Titanic (USA, 1997). Avatar became thefifth movie to do so, in 2009.
The blue skin certain Hindu des of were an influen ities look of the Na’vice on the The word “ava species. ta from Sanskrit anr” derives to the incarnat d refers ion a god on Earth of .
CEL MATES – ANIMATED CLASSICS
Highest-grossing animation (domestic, inflation-adjusted) Walt Disney’s first full-length feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (USA, 1937), took $184.9m (then £37.4m) at the US box office – equivalent to $1.2bn (£890m) as of 10May 2018. It was also the first movie with an official soundtrack. 182
Highest-grossing animation (global, non-adjusted)
Highest-grossing stop‑motion animation
Disney’s Frozen (USA, 2013; re‑released as a singalong version in 2014) has enjoyed box-office takings of $1.27bn (£829m). Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story The Snow Queen, it ranked 10th in the highest-grossing movies ever at the global box office until overtaken by BlackPanther (see above).
Chicken Run, created by Aardman Animations (UK) in partnership with DreamWorks (USA), earned $227m (£152.5m) upon its release in 2000. Stopmotion animation involves making a tiny change to a model, taking a snapshot, then making another tiny change. After months, even years, of this, you end up with a movie!
Most searched-for moviesof2017 Film fans love superheroes, classic fairy tales and – most of all – scaring themselves silly. That’s what 2017’s Google searches suggest, anyway…
1: It. A horror smash hit: seven children take on an evil entity in the form of creepy clown Pennywise.
2: Beauty and theBeast. Disney’s liveaction take on the fairy tale was a monster hit at the box office.
Highest-grossing film series As of 5Apr 2018, the 10 Star Wars movies had collectively grossed $8,926,704,817 (£6,342,370,000) worldwide, overtaking the Harry Potter series. This figure includes re-issues, special editions and EpisodeVIII: The Last Jedi (USA), which was released on 15Dec2017. It also covers the 2008animation The Clone Wars (USA) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (USA, 2016), the first “Anthology” film. The second – the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story – will see the sci-fi series’ gross rise.
3: Wonder Woman. Starring Gal Gadot, this superhero smash was the 10th highest-grossing movie of the year.
Highest-grossing adventure film Star WarsVII: The Force Awakens (USA, 2015) had grossed $2,058,662,225 (£1,522,250,000) at the worldwide box office by 11Apr 2018. On its release, the long-awaited seventh instalment in the legendary sci-fi franchise smashed several box office records, including fastest movie to gross $100million (in 24hr), $200million (in three days) and $500million (in 10days).
Highest-grossing animation (opening day)
Highest-grossing Japaneseanimated film
Most Oscar wins for BestAnimated Feature
Disney-Pixar’s Finding Dory (USA, 2016) – the long-awaited sequel to Finding Nemo (USA, 2003) – grossed $54.7m (£39.6m) from 4,305US cinemas when it opened to the public on 17Jun 2016. The 30th highest-grossing film of all time as of Apr2018, Finding Dory is also the highest-grossing film without a villain.
Released in 2016, Your Name (“Kimi no na wa”, JPN) grossed $342.8m (£245.6m) internationally. A romantic fantasy written and directed by Makoto Shinkai (JPN), the plot revolves around two teenagers who magically swap bodies. In Sep 2017, director JJ Abrams announced plans to make a liveaction version of the film.
Since this category was added to the Academy Awards in 2001, Pixar have won nine of the 17Oscars thus far presented. The winning animations (allUSA) were: Finding Nemo (2003), TheIncredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), ToyStory 3 (2010), Brave (2012), Inside Out (2015) and Coco (2017, right). 183
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MOVIE MAKERS Highest annual earnings for a film actor (ever)
Will Smith (USA) earned $80 m (£40.3m) in the year to 1Jun 2008 according to Forbes, with hits such as I Am Legend (USA, 2007) and Hanco*ck (USA, 2008). Iron Man star Robert DowneyJr (USA) matched the feat in the 12months to 1 Jun 2015, earning $80m (£50.8m) after the release of Avengers: Ageof Ultron (USA, 2015).
Most Academy Awards for Best Actress
Highest annual earnings for a film actress (current year) Emma Stone (USA) earned around $26m (£20.2m) pre-tax in the year to 1Jun 2017, according to Forbes, largely because of the success of multipleOscar-winner LaLa Land (USA, 2016; above).
Katharine Hepburn (USA, 1907–2003) won a total of four Academy Awards, for lead roles in Morning Glory (USA, 1933) in 1934, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (USA, 1967) in 1968, TheLion inWinter (UK, 1968) in 1969 and OnGolden Pond (USA,1981) in 1982. On 24Feb 2013, Daniel Day-Lewis (UK) won his third Academy Award for a lead role, the most Academy Awards forBest Actor. He picked up a statue for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in 2012’s Lincoln (USA/IND), to add to his winsfor There Will Be Blood (USA, 2007) and My Left Foot (IRL/UK, 1989). Day‑Lewis was the first actor to win threeOscars for a lead part.
Most profitable actor for a Hollywood studio According to Forbes, Jeremy Renner (USA) returned $93.80 (£73.04) for every $1 (£0.77) he was paid in the year to 1Jun 2017. During that time, he appeared in franchises such as Mission: Impossible and Marvel’s Captain America, as well as sci-fi movie Arrival (USA, 2016), which had grossed more than $203m (£158m) globally as of the same date. He is seen above as Hawkeye filming The Avengers (USA, 2012).
First woman to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography
On 23Jan 2018, Rachel Morrison (USA) received an Oscar nomination for her work on the film Mudbound (USA, 2017), making her the first woman to be so honoured in the 89-year history of theAcademy Awards. On the night, she was pipped to the prize by Roger Deakins for his work on Blade Runner 2049 (USA/UK/HUN/CAN, 2017).
HIGHEST-GROSSING… Actor in cameo roles As of 15Jan 2018, movies in which Marvel Comics creator StanLee (USA) made only a fleeting appearance had grossed $21,413,689,417 (£15,589,300,000). This figure combines the total global revenue (not adjusted for inflation) from the 37movies that he had appeared in to that date. Leemade his cinematic debut in Mallrats (USA, 1995). Highest annual earnings for a film actor (current year) From 1Jun 2016 to 1Jun 2017, US actor Mark Wahlberg enjoyed estimated pre-tax earnings of $68m (£52.9m), as revealed by Forbes. He is shown above playing Cade Yeager in 2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight (USA/CHN/CAN).
Film producer (male)
Movies produced by Kevin Feige (USA) had generated $13,508,528,266 (£9,806,310,000) globally as of 16Jan 2018. His credits include Marvel blockbusters such as the three Iron Man movies (all USA, 2008–13), Thor (USA, 2011), Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War (USA, 2016). Kathleen Kennedy (USA) is the highest-grossing film producer (female), her movies having taken more than $11,346,882,599 (£8,237,100,000) worldwide as of 16Jan 2018. Kennedy’s32films include such box-office smashes as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (USA, 1982), Jurassic Park (USA, 1993) andthe three instalments of the StarWars franchise up to StarWars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (USA, 2017).
Highest-grossing film directors • Male: The 32 theatrically released films by Steven Spielberg (USA, top inset), from The Sugarland Express (USA, 1974) to The Post (USA, 2017), had grossed $9,834,087,200 (£7,138,910,000) as of 16 Jan 2018. Above is a scene from his Ready Player One (USA, 2018), released as we went to press. • Female: As of 16Jan 2018, the six films by Nancy Meyers (USA, bottom inset), from The Parent Trap (USA, 1998)to The Intern (USA, 2015), had taken $1,351,805,585 (£981,323,000).
HIGHEST-GROSSING LEADING MOVIE STARS FOR…* Superhero films The seven superhero movies starring Robert DowneyJr have cumulatively grossed $7,382,381,753 (£4,943,010,000) at the worldwide box office. His role as Marvel’s Iron Man made Downey Jr the world’s best-paid actor between 2012 and2015. 184
Dramas The 21 drama films in which Tom Hanks (USA) played a leading role have grossed $4,323,924,637 (£3,147,850,000) at the worldwide box office. Hanks isshown below playing newspaper editor Ben Bradlee in The Post (USA, 2017).
Comedies The 22 comedy movies starring Adam Sandler (USA) have grossed $2,613,261,211 (£1,902,480,000). They include Grown Ups (USA, 2010), I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (USA, 2007), Click (USA, 2006) and TheLongest Yard (USA, 2005).
*source: The-Numbers.com. All figures accurate as of 15 Jan 2018
Highest-grossing*… Cinematographer: Andrew Lesnie (AUS, 1956–2015) – $7.96bn (£5.76bn) from 13 movies
Film editor: Michael Kahn (USA) – $11.32bn (£8.20bn) from 53movies
Screenwriter: Steve Kloves (USA) – $7.57bn (£5.48bn) from nine movies
Film composer: Hans Zimmer (DEU) – $27.71bn (£20.07bn) from 98movies
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*figures correct as of 5Mar 2018
Jackson’s m famous roles inost clu Marvel’s Nick Fu de ry (pictured) and Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction (USA , 1994).
Highest-grossing actor (all roles)
Highest-grossing actress (all roles)
Movies featuring Samuel L Jackson (USA) had taken a total global box-office gross of $17,831,510,183 (£12,981,500,000) as of 15Jan 2018. He had acting credits in 127 films, including 53 starring or co-star parts and 49 supporting appearances in such box-office hits as Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Based on all her movie appearances – including three roles as narrator and minor parts – Cate Blanchett (AUS) had grossed $10,884,289,810 (£7,923,850,000) in her 52films as of 15Jan 2018. She is shown above playing Hela, the goddess of death, in Thor: Ragnarok (USA, 2017).
Highest-grossing actor (leading roles) Globally, the 46 movies starring or co-starring JohnnyDepp (USA) had grossed $9,561,438,698 (£6,960,810,000) by 15Jan 2018.
Highest-grossing actor (supporting roles) As of 15Jan 2018, films featuring Warwick Davis (UK) in a supporting part had taken $14,548,112,029 (£10,591,100,000) worldwide.
Highest-grossing actress (leading roles) Emma Watson (UK) has appeared in 14movies (including all eight Harry Potter films), grossing $9,092,218,924 (£6,619,210,000).
Musicals The global cumulative gross of movies Moulin Rouge! (AUS/USA, 2001) and Beauty and the Beast (USA, 2017), both starring Ewan McGregor (UK), is $1,442,923,008 (£1,050,460,000). He is shown here in Moulin Rouge!, playing the part of the love-struck poetChristian.
Highest-grossing actress (supporting roles) The 17 movies featuring the voice of actress Mickie McGowan (USA) in a supporting role have grossed $8,286,733,896 (£6,032,810,000).
Action films
Romantic comedies US actress Julia Roberts, whose breakthrough came in Pretty Woman (USA, 1990), has appeared in eight romantic comedy movies to date. Also including Notting Hill (UK/USA, 1999) and Runaway Bride (USA, 1999), they have taken $1,651,919,358 (£1,202,610,000).
Vin Diesel (USA, b.Mark Sinclair) has starred in 13actions films since 2001, grossing a total of $5,855,350,823 (£3,920,560,000). Notable action roles include xXx’s stuntman-turned-spy Xander Cage and street racer Dominic Toretto from the Fast and the Furious series (right). 185
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THE YEAR IN POP Biggest-selling album worldwide (current year)
Ed Sheeran’s (UK) ÷ (“Divide”) sold 6.1 million albums in 2017 – the latest year for which full figures are available – according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
Most streamed track worldwide
Best-selling digital single worldwide (current year) EdSheeran’s “Shape of You” sold 26.6million units (single-track downloads and track-equivalent audio streams) in 2017, accordingto the IFPI. The track spent 33consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, including 12weeks at No.1 – the most weeks in the Top 10 of the US Hot 100. “Shape of You” is also the most streamed track on Spotify, with 1,655,258,694 streams asof 6Mar 2018.
“Despacito” (“Slowly”) had been streamed more than 4.6billion times as of 19Jul 2017. Originally performed by LuisFonsi (b. Luis Alfonso López-Cepero) with DaddyYankee (b. Ramón Rodríguez; both PRI), its popularity was boosted by a remix featuring Justin Bieber (CAN), which took it into the record books just 188days after its release on 12Jan 2017 (see right). On 3Aug 2017, exactly 203 days after it was uploaded, the original “Despacito” video became the most watched video online ever, with 3billion views (see p.198).
Most streamed track in one week in the USA (female)
Taylor Swift’s (USA) “Look What You Made Me Do” attracted 84.4million US streams for the week ending 31Aug 2017, according to Nielsen Music. The track was streamed more than 8 million times on Spotify on 24–25 Aug 2017, making it the most streamed track on Spotify in the first 24 hours. With 43.2 million YouTube viewers on 27–28Aug 2017, “Look What You Made Me Do” is also the most watched video online in 24 hours and the mostwatched video on VEVO in 24hours.
Most consecutive years with a Japanese No.1 single
KinKi Kids’ (JPN) single “Topaz Love”/“DESTINY” extended their run of consecutive years with a No.1 hit on the Oricon Singles Chart to 22 (1997–2018). Find another KinKi Kids record on p.187.
Highest percentage of internet users listening to licensed audio-streaming services (single year)
Most weeks at No.1 in the USA (single) On the Billboard Hot 100 dated 9Sep 2017, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber spent a record-tying 16th straight week at No.1, matching the achievement of the ballad “One Sweet Day”, by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (both USA), in 1995–96. with the first on 5Nov 1994 and the latest on 29Apr 2017. She also has the most Premio Lo Nuestro Awards by an individual: 30, between 1990 and 2015.
Farthest recorded music from Earth
The Voyager Golden Record was 21.15billionkm (13.14billionmi) from Earth, as of 9Mar 2018. The 12-inch, gold-plated disc, a time capsule for any alien life out there, is on NASA’s Voyager1 probe – the most remote man-made object, which launched on 5Sep 1977. It includes “Melancholy Blues” by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven, “Johnny B Goode” by Chuck Berry and “Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground” by Blind Willie Johnson.
In Sep 2017, a report by the IFPI revealed that 45% of consumers listened to recorded music via a licensed audio-streaming service such as Apple Music or Spotify, a 21.6% rise from 2016.
Most Latin Grammy Award wins
At the 18th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on 16Nov 2017, Residente, aka René Pérez, won his 23rd (“Best Urban Music Album”) and 24th (“Best Urban Song” for “Somos Anormales”) awards. This equalled the Latin Grammys won by his Calle 13 band-mate Eduardo “Visitante” Cabra (both PRI), who was named “Producer of the Year”. At the same ceremony, Shakira (COL, b. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) won her 11th award, taking home the “Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album” prize for her 2017 album El Dorado. This represents the most Latin Grammy Award wins by a female. The longest stay at No.1 on the US Hot Latin Songs chart by a single artist is 22 weeks, by JBalvin (COL) with “Ginza”, from the chart weeks dated 11Oct 2015 to 12Mar 2016. The most Top 10 hits on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart (female) is 27, by Olga Tañón (PRI),
Most consecutive weeks on the US singles chart (multiple singles) Between the debut of “Best I Ever Had” on 23May2009 and the final chart weeks of “Passionfruit” and “Signs” on 19Aug 2017, Drake (CAN) spent 431 consecutive weeks – eight years 88 days – on the Billboard Hot 100. The Toronto-born rapper charted with 157 tracks, including 105 as lead artist.
IN THE GLOBAL GROOVE Most viewed music video online in 24hours by a K-pop group With 21million YouTube viewers on 18–19Sep 2017, “DNA” by BTS (KOR) is the most watched video by a K-pop group in a 24‑hr period. On 19Nov 2017, BTS became the first K-pop act to perform at the American Music Awards, singing “DNA”. “K-pop” stands for “Korean pop”. 186
Oldest winner at the Latin Grammy Awards Magín Díaz (COL, b. 30Dec 1922) picked up a Latin Grammy for “Best Recording Package” for the album El Orisha de la Rosa at the age of 94years 321days. Díaz was honoured at the 18thAnnual Latin Grammy Awards, which was staged at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on 16Nov 2017.
US music industry* On average, Americans listen to music for more than 4hr every day. AM/FM radio attracts the majority (52%) of all listeners.
Vinyl sales have risen by 4% to $430m (£349.4m). In all, however, physical music products fell to just 22% of the market.
Digital sales account for 78% of all music industry revenue. This has risen 23% from 2015 to $5.8bn (£4.7bn).
Streaming makes up 51% of revenue – some $3.9bn (£3.1bn). Around432 billion songs were streamed on demand in 2016.
*Source: Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Figures for 2016
Taylor Swift is the only act to have notched up four million-selling weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart since Nielsen started tracking sales in 1991. The country-music star turned pop icon achieved the feat with first-week sales of her four most recent albums, which all debuted at No.1: Speak Now (1.047million copies; 13Nov2010); Red (1.208million; 10Nov 2012); 1989 (1.287million; 15Nov2014) and Reputation (1.216million; 2Dec2017). Swift had previously shared the record of three weeks with Adele (UK).
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Most million-selling weeks on the US albums chart
Most Grammy Award nominations for a female artist As announced on 28Nov 2017, Beyoncé (USA) received her 63rd Grammy nomination for “Family Feud” (above), on which she features alongside husband Jay-Z. The track was acontender for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration”.
Swift is shown in for video a still from the u Made “Look What Yo release st Me Do” – the fir putation, from 2017’s Re l No.1 an internationa e). (see opposit
First Middle-Eastern musician to crowdfund a debut single
Most consecutive Japanese No.1 singles from debut
Faia Younan (SYR) used the Arabian crowdfunding platform Zoomaal to launch her professional career with the single “Ohebbou Yadayka” (“I Love Your Hands”). Backed by 119 contributors, the project reached its funding target of $25,000 (£16,696; SYP5,361,250) on 19Apr 2015.
KinKi Kids, aka the (unrelated) duo Koichi Domoto and Tsuyoshi Domoto, have had 39consecutive No.1 hits since debuting on the Oricon Singles Chart with “Garasu no Shōnen” on 28Jul 1997. Their 39th chart-topper was “Topaz Love”/”DESTINY”, which debuted at No.1 on 5Feb 2018.
Most points scored at the Eurovision Song Contest On 13 May 2017, Salvador Sobral (PRT) secured Portugal’s first-ever Eurovision win, with “Amar Pelos Dois”. The ballad received 758points from the combined jury (382points) and public (376) votes, including 30top scores of 12points. Sobral smashed the record set in 2016 by Jamala (UKR), whose “1944” won 534points. 187
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TOP OF THE POPS First million-selling record
The earliest record to sell more than a million copies was “Vesti la giubba” from Leoncavallo’s opera Pagliacci, sung by Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso (1873–1921). It was recorded in Nov1902 and released by Victor Talking Machine Company.
Best-selling single
Highest annual earnings for a celebrity (ever) Michael Jackson (USA, 1958–2009) earned $825m (£636m) in the year up to 1Oct 2016, according to Forbes. The bulk of the “King of Pop”’s earnings came from the sale of Jackson’s half of the Sony/ATV music publishing catalogue for $750 m (£521m)inMar2016.
Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” has sold an estimated 50million copies worldwide. The festive favourite was written by Irving Berlin in1940 and recorded in just 18min on 29May 1942. It was introduced in Berlin’s musical movie Holiday Inn (USA, 1942), which starred Crosby and Fred Astaire. The best-selling single since charts began – in the 1950s – is Elton John’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/ “Candle inthe Wind 1997”, with worldwide sales of 33million.
Best-selling album
First released in Nov1982, Thriller by Michael Jackson has racked up estimated sales of more than 66million copies worldwide. On 16Feb 2017, it received its 33rdplatinum certificate from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This marked sales of 33million units in Jackson’s homeland, making Thriller the biggest-selling album in the USA.
Longest-running group with no line-up changes (active) Dusty Hill (vocals/bass, left), Billy Gibbons (vocals/guitar, above centre) and Frank Beard (drums, right) have been members of ZZ Top (USA) since1969 – a total of 48years, as of Jan2018. Only Gibbons featured in the band’s first line-up, which lasted less than a year. Famous for hits such as “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, the hirsute rockers were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in2004.
Fastest-selling album (one country)
Adele’s (UK) 25 sold 3,378,000 first-week copies in the USA todebut at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart on 26Nov 2015, according to Nielsen Music. No other album in history has sold as many copies in a single country during its first week of release. The fastest-selling album is 1 by The Beatles (UK), which shifted 3.6million copies on its first day of release – 13Nov 2000 – and went on to sell 13.5million copies around the world in its first month.
Highest-grossing music tour
The “360°Tour” by Irish band U2 grossed $736,137,344 (£465,350,113) from 110shows staged between 30Jun 2009 and 30Jul 2011. More than 7million fans witnessed thespectacle. Highest annual earnings for a band (current year) Rock group Coldplay (UK) earned an estimated $88m (£68.5m) in the 12months to 1Jun 2017, according to the Forbes “Celebrity100”list. Their “AHead Full of Dreams Tour” visited five continents and earned the band in excess of $5m (£3.8m) for every city in which they played.
Largest simultaneous rock-concert attendance
On 2Jul 2005, an estimated 1million people attended concert venues in 10cities around the world, including London, Philadelphia, Johannesburg and Moscow, for Live8. The largest simultaneous rock-concert TV audience is 1.9billion people in 150countries, who watched the dualvenue Live Aid charity concerts on 13Jul 1985.
Most UK chart singles by a songwriter
Sir Paul McCartney (UK) has written or co-written 192songs that have charted on the UK’s Official Singles Chart since its launch. This total includes 32hits with The Beatles (see right), 21with Wings and 36as a soloist or as part of a duo or group.
Most hits on the USHot Country Songs chart byafemaleartist In 2016, Dolly Parton (USA) scored her 107thentry on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with a version of her 1974 hit “Jolene” with a cappella quintet Pentatonix. Aliving legend of country music, Dolly has also achieved the most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart – six consecutively (1960s–2010s).
SOUNDS FAMILIAR? Most remixed act There are 324 remixes of songsby Madonna (USA). “Give It 2 Me” (2008), featuring Pharrell Williams, from her album HardCandy, has received the remix treatment 17times alone. House music DJ Eddie Amador’s four versions (“Dub”, “House Lovers Mix”, “House Lovers Edit” and “Club”) lead the way. 188
Most covered act The songs of The Beatles (see opposite top) have been covered 4,136times. “Yesterday” (1965) is the most popular choice for those looking to pay homage to the world-renowned quartet. Theplaintive Lennon & McCartney ballad has been recorded by artists including Eva Cassidy, Marvin Gaye, ElvisPresley, Frank Sinatra... and Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck!
Figures from whosampled.com, as of 21Mar 2018
Most covered track Jazz standard “Summertime”, composed by George Gershwin (left) with lyrics by DuBose Heyward, was recorded by soprano Helen Jepson (all USA) for Gershwin’s 1935opera Porgy and Bess. This version has since been covered 214times, by artists including Billie Holiday (1936), Miles Davis (1958), Paul McCartney (1988), Leona Lewis (2006) and Willie Nelson (2016).
Official Singles Chart(UK): “Mr Brightside” (2004) by The Killers (USA) –200weeks, as of 22Mar2018
Billboard Hot100 – singles (USA): “Radioactive” (2013) byImagine Dragons (USA) – 87weeks, up to10May 2014
Billboard 200 – albums(USA): The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) by Pink Floyd (UK) – 937weeks, as of 13Jan 2018
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Most weeks on the... Official Albums Chart(UK): Gold – Greatest Hits (1992) by ABBA (SWE) – 828 weeks, as of 22Mar 2018
came In2001, Elvis be ar tist al ic us m st the fir into three to be inductedlsof Fame: al H nt re diffe untryMusic Rock&Roll, Co l Music. pe os dG an
Best-selling group All-time sales of records by The Beatles (UK) have been estimated by their record company EMI at more than 1billion discs and tapes to date. On 8Jun 2017, their classic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band returned to No.1 a total of 49years 125days after it hadpreviously topped the UK chart – the longest timeforan album to return to No.1 in the UK.
Best-selling female solo artist Madonna (USA, b.Madonna Ciccone) has sold an estimated 335million albums and singles (including digital tracks) since1983. Her biggest-selling album is The Immaculate Collection (1990; c.28.2million copies sold), while five of her singles have sales in excess of 5million. Only The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson are thought to have sold more records.
Most sampled act The songs of James Brown (USA) have been sampled 7,094 times. “Funky Drummer” (1969), which first appeared on an album – In the Jungle Groove – some 17years after it was written, is the most sampled. It has appeared on 1,440tracks, fromPublic Enemy’s “Fight the Power” to Ed Sheeran’s “Shirtsleeves”.
Best-selling solo artist Elvis Presley (USA, 1935–77) has amassed 1billion sales worldwide, according to his record label RCA. Known as “The King”, Presley brought the sounds of rock and roll to the masses and remains a huge influence on popular music. As of 21Mar 2018, he had earned 171gold, 94platinum and 34multi-platinum discs from the Recording Industry Association of America – the most RIAA certificates ever. Most remixed track “Dominator”, a 1991 single by Human Resource (NLD), has been remixed a total of 41times. CJBolland, Vincent De Moor, Klubbheads and Armin Van Buuren have all worked their magic on the hardcore track. The band themselves produced three remixes of “Dominator” – “‘96” and “Happy to the Core” in1996, and “Human Resource Mix” in2005.
Most sampled track Halfway through The Winstons’ (USA) 1969 track “Amen, Brother” occurs a 6-sec drum solo performed by Gregory “GC” Coleman (far right in pic), dubbed the “Amen break”. It has been sampled 2,835times in a variety of music genres, and used by artists ranging from NWAto Lupe Fiasco, Oasis, Björk and Nine Inch Nails. 189
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TV Most popular TV show worldwide (current)
According to Parrot Analytics, HBO’s Game of Thrones (USA) drew 16.31 million average “demand expressions” in 2017. This evaluation takes into account various ways of interacting with TV shows, including blogging, social-media chatter and illegal pirating. The ratings are weighted: for example, a download is seen as astronger indication of demand than a Facebook “like”. For the sixth year in a row, Game of Thrones was declared the most pirated TV show by download monitoring website TorrentFreak. One episode (the finale of season7, aired on 27Aug 2017) was shared on morethan 400,000torrents simultaneously.
Highest-rated TV series (current)
Highest annual earnings for a television actor in a current series Jim Parsons (USA), star of CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory (in which he plays Sheldon Cooper), earned an estimated $27.5m (£21.4m) from 1Jun 2016 to 1Jun 2017, according to Forbes. He is the topearning male TV actor for the third year running.
First aired on 16Apr 2017, the third season of the HBO drama The Leftovers (USA) enjoyed a Metacritic rating of 98/100, and a user rating of 9.1/10, as of 19Feb 2018. The Metacritic rating draws on the critiques of 17professional reviewers, including those from The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, Variety, Salon and NewYork magazine.
Most successful cookery television format MasterChef, produced by Endemol Shine (NLD), has been sold to 52 countries since its relaunch on 21Feb 2005. The British version of the show is hosted by John Torode and Gregg Wallace (above, left and right), while Christina Tosi and Gordon Ramsay (left) present the US edition. The programme first ran in the UK from 1990 to 2001, hosted by Loyd Grossman, while MasterChefUSA debuted in 2000, helmed by Gary Rhodes. Its variants include Celebrity MasterChef and Junior MasterChef.
Most Primetime Emmy Awards for a TV series
NBC’s Saturday Night Live won a further nine Primetime Emmy Awards in 2017, taking its overall total to 59. Created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol, the late-night comedy sketch show first aired in 1975.
Most subscriptions for a TV streaming service
TV- and film-streaming service Netflix (USA) has 117 million subscribers in 190 countries. It reputedly earmarked $8bn (£5.6bn, as of 29 Mar 2018) for productions in 2018.
Highest-paid TV host
First woman to play the Doctor in Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker (UK) is the first female incarnation of DoctorWho in the hugely popular and longrunning BBC sci-fi series of the same name. She became the 13th person to play the role on TV, debuting atthe end of the 2017 Christmas Day special.
According to Forbes, Dr Phil (aka Phil McGraw, USA) earned $79m (£61.5m) in the 12 months to 1 Jun 2017. Based on the same period, Ellen DeGeneres (USA) is the highest-paid female TV host, with annual earnings of $77m (£59.9m), also based on estimates from Forbes. Highest annual earnings for a television actress in a current series For the second year in a row, Sofía Vergara (COL), star of ABC’s mockumentary sitcom Modern Family, was paid more than any other TV actress or actor. She earned $41.5m (£32.3m) in the 12months to 1Jun 2017, according to Forbes.
Oldest TV continuity announcers
The UK’s Channel Four (C4) employed three centenarian women as continuity announcers on 3 Feb 2018. Millie, Beattie and Margaret (all UK) were born in 1918, the year when most women over 30 were given the right to vote.
Longest TV career by an entertainer
Betty Marion White Ludden (aka Betty White, USA, b. 17Jan 1922) debuted on TV in 1939 and still appears in hit shows 79years later, aged 96 years 24days as of 10Feb 2018. Her most famous role is Rose Nylund in TheGolden Girls (NBC, 1985–92). The longest TV career by an entertainer (male) is 76years, by the late Sir Bruce Forsyth (UK, 1928–2017) from 1939 to 2015.
The original ho run of Doctor W des so aired for 694epiacross consecutively n 23Nov ee 26seasons betw1989 – the 1963 and 6Dec ive sci‑fi most consecuts ever. TV episode
LONGEST-RUNNING TV… Music talent show
Chat show NBC’s The Tonight Show first aired on 27Sep 1954, hosted by Steve Allen (USA), and is still on air 64years later, as of 2018. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been helmed by the eponymous host since 2014. Fallon (USA) is shown above with then presidential candidate Donald Trump in Sep 2016. 190
Created by Japan’s NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), thefirst televised episode of NodoJiman (“Proud of My Voice”) was broadcast on 15Mar 1953. As of 8 Apr 2018 – 65years later – the karaokebased show was still running. Amateur singers perform for a minute and are then rated and given advice by industry experts. The winner is announced at the end of each programme.
Children’s magazine programme Blue Peter (BBC, UK) – first transmitted from London’s Lime Grove Studios on 16Oct 1958 – marks 60 years on air in Oct 2018. Its longest-serving presenter was John Noakes (UK), who co-hosted the show from 1965 to 1978. Current presenters Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya are seen here with GWR’s Craig Glenday.
TV on Twitter Based on data from USTwitter users, these shows attracted more tweets than any other streamed series in 2017.
1. Stranger Things2 The search for Will is over, but the Upside Down still exerts a malevolent influence.
2. 13 ReasonsWhy A box of cassette tapes holds the secret to the 13motivations that lie behind a teenager’s death.
3. Orange is the New Black A riot, mock trial and talent show all feature in the fifth season of this comedy drama set in a women’s prison.
For the second year running, the sci-fi horror series Stranger Things (Netflix) was searched for more frequently than any other television show. Created, written and directed by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, it is set in the 1980s and regularly references pop culture of that period, notably the movies of Steven Spielberg and the creepy novels of Stephen King. Shown below, from left to right, are four of the youngstars of the show: Noah Schnapp (USA), Finn Wolfhard (CAN), Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin (both USA).
Sketch show (current)
An estimated people – simila8.8million r to of the popula the size New York City, tion of Stranger ThingsUSA – saw the first three 2 within its 27Oct 2017 days of release on Netflix.
Sports programme with the same host
Sábados Felices, produced by Caracol Televisión (COL), premiered on 5Feb 1972 and had run for 46years 58days as of 2Apr 2018. It is also Colombia’s longest-running TV show and has launched the careers of many of the country’s comedians.
Show with the same presenter Astronomy programme The Sky at Night (BBC) was hosted by Patrick Moore (both UK) for 55 years, from its debut in 1957 until his death on 9Dec 2012. The show’s long list of guests included Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, the first men on the Moon (see p.23).
Lo Mejor del Boxeo, hosted by Juan Carlos Tapia Rodríguez (PAN), premiered on 9Jan 1975 and had run for 43years 83days as of 2Apr 2018. The show has aired fights featuring many notable boxers, including Muhammad Ali and FloydMayweather Jr.
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Most searched-for TV show on the internet
IN FOCUS
VIDEOGAMES
From the platform-hopping antics of Mario to the gritty underworld of Grand Theft Auto, videogames are big business. And as the number of platforms grows, determining the bestselling titles hasbecome an increasingly complicated affair.
H 82.64 million
Wii SPORTS
As of 8Jan 2018, Nintendo’s five-game compendium had sold 82.64million copies according to VGChartz, making it the game with the highest recorded sales and the best-selling sports videogame. It made its debut in 2006.
ow do you define the most successful videogame? Isit the game with the highest recorded lifetime sales? In that case, the gong would fall to Wii Sports (see left), the Nintendo Wii pack-in game that had both young and old alike playing virtual tennis in living rooms across the planet. It has sold a massive 82.64million copies according toVGChartz. However, this is small change in comparison to theultimate pack-in game: Tetris. The famous puzzler – perhaps best known for being the game that came bundled with the original Nintendo Game Boy way back in 1989 – is estimated to have sold a truly remarkable 170million copies. But owing to the wide range of platforms that it’s available for ( which includes everything from arcade cabinets to smartphones), this figure can’t be proven. Of course, not every game is so fortunate as to be bundled with a popular console, so perhaps we should reserve our praise for games that can stand on their own two feet. The biggest seller that fits this criteria is Pokémon Red and Blue (1996). For those who’ve never ventured to “catch ’em all”, these games are two nigh-on-identical (but separately sold) halves of Game Freak’s original Pokémon game. According to VGChartz, they’ve sold a combined 31.37million copies across the globe, making PokémonRed and Blue the best-selling game neverbundledwith a console. By now, Minecraft fans will be scratching their heads as to why the hugely popular building game has yet to be
Call of DUTY: Modern Warfare 3
Unleashed in2011, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare3 (Activision) hadamassed global sales of 30.98million as of 13Nov 2017, making it the best-selling first-person shooter (FPS) videogame. TheCall of Duty series dominates the FPS genre, boasting six ofthe all-time Top 10 best-sellers.
Largest arcade machine Built by Jason Camberis (USA), Arcade Deluxe measures 14ft 5in tall, 6ft 4in wide and 3ft 5in deep (4.39 x 1.93 x 1.04m), as verified in Bensenville, Illinois, USA, on 23Mar 2015. The machine plays more than 250classic arcade games such asPAC-Man. The illuminated 40‑cm (15.7‑in) glass trackball had to be cut out by a bowling‑ballcompany.
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Largest Game Boy Ilhan Ünal (BEL) built a Game Boyconsole measuring 3ft 3.7in tall, 2ft 0.4in wide and 7.8in deep (1.01x 0.62x 0.2m), as verified on 13Nov 2016. The machine runs off a Raspberry Pi hidden in the external connector socket. It’s more than six times the size of a regular Game Boy, but is fully capable of playing classic Nintendo titles, including Pokémon Red/Blue and Tetris.
Grand theft AUTO V
Released on 17Sep 2013, within three days this Rockstar game had become the fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion. With 63.06million copies sold as of 4May 2018 according to VGChartz, it is also the best-selling action-adventure videogame.
SUPER MARIO BROS.
Having racked up sales of 40.24million copies since 1985, this legendary Nintendo title is the best-selling platform videogame. Its enormous popularity helped seal the success of the NES console and saw Mario become an iconiccharacter.
mentioned. The title has been released on every gaming platform under the Sun, selling 144million copies along the way according to its creator, Mojang. But the lack of official PC-based sales figures means that we can’t be certain exactly how many copies have been sold. Let’sjust agree that it’s alot. Then there are gaming’s highestselling series. Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and TheSims are all household names, but which franchise boasts the most sales? Well, a big clue is that the owner of this particular record is jumping for joy on this very page. The Super Mario franchise has amassed a staggering 577million sales since Mario first appeared in the classic 1981 platformer Donkey Kong. One final way of measuring videogaming’s success is to compare it to the rest of the entertainment industry. On 27–29 Apr 2018, Avengers: Infinity War (USA; see pp.180–81) achieved the highest-grossing worldwide opening weekend for a film – $640.3m (£464.5m). But even this figure is eclipsed by the $815.7m (£511.8m) taken by Grand Theft AutoV (2013) in just 24hours – the highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in one day.
Smallest Game Boy A Game Boy hand-held console measuring just 54mm (2.12in) long was created by Jeroen Domburg (NLD) and measured inShanghai, China, on 15Dec 2016. The tiny device fits on akeychain and boasts an impressive selection of the original Game Boy games. Jeroendesigned and built theconsole himself from minuscule components.
Largest official Tetris cabinet Debuting in Japanese arcades in Dec2009, Tetris Giant is the largest officially licensed version of the game. The cabinet measures 7ft 2in tall, 5ft 2in wide and 5ft 6in deep (2.2x 1.6x 1.7m). Tetris Giant also boasts a pair of super-sized controllersticks and a 177‑cm (5‑ft 9‑in) display. Tetris is the most ported videogame, available on at least 65 platforms.
FACT!
Best-selling PC VIDEOGAME?
Guinness World Records sources its videogaming sales records from VGChartz, but PC digital downloads are not included in thisdata. In Jan2018, Minecraft maker Mojang claimed total sales of 144million for its blockbusting block-builder. While not independently verifiable, a significant proportion of these sales will havebeen PC-based. Minecraft achieved one million of its salesin its first five days, making it the fastest-selling Xbox Live Arcade game.
views
11,888,347,943 most views for a dedicated minecraft channel
Launched on 14Jul 2012, the “DanTDM” channel by Daniel Middleton (UK) had accrued a total of 11,888,347,943views – and 17,526,286subscribers – as of 19Jan 2018. This also makesit the record holder for the most viewed channel dedicated to a single videogame and the overall holder forthemost viewed gaming channel on YouTube.
3,280,569
In 2016, an average of 53,000 units of Minecraft were being sold every day.
144 million copies SOLD
GAMER’s EDITION 2019
longest journey in minecraft
These two pages are inspired by the design of the fully updated Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2019, which is out now. It’spacked with high scores, speed-runs, best-sellers and technical achievements from the world of videogaming. Also, look out for thespecial feature chapter dedicated to make-your-own games. Formore, visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gamers.
Since Mar2011, Kurt J Mac (USA) has been travelling through the Minecraft realm towards the fabled Far Lands in aid of charity. Asof6Mar 2018 – exactly seven years into his quest – he had walked 3,280,569 blocks (3,280.56km; 2,038.44mi).
Largest joypad A fully functional NES pad measuring 366x 159x 51cm (12ft x 5ft 2.59in x 1ft 8in) – 30times the size of a standard controller – was verified in Aug2011. It was created by engineering student Ben Allen, aided by Stephen van’t Hof and Michel Verhulst, all of whom werestudents at the Delft University of Technology in theNetherlands.
Smallest arcade machine In2009, computer engineer Mark Slevinsky (CAN) built afully playable arcade machinemeasuring 124x 52x 60mm (4.88x 2.05x 2.36in). Hewrote his own operating system, FunkOS, forhis micro‑”Markade” in order toprogram its Tetris, Space Invaders and Breakout clones.Mark’s wife, Esther, painted theunit.
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INSTAGRAM First photograph uploaded
Most Instagrammed location Disneyland in Anaheim, California, USA, was the most popular location overall on photo-sharing app Instagram in 2017. In second and third place respectively were two sites in New York City, USA – Times Square and Central Park – with four other US locations inthe top 10.
On 16Jul 2010, Instagram’s co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom (USA) uploaded a picture of a golden retriever to the app, which was known as “Codename” at the time. The names of the dog and its owner are not known, but the foot in the picture belongs to Systrom’s girlfriend. The photograph was taken at ataco stand named Tacos Chilakos in Todos Santos, on the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. The app was made available to the public in October that year, by which time it had been retitled “Instagram”. On 27Jan 2011 – the day that Instagram introduced hashtags – Jennifer Lee (USA) added the tag #selfie to a photograph of herself that she had uploaded 11days earlier, creating the first hashtagged selfie. To date, #selfie has been used some 329.4million times.
First person with 100 million followers
On 25 Sep 2016, actress and singer Selena Gomez (USA) passed 100 million followers on Instagram. When her fans became aware that she was so close to the magical 100-million mark, they made a concerted effort to get the hashtag #SelenaBreakTheInternet trending. Among her other Instagram achievements, Gomez has acquired the most followers for a musician and most followers for an actress (see right for more). Canadian singer Justin Bieber has attracted the most followers for a musician (male) – 98,336,586 to date.
Fastest time to gain 1 million followers
Most followers The most popular person on Instagram is Selena Gomez,who has amassed 135,458,041 followers on the social network to date. The only account that surpasses hers is that of Instagram itself, which has built up 233,898,533 followers. Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (PRT) has themost followers (male), with 123,328,883. His closest rival is “The Rock” (see below).
Under the handle @franciscus, Pope Francis (b. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, ARG) surpassed the 1-million-follower milestone just 12 hr after he joined Instagram on 19Mar 2016. This halved the time taken by the previous record holder – retired footballer David Beckham (UK), who achieved 1 million followers in 24 hr on2May 2015. The Pope has attracted 5.3million followers and made 536 posts.
Most popular hashtag (current)
Most Instagrammed city As of Dec2017, New York City, USA, was the most popular metropolis on Instagram. The Russian capital, Moscow, was second on the list, with London, UK, taking third place. Overall, US and Russian cities represented almost half of all the conurbations that were geo-tagged on Instagram in 2017. All figures as of 3Apr 2018, unless otherwise stated
As of Dec 2017, the most widely used hashtag on Instagram was #love (a perennially popular hashtag that has topped Instagram’s end-of-year lists several times). The secondmost popular was #fashion, followed by #photooftheday. The hashtag that had seen the greatest rise in popularity during the previous year was #photography, followed by #travelphotography and #memes respectively.
Biggest emoji user (country)
A study carried out in 2015 by researchers working for Instagram found that the country with the most prolific emoji users is Finland. The study analysed the content of text comments on the photo-sharing app and discovered that 63% of comments made by Finnish users contained one emoji or more. In second place was France, where the figure is 50%, followed by the UK on 48%, Germany on 47% and then Italyand Russia tied on 45%. Bottom of the table was Tanzania,on 10%.
First Instagram from space On 7Apr 2014, NASA astronaut Steve Swanson (USA) posted on Instagram from orbit around Earth. Swanson sent the message “Back on ISS, life is good” from the International Space Station, while posing in aT-shirt that referenced the cult US TV sci-fi show Firefly.
MOST INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS FOR... An athlete (female) No female sportsperson has more fans on the imagesharing network than World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Ronda Rousey (@rondarousey, USA), with 10,135,847 followers. This put her considerably ahead of her nearest rival female athlete, US tennis star Serena Williams (@serenawilliams), with 7,893,232 followers.
An actor “The Rock” (aka Dwayne Johnson; @therock, USA) has amassed a total of 102,677,668 followers on Instagram. Asemiretired pro wrestler, he has appeared in movies such as Snitch (USA/UAE, 2013), Hercules (USA, 2014), Moana (USA, 2016; a voice-only role) and Rampage (USA, 2018) along with several entries in the lucrative franchise Fast & Furious.
A pig Miniature pig Priscilla (@prissy_pig) has 690,516 followers on Instagram, making her page the most popular for a pig. Priscilla shares the profile with fellow pigs Poppleton (aka Pop), Primrose and Pinkerton. Theporcine quartet live in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, with their owner, Melissa Nicholson.
Number of monthly activeusers: 800 million
Number of photos shared todate: 40 billion
Number of daily likes: 4.2billion * as of Dec2017
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A snapshot of Instagram Every day, around 500 million active users take to Instagram, sharing 300 million stories and uploading approximately 95million photos.*
’s Prior to Jenner r he photograph of t liked os daughter, the magram image on Inst the had been for of t announcemen ncy na Beyoncé’s preg17. on 1 Feb 20
Most liked image A photo of Kylie Jenner’s (USA) newborn baby daughter Stormi, which was posted on 6Feb 2018, had been liked 15,256,584 times by the following day. The picture shows the infant girl, who was born on 1Feb 2018, holding on to her mother’s thumb. To date, the three most liked Instagram images are connected with Stormi.
A US reality TV personality, Jenner has appeared in Keeping Up with the Kardashians for more than 10 years and is the head of her own business empire.
A sports team In the off-pitch battle for Instagram fans, Spain’s Real Madrid (@realmadrid) comes top of the league with 56,661,661 followers. Real Madrid’s closest competitors are arch rivals FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona), with 55,793,211 followers.
A music group Despite being on a career break, One Direction (@onedirection, UK/IRL) have 17,229,071 followers on Instagram, more than any other band. Former member Zayn Malik (@zayn) has 27,712,098followers on his own account.
A videogame cosplayer Cosplayer and gamer Jessica Nigri (@jessicanigri, USA) has 2,895,679 Instagram followers. Jessica has cosplayed a range of gaming characters, as well as providing the voice for the manga and game character Super Sonico. 195
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TWITTER First tweet
Twitter was invented by Jack Dorsey (USA) in 2006 as a microblogging and social-networking tool. The first tweet was posted by Dorsey at 9:50 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on 21Mar 2006, and read “just setting up my twttr”. On 23Jan 2013, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo (USA) posted the first video tweet. It showedhimmaking steak tartare.
First live tweet from space
Most followed dedicated videogame character The “personal” Twitter account belonging to the robot Claptrap (@ECHOcasts) from 2K’s Borderlands series has 123,390 followers – the most for a specific videogame character. Despite his name, Claptrap has kept fairly quiet – he’s tweeted only once since 2Apr 2015.
On 22Jan 2010, NASA astronaut TimothyJ Creamer (USA) tweeted directly from space for the first time. He posted the following message: “Hello Twitterverse! We r now LIVE tweeting from theInternational Space Station -- the 1st live tweet from Space!:) More soon, send your ?s”.
First Pope with an account
Pope Benedict XVI (aka Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, DEU) became the first Holy Father to sign up to Twitter. Using the handle @Pontifex (Latin for “bridge builder”), hetweeted his first message on 12 Dec 2012. It read: “Dearfriends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you foryour generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.”
Most retweeted message In the hope of securing a year’s supply of Wendy’s chicken nuggets, 16-year-old Carter Wilkerson (USA) attempted to get 18million retweets in2017. With the help of some famous names, he managed3,651,498, overtaking Ellen DeGeneres’s famous Oscar selfie for the most retweets ofa message and earning Carter his “nuggs”.
Most liked message
A tweet by former US President Barack Obama has received 4,586,103likes. In the wake of racially charged unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, Obama quoted the former South African president Nelson Mandela: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or hisbackground or his religion...” Obama is the third most popular person on Twitter, and hasthemost followers for a politician – 101,971,379.
Most discussed sporting event Most followed videogame The official account for EA’s soccer sim series FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) has 6,408,784 followers – making it the sixth mostfollowed videogaming account overall, and the most for a specific game. Itwas top of the table above League of Legends (4,480,928), Assassin’s Creed (4,265,063) and Call of Duty (3,555,586). All figures as of 23Apr 2018, unlessotherwise stated
The 2014 FIFA World Cup prompted 672 million tweets. The semi-final match between hosts Brazil and Germany (which Germany won 7–1) attracted 35.6 million tweets, more than any other game. Although the final between Germany and Argentina resulted in fewer tweets, its peak rate of 618,725perminute is the most tweets per minute.
Most engagements (average retweets)
South Korean boy band BTS (@BTS_twt) have registered 330,624engagements on Twitter. The septet’s alternative Twitter accounts – @bts_bighit and @bts_love_myself – hadamassed 93,522and 88,281engagements, respectively. They overtook One Direction’s Harry Styles (@Harry_Styles), who had 147,653 engagements as of the same date.
Oldest user (ever)
Born on 8Sep 1905, Ivy Bean (UK) was 104years 323days old when she died on 28Jul 2010. She had signed up to Twitter in May2009 and went on to post more than 1,000tweets to some 56,000followers before she passed away.
Fastest time to reach 1million followers On 1 Jun 2015, realityTV star Caitlyn Jenner (USA) reached 1 million Twitter followers in the space of just 4hr 3min. The first tweet on Caitlyn’s page, picturing her appearance on the cover of Vanity Fair (above), was posted at 12:17p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Her account passed the million-follower mark at 4:20 p.m. EST.
MOST FOLLOWERS FOR... An entrepreneur Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates (@BillGates, USA) has 45,846,749followers, making his account the 21st most popular on Twitter. Although President Donald Trump has more than 51million followers, he gained the majority of these after embarking upon his political career. 196
An actress
An actor (male) Best known for his roles in movies such as Ride Along (USA,2014) and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (USA,2017), US actor and comedian Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) has 35,188,999followers.
The most followers for a female with a substantial history of acting roles is 56,516,652, for Selena Gomez (@selenagomez, USA). Gomez is a hugelypopular figure on social media, also boasting the most followers on Instagram(see p.194).
Monthly active users: 330million
Tweets sent per day: 500million
80%
Percentage of Twitter users onmobile phone: 80% Figures from OmnicoreAgency.com
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Tweet all about it... Twitter can handle 18quintillionaccounts. Atotalof 83%of UN membercountries have an official presence on the site.
most Four of the six counts ac r tte wi rT popula th e popstars, wi belong to femalrSwift and Lady ylo Ta Rihanna, Kat y Perr y at Gaga following combined eir Th . –6 Nos.4 e 0,867,599peopl followingof36 the population n ha ismoret oftheUSA .
Most followers Pop star Katy Perry (b. Katheryn Hudson,USA) has 109,330,720followers on Twitter. On 16 Jun 2017, the social network announced that she had become the first user to reach 100 million followers. Perry has been active on the site since Feb 2009, and has posted more than 9,000tweets. She follows just 212 accounts, giving her a staggering follower-to-following ratio of 515,710.
Most followers (male) Pop phenomenon Justin Bieber (CAN) has 106,280,929followers, the second-highest overall on the site behind Katy Perry. He joined in Mar2009, and has posted more than 30,000tweets. Bieber follows 315,022 accounts, giving him a follower-to-following ratio of 337.37.
A fashion personality Model and reality TV star Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian, USA) has 59,721,292 Twitter followers, making her the 12th most followed person on the platform. Kardashian West joined in Mar2009, and has posted in excess of 26,000 tweets.
An athlete (female)
A DJ Known as the “Grandfather of EDM” (electronic dance music), David Guetta (@davidguetta, FRA) has22,205,936 followers – ahead of Calvin Harris (@CalvinHarris), who has 13,329,541.
Tennis player and 23‑time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams (@serenawilliams, USA) has 10,895,119 followers. She has posted more than 14,000tweets. Williams is also the second most followed female athlete on Instagram (see p.194). 197
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YOUTUBE First video uploaded
On 23Apr 2005, an 18-sec clip entitled “Me at the zoo” by YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim (USA, b.DEU) became thevideo-sharing website’s first upload. As of 27 Mar 2018, ithadbeen viewed 47,228,525times.
Most searched-for keyword
The keyword “music” had attracted some 789million searcheson YouTube as of Sep2017. “Songs” was in second place, with 453million searches, followed by “Minecraft”, with83.4million. Most liked videogame video on YouTube When EA published its “Official Reveal Trailer” for the World WarI-set Battlefield1 on 6May 2016, it sparked unprecedented celebrations for a gaming video. In just four days, the trailer had received 1.9million likes. Thoselikes now total2,194,348.
Most subscribers
“PewDiePie” – aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (SWE) – has 62,295,689subscribers. He is a games reviewer who posts over-the-top commentaries as he plays, as well as occasionally controversial comedy sketches. Hisvideos have received 17,631,722,806views, with the most popular, “A Funny Montage”, earning more than 80million on its own. On 8Dec 2016, “PewDiePie” became the first YouTuber toreach 50million subscribers.
Fastest time for a video to reach 1billion views
Uploaded to YouTube on 22Oct 2015, the music video for “Hello” by Adele (UK) reached 1billion views on 17Jan 2016 – aperiod of just 87days. She beat the mark of 158days set by PSY’s international smash “Gangnam Style” in 2012.
MOST VIEWED... Animal video
Uploaded on 1May 2011, “Ultimate Dog Tease” – starring a German shepherd called Clarke and Andrew Grantham (CAN), the creator of the “Talking Animals” YouTube channel – hasbeen viewed 192,347,992times.
Most viewed video online On 4Apr 2018, the video for the original Spanish-language version of the track “Despacito” – starring Luis Fonsi (b.Luis Alfonso López-Cepero, above right), Daddy Yankee (b.Ramón Rodríguez, above left) and Miss Universe2006, Zuleyka Rivera (all PRI) – became the first YouTube video to receive 5billion views. It had become the mostwatched clip in YouTube’shistory on 3Aug 2017, thesame day it passedthe 3‑billion-view mark.
Channel for a “post-post-millennial”
“Ryan ToysReview” has been viewed 21,120,857,370times since launching on 16Mar 2015, making it the most watched YouTube channel for someone born in 2010 or later (a “postpost-millennial”, aka “Generation Alpha”). Seven-year-old Ryan (USA,b.6Oct 2010) uploads videos of himself playing with and reviewing toys and games. As of the same date, the channel had amassed 13,499,980subscribers.
Cartoon/animated movie video
Most watched movie trailer (official) The movie trailer for Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War (USA, 2018 – see pp.180-81) was published on YouTube on 29Nov 2017. It has now been watched 170,206,979times. The next-highest total is 101,387,836, for Star WarsVII: The Force Awakens (USA, 2015). All figures as of 24Apr 2018, unlessotherwise stated
“Masha and the Bear: Recipe for Disaster (Episode17)” has logged 2,995,219,745views. Produced by Animaccord Animation Studio, the cartoon was uploaded by Get Movies (both RUS) on 31Jan 2012. Masha and the Bear is a children’s TV series starring a mischievous child and a retired circus bear called Mishka (“Bear” in Russian).
Gaming video
Uploaded by Denmark’s KilooGames in 2012, “Subway Surfers – Official Google Play Trailer” has amassed 358,761,216views. The video for the mobile game is also the most viewed trailer, eclipsing its movie rivals (see left).
Channel for a music group
The YouTube channel for Maroon5 (USA), “Maroon5VEVO”, has registered 9,035,970,802video views. Thegroup’s mostpopular video is for their single “Sugar”, with more than2.5billion views.
First YouTuber to gain 1million subscribers Lucas Cruikshank’s (USA) “Fred” channel reached 1million subscribers in Apr 2009. It centred on the comic exploits of character Fred Figglehorn, a six-year-old boy with a highpitched voice. The first episode, “Fred on Halloween”, was uploaded on 30Oct 2006. As of 28Mar 2018, the episode “Fred Goes Grocery Shopping feat. Annoying Orange” (inset) had amassed 85,132,180views.
MOST SUBSCRIBERS FOR A...
Musician (male) 34,594,144, for the VEVO channel of Justin Bieber (CAN) 198
Musician (female) 28,506,973, for the VEVO channel of Taylor Swift (USA)
Gaming channel 27,659,478, for “Fernanfloo” (aka LuisFernando Flores Alvarado, SLV)
TV show 24,793,504, for “TheEllenShow”, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres (USA)
YouTube by the numbers In Jun 2017, YouTube announced that it had 1.5billion monthly active users, making it the largest video-sharing website.
Daily active users: More than 30million, as of24Jan 2018
Videos shared todate: More than 5billion, as of24Jan 2018
Videos uploaded per minute: 300hr worth, asof24Jan 2018
Highest-earning YouTube contributor
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As of Dec2017, Forbes estimated that “DanTDM” (aka Daniel Middleton, UK) had earned something in the range of $16.5m (£12.2m) in a year from his YouTube videos. Formerly known as “TheDiamondMinecart”, he launched his Minecraft-based YouTube channel on 14Jul 2012, since when it has attracted more than 11billion views. Dan has gone on to tour the world, selling out shows at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
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Fail video channel 13,640,876, for “FailArmy”, producedby Jukin Media (USA)
Science channel 13,191,372, for “Vsauce”, hosted byMichael Stevens (USA)
Animal 1,390,272, for Maymo the lemon Beagle, based in the USA
Cat 743,442, for Nylah the silver savannah cat, based in the USA 199
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ROUND-UP Largest animal sound archive
Largest snow painting Tonghua Wine Industry Development and Promotion Center (CHN) produced a 2,221.74‑m² (23,914.61‑sq‑ft) snow painting in Tonghua, Jilin, China, on 20Jan 2018. The artwork measured 59.95x 37.06m (196ft 8in x 121ft 7in). It took 23workers three days and nights to finish the piece on the frozen surface of the Hunjiang River.
Longest music composition
“Longplayer” is a 1,000-yearlong piece of music written by banjo player Jem Finer (UK), a member of punk-folk band The Pogues. Finer uses a bank of computers at Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse in London, UK, to sequence simultaneous combinations of parts from six short pieces that he composed, played on Tibetan singing bowls. The composition was started as the clocks moved in to the new millennium on 1Jan 2000, and will not repeat the same combination of music until the last second of 31Dec 2999, when the piece can start its second rendition. As of 27Feb 2018, “Longplayer” had been playing for 18 years 57 days of its 1,000-year projected run, which also makes it the longest music recital.
Most ship horns in a piece of music
On 22Jun 2013, atotalof 55ships gathered in the North Sea to perform a musical score entitled the “Foghorn Requiem”. It was written by artists Lise Autogena (DNK) and Joshua Portway in conjunction with composer Orlando Gough (both UK) to mark the end of the use of foghorns in the UK. The “Foghorn Requiem” was played by three brass bands, the 55 ships at sea and the Souter Lighthouse foghorn – the last one in the UK to sound off before being decommissioned. The piece was “conducted” by computers connected to eachship’s GPS.
Largest bust sculpture Isha Foundation (IND) erected a 34.24‑m-tall (112‑ft 4‑in), 24.99‑m-wide (81‑ft 11.8‑in), 44.9‑m-long (147‑ft 3.7‑in) sculpture in Tamil Nadu, India, as verified on 11Mar 2017. The bust depicts Adiyogi Shiva – the name refers to the fact that, in yoga practice, the Hindu god Shiva is known as the firstyogi.
As of Sep2017, the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York, USA, had 279,106recordings of more than 9,000 species in an online searchable database. The sound archive takes up 10terabytes of storage, with a running time of 7,513hr. Begun in 1929, it holds recordings of approximately three‑quarters of all bird species. The archive also stores audio of whales, insects, bears,elephants, primates and nearly every other animalon Earth.
Most Laurence Olivier Award nominations for a show
On 6Mar 2018, Hamilton – with music, lyrics and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda (USA) – was nominated for an unprecedented 13 Laurence Olivier Awards. The show’s nominations included one for Best New Musical, one for Best Director and six in the musical acting categories. It
Largest flute On 25Dec 2014, Bharat Sinh Parmar, Charunsudan Atri Jay Bhayani and Shri5 Navtanpuri Dham temple (all IND) presented a 3.63‑m-long (11‑ft 11‑in), fully playable flute inJamnagar, India. The instrument was then played in apublic performance of the Indian national anthem. went on to win seven awards, only two fewer than Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in 2017 – the most Laurence Olivier award wins.
Most Tony Awards won by a musical
The Producers picked up 12Tony Awards from 15 nominations, including Best Musical, on 3Jun 2001. Directed by Susan Stroman (USA), and starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane (both USA), it broke the record of 10wins, held by Hello,Dolly! since 1964. The most Tony Award nominations for a musical is 16, achieved by Hamilton – playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City, USA– on3May2016.
Oldest videogame music composer
Japan’s Koichi Sugiyama (b.11Apr 1931) was aged 86years 109days as of 29Jul2017, when the videogame Dragon QuestXI (Square Enix) was released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4.
Most followers onWeibo One of the largest of China’s social media and micro-blogging sites, Weibo boasts 340million active monthly users, making it larger than Twitter. The most popular contributor is the Chinese TV host, singer and actress Xie Na, with 100,396,561 followers as of 9Apr 2018. She is also the first person to accumulate 100million users on Weibo. While Xie Na is the most followed female on Weibo, the most followed male on Weibo is He Jiong (CHN), with 92,686,353 fans as of thesame date.
105,000 glasses filled with coloured water in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on 10Sep 2017. It depicted the pyramid of Tikal and two Guatemalan national symbols: the quetzal bird and the orchid Lycaste skinneri alba.
Day of the Dead altar
Most popular Snapchat name (music) Snoop Dogg (USA; @snoopdogg213) was the most popular musician on social-media platform Snapchat as of 1Mar 2018. Born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, the rapper/ singer/record producer/ actor was followed by Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and actor Jared Leto and DJKhaled. Music station MTV and hiphop artist SchoolboyQ completed the Top 5.
On 28Oct 2017, the government of the state of Hidalgo in Mexico presented an 846.48‑m² (9,111.43‑sq‑ft) altar for theDay of the Dead holiday in the city of Pachuca. It took four weeks and more than 1,000volunteers to create the altar, which is decorated with 9,200cempasúchil flowers and filled with an array of sugar skulls, candles, flags and skeletons dressed in traditional Mexican clothing.
LED cinema screen
Produced by Samsung Electronics (KOR), the Lotte Cinema SuperS Screen in the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea, measures 55.296m² (595.2sqft).
Highest-grossing year on Broadway According to The Broadway League, the most lucrative year for theatres on Broadway in New York City, USA, was 2017, with $1.637bn (£1.213bn) earned in ticket sales from 13.736million attendees. The highest-grossing week on Broadway was the final week of the year ($50.3m; £37.2m), and the highest single-week box-office gross came courtesy ofHamilton (centre), which took $3.85m (£2.85m) that same week. Other successful shows in2017 included Waitress (left) and Springsteen on Broadway (right).
Light-and-sound show on a single building On 1Jan 2018, Emaar Properties PJSC (UAE) stageda 109,252‑m² (1,175,978-sq‑ft) mixedmedia show at the Burj Khalifa – the tallest building, at 828m (2,716ft 6in) – in Dubai, UAE. It was
part of a New Year’s Eve showcombining lighting, projections, lasers, an LED screen, sound and fountains.
Papier-mâché sculpture The National Chamber of Commerce of Guadalajara (MEX) created a papiermâché model ofa mariachi
musician that measured 3.82m (12ft 6.39in) tall, 3.46m (11ft 4.22in) long and 1.15m (3ft9.27in) wide. The sculpture was presented at the XXIVInternational Mariachi and Charrería Festival in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, on 25Aug2017.
Most short films produced
Epiphany Morgan and Carl Mason (both AUS) made 365short movies in 70 cities, as verified on 7Jun 2016. As part of their project entitled “365 docobites”, the pair travelled across five continents in a year. Their goal was to introduce the world to a “stranger a day” via bite-sized documentaries.
LARGEST… Coloured-water mosaic YUS de Toki (GTM) unveiled a 603.47‑m² (6,495.69‑sq‑ft) mosaic made from around
Most expensive painting sold at auction Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci sold for $450,312,500 (£343,033,000; €383,867,000), including buyer’s premium, at an auction held by Christie’s in New York City, USA, on 15Nov 2017. More than 1,000 art collectors, advisors, dealers and journalists were present at the auction, with thousands more tuned in via a live stream. There’s still speculation over the painting’s origins, with some specialists arguing that the work should be attributed to one of daVinci’s apprentices.
It is possible th originally painteat daVinci Mundi for the d Salvator family, but it waFrench royal by a range of co s to be owned centuries. The llectors over the work altogether from went missing 1763 until 1900, when it wa s bo aBritishcollect ught by or.
MAKING HISTORY
MILLENNIUM FALCON Initially christened a “piece of junk” by Luke Skywalker, the modified YT-1300 Corellian light freighter from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (USA,1977) – better known as the Millennium Falcon – went on to become one of the most beloved vehicles incinema history. In2017, LEGO ® celebrated Han Solo’ssmuggling ship with its largest set to date, boasting more than 7,500 pieces.
Secret ship Only one full-scale version of the MillenniumFalcon wasever constructed for the Star Wars films. Itwas built over three months in 1979 for TheEmpire Strikes Back in a hangar in Pembroke Dock, UK. The secret project was codenamed “The Magic Roundabout”.
The Millennium Falcon is a cargo-transportation ship made by the Corellian Engineering Corporation and helmed by smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca. It has appeared in six Star Wars films in total, including a brief cameo in Revenge of the Sith, playing a key role in the Rebels’ fight against the Empire. The Falcon owes its design to effects artist Joe Johnston, who created it in just four weeks after the original model was deemed too close to the Eagle Transporter in the TV show Space: 1999. (Amodified version of this craft would go on to be used as Tantive IV, Princess Leia’s ship.) With its offset co*ckpit and cargo mandibles, the Millennium Falcon is an iconic landmark in movie-effects design.
Falcon’s blueprint In 2017, a set of recently discovered blueprints from the Star Wars and Star Trek films went up for auction. They included a detailed schematic of the Millennium Falcon for The Empire Strikes Back (USA,1980), detailing the interior and exterior of the smuggling ship. Other original designs from the series include Darth Vader’s meditation pod and Chewbacca and Princess Leia’s handcuffs.
“Let the wookiee win” The LEGO Millennium Falcon’s main hold contains an engineering station and seating area. Fans will recognize the iconic circular Dejarik board (above, left), where Chewbacca and R2-D2 do battle with 6-in (15-cm) holographic fighters in A New Hope. The kit contains Minifigures both from the classic original trilogy (above, right) and more recent characters such as Rey and Finn. 202
The ship’s co*ckpit is offset toprovide the pilot with a clear view when cargo is being transported in the front mandibles
DID YOU KNOW? In May2013, LEGO unveiled a 1:1 scale model of a Star Wars X-wing starfighter in Times Square in New York City, USA. It comprised a total of 5,335,200bricks, making it the largest LEGO Star Wars sculpture (number of bricks) with internal support structure. It had a wingspan of 44ft (13.4m) and weighed 45,979.61lb (20,856kg), including the supporting steel structure.
The LEGO set contains interchangeable sensor dishes, allowing builders to recreate the original Falcon or the slight variation that appeared in EpisodesVII and VIII
FO R TH E R E
COR D
The largest commerciall y available L set is the 7, 5 EGO 41-p number75192 iece Millennium Falcon (s et ), which was launched by Danish toy m the anufacturer at one minute midnight on to 13Sep 2017. W hen complete theStar Wars d, spacecraft m odel measure more than 8 s in (20cm) hig h, 2ft 9in (84 long and 1ft cm) 10in (56cm) w ide. LEGO has rele ased various versions of the Falcon. It s previous se t – par t of the Star Wars “U ltimate Colle ct or’s Series” – contained 5,195pieces and was itself the larg est set upon its release in20 07, until it wa s beaten by th e 5,922-piece Taj Mahal in2 0 08.
The front mandibles were designed to grip cargo for transportation
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Youngest snowboarding gold medallist ataWinterOlympics (female) Chloe Kim (USA, b.23Apr 2000) won the Winter Olympic women’s halfpipe on 13Feb 2018 aged 17years 296days. On her final run at Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang, South Korea, she landed backto-back 1080s to record her highest score of 98.25 – 8.5points ahead of the rest of the field. Kim, who was unable to compete at Sochi2014 owing to age restrictions, is also the youngest XGames triple gold medallist – achieved aged 15years 309days in 2016.
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SPORTS
American Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Baseball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Basketball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Ice Hockey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Soccer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Rugby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Rugby World Cup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Combat Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Cricket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Tennis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Auto Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 Extreme Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Target Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Golf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Track & Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Marathons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Swimming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Water Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Winter Olympics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Sports Round-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Sports Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Chloe Kim first back-to -bac landed competition duk 1080s in run at the USG ring her final 6Feb 2016. Theyrand Prix on earn the first sc helped her or inwomen’s ha e of100 lfpipe.
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AMERICAN FOOTBALL Most consecutive NFL 50-yard field goals
Stephen Hauschka converted 13consecutive field goals of 50yards or more for the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills between 2014 and 2017. Hauschka connected on a 50-yard attempt against the Los Angeles Chargers on 19Nov 2017, breaking the previous record of 12in a row from that distance that he had shared with Blair Walsh, Robbie Gould, Justin Tucker and Matt Prater.
Longest field goal in NFL postseason
Most Grey Cup wins in the CanadianFootballLeague (CFL) The Toronto Argonauts claimed their 17th Grey Cup in 2017, defeating the Calgary Stampeders (both CAN) 27–24 in the CFL championship game on 26 Nov. It was a fourth win for quarterback Ricky Ray – the most Grey Cup victories by a starting quarterback.
On 7Jan 2018, Graham Gano (UK) kicked a 58‑yard field goal for the Carolina Panthers during a 31–26defeat against the New Orleans Saints in an NFL wild-card playoff game. He matched the feat of Pete Stoyanovich, who kicked a 58-yard field goal for the Miami Dolphins against the Kansas City Chiefs on 5Jan 1991. Most consecutive seasons for an NFLplayerto make 100receptions The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown completed his fifth straight season making at least 100receptions in 2017. Brown, the highestpaid wide receiver in the NFL, surpassed the previous best of four, by Marvin Harrison for theIndianapolis Colts in 1999–2002.
All teams and players USA, unless otherwise indicated.
Most 500-yard passing games in theNational Football League (NFL)
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers has thrown three 500-yard passing games: against the Green Bay Packers on 20Dec 2009, the Indianapolis Colts on 26Oct 2014 and the Baltimore Ravens on 10Dec 2017.
Highest pass completion percentage inanNFLseason
In2017, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 386of 536attempted passes – 72%. He beat Sam Bradford’s 2016 markof 71.6%.
First player to throw and catch atouchdown in a Super Bowl
Quarterback Nick Foles turned receiver during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 41–33Super Bowl win on 4Feb 2018,catching a pass from tight end Trey Burton to score. He alsocompleted three passingtouchdowns, and was named SuperBowl MVP.
Most NFL career touchdowns by a tight end Most Super Bowl appearances byaquarterback Tom Brady appeared in eight Super Bowls for the New England Patriots from 2001 to 2018. His37 postseason starts constitute the most career NFL postseason appearances. On 4Feb 2018, Brady achieved the most yards gained passing in aSuper Bowl –505– in a losing cause (see below). He also increased his record for the most Super Bowl touchdown passes to18.
Antonio Gates scored 114touchdowns for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers from 2003 to 2017. The 37-year-old moved one clear of Tony Gonzalez with his score in the third quarter of the Chargers’ 19–17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on 17Sep 2017.
Most yards from scrimmage inaplayer’sfirstNFL game
On 7Sep 2017, rookie running back Kareem Hunt compiled 246yards playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in their 42–27 win over the New England Patriots. He went for 148yards rushing and98receiving.
Most team losses inanNFLseason
The Cleveland Browns equalled an unwanted record in2017, finishing the season with 16defeats and no victories. The only other team to end up with a 0–16 season record in the NFL was the Detroit Lions, in2008.
Most Super Bowl appearances by a team
In2018, the New England Patriots appeared in their 10thSuper Bowl since1986. They have won five and lost five – the most Super Bowl defeats, shared with the Denver Broncos. The most Super Bowl victories is six, achieved by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975–76, 1979–80, 2006 and 2009.
Most all-purpose yards in a CFL game
Most combined total yards in an NFL game (bothteams) Super BowlLII on 4Feb 2018 saw the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots achieve a total combined yardage of1,151 – the most inany NFL game in history. In a spectacle of offensive intent, the Eagles ran out 41–33 winners. The combined total of 74points was only onepoint lower than the highest aggregate score in a Super Bowl – set in1995, when the San Francisco 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers 49–26. 206
Diontae Spencer recorded 496 all-purpose yards for the Ottawa Redblacks during a 41–36 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (both CAN) on 28Oct 2017. Spencer amassed 133receiving yards, 165yards on kickoff returns, 169yards on punt returns and 29yards on a missed field goal return.
BASEBALL All teams and players USA, unless otherwise indicated.
Most strikeouts by a pitching staff inaMajor League Baseball (MLB)season
SPORTS
Cleveland Indians pitchers struck out a total of 1,614batters during the 2017 season. They averaged 10.1strikeouts per nine innings, the highest ever recorded in the MLB.
Fewest pitched innings toreach1,500strikeouts
Chris Sale struck out 1,500batters in 1,290innings for the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox from2010 to2017. The previous fewest was 1,303innings, by Kerry Wood.
Most games for a pitcher in a World Series Only two pitchers have faced a batter in all seven games of a World Series: Darold Knowles of the Oakland Athletics in1973, and Brandon Morrow forthe Los Angeles Dodgers in2017. Most positions played by an individual in anMLB match On 30 Sep 2017, Andrew Romine played all nine positions for the Detroit Tigers during their 3–2 defeat of the Minnesota Twins. Romine started the game in left field, played catcher in the seventh innings and pitched in the eighth. Only four MLB players have done the same: Bert Campaneris (CUB), César Tovar (VEN), Scott Sheldon and Shane Halter.
Longest MLB uninterrupted winning streak Between 24Aug and 14Sep 2017, the Cleveland Indians were victorious in 22consecutive games. They were finally defeated on 15 Sep by the Kansas City Royals – a team the Indians had defeated four times in the course of their streak. The 1916New York Giants are credited with winning 26 games during a 27-game span on 7–30 Sep 1916, but this includes a nine-innings tie with the Pittsburgh Pirates on 18Sep. Most home runs in abaseball match Eighteen players have hit four home runs in a single MLB game since Bobby Lowe in 1894. In 2017, the feat was achieved twice – by Scooter Gennett (left) for the Cincinnati Reds on 6Jun, and by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ JDMartinez on 4 Sep.
Most home runs in a World Series (teams)
The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers combined to hit 25home runs in seven games during the 2017World Series. This is four more thanthe previous highest total, set in2002. During Game2 on 25Oct 2017, the teams hit the most combined home runs in a World Series game – eight(four per side).
Most extra-base hits in an MLB game
On 3Sep 2017, José Ramírez (DOM) recorded five extra-base hits (i.e., either a double, triple or home run) for the Cleveland Indians in an 11–1 win over the Detroit Tigers. He hit two home runs and three doubles. Ramírez became only the 13th player in MLB history to notch five extra-base hits since George Strief first did so on 25Jun 1885. The most extra-base hits in an MLB career is1,477, by Hank Aaron from1954 to1976.
Most times reaching first base on catcher’s interference in an MLB career Aaron Judge al recorded the m so base on balls ost MLB seasonbyain an –127.Hebeat a rookie reco thathad stood rd since1890.
On 11Sep 2017, the New York Yankees’ Jacoby Ellsbury celebrated his birthday by reaching base due to catcher’s interference for the 30th time. He beat Pete Rose’s mark of29, achieved from 1963 to1986. Catcher’s interference occurs when the batter’s bat touches the catcher’s mitt mid-swing.
Most times hit by a pitch inanMLBgame
Jarrod Dyson was hit by a pitch three times while batting for the Seattle Mariners against the Oakland Athletics on 16May 2017. This equalled the MLB record, achieved on 24previous occasions stretching back to Wally Schang on 15May 1923.
Most home runs in a World Series by a player The Houston Astros’ George Springer was named 2017 World Series MVP after hitting five home runs in seven games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He equalled the mark of Reggie Jackson in1977 and Chase Utley in2009. Springer also achieved two further World Series records: most total bases (29) and most extra-base hits (eight).
Most home runs in an MLB season by a rookie Aaron Judge hit 52home runs for the New York Yankees in 2017. In a season notable for big hitting, 6-ft 7-in (2.01-m) Judge made the headlines by becoming the first rookie to hit 50in a season. He surpassed the previous best of49 – setby Mark McGwire while playing for the Oakland Athletics in1987 – with a pair of home runs against the Kansas City Royals on 25Sep2017. 207
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BASKETBALL Greatest second-half comeback byateamina playoff game
The Cleveland Cavaliers erased a 25-point half-time deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 119–114 in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series on 20Apr 2017. The previous largest deficit was 21points, overturned by the Baltimore Bullets against the Philadelphia Warriors on 13Apr 1948.
Greatest half-time lead in a playoff game
On 19May 2017, the Cleveland Cavaliers raced to a 41-point half-time lead against the Boston Celtics during Game2 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Cleveland ended the game 130–86 winners, some way off the highest margin of victory in a playoff game –58, by the Minneapolis Lakers in1956 and the Denver Nuggets in2009. Most points scored in a WNBA career By the close of the 2017WNBA season, guard Diana Taurasi had amassed 7,867points for the Phoenix Mercury since 2004. She had played in 398games, giving her an average of 19.76 points per match. Taurasi, whois nicknamed the “White Mamba”, had also scored the most three-point field goals in a WNBA career –996.
Most triple-doubles in a season Russell Westbrook recorded 42triple-doubles for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016–17. He broke Oscar Robertson’s record of41, whichhad stood since 1961–62. On 28Oct 2017, Westbrook became thefirst player to triple-double against every NBA team. Youngest player to achieve a triple-double Guard Markelle Fultz (b.29May 1998) registered 13points, 10rebounds and 10assists for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks aged 19years 317days on 11Apr 2018. Fultz beat Lonzo Ball’s record of 20years 15days to become the first teenager to record a triple-double in the NBA.
All records are National Basketball Association (NBA) and all teams and players USA, unless otherwise indicated.
Most three-point field goals in a season
The Houston Rockets made 1,181three-pointers during the 2016–17 season. This was due in part to the fact that they attempted3,306 – the most three-point field goals attempted in a season. The most three-point field goals in a Finals game is24, by the Cleveland Cavaliers against theGolden State Warriors on 9Jun 2017.
Fewest games for a coach towin200matches
Steve Kerr (USA, b.LBN) earned 200career victories in just 238games. He reached the milestone with the Golden State Warriors’ 113–106 win over the Houston Rockets on 28Mar 2017.
Most assists in a WNBA career
As of 18Dec 2017, Sue Bird had provided a total of 2,610assists playing for the Seattle Storm in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Bird also set the record for most assists in a WNBA All-Star Game, making11 during the West’s 130–121 win over the East on 22Jul 2017.
Largest margin of victory in aWNBAregular-season game
Longest postseason winning streak bya team Between 16 Apr and 7 Jun 2017, the Golden State Warriors won 15consecutive playoff games en route to the NBA championship. They came back from a 25-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs on 14May, and lost just one game – against the Cleveland Cavaliers on 9Jun – to finish with a 16–1 postseason record. 208
On 18Aug 2017, the Minnesota Lynx beat the Indiana Fever 111–52, finishing with a 59-point margin of victory. This was 13points more than theprevious highest, by the Seattle Storm in2010.The Lynx also hit the most consecutive points by aWNBA team – 37 – during the game. On 4Oct 2017, Minnesota equalled the most WNBA championship titles – four – tied with theHoustonComets from 1997 to 2000.
On 23Jan 2018 James (b.30D , LeBron became the yoec 1984) player to scor ungest e career points,30,000 ag 33years 24daysed .
Most points scoredin a postseason career As of the end of the 2017 NBA season, LeBron James had recorded 6,163points in 217postseason games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. He surpassed Michael Jordan (5,987) on 25May 2017. During the Finals against the Golden State Warriors in2017, James became the first player to average a triple-double with 33.6points, 12rebounds and 10assists.
ICE HOCKEY Most goals scored by an individual inaregular-season period
SPORTS
On 23Jan 2017, the San Jose Sharks’ Patrick Marleau (CAN) scored four times in the third period against the Colorado Avalanche. This feat had previously been achieved by 11other NHL players. The most goals scored by a team in a regularseason period is nine, by the Buffalo Sabres versus the Toronto Maple Leafs (CAN) on 19Mar 1981.
Most career game-winning goals
Most overtime goals in aregular‑seasoncareer Alex Ovechkin (RUS) scored his 20th regularseason game-winning goal during overtime while playing for the Washington Capitals in a4–3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on 20Oct 2017. He had previously been tied for therecordwith Jaromír Jágr (see right).
Jaromír Jágr (CZE) netted 135game-winners for nine teams between1990 and2017. He had scored 765 goals in total, the third-highest in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).
Most consecutive seasons winning 20matches by a goaltender
Two goaltenders have achieved 12consecutive NHL seasons with 20or more victories: Martin Brodeur (CAN), playing for the New Jersey Devils from1995 to2008, and the New York Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist (SWE) from2005 to2017. Lundqvist became the first player to win 20or more games in each of his first 12seasons in the NHL. On 11Feb 2017, Lundqvist achieved his 400thcareer win in his 727thgame, during the New York Rangers’ 4–2victory over the Colorado Avalanche. This is the fastest 400wins bya goaltender. He beat the previous record – alsosetby Martin Brodeur – by eight matches.
All records relate to the National Hockey League (NHL) contested in the USA and Canada. All teams and players are USA, unless otherwise indicated.
Most overtime goals in a season
Three players have scored five overtime goals in an NHL season: Steven Stamkos (CAN) for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011–12, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews (CAN) in 2015–16 and the Montreal Canadiens’ (CAN) Alex Galchenyuk in 2016–17.
Most overtime goals in a single postseason Corey Perry (CAN) scored three overtime goals for the Anaheim Ducks during the 2017Stanley Cup playoffs. He equalled the mark set by the Boston Bruins’ Mel Hill (CAN) in1939 and Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens (both CAN) in1951.
Fastest overtime goal
Two players scored just 6sec into overtime in Jan2018: Andreas Athanasiou (CAN) for the Detroit Red Wings on 3Jan, and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ William Nylander (SWE, b.CAN) on 24Jan. They matched the NHL record set by Mats Sundin (SWE) in1995 and equalled by David Legwand and Alex Ovechkin in2006. Since 2015, overtime has been contested by teams with just three skaters per side.
, Ryan On 25 Jan 2018aheim An e th of r Mille the Ducks achieved ins by w ut to oo sh t mos th his a goaltender wiy. 59thvictor
Mostpostseasonpointsscoredby a rookie Jake Guentzel scored 21points in his first postseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins, racking up 13goals and eight assists. He matched the feat of Dino Ciccarelli (CAN, 14goals and seven assists) in1981 and Ville Leino (FIN, seven goals and 14assists) in2010.
Most consecutive defeats to start a season
Most wins in a season by an expansion team On 1Feb 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets (CAN) 3–2 for their 34th victory of the season. This was more than any other expansion team in their debut season, exceeding the 33wins of the Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers in 1993–94. As of 22Mar 2018, the Knights’ record was up to47.
On 28Oct 2017, the Arizona Coyotes lost 4–3 againsttheNew Jersey Devils to find themselves0–11 for the season (with one defeat occurring in overtime). Their 11straight losses equalled the worst start in NHLhistory, joining the1943–44 NewYork Rangers. The most consecutive wins to start a season is10, by the Buffalo Sabres from 4–26Oct 2006 and the Toronto Maple Leafs from 7–28Oct1993.
Most career shootout goals On 29Dec 2017, Frans Nielsen (DNK) scored his 47thshootout goal, past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3–2 victory over the NewYork Rangers. It was Nielsen’s 21stgame-winning strike – the most career shootout winning goals. His47goals had come from 94attempts, giving him anNHL-high average of50% since 2006–07.
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SOCCER Most clubs played for in the UEFAChampions League
Zlatan Ibrahimović (SWE) has played for seven clubs in Europe’s top-flight competition since 17Sep 2002. They are: Ajax (NLD), Juventus, Inter Milan (both ITA), Barcelona (ESP), AC Milan (ITA), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) andManchester United (UK).
Most team goals inaUEFA Champions League group stage Most wins of the FIFA Beach Soccer WorldCup Brazil has won the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup five times: in 2006–09 and 2017. Following an eight-year drought, they secured their fifth title at the 2017tournament in The Bahamas with a6–0 win over Tahiti on 7May.
Paris Saint-Germain scored 25goals in six games during the group stages of the UEFA Champions League 2017/18 – an average of over four goals a game. They finished top of GroupB with a goal difference of +21. During the 2016/17 Champions League, Borussia Dortmund (DEU) set a record for the most goalscorers in a UEFA Champions League season (team), with 15different players finding the net.
Most wins of the UEFA European Cup/ ChampionsLeague
Real Madrid (ESP) won their 12th European topflight title when they defeated Juventus (ITA) 4–1 in the Champions League final on 3Jun 2017. The victory ensured Real became the first team to win the Champions League in consecutive years. Before the competition changed format in 1992, they were also responsible for the most consecutive wins of the European Cup – five, in1956–60. As of 23Apr 2018, Real Madrid had also achieved the most UEFA Champions League victories – 149, from 248games over 22campaigns.
Most wins of the UEFA Women’s ChampionsLeague
On 1Jun 2017, Olympique Lyonnais Féminin (FRA) secured their fourth UEFA Women’s Champions League title, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 7–6 on penalties at the Cardiff City Stadium, UK. Theymatched 1.FFCFrankfurt, who won in 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2015.
Manchester City 8 EPL won the 2017/1 aking re -b rd co re in title most e th g sin st yle, amas wins(32) t os m ), 00 (1 points s(106) and most goal on. as se e gl sin a in
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Most goals in a 38-game English Premier League (EPL) season Liverpool’s Mo Salah (EGY) scored 32league goals during the 2017/18 EPL season. The prolific forward also achieved the most games scored in during a 38-game EPL season – 24. Salah’s goal tally was only two short of the 34 hit by Andy Cole in 1993/94 and Alan Shearer (both UK) in 1994/95 – the most goals in a 42‑game EPL season.
Most consecutive UEFA Champions League matches won at home Bayern Munich (DEU) won 16 Champions League home ties at the Allianz Arena from 17Sep 2014 to 15Feb 2017. Now-retired captain Philipp Lahm (left) and Thomas Müller (right) are pictured above with their GWR certificate. Most consecutive wins in the topdivision ofEnglish football by a team Manchester City (UK) won 18English Premier League games in a row between 26Aug and 27Dec 2017 – the most ever in the history of England’s top division. On 13Dec 2017, they surpassed Arsenal’s previous mark of 14from 2002 in style, defeating Swansea 4–0. City’s run finally came to an end on 31Dec 2017, when they were held to a goalless drawby Crystal Palace.
Most consecutive matches unbeateninLaLiga
FC Barcelona went unbeaten for 43Spanish league games between 15Apr 2017 and 9May 2018, recording 34wins and nine draws. Closing in on an unbeaten La Liga season, Barcelona were finally defeated 5–4 by Levante on 13May 2018.
Most La Liga goals scored by a player
Lionel Messi (ARG) had scored 383goals for FCBarcelona in Spain’s top division since 1May 2005, as of 13May 2018. He amassed this total in 417matches, giving him a strike rate of 0.91goals perLa Liga game. Messi scored his 20th goal of the 2017/18 season against Alavés in a 2–1 victory on 28Jan 2018, completing the most consecutive La Liga seasonstoscore 20goals –10.
Most Serie A seasons scored in by a player
Francesco Totti (ITA) retired at the end of the 2016/17 season having scored at least once in 23seasons of Italy’s SerieA. He made his debut forASRoma on 28Mar 1993, and scored his first league goal for the club in the top flight against Foggia on 4Sep 1994. Over the course of his career, Totti scored the most SerieA penalties – 71, ahead of Roberto Baggio’s 68.
Most wins of the Italian top division by a player On 13May 2018, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) became the first player to win nine SerieA titles. His league triumphs all occurred at the same club, Juventus, in 2002–03 and 2012–18.
Most English Premier League goalsscoredforone club
Most English Premier League appearances Youngest goalscorer at the CONCACAF Gold Cup Alphonso Davies (b.2Nov 2000) scored twice for Canada aged 16years 247days in a 4–2 victory against French Guiana on 7Jul 2017. He went on to finish as the Gold Cup’s jointtop scorer, and was named as the tournament’s Best Young Player.
As of 13May 2018, Gareth Barry (UK) had played 653matches in the English top flight since 2May 1998. He surpassed the previous record of 632 by Ryan Giggs on 25Sep 2017. Barry has lined up for four clubs during his career: Aston Villa, Manchester City, EvertonandWestBromwich Albion.
Most UEFA Champions League goals As of 8May 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo (PRT) had scored 120goals in the UEFA Champions League. On 12 Apr, he converted a late penalty against Juventus to send Real Madrid into the semi-finals and extend his record for themost consecutive UEFA Champions League matches scored in – 11.
Most wins of the CONIFA European FootballCup
Padania has won the CONIFA European Football Cup both times it has been held, in 2015 and 2017. The unofficial northern Italian state retained its title on 10Jun 2017 by defeating hosts Northern Cyprus 4–2 on penalties at the Nicosia Atatürk Stadium. CONIFA is a world football federation for stateless peoplesandinternationally unrecognized nationsand territories.
Most games won by a coach with thesameinternational soccer team
Most English Premier League goals scored in a calendar year From 1Jan to 26Dec 2017, Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane (UK) scored 39goals in the EPL. He claimed the record with a Boxing Day hat-trick against Southampton. It was Kane’s sixthleague treble of2017 – the most EPL hat-tricks in a calendar year.
Most career regular-season NWSL goals As of 13May 2018, Samantha Kerr (AUS) had scored 45goals in the National Women’s Soccer League. In2017, she hit the most goals in an NWSL season – 17, for Sky BlueFC (above) – and the most goals in an NWSL game (four), against Seattle Reignon 19Aug.
Oldest professional player to scoreacompetitive league goal
Kazuyoshi Miura (JPN, b. 26 Feb 1967) scored the only goal in Yokohama FC’s 1–0 win over Thespakusatsu Gunma aged 50years 14days, attheNippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, on 12Mar 2017.
On 25Jun 2017, Joachim Löw (DEU) celebrated his 100th victory in charge of the German national team when they defeated Cameroon 3–1 at the FIFAConfederations Cup. By 13May 2018, Löw’s tally had increased to106.
Highest margin of victory in aUEFAWomen’s European ChampionshipFinals match
On 19Jul 2017, England beat old rivals Scotland 6–0 in their Women’s Euro2017 GroupD match at the Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht, Netherlands. Jodie Taylor hit the first hat-trick by an English woman at a major tournament.
Most games won at the CONCACAF GoldCupby a team
The USA have won 56games in 14tournaments of the CONCACAF Gold Cup since 1991. They won their sixth title on 26Jul 2017, beating Jamaica 2–1 in the final. It took their competition record to 73games, 56wins, ninedraws and eightdefeats. The USA may have won the most games, but rivals Mexico have recorded the most wins of the CONCACAF Gold Cup – seven, from 1993to2015.
MOST DOMESTIC LEAGUE TITLES (2017 WINNERS ONLY) TEAM
DOMESTIC LEAGUE
FIRST TITLE
NO. OF TITLES
Olympiacos
Greece
1931
44
AlAhly
Egypt
1949
39
SL Benfica
Portugal
1936
36 34
RSC Anderlecht
Belgium
1947
Juventus
Italy
1905
33
Real Madrid
Spain
1932
33
Bayern Munich
Germany
1932
27
ASECMimosas
Côte d’Ivoire
1963
25
Rosenborg
Norway
1967
25
MalmöFF
Sweden
1944
20
Most expensive playertransfer On 3Aug 2017, Brazilian forward NeymarJr transferred from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain upon the activation of his release clause of €222m (£198.7m; $262.8m). Thisalso made Neymar the most expensive player (combinedtransfer fees), having cost a total of €308.2m (£275.9m; $364.8m) in his career.
* Figures as of the end of the 2016/17 season
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On 14May 2017, Wayne Rooney (UK) scored his 183rdgoal for Manchester United, against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in London. It proved to be his final strike for the club, as he returned to boyhood team Everton in the subsequent close season. As of 13May 2018, Rooney had scored 208career EPL goals in all – second behind Alan Shearer (UK), thehighest EPL goalscorer with260.
SPORTS
RUGBY Most tries scored at a RugbyLeagueWorldCup
Valentine Holmes (Australia) scored 12tries in six games during Australia’s triumphant campaign in the 2017Rugby League World Cup. On 24Nov, Holmes achieved the most tries in a Rugby League World Cup game, scoring six against Fiji. Holmes’s team-mate Billy Slater claimed the mostoverall tries at the Rugby League World Cup, with16 between 2008and2017.
Most points in an international rugbyleague career Most wins of the Women’s Rugby World Cup New Zealand secured their fifth Rugby World Cup title by defeating England Women 41–32 on 26 Aug 2017. The Black Ferns had trailed the final 17–5, only to come roaring back with 31second-half points. The aggregate score of 73points was the highest combined score inaWomen’s Rugby World Cup final.
Johnathan Thurston (AUS) scored 382international points from 5May 2006 to 5May 2017. The halfback, who announced his international retirement following injury sustained during the State of Origin series, scored 13tries and kicked 165goals.
First transatlantic professional rugbyleague team
On 25 Feb 2017, Canada’s Toronto Wolfpack madeits UK professional rugby league debut against Siddal in the Challenge Cup third round.
Most Super Rugby titles
The Crusaders (NZ) secured their eighth title in Super Rugby – the Southern Hemisphere and Japan-based club competition – on 5Aug 2017, defeating the Lions (ZAF) 25–17in the final.
Most British and Irish Lions toursascaptain Wales’s Sam Warburton led the British and Irish Lions on their 2017 tour of New Zealand, his second tour as captain. He equalled the feat of England’s Martin Johnson, Lions captain in 1997 and 2001.
Most tries scored by a team in aSuperRugby regular season
Wellington-based Hurricanes (NZ) scored 89tries during the 2017 Super Rugby regular season. They got off to a whirlwind start, scoring 13in their opening match against the Sunwolves. Ngani Laumape (NZ) scored 15tries for the Hurricanes in 2017 – the most individual tries scored in a single Super Rugby season. He equalled the mark set byJoe Roff (AUS, 1997) and Rico Gear (NZ, 2005).
Most tries scored in an English Premiershipregular season
Wasps winger Christian Wade (UK) scored 17tries during the 2016–17English Premiership season, equalling the record of Dominic Chapman (UK), whoscored 17for Richmond in1997–98. On 16Apr 2016, Wade scored the most tries inanEnglish Premiership match with a six-try haul against Worcester. He equalled Ryan Constable (AUS, b.ZAF), who scored six for Saracens on 16Apr 2000. Saracens’ p victory Champions Cu vergne Au t on m er Cl over earned them on 13May 2017 y but also the ph tro e th e not only ost consecutiv record for the mp games without Cu s on Champi ayed 20games defeat. They pl out defeat from th wi in on the sp 21Oct 2017, 14Nov 2015 to losing... to y all fin re befo rgne. Clermont Auve
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Most National Rugby League appearances Cameron Smith (AUS) made358 appearances in the NRL for Melbourne Storm between2002 and 1Oct 2017. In 15years of playing, Smith missed just 11games owing to injury. The two-time Premiership winner also recorded the most wins in the NRL by an individual –254.
Fastest Super League hat-trick On 29May 2017, Castleford’s Greg Eden (UK) scored three tries in 4min 59sec against Leigh Centurions. He went over for his first score on 32min 43sec and completed his hat-trick after 37min 42sec. Incredibly, it was the fourth consecutive Super League game in which Eden had scored a hat-trick.
Most Super Rugby appearances Wyatt Crockett (NZ) had played 189Super Rugby games for the Crusaders as of 3Mar 2018. The prop, who also achieved the most consecutive international wins by a player (32with New Zealand from 2014to 2017), beat Keven Mealamu’s mark of 175on 14Apr 2017.
Most tries scored in the European Rugby Champions Cup by an individual On 20Jan2018, Chris Ashton (UK) scored his 38thtry in European rugby’s top-tier competition for French side Toulon. He had previously scored 29tries for Saracens (UK), including one in the 2017final (see pic) that took him past Vincent Clerc’s record of36. Ashton had also notched eight for Northampton Saints (UK) in 2009–12, whenthe tournament was known as the Heineken Cup.
RUGBY WORLD CUP Largest margin of victory
Australia beat Namibia 142–0in Adelaide, Australia, on 25Oct 2003. They scored 22tries in total, with Chris Latham scoring five and Mat Rogers successfully kicking 16conversions.
SPORTS
Highest aggregate match score
On 4Jun 1995, New Zealand ran rampant against Japan, defeating them145–17 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Winger Marc Ellis helped himself to six tries, the most individual triesscored in amatch.
Most appearances
Most clean breaksmade According to World Rugby statistics, Australian winger David Campese made 37clean breaks through the opposition’s defensive line between1987 and 1995. Campese scored 10tries in 15matches, earning a winner’s medal in1991. He was renowned for the “goose-step” hitchkick motion he used toelude defenders.
Two players have made 22appearances at the Rugby World Cup: England’s Jason Leonard (1991– 2003) and New Zealand’s Richie McCaw (2003–15). Leonard, a 2003 cup winner, won16 games and lost six. McCaw – who made the most international rugby union appearances (148) – won20 of his finals matches, the most wins by anindividual.
Most wins New Zealand have claimed the William Webb Ellis winner’s trophy on three occasions: in1987, 2011 and2015. They defeated Australia34–17 on 31Oct 2015 to become the first side to defend the title. On the other two occasions, France finished as runners-up – having also lost to Australia in1999, Les Bleus have suffered the most final losses, with three.
Youngest player
Vasil Lobzhanidze lined up for Georgia against Tonga aged 18years 340days at Kingsholm in Gloucester, UK, on 19Sep 2015. The youngest try scorer is Welsh winger George North, who went over against Namibia aged 19years 166days on 26Sep 2011. The oldest player is Diego Ormaechea (URY), who was aged 40years 26days when he took to the field for Uruguay against South Africa at Hampden Park in Glasgow, UK,on 15Oct 1999. Longest time between wins On 19Sep 2015, Japan caused one of the great rugby union upsets bydefeating South Africa 34–32 in Brighton, East Sussex, UK. The Brave Blossoms had not won a World Cup match since beating Zimbabwe on 14Oct 1991 – a gap of 23years 340days.
Fastest try
Most points scored in asingletournament
Grant Fox scored 126 points for New Zealand at the inaugural 1987 World Cup. He kicked 30conversions – the most conversions in a tournament – 21penalties and a drop goal in six matches, helping the AllBlacks to the title.
Most penalty goals
Gonzalo Quesada (ARG) successfully kicked 31penalties at the 1999 World Cup. The Pumas’ fly-half finished the competition asits highest scorer with 102points.
Most conversions
Most tries scored in a single tournament Three players have scored eight tries at a single World Cup tournament: Jonah Lomu (NZ, above) in1999, Bryan Habana (ZAF) in2007 and Julian Savea (NZ) in2015. Lomu, who sadly died in2015, scored a total of 15 World Cup tries in 1995 and 1999; a number matched by Habana in 2007, 2011 and 2015 – meaning that they alsoshare the record for most tries scored.
Daniel Carter (NZ) kicked 58conversions in 16World Cup matches between 2003and 2015. The player with the most international rugby union conversions, 293, Carter kicked his finalever conversion in the dying moments of the 2015 final right-footed – the first and only time he did this.
Australia’s Elton Flatley scored after 18sec during the Wallabies’ 90–8 victory over Romania on18Oct 2003. All records relate to the International Rugby Board/ World Rugby men’s Rugby World Cup
Jonny Wilkinson is the only player to have scored points in more than one Rugby World Cup final. He added two penalties in2007 to his 15‑point haul from2003.
Most points England’s Jonny Wilkinson scored 277points in 19matches from 1999 to2011. The prolific fly-half holds the record for the most penalty goals –58– and most drop goals –14, including the winning score in the 2003final. He also successfully kicked 28conversions and scored a single try, against Italy in1999. 213
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COMBAT SPORTS St-Pierre became only the fourth UFC two‑weight world champion. His record stood at 20wins from 22fights, with only twodefeats. St-Pierre’s victory was also his 13thin UFC title bouts – the most UFC titlebout wins. As of 15Mar 2018, he was one ahead of Demetrious Johnson. Michael Bisping returned to the octagon on 25Nov 2017 for his 29th bout – the most UFC fights. He lost again, toKelvin Gastelum.
Most ONE Championship title defences(female)
Most consecutive UFC title defences Flyweight Demetrious Johnson (USA) made 11consecutive defences of his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title between 26Jan 2013 and 7Oct 2017. He surpassed Anderson Silva’s mark of 10 with victory over Ray Borg at UFC 216, achieved via a dramatic suplex-to-armbar submission in the fifth round.
Most consecutive UFCheavyweight titledefences
Stipe Miocic (USA) made three successful defences of his UFC heavyweight title between 25May 2016 and 20Jan 2018. He recorded his third at UFC220, defeating Francis Ngannou byunanimous decision in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Inaugural ONE Championship women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee (SGP, b CAN8Jul 1996) had made two title defences as of 22Nov 2017. She became the youngest Mixed Martial Arts world champion on 6May 2016 aged 19years 303days, beating Mei Yamaguchi in Kallang, Singapore. Lee’ssecond successful title defence occurred at ONE Championship55: Dynasty of Heroes on 26May 2017, where she defeated Istela Nunes via ananaconda choke.
Youngest boxing super-middleweight worldchampion
David Benavidez (USA, b. 17 Dec 1996) became WBC super-middleweight world champion aged 20years 265days, defeating Ronald Gavril on a split decision at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on 8Sep 2017.
Most light-heavyweight gold medals won attheAIBA World Boxing Championships
Most significant strikes landed duringaUFCtitle match On 13May 2017, Joanna Jędrzejczyk (POL) landed 225significant strikes over five rounds during her Women’s Strawweight Championship bout against Jéssica Andrade atUFC211, held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA. She went on to win the fight by unanimous decision. During the same bout, Jędrzejczyk landed the most leg kicks during a UFC match –75, beating her own record of70. As of 22Jan 2018, she had recorded the most UFC wins (female) – eight – together with Amanda Nunes (BRA). The most significant strikes landed during a UFC match is238, by Nate Diaz (USA) over three rounds against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (see left)at UFC141 on 30Dec 2011.
Julio César La Cruz (CUB) has won four consecutive light-heavyweight gold medals at the biennial amateur boxing competition organized by the Most UFC wins International Boxing Association (formerly known Three fighters have won 20bouts in the UFC: Donald Cerrone (USA), Georges St‑Pierre (CAN) and as the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur). Michael Bisping (UK). The latter two came together He triumphed in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, at UFC217 on 4Nov 2017, with St‑Pierre returning overcoming the same fighter – Joe after a four-year absence from the octagon to win Ward of Ireland –in the last two finals. Most world heavyweight boxing title bouts the middleweight title The most gold medals won at the Wladimir Klitschko (UKR, right) fought in his 29th heavyweight via a rear naked AIBA World Boxing Championships title bout on 29Apr 2017, when he faced off against the choke in the third is six, by the Cuban heavyweight Félix UK’s Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua at Wembley round. A former Savón between 1986 and 1997. Stadium in London, UK. A two-time heavyweight champion, welterweight, Klitschko was first crowned WBO champion on 14 Oct 2000. He lost a thrilling contest with Joshua to an 11th-round TKO, Longest reign as a four-belt undisputed and subsequently worldboxing champion announced his As of 15Mar 2018, Cecilia Brækhus (NOR) had retirement. held the WBO, WBC, WBA and IBF women’s welterweight titles for 3years 183days. The “First Lady” of boxing, with 32wins from 32fights, Brækhus became undisputed champion on 13Sep 2014 and made her sixth successful defence of her belts (which also include the IBOtitle) on 21Oct 2017. Klitschko’s two reigns t as heav yweigh d lle champion tota most e 4, 382days – th eight days as heav ywpion. boxing cham
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Most World Taekwondo Grand Prix victoriesin a calendar year
SPORTS
Bianca Walkden (UK) won the women’s +67kg category at all four Grand Prix events on the World Taekwondo calendar in2017. She triumphed in Moscow, Rabat and London before taking gold at the Grand Prix Final in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on 2Dec 2017. No other fighter had ever completed a clean sweep of Grand Prix events in a calendar year. Walkden also defended her +73 kgtitle at the2017WorldTaekwondo Championships.
Most medals won attheWorld Taekwondo Championships by acountry South Korea won 232taekwondo World Championship medals from 25May 1973 to 30Jun 2017. They topped the medal table at the 2017tournament in Muju, South Korea, with a totalof10, including five gold.
Most individual gold medals won at theIBJJFWorld Championships Marcus Almeida (BRA, above in blue) has won 10individual gold medals at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Championships. He triumphed in the +100kg and open categories at the 2017Mundials on1–4Jun to match the feat of Roger Gracie (BRA), who won 10golds in the 100kg, +100kg and open categories between2004 and2010.
Most Muay Thai gold medals won attheWorld Games by acountry
Ukraine won three gold medals at the inaugural Muay Thai competition at the 2017World Games in Wrocław, Poland. In the 11finals that took place on 30Jul 2017, Ukraine won titles at men’s 91kg (Oleh Pryimachov), men’s 67kg (Serhii Kuliaba) andmen’s 63.5kg (Igor Liubchenko). With a silver medal to boot, Ukraine earned the award for “Muaythai team of TWG2017”.
Fastest knockout victory inaboxingworldtitle fight
Zolani Tete (ZAF) won his WBObantamweight title bout with Siboniso Gonya after 11sec on 18Nov 2017 at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. He knocked out his opponent with his first punch, a right hook after just 6sec.
Most gold medals won by a country at theWorld Taekwondo Beach Championships
Most career wins by a sumo wrestler
Thailand won seven gold medals at the inaugural World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) World Taekwondo Beach Championships, staged on the Greek island of Rhodes on 5–6 May 2017. The championships featured 26 non-sparring categories such as kyukpa artistic solo events and poomsae, where individuals or teams perform “a sequence of movements arranged in a meaningful order in response to attacks from multiple imaginary assailants”.
Hakuhō Shō (MNG) finished the 2017Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on 26Nov having achieved 1,064career sumo victories. His tournament record of 14–1 was enough to secure Hakuhō his 40thchampionship – the most top-division sumo championship wins. He had sealed the title on 25Nov, overcoming EndōShōta at the f*ckuoka Kokusai Center. As of 15Mar 2018, Hakuhō had increased his tally of wins to1,066. On 28May 2017, Hakuhō secured his13th zenshō‑yūshō – a tournament victory without a single loss – winning the Summer Grand Slam in Tokyo, Japan, with a 15–0record. This is the mosttop-division undefeated sumo championship wins.
Most World Judo Championship gold medalswon by an individual (male) On 11Nov 2017, Teddy Riner (FRA, b.GLP, above in white) won his 10thjudo world title at the Openweight World Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco. His final victory, against Toma Nikiforov, was his 144thconsecutive official bout without defeat. It was Riner’s second Openweight title, adding to the eight golds he had won in the +100kg division at the World Judo Championships from2007 to2017.
Youngest winner of an International JudoFederation (IJF) Grand Prix
On 24Feb 2017, Uta Abe (JPN, b.14Jul2000) won the women’s -52kg category at the IJF Düsseldorf Grand Prix in Düsseldorf, Germany, aged 16years 225days. Abe sealed the title by defeating France’s Amandine Buchard with a low uchi-mata – a type of judo throw – securing the decisive score. Her older brother Hifumi, also a judoka, took gold in themen’s 66kg at the 2017World Championships at theage of just20.
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Most bouts undefeated by a world champion boxer in a career Quintuple weight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr (USA, right) retired from boxing with a record of 50wins and no defeats, achieved between 11Oct 1996 and 26Aug 2017. At the age of40, Mayweather came out of retirement to defeat two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor via a 10th-round stoppage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. 215
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CRICKET Most wickets taken by a player inanU19sWorld Cup match
Australian leg spinner Lloyd Pope took eight wickets for 35runs against England in the quarter-finals of the ICC Under-19s World Cup inQueenstown, New Zealand, on 23Jan 2018. On the same day, Sri Lankan opener Hasitha Boyagoda scored the most runs by a player in anU19s World Cup match –191, against Kenya.
Fastest ambidextrous bowler
Pace bowler Yasir Jan (PAK) has been clocked bowling at 145km/h (90mph) with his right hand and 135km/h (83.8mph) with his left. A bowler may change hands during an over or a spell, butmust inform the umpire beforehand.
Most runs scored in a Twenty20 (T20) career Chris Gayle (JAM) had hit 11,068runs in 323T20matches as of 4Mar 2018. The hardhitting left-hander has scored runs for domestic T20 sides such as the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (above), plus 1,589runs for the West Indies. On 12Dec 2017, Gayle hit 146not out for the Rangpur Riders in the final of the Bangladesh Premier League. His match-winning innings included the most sixes by aplayer in a T20innings (male) – 18.
Highest score carrying bat throughacompleted innings
On 27–28Dec 2017, England opener Alastair Cook scored 244not out against Australia in the Fourth Ashes Test at the MCG in Melbourne, Australia. It was the highest-ever Test score by an unbeaten opening batsman following the dismissal of all 10team-mates in an innings.
Most Test matches hosted
The Third Test between England and the West Indies on 7–9Sep 2017 was the 135thTest match staged at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, UK. Theiconic venue hosted its first Test match, England vs Australia, on 21–23Jul 1884.
Most expensive player intheIndianPremier League
India’s cross-format master Virat Kohli was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for 17crore ($2.67m; £1.97m) on 5Jan 2018.
Highest score by a batsman “retired hurt” Evin Lewis (TTO) made 176runs for the West Indies before inside-edging a ball into his foot and retiring hurt from a One-Day International against England at The Oval in London, UK, on 27Sep 2017. He beat the 140-year-old all-format record of Charles Bannerman (AUS), who made 165runs before retiring hurt on 15–16Mar 1877, during the first Test match.
216
Most wickets taken in an ICC World Cup final On 23Jul 2017, England’s Anya Shrubsole took sixwickets for 46runs against India in the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup at Lord’s, UK – more than any player (male or female) in a World Cup final. Her figures included five wickets in 19balls.
Highest successful run chaseina T20 match
On 16Feb 2018, Australia replied to New Zealand’s score of 243for6 by hitting 245for5 in a T20Tri-Series match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. The triumphant run chase was built on an opening stand of 121in 8.3overs by D’ArcyShort and David Warner.
Best One-Day International (ODI) bowlingfigures by a player from anassociate nation(male) On 9Jun 2017, leg spinner Rashid Khan took seven wickets for 18runs – the fourth-best figures in ODIhistory – for Afghanistan against the West Indies at Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. Afghanistan were granted full membership ofthe International Cricket Council 13days later, ending their status as anassociate nation.
Most runs scored in ODIs (female)
As of 4Mar 2018, India captain Mithali Raj had scored 6,259ODI runs in 189matches (170innings) since her debut in the format in1999. Between 7Feb and 24Jun 2017, Raj hit the most consecutive fifties in One-Day Internationals (female) – seven. Together with England’s Charlotte Edwards, shehas the most fifties scored in an ODI career (female) –55.
Most international hat-tricks
On 6Apr 2017, Lasith Malinga (LKA) bowled his fourth international hat-trick (i.e, taking three wickets in three balls) during a T20International against Bangladesh. He matched Wasim Akram (PAK), who took four hattricks from1989 to1999.
Fastest Twenty20 International hundred(male) On 22Dec 2017, Rohit Sharma (IND) made acentury off just 35balls – including eight sixes and 11fours – against Sri Lanka in Indore, India. Sharma matched the feat of David Miller (ZAF), who made his own 35-ball century two months earlier, on 29Oct, against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
TENNIS Most Grand Slam singles titles won(male)
Lowest-ranked player to win theUSOpen Sloane Stephens (USA) had a world ranking of83 when she lifted the US Open winner’s trophy on 9Sep 2017. Her maiden Grand Slam title was even more remarkable for the fact that it came just 69days after she had returned from an 11‑month injury layoff, which had seen her ranking plummet as low as957.
SPORTS
On 28 Jan 2018, Roger Federer (CHE) secured his 20th Grand Slam title with victory at the Australian Open. Incredibly, the 36-year-old has won 10% of the 200men’s Grand Slams – comprising Wimbledon (see below) and the US, French and Australian Opens – staged since tennis turned professional in 1968. The most Grand Slam singles tennis titles won by any player is 24, by Margaret Court (née Smith, AUS) between 1960 and 1973.
Most matches played on the ATPWorld Tour without retiring
As of 4Mar 2018, Roger Federer had completed 1,394 consecutive matches on the ATP World Tour. His run stretched all the way back to his tour debut in Jul1998, whenthe16‑year-old Federer lost to Lucas Arnold Ker inGstaad, Switzerland.
First player to win 10singles titles at the same Grand Slam (open era) Clay-court king Rafael Nadal (ESP) collected his 10thFrench Open title on 11Jun 2017, defeating Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. His previous triumphs occurred in 2005–08 and 2010–14. As of the 2017final, Nadal’s record at Roland Garros stood at an unbelievable 79wins and just two defeats – to Robin Söderling in2009 and Novak Djokovic in2015. Highest career earnings (female) Serena Williams (USA) had earned $84,463,131 (£61,181,700) in career prize money as of 4Mar 2018. Incredibly, the 23‑time Grand Slam singles champion won her seventh Australian Open title on 28Jan 2017 while eight weeks pregnant withdaughter Alexis.
Most Wimbledon singles titleswon(male) On 16Jul 2017, Roger Federer (CHE, see above) defeated Marin Čilić 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 for his eighth Wimbledon title. This took him one clear of Pete Sampras (USA) and William Renshaw (UK), who both won the event seven times. The most Wimbledon singles title won by any player is nine, by Martina Navratilova (USA, b. CZE). She triumphed in 1978–79, 1982–87 and 1990.
Most clay-court singles titles (open era)
On 23Apr 2017, Rafael Nadal won his 50thtitle on clay at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He surpassed the feat of Guillermo Vilas (ARG), who won 49clay-court titles between 1973and1983. It was the 10thtime Nadal had triumphed in Monte Carlo, making him the first player to win 10singles titles at the same ATP World Tour event (open era) – see also above.
Most Grand Slam quad wheelchair doublestitleswon(male)
David Wagner (USA) won his 16th Grand Slam quad doubles title at the 2017 US Open on 9Sep, partnering Great Britain’s Andrew Lapthorne to a 7–5, 6–2 win against Dylan Alcott and Bryan Barten. Wagner has also claimed the most Grand Slam quadsingles titles won (male) – six, tied with Peter Norfolk (UK).
Longest women’s match at the US Open
Shelby Rogers (USA) defeated Daria Gavrilova (AUS) in a marathon second-round tie lasting 3hr 33min on 31Aug 2017. Rogers squandered four match points before prevailing 7–6 (8–6), 4–6, 7–6 (7–5).
First winner of the Next Gen ATP Finals
On 11 Nov 2017, Chung Hyeon (KOR) beat Andrey Rublev 3–4, 4–3, 4–2, 4–2 to win the first edition ofthe Next Gen ATP Finals, staged in Milan, Italy.
Tallest Grand Slam quarter-final match On 5Sep 2017, the USOpen quarter-finals saw 6‑ft 8‑in (2.03‑m) Kevin Anderson (ZAF, below left) take on 6‑ft 6‑in (1.98‑m) Sam Querrey (USA). The battle of the giants – a combined height 13ft 2in (4.01m) – was won by Anderson, who came through 7–6, 6–7, 6–3, 7–6.
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AUTO SPORTS Most World Motorcycle Championship career race wins in Moto GP/500cc
Valentino Rossi (ITA) won 89championship races riding for Honda, Ducati and Yamaha from 9Jul 2000 to 25Jun 2017.
Fastest sidecar lap at theIsleofManTTraces
Most views of a live testing session featuringaprofessional racing driver On 3May 2017, a live stream of Spanish Formula1 driver Fernando Alonso’s first IndyCar testing session for Andretti Autosport was watched by an unprecedented 2.149million viewers on Facebook andYouTube. Alonso aims to complete the unofficial “Triple Crown of Motorsport” by winning the Monaco F1GrandPrix, the Indianapolis500 and the 24Hours of Le Mans. The first winner of the Triple Crown of Motorsport was Graham Hill (UK), who completed the set with victory at Le Mans in1972. No other driver has matched his feat.
On 5Jun 2017, brothers Ben and Tom Birchall (both UK) completed an Isle of ManTT lap in an LCR Honda 600cc sidecar in 19min 19.746sec. It was the first time a sidecar had recorded an average lap speed of more than 117mph: 117.119mph (188.485km/h).
Most career wins in NHRA drag racing
John Force (USA) registered his 148thvictory in NHRA drag racing on 19Mar 2017, beating Jonnie Lindberg in the Funny Car final at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida, USA. Force (b. 4May 1949) was aged 67years 319days.
On 17Sep 2017, Ana Carrasco (ESP) won the seventh round of the FIM Supersport300 World Championship at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal. Riding a Kawasaki Ninja300, 20-year-old Carrasco took the lead in the final straight of the 11-lap race towin by 0.053sec.
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Youngest rookie driver to achieve apodium finish in Formula 1 Lance Stroll (CAN, b. 29Oct 1998) finished third in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 25Jun 2017 in Baku, aged 18years 239days. The second-youngest F1driver in history behind MaxVerstappen, Stroll had been hired by the Williams team for his debut season.
First female to win an individual worldchampionship motorcycle race
Most consecutive wins of the SuperbikeWorld Championship Jonathan Rea (UK) secured his third straight Superbike World Championship with his 50th race victory, at Magny-Cours in France on 30Sep2017. He finished the season on 3–4Nov with two wins in Qatar for a grand total of 556 points – the most points earned in a Superbike World Championship season.
Most Formula1 pole positions As of 26Mar 2018, Lewis Hamilton (UK) had secured 73pole positions in Formula1. Hesurpassed Michael Schumacher’s record of68 at the Italian Grand Prix on 2Sep 2017. On 7Oct 2017, Hamilton qualified fastest at his 26thdifferent circuit, the Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan – the most Formula1 circuits for a driver to secure pole position.
Fastest completion of the MountWashington Hillclimb Auto Race On 9Jul 2017, Subaru Rally Team USA’s Travis Pastrana (USA) reached the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, USA, in 5min 44.72sec. Hebeat the previous record for the 7.6-mi-long (12.2-km) course by 24.37sec.
Fastest speed in a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Car race (1,000ft) Two-time Funny Car champion Robert Hight (USA) clocked 339.87mph (546.96km/h) on 29Jul 2017 at Sonoma Raceway in California, USA. This is the fastest speed in the history of NHRA professional drag racing. On 18Aug 2017, Hight followed up with the lowest elapsed time in an NHRA Funny Car race (1,000ft) – winning in just 3.793sec.
Fewest laps to lead the Daytona500byawinner
On 18Feb 2018, Austin Dillon (USA) took the checkered flag at NASCAR’s Daytona500 having only taken the lead on the final lap in overtime. Hematched the feat of 2017winner Kurt Busch (USA), who also hit the front with one lap to go. Highest average speed during a lap atthe24Hours of Le Mans On 16Jun 2017, Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) secured pole for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Toyota TS050 Hybrid thanks to a qualifying lap with an average speed of 251.882km/h (156.512mph). Hislap time of 3min 14.791sec was the quickest since chicanes were introduced to the Mulsanne Straight on the Circuit de la Sarthe in1989.
EXTREME SPORTS Most appearances at the Summer X Games
SPORTS
Skateboarding legend Bob Burnquist (BRA) announced that the 2017 X Games would be his last as a competitor, having participated in all 26Games since the inaugural event in1995. Burnquist won the most medals at the Summer X Games – 14gold, eight silver and eight bronze between1997 and2015, for a total of30.
Most medals won at the XGames(female)
Jamie Anderson (USA) won her 15th Winter X Games medal in the Women’s Snowboard Big Air event on 27 Jan 2018. She has amassed five golds, seven silvers and three bronze, making every Snowboard Slopestyle podium between2006 and2018. Youngest X Games double gold medallist On 29Jan 2017, Kelly Sildaru (EST, b.17Feb 2002) won her second XGames gold in the Women’s SkiSlopestyle, aged 14years 347days. Even younger is Brighton Zeuner (USA, b.14Jul 2004), who became the youngest Summer X Games gold medallist (female), aged 13years 1day, in the Women’s Skateboard Park on15Jul 2017.
Most Summer X Games gold medals woninBMX Street (male)
Garrett Reynolds (USA) won his ninth BMX Street gold medal at the 2017Summer X Games. He has only ever missed out on the title once, finishing second at XGames Los Angeles2013.
Most event wins at a Nitro World Games
On 24Jun 2017, Ryan Williams (AUS) became the first multi-event winner at a Nitro World Games. “R-Willy” won BMX Best Tricks and Scooter Best Tricks inSalt Lake City, Utah, USA.
First winner of the FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships David “Junior” Ludvik (USA) was crowned world champion at the inaugural Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Swoop Freestyle World Championships, held on 25–26Aug 2017 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Swoop freestyle pilots parachute from a height of 1,500m (4,921ft), reaching speeds of 150km/h (93mph) before performing a series of acrobatic manoeuvres upon the water. Points are awarded for execution and style.
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Most consecutive wins of the Winter X Games Snowmobile Freestyle event On 28Jan 2017, Joe Parsons (USA) became the first repeat champion in the Snowmobile Freestyle competition at WinterX GamesXXI in Aspen, Colorado, USA. He landed a rare volt – spinning around 360° in his seat in the middle of a jump – to earn him a score of93.00 forhis second consecutive Freestyle title and third overall.
Farthest distance flown in a wingsuit (FAI-approved)
On 27May 2017, Anastasis Polykarpou (CYP) flew 5.192km (3.226mi) in a wingsuit during Round1 of the UK Wingsuit Performance Nationals2017 at Netheravon in Wiltshire. On the same day, Jackie Harper (UK) covered the farthest distance flown in a wingsuit (female, FAI-approved): 4.359km (2.708mi). She achieved aspeed of 254.2km/h (157.9mph) during her run.
Farthest distance canopy piloting (FAI‑approved)
Skydiving instructor Cédric Veiga Rios (FRA) piloted his canopy parachute for 196.52m (644ft) at the World Games in Wrocław, Poland, on 22Jul 2017. The next day, Cornelia Mihai (UAE, b. ROM) achieved the farthest distance canopy piloting (female, FAI-approved) – 175.77m (576ft), also atthe World Games.
Most wins of the Red Bull CliffDiving World Series (female) Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) won four out of six Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series events in 2017 to retain the King Kahekili Trophy. Iffland, who comes from a trampolining background, triumphed in her debut series in 2016 as a wildcard. She matched the feat of Rachelle Simpson (USA), also a two-time champion. 219
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TARGET SPORTS Most points scored in 70m 72-arrow outdoor recurve archery (female)
Choi Mi-sun (KOR) scored 687out of a possible 720points during the women’s recurve ranking round at the 2017Universiade student games in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, on 20Aug 2017.
Most points scored in 50m 72‑arrow outdoor recurve para-archery (W1, female) Jessica Stretton (UK) scored657 out of a possible 720points during the ranking round for the 50‑m W1 final at the 2017World Archery Para Championships on 14Sep 2017 in Beijing, China. Itwas her10th world-record score of the year, having twice set fourrecords in one day.
Highest score in ISSF 10m Air Rifle (women)
Youngest player at the Mosconi Cup On 4Dec 2017, Joshua Filler (DEU, b.2Oct 1997) made his debut for Europe against the USA in pool’s Mosconi Cup, aged 20years 63days. He enjoyed a dream tournament, winning the Most Valuable Player award and sinking the pot that sealed Europe’s 11–4triumph. Europe’s victory over the USA was its12th intotal – the most wins of the Mosconi Cup. The USA has won 11times, with one tie in2006.
On 24Feb 2017, China’s Shi Mengyao won gold at an ISSF World Cup event in New Delhi, India, with a score of252.1. It also counted as an ISSF Junior World Record, as she was aged19 at the time.
Highest score in ISSF 10m Air Pistol (men)
On his ISSFWorld Cup debut in Guadalajara, Mexico, Shahzar Rizvi (IND) won the 10m Air Pistol with a record score of242.3points on 3Mar 2018. The highest score in ISSF 10m Air Pistol (women) is 246.9points, by Zorana Arunović (SRB) at the European 10m Shooting Championship inMaribor, Slovenia, on 11Mar 2017.
First Pétanque World Championships mixeddoubles gold medallists
Nadia ben Abdessalem and Khaled Lakhal (TUN) defeated the Cambodian pair of Sreang Sorakhimand Nhem Bora 13–7 in the final of the doublettes mix at the Pétanque World Championships on 16Apr 2017 in Ghent, Belgium. Pétanque is usuallyplayed head-to-head or in triplettes – teamsof three.
Most points scored in 18 m 60-arrow indoor recurve archery (male) On 20Jan 2017, Brady Ellison (USA) scored 599 out of 600points at the Indoor Archery World Cup event in Nîmes, France. Ellison broke his own record of598, set just two months earlier. The most points scored in 18m 60-arrow indoor compound archery (male) is600 out of 600, by Mike Schloesser (NLD) on 24Jan 2015.
Most men’s doubles raffa gold medals attheWorld Games by a country
Italy have won all three finals of the raffa men’s doubles at the World Games: in 2009, 2013 and 2017, when they defeated San Marino 12–7on 24Jul in Wrocław, Poland. Similar to pétanque, raffa is played with plastic balls, usually on carpet or clay.
Youngest snooker player to record acompetitive 147break
On 9Jul 2017, Sean Maddocks (UK, b.10Apr 2002) hit a maximum break aged 15years 90days during the LiteTask Pro-Am series in Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. He beat the record of snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan by eight days. The oldest snooker player to record a 147break in professional competition is Mark Davis (UK, b.12Aug 1972), who hit his second-ever maximum during a Championship League match on 2Mar 2017 aged 44years 202days. He had recorded his first just two months earlier, on 10Jan.
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PHIL TAYLOR Phil “The Power” Taylor (UK) retired from darts following the final of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship on 1Jan 2018, in which he was defeated 7–2by Rob Cross. Taylor’s legacy of darting domination includes the most World Championship wins (16– two with the British Darts Organisation and 14with the PDC), the most Premier League Darts titles(six) and the most World Matchplay titles(16). “The Power” won his 16thWorld Matchplay crown on 30Jul2017, defeating Peter Wright 18–8in the final. 220
GOLF Fastest time for a golfer to earn $1millionon the LPGA Tour
Youngest golfer to win an event ontheLadiesEuropean Tour Atthaya Thitikul (THA, b.20Feb 2003) won the Ladies European Thailand Championship on 6–9Jul 2017 aged 14years 139days. She finished the event on a 5-under-par score of283, but was unable to claim the €45,000 ($51,322; £39,838) prize owing to her amateur status.
SPORTS
Park Sung-hyun (KOR) earned $1m (£763,068) on the LPGA Tour in 136days from 2Mar to 16Jul 2017 – just 14events, culminating in her victory at the USWomen’s Open. In Nov2017, Sung-hyun became the first LPGA golfer to reach world No.1 in their rookie season. She and Ryu So-yeon (KOR) became the first co-winners of the LPGA Rolex Player of the Year since it was first awarded in1966.
First winners of the GolfSixes tournament
Denmark (Lucas Bjerregaard and Thorbjørn Olesen) were the victors at the inaugural GolfSixes European Tour event at Centurion Club in St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, on 6–7May 2017. Two-man teams from 16 nations competed over a six-hole course, with a shot clock penalizing slow play. Lowest single-round score atamajorchampionship (male) On 22Jul 2017, Branden Grace (ZAF) shot an 8‑under-par round of62 during the third round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, Merseyside, UK. Grace carded eight birdies and no bogeys. The previous lowest major round of63 had been achieved 31times, by 29different golfers.
Lowest round to par at the US Open
On 17Jun 2017, Justin Thomas (USA) shot a 9-under-par round of 63 during the third round of the US Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, USA. He bettered the mark of -8 (also a score of 63), shot byJohnny Miller (USA) at the 1973 US Open. Both Thomas and Miller share the record for the lowest score in a US Open round – their respective scores of 63 were equalled by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf (both USA) on the same day, 12Jun1980, and by Vijay Singh (FJI) in2003.
Lowest score to par at the US Open
Brooks Koepka (USA) won the 2017 USOpen with a score of-16 on 15–18Jun. He matched the winning score of Rory McIlroy (UK) at the 2011US Open.
Lowest final round by a winner at aWorldGolf Championship event
Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) holed seven birdies and an eagle in a final-round61 en route to victory at the Bridgestone Invitational on 6Aug 2017, in Akron, Ohio, USA. The four annual World Golf Championship tournaments are counted among themost prestigious events outside the majors.
Most career holes-in-one on the PGA Tour
According to official PGA Tour statistics, Hal Sutton (USA) and Robert Allenby (AUS) had hit 10holes-inone on the tour, as of 28Nov 2017. The most career holes-in-one on the European Tour is also10, by Miguel Ángel Jiménez (ESP).
Youngest winner of The Players Championship On 14May 2017, Kim Si-woo (KOR, b. 28Jun 1995) won The Players Championship in Florida, USA, aged 21years 320days. Si-woo became only the fourth golfer to win two PGA Tour events before the age of22, joining Jordan Spieth, Sergio García and Tiger Woods.
Most birdies recorded in a single round onthe PGA Tour Adam Hadwin (CAN) shot 13birdies in 18holes at the CareerBuilder Challenge on 21Jan 2017. He equalled Chip Beck (USA), who also made 13birdies at the 1991 Las Vegas International. On 15Jun 2017, Hadwin shot the most consecutive birdies at the US Open – six, matching the feat of George Burns in1982 andAndy Dillard (both USA) in 1992.
Most PGA Tour Champions majortournament victories
As of 14Aug 2017, Bernhard Langer (DEU) had won 10majors on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, which is open to players aged50 and above. His ninth victory, at the 2017Senior PGA Championship, meant that he had triumphed atallfive Tour Champions majors. The most PGA Tour Champions tournament victories is45, achieved by Hale Irwin (USA) between1995 and2007. Most major tournaments played before winning Sergio García (ESP) recorded his maiden major victory atthe 2017Masters Tournament in his 74thmajor. This is two more than Tom Kite, who won the 1992US Open in his 72nd major attempt. García defeated England’s Justin Rose ina sudden-death play-off on 9Apr at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA. As of 16Mar 2018, the most major tournaments played without winning (current) is79, by Lee Westwood (UK). The most major tournaments played without winning ever is87, by Jay Haas (USA) between1974 and2008. 221
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TRACK & FIELD Farthest discus throw (F52, male)
On 18Jul 2017, Andre Rocha (BRA) won the F52 men’s discus at the World Para Athletics Championships with a throw of 23.80m (78ft 1in) at the Olympic Stadium in London, UK. Aformer military police officer, Rocha suffered aspinal cord injury in a fall suffered in the line ofduty. Rocha set more than six world records in the same season, rounding off with the farthest shot put (F52, male) – 11.74m (38ft 6in) in São Paulo, Brazil, on 28Oct 2017.
Fastest 400m (T63, female)
First sub-four-minute mile On 6May 1954, medical student Roger Bannister (UK) ran a mile in 3min 59.4sec before a 3,000-strong crowd at the Iffley Road track in Oxford, UK. He became the first person to break the four-minute barrier for the distance, and although his time was beaten just 46days later it remains a landmark in the history of sport. (See p.232 for the current record). Trackannouncer Norris McWhirter would go on to compile the first edition of TheGuinness Book of Records with his twin Ross. Roger Bannister died on 3Mar 2018, aged 88.
Most medals won at an IAAF Athletics WorldChampionships by a country
The USA won an unprecedented 30medals at the 2017IAAF World Championships in London, UK: 10gold, 11silver and nine bronze. Since the first World Championships in Athletics in1983, Team USA have won the most World Championship gold medals: 155in total.
Largest margin of victory in an IAAF WorldChampionship 4x400m relay On 13Aug 2017, the USA – Quanera Hayes, Allyson Felix, Shakima Wimbley and anchor Phyllis Francis – claimed gold in the women’s 4x 400m relay in atime of 3min 19.02sec, a total of 5.98sec ahead of second-place GreatBritain.
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Gitte Haenen (BEL) won a para 400m in a time of 1min 28.76sec on 5Jun 2017 at a Grand Prix event in Nottwil, Switzerland. A former kick-boxer, Haenen had her left leg amputated above the knee following damage sustained in training. Incredibly, it was her first-ever competitive 400m race.
Fastest 400m (T37, female)
On 20Jul 2017, Georgina Hermitage (UK) won World Championship gold in the T37 women’s 400m in 1min 0.29sec in London, UK. Hermitage is also responsible for the fastest 100m (T37, female) – 13.13 sec, on 9 Sep 2016.
Most medals won at the IAAF Athletics World Championships (male) Usain Bolt (JAM) retired in2017 having won 14World Championship medals since 2009. Hewon bronze in the 100m in London to add tohis collection of 11gold (see below) and two silver medals. Bolt’s 100m victory at the 2009 World Championships came in 9.58sec – still the fastest 100 m (male).
Fastest 200m (T38, female)
Sophie Hahn (UK) won the T38 women’s 200m at the World Para Athletics Championships in 26.11sec on 15Jul 2017, in London, UK. On 22Jul 2017, Hahn improved her own record for fastest 100m (T38, female), taking gold in12.44sec.
Most medals won at the IAAF Athletics World Championships Allyson Felix (USA) won 16World Championship medals between 2005 and 2017 – more than any other athlete, male or female. Her tally includes the most World Championship gold medals: 11, shared with Usain Bolt (see above). In2017, Felix added relay golds in the 4x100m and 4x400m, and individual bronze in the 400m.
Fastest wheelchair 1,500 m (T54, male)
Canada’s Brent Lakatos won the men’s 1,500m T53–54 race in 2min 51.84sec in Nottwil, Switzerland, on 3Jun 2017. It was the culmination of a remarkable 10‑day period in which he set fiveworld records. On 27May, Lakatos broke the fastest wheelchair 100m (T53, male) record for the second time in three days, crossing the line in 14.10sec at the Swiss Nationals in Arbon, Switzerland. The next day, he added the fastest wheelchair 200m (T53, male) – 25.04sec – and the fastest wheelchair 800m (T53, male) – 1min 31.91sec. Fastest wheelchair 100m (T34, female) On 14Jul 2017, Hannah co*ckroft (UK) won gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in London, UK, in a time of 17.18sec. It wasthe first of three gold medals for the multiple record holder, who followed up with wins in the 400m and 800m T34 events. On 3Jun 2017, co*ckroft achieved the fastest wheelchair 1,500m (T34, female): 3min 50.22sec, in Nottwil, Switzerland. She took 11sec off the previous record time, set three years earlier.
Most IAAF Diamond Race titleswon (female)
SPORTS
Sandra Perković (HRV) won six consecutive Diamond League titles in the discus from 2012 to2017. She won four out of five events in 2017, recording victories in Shanghai, Oslo, Birmingham andthe series climax in Brussels. As of 1Sep 2017, Perković had won 38individual discus events – the mostDiamond League eventvictories. The most IAAF Diamond Race titles won (male) is seven, by pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) from2010 to2016 (seep.235).
Most wins of the IAAF HammerThrowChallenge
Anita Włodarczyk (POL) won the women’s IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge five consecutive times between2013 and2017. She remained undefeated in competition throughout the 2017season, the third year in a row that this had occurred. The most wins of the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge (male) is four, by Paweł Fajdek, also from Poland, who won in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In his most recent triumph, Fajdek recorded the competition’s highest-ever overall score of 248.48. He won gold at the IAAF World Championships.
Farthest shot put (F43, male) Akeem Stewart (TTO) took shot-put gold with a throw of 19.08m (62ft 7in) at the IPCWorld Para Athletics Championships in London, UK, on 23Jul 2017. Stewart, who has a congenital leg discrepancy, also won javelin gold with the farthest javelin throw (F43, male) – 57.61m (189ft), on 18Jul.
Most team wins at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships (women)
Largest winning margin at an IAAF World Athletics Championships On 13Aug 2017, Yohann Diniz (FRA, b.1Jan 1978) won the men’s 50km road walk by a margin of 8min 5sec, the largest in the championship’s history. Diniz’s time of 3hr 33min 12sec was the secondfastest ever recorded in the event, while at 39years 224days he became the oldest IAAF World Championship gold medallist (male).
Kenya won their 12thsenior women’s title at the 2017IAAF World Cross Country Championships on 26Mar. Led by overall winner Irene Chepet Cheptai, Kenyan athletes finished in the first six places, ensuring an unprecedented lowestpossible team score of10. Kenya had previously triumped in 1991–93, 1995–96, 1998, 2001 and 2009–13. The most team wins at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships (men) was also recorded by Kenya, with 24titles between1986and2011. Fastest 300m (male) On 28Jun 2017, Wayde van Niekerk (ZAF) ran a world-best time of 30.81sec for the 300m at an IAAF World Challenge meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic. He took the record for the rarely run distance from Michael Johnson (USA), having previously relieved him of the fastest 400m (male) by running 43.03sec in 2016.
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Fastest one-mile race walk
Tom Bosworth (UK) won the Anniversary Games one-mile race walk in 5min 31.08sec on9Jul 2017 at the Olympic Stadium in London, UK. He beat the previous world-best time, set 27years earlier by Algis Grigaliûnas, byalmost 6sec.
Most IAAF World Athletics Championshipgold medals won inanindividual event(female) Brittney Reese (USA) won her fourth World Championship long jump title on 11Aug 2017 with a third-round jump of 7.02m (23ft). She had previously triumphed in2009, 2011 and2013, only to fail to make the 2015final. Reese equalled shot-putter Valerie Adams (née Vili, NZ), who achieved the most consecutive World Championship individual gold medals (female) – four, between2007 and2013.
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MARATHONS Most wins of the Ultra-Trail duMont‑Blanc(male)
On 2Sep 2017, François D’Haene (FRA) won his third Ultra-Trail du Mont‑Blanc, following victories in2012 and2014. He matched the feat of Kílian Jornet (ESP), who won in 2008–09 and 2011. First staged in2003, the race is a c.167‑km (103‑mi) mountain ultra-marathon held annually in the Alps across France, Switzerland and Italy. The most wins of the Ultra-Trail du Mont‑Blanc is five, achieved by Lizzy Hawker (UK) in 2005, 2008 and 2010–12.
Most wins of the London Marathon (male) On 22Apr 2018, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) won his third London Marathon, finishing in 2hr 4min 17sec. He joined three-time winners António Pinto (PRT), Dionicio Cerón (MEX) and Martin Lel (KEN). Kipchoge ran the fastest London Marathon –2hr 3min 5sec – on 24Apr 2016. The most wins of the London Marathon (female) is four, by Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) in1984–85 and 1987–88.
Farthest run in 24 hours (female) Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) ran 259.99km (161.55mi) in 24hr at the 12th IAU 24Hour World Championships in Belfast, UK, on 1–2Jul 2017. It was the second time she had broken the 24‑hr record that year, surpassing her distance of 256.27km (159.24mi) at the 24Hour Polish Championships in Łódź, Poland, on 8–9Apr. The farthest run in 24 hours is 303.50km (188.58mi), achieved by the legendary ultramarathon runner Yiannis Kouros (GRC) in Adelaide, Australia, on 4–5Oct 1997.
Fastest completion of the Sri Chinmoy Self‑Transcendence 3100 Mile Race (female)
An ultra-marathon staged around an extended block in Jamaica, New York City, USA, the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race is the longest running race held annually. On 6Aug 2017, Kaneenika Janakova (SVK) completed the course in 48days 14hr 24min 10sec. She averaged more than 63mi (101km) a day for almost twomonths, beating the previous women’s record by more than 17hr. The fastest completion of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race is 40days 9hr 6min 21sec, achieved by Ashprihanal Aalto (FIN) on 24Jul 2015. He averaged more than 76mi (122km) a day, recording his eighth victory in the event.
Farthest run in 6hours (female)
Fastest time to win the Ironman World Championship (male) Patrick Lange (DEU) won the 2017Ironman World Championship on Big Island in Hawaii, USA, in a time of 8hr 1min 40sec on 14Oct. Hecompleted a 2.4‑mi (3.8‑km) swim in 48:45, a112‑mi (180‑km) bike ride in 4:28:53 and a 26.2‑mi (42.1‑km) marathon run in 2:39:59.
Nele Alder-Baerens (DEU) covered 85.49km (53.12mi) in 6hr at the 6-Stunden-Lauf Münster ultra-distance race in Münster, Germany, on 11Mar 2017. Alder-Baerens has impaired vision and has been completely deaf since the age of13.
Farthest run in 12hours (female)
On 9–10 Dec 2017, Camille Herron (USA) covered 149.13km (92.66mi) in 12hr at the Desert Solstice track meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. She beat Ann Trason’s 1991 mark of 147.60km (91.71mi).
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17. Hospital patient (male) Jonathan Carter (UK) – 3:40:38
16. Zombie (female) Charlotte Österman (SWE) – 3:39:25
15. Monarch (male) Paul Underwood (UK) – 3:39:10
14. Stationery item (male) Alex Morales (UK), as a pencil –3:33:13
13. Vegetable (female) Amy Shadbolt (UK) – 3:32:50
12. Lifeguard (female) Rebecca César de Sá (UK) – 3:31:06
11. Tennis player (male) James Caldon (UK) – 3:28:48
10. Cheerleader (female) Carly Furnell (UK) – 3:27:14
9. In a two-person costume Michael Odell (CHE) and GuyDunscombe (UK), as a horseand jockey – 3:25:17
8. Whoopee cushion Oliver Hill (UK) – 3:20:39
7. In a rugby kit (male) Terry Midgley (UK) – 3:20:16
6. Insect (male) Barnaby Hopson (UK) – 3:14:24
5. In pyjamas (male) David Stoneman (UK) – 3:07:09
4. Love heart (male) Joe Gale (UK) – 3:05:55
3. Star Wars character (male) Mathieu Lavedrine (UK), as an X-wing pilot – 3:05:27
2. In a wedding dress (male) Matt Berry (UK) – 2:55:52
1. Film character (male) Rob Pope (UK), as Forrest Gump – 2:36:28
On 22Apr 2018, around 40,000runners lined up for the 38thannual London Marathon in the UK. GWR partnered with the event for the 11thyear, and saw a host of records fall to fleet-footed fancy-dress runners. Check them out below:
Most wins of the Great North Run
On 10Sep 2017, Mo Farah (UK, b. SOM) claimed his fourth consecutive title at the Great North Run half-marathon in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. He equalled the feat of Benson Masya (KEN), who triumphed in 1991–92, 1994 and 1996. The most wins of the Great North Run (female) is three, achieved by Lisa Martin (AUS) in 1986–87 and 1989, Liz McColgan (UK) in 1992 and 1995–96 and Mary Keitany (KEN) in 2014–15 and 2017.
Fastest time to complete the BostonPush‑Rim Wheelchairs
Marcel Hug (CHE) won the World Marathon Majors wheelchair event in Massachusetts, USA, in 1hr 18min 4sec on 17Apr 2017. It was the third consecutive victory in the race for the “Silver Bullet”. On the same date, Hug’s compatriot Manuela Schär achieved the fastest time to complete the Boston Push-Rim Wheelchairs (female) – 1hr 28min 17sec.
Roza Bekele (ETH) triumphed at the 2018Dubai Marathon on 26Jan in 2hr 19min 17sec – the 12th‑fastest time ever run over the distance by a woman at that point. The first four finishers at Dubai recorded times under 2hr 20min, the mostever in a women’s marathon.
Fastest time to run the MarathondesSables(female)
34. On stilts Michelle Frost (UK) – 6:37:38
33. In a six-person costume Megan Walker, Ceyhun Uzun, Andrew Sharpe, Holly Bishop, Frederick Holland and Richard Scantlebury (all UK), as characters from Ghostbusters inthe Ecto‑1 – 6:20:49
32. Wearing ski boots (male) Colin Haylock (UK) – 5:52:16
On 9–15 Apr 2017, Elisabet Barnes (SWE) recorded her second win in three years at the gruelling 250‑km (155.3-mi) ultra-marathon across the Sahara desert, in 23hr 16min 12sec. Barnes beat the previous women’s record, set by Laurence Fricotteaux-Klein in2007, by almost 15min. The fastest time to run the Marathon des Sables is 16hr 22min 29sec, by Mohamad Ahansal(MAR) in1998.
31. Carrying a household appliance (white goods) Richard Gray (UK) – 5:49:37
29. Three-dimensional toy (male) Bob Johnson (UK) – 4:59:30
28. Fairy tale character (female) Julie Greenwood (UK), as Beauty and the Beast’s Belle – 4:24:07
27. Emoji (female) Victoria Bell (UK) – 4:18:06
23. Dragon (female) Bethan Roberts (UK) – 3:58:53
22. In a suit (female) Marta Kiermacz-Abramek (UK) – 3:57:57
21. Landmark (male) George Rutherford-Jones (UK), asBig Ben – 3:54:43
20. Elvis (female) Stacey Harper (UK) – 3:53:56
19. Tree (male) Tim Perkins (UK) – 3:52:35
18. Padlock (male) Edward Low (UK) – 3:51:18
Held on 11Mar 2018, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon attracted a field of 21,915runners in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The race has improved upon its own record every year since2012. The 38thedition of the IAAF Gold Label road race was won by Ethiopia’s Meskerem Assefa in 2hr 21min 45sec.
26. In a full-body animalcostume(female) Fiona Betts (UK) – 4:13:25
Largest women’s marathon
Fastest-run marathon ondebut On 24Sep 2017, Guye Adola (ETH, above) finished second at the Berlin Marathon in Germany in a time of 2hr 3min 46sec. This was the 11th-fastest marathon ever run. Adola averaged a mile every 4min 43.3sec. In 2011, Kenyan runner Moses Mosop ran the then second-fastest marathon in history on his debut, completing the Boston Marathon in 2hr 3min 6sec. However, the IAAF does not classify Boston as a record-eligible course, owing to the fact that its start and finish points are too far apart and itexceeds the maximum permitted decrease in elevation.
25. In motorcycle leathers David Smith (UK) – 4:00:11
David Weir (UK) claimed his eighth men’s title at the London Marathon, UK, on 22Apr 2018. This is the most wins by any wheelchair athlete at the event.
Fastest time to run the DubaiMarathon(female)
24. Three-legged (mixed) Louise Andrews and Neil Sheward (both UK) – 3:59:56
Most wins of the Wheelchair LondonMarathon
Fastest-run Dubai Marathon Mosinet Geremew (ETH) won the Dubai Marathon in the UAE in 2hr 4min on 26Jan 2018. He won an extraordinary sprint finish thatsaw the first six athletes cross the finish line within 15sec of one another. A total of seven runners clocked times under 2hr 5min –a first in marathon history.
30. Three-dimensional plant(male) Owen Willis (UK) – 4:59:39
Fastest time to win the Chicago Wheelchair Marathon (female) On 8Oct 2017, Tatyana McFadden (USA, b.RUS) won the Chicago Wheelchair Marathon in Illinois, USA, in 1hr 39min 15sec. She edged out compatriot Amanda McGrory in a tight finish that saw them both given the same time. It was McFadden’s seventh consecutive win in Chicago, and her eighth overall.
On 9Apr 2017, Purity Rionoripo (KEN) won the Paris Marathon in France in 2hr 20min 55sec. She beat the course record, set by Ethiopia’s Feyse Tadese in 2013, by 11sec, and her lifetime best by nearly 4min. Rionoripo’s husband Paul Lonyangata won the men’s race on the same day –turn to p.90 to see the record they broke together. The fastest time to run the Paris Marathon is 2hr 5min 4sec, by Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) on 6Apr 2014. It was Bekele’s marathon debut.
SPORTS
Fastest time to run the Paris Marathon (female)
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SWIMMING Fastest short course 200m freestyle(female)
Sarah Sjöström (SWE) won the short course 200m freestyle in 1min 50.43sec at the FINA World Cup in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on 12Aug 2017. It was one of five world records she set in 2017 (see p.238). However, Sjöström went on to lose the fastest short course 100m freestyle (female) record when Cate Campbell (AUS) swam 50.25sec at the Australian Short Course Championships on 26Oct 2017.
Fastest 100m butterfly – S13 (female)
Most gold medals won at a single FINAWorldChampionships Caeleb Dressel (USA) won seven gold medals at the 2017FINA World Championships, equalling the record set by compatriot Michael Phelps in 2007. Dressel won the 50m and 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x 100m freestyle and mixed freestyle, and 4x 100m medley and mixed medley, setting two world-record times (see below).
On 4Dec 2017, Carlotta Gilli (ITA) won gold at the World Para Swimming Championships in 1min 2.64sec. In her debut season, the 16-year-old also set the fastest 50 m butterfly – S13 (female) (27.98sec) and fastest 200 m individual medley – SM13 (female) (2min 23.62sec), both on 9Jul.
Fastest International Life Saving Federation (ILSF) 100m manikin tow with fins (male)
Fastest long course relay 4x100m freestyle(mixed)
On 29Jul 2017, a US team featuring Caeleb Dressel, Nathan Adrian, Simone Manuel and Mallory Comerford won the World Championships 4x 100m freestyle mixed relay in a time of 3min 19.60sec. The fastest long course relay 4x 100m medley (mixed) is 3min 38.56sec, also achieved by the USA at the 2017 World Championships on 26Jul 2017. The team comprised Matt Grevers, Lilly King, Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel. The fastest long course relay 4 x 100 m medley (female) is 3min 51.55sec, achieved by the USA – Kathleen Baker (backstroke), Lilly King (breaststroke), Kelsi Worrell (butterfly) and Simone Manuel (freestyle) – on 30Jul 2017.
Most gold medals won at the FINA Swimming World Championships (female)
Katie Ledecky (USA) won 14World Championship gold medals between 2013 and 2017. She added five to her tally in Budapest in 2017, winning the 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle. The most gold medals won at the FINA Swimming World Championships (overall) is26, byMichael Phelps (USA) in2001–11.
Fastest swim 50m backstroke –S4 (male) Arnošt Petráček (CZE) swam the 50m backstroke in 41.63sec in Berlin, Germany, on 7Jul 2017. It was the second time in three months that Petráček – who has no humerus bones in his arms owing to phocomelia syndrome – had set a fastest time for the event. Fastest long course 50m breaststroke(male) At the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on 25Jul 2017, Adam Peaty (UK) won his 50m breaststroke semifinal in 25.95sec. It was the first time any swimmer had broken the 26-sec barrier in this event. Peaty broke his own record twice in the same day, having recorded atime of26.10sec in an earlier heat.
t Adam Peat y no rd reco he st ld ho ly on long for the fastest ststroke ea br 0m 10 course ec – butis (male) – 57.13s lefor all sib on sp re also ever 10fastesttimes ent! ev e th in um sw
Fastest finswimming 100m bi‑fins (female) At the World Games2017 in Wrocław, Poland, Petra Senánszky (HUN) won the 100m bi‑fins in 45.16sec on 22Jul. It was her second world record of the games, having swum the fastest finswimming 50m bi‑fins (female) in 20.52sec the previous day. Bi‑fin competitors race on the surface of the water using a mask, snorkel and a pair of fins. 226
Fastest long course 100m backstroke(female) Kylie Masse (CAN) became the first Canadian female FINA world swimming champion by winning the women’s 100m backstroke final in 58.10sec on 25Jul 2017. She beat Gemma Spofforth’s fastest time of58.12sec from 2009, which hadbeen the longest-standing existing record in women’s swimming until that point.
On 22Jul 2017, Jacopo Musso (ITA) won gold in the men’s 100 m manikin tow with fins life-saving event in 49.02sec at the 2017 World Games. Competitors are required to swim 50 m freestyle with fins and rescue tube before fixing the tube around a manikin floating at the surface by the turning edge. They then tow the manikin back tothe finish. On the same day, Justine Weyders (FRA) achieved the fastest ILSF 100m manikin tow with fins (female) in 57.18sec, also at the World Games in Wrocław, Poland.
WATER SPORTS Fastest University Boat Race (women’s)
SPORTS
On 2Apr 2017, Cambridge secured the Women’s Boat Race Trophy by beating Oxford in a time of 18min 33sec. This was not only the fastest time recorded since the women’s race was moved to the River Thames in London, UK, in 2015, but alsoquicker than the winning time set by the menover the same course in both2014 and2016.
Fastest para-row, women’s single sculls
Fastest flatwater C1 women’s 200m On 27Aug 2017, Laurence Vincent-Lapointe (CAN) won the C1 (canoe singles) women’s 200m final in 45.478sec at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Račice, Czech Republic. The previous day, she and Katie Vincent (CAN) had set the fastest flatwater C2 (canoe doubles) women’s 500m – 1min 56.752sec.
Fastest flatwater K1 men’s 200m
On 16Jul 2017, Liam Heath (UK) won the men’s K1(kayak singles) 200m title in a time of 33.38secat the European Canoe Association (ECA)Canoe Sprint European Championships inPlovdiv, Bulgaria. The fastest flatwater K2 (kayak doubles) men’s 1,000m is 3min 5.624sec, achieved by Francisco Cubelos and Iñigo Peña (both ESP) in Szeged, Hungary,on 27May 2017.
Fastest speed windsurfing (female)
On 22Nov 2017, Zara Davis(UK) windsurfed along a 500-m (1,640-ft) course at an average speed of 46.49knots (53.49mph; 86.09km/h) in Lüderitz, Namibia. This record was approved by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).
On 16Jun 2017, Birgit Skarstein (NOR) won a para-rowing women’s single sculls exhibition race in 10min 49.940sec in Poznań, Poland. Skarstein alsorepresented Norway in crosscountry skiing atthe 2014Paralympic Games. The fastest para-row, men’s single sculls is 9min 39.480sec – by Erik Horrie (AUS) at the 2017World Rowing Championships, on 1Oct.
Fastest rowing, men’s single sculls
Robert Manson (NZ) won the final of the men’s single sculls in 6min 30.740sec at the Rowing World Cup in Poznań, Poland, on 18Jun 2017. Heknocked almost 3sec off the previous best timeover 2,000m, set by Mahé Drysdale in2009.
Youngest APB drop‑knee bodyboardingworld champion
Sammy Morretino (USA, b.29Nov 1996) became the Association of Professional Bodyboarders’ (APB) drop-knee bodyboarding world champion aged 20years 292days on 17Sep2017. He overcame seven-time champion Dave Hubbard inthe final of the Sintra Pro event to take the title.
Longest freediving, dynamic apnea withoutfins(female)
Magdalena Solich-Talanda (POL) swam 191m (626ft7in) underwater on a single breath at the Polish Freediving Pool Championships in Opole, Poland, on 1Jul 2017.
Longest gap between diving gold medalsatthe FINA World Aquatics Championships (male) On 22Jul 2017, Tom Daley (UK) won gold in the men’s 10m platform at the FINA World Aquatics Championships a total of 8years 1day after he had triumphed in the same event, aged15, at the 2009championships. Also at the 2009 championships, Yuliya Pakhalina (RUS) won gold in the women’s 1mspringboard 11years 182days after she hadtopped the podium in the 3m synchronized springboard on 18Jan 1998 – the longest gapbetween diving gold medals at the FINAWorld Aquatics Championships.
Most wins of the Water Polo World Championships by a team (female) Since the competition’s introduction in1986, the USA women’s water polo team has won gold at the FINA World Aquatics Championships five times: in 2003, 2007, 2009, 2015 and 2017. The pre-tournament favourites sealed their fifth title with a 13–6victory over Spain on 28Jul2017 at the Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium in Budapest, Hungary. Attacker Kiley Neushul scored four times.
Deepest freedive – constant weight (female) On 10May 2017, Alessia Zecchini (ITA) dived to a depth of 104m (341ft 2in) at the Vertical Blue competition at Dean’s Blue Hole in The Bahamas. It was the second time in four days she had set a constant weight record – on 6Mayshe dived to 102m (334ft 7in), only for Hanako Hirose to reach 103m (337ft 11in) just minutes before Zecchini reclaimed her title. 227
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WINTER OLYMPICS Oldest Winter Olympic gold medallist inAlpine skiing
Most Winter Paralympic Games snowboardinggold medals On 16Mar 2018, Bibian Mentel-Spee (NLD) won her third Paralympic snowboarding gold in the SB-LL2 banked slalom, having successfully defended her snowboard cross title on 12Mar. This came less than a year after she was diagnosed with cancer for the ninth time. Mentel-Spee had her right leg amputated below the knee owing to a bone-cancer tumour while trying to qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR, b.26Dec 1982) won the men’s downhill aged 35years 51days on 15Feb 2018. He finished 0.12sec ahead of compatriot Kjetil Jansrud at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre to secure Norway’s first-ever gold medal in the event. The oldest female Winter Olympic medallist in Alpine skiing is Lindsey Vonn (USA, b.18Oct 1984), who earned a bronze in the women’s downhill competition on 21Feb 2018 aged 33years126days.
Most medals won at a WinterOlympics(country)
Norway won 39medals at the XXIIIWinter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on 9–25Feb 2018. They won 14gold, 14silver and 11bronze medals in total. Norway’s 14 titles are the most gold medals won at a Winter Olympics (country), a record shared with Germany (also 2018) and Canada (on home soil at Vancouver2010).
Most medal-winning countries ataWinterParalympic Games
A total of 26nations medalled at the XII Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on 9–18Mar 2018. An unprecedented 21countries won events, with four – China, Croatia, Kazakhstan and hosts South Korea – claiming their first-ever gold. Most Winter Olympic speed skating medals Ireen Wüst (NLD, below) won 11medals between 2006 and 2018: five golds, five silvers and a bronze. In Pyeongchang, she won silver in the 3,000m andteam pursuit and gold in the 1,500m, becoming the most decorated speed skater in Olympic history. Four years earlier, Wüst had wonatotal of five medals at Sochi – more than any other athlete at that Games. Wüst’s compatriot Sven Kramer won his ninth medal inPyeongchang – the most Winter Olympic speed skating medals (male).
Most Olympic figure skating medals Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (both CAN) won five Olympic medals between 2010 and 2018. Their ice dance victory in Pyeongchang saw Virtue equal Sonja Henie (NOR) for mostwomen’s Olympic figure skating gold medals (three), while Moir matched Gillis Grafström’s (SWE) record for most men’s Olympic figure skating gold medals (also three).
Youngest snowboarding gold medallist ataWinter Olympics (male)
Redmond “Red” Gerard (USA, b.29Jun 2000) won the men’s slopestyle on 11Feb 2018 aged 17years 227days. Lying 11th out of 12 before his third and final run, Gerard posted the day’s highest score of 87.16 to claim gold. On 16Feb 2018, Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau (FRA, b.20Sep 2001) won silver in the women’s snowboard cross aged 16years 149days to become the youngest snowboarding medallist at a Winter Olympics (female).
Most Winter Olympic medals Cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen (NOR) brought Pyeongchang2018 to a fitting end with victory in the women’s 30km mass start on 25Feb. It was her 15thWinter Olympic medal, the most by any athlete. Bjørgen medalled at five consecutive Games, amassing three bronze, four silvers and eight golds – the most Winter Olympic gold medals, tied with fellow Norwegian cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie.
Most para ice hockey goals at a WinterParalympic Games (male)
Declan Farmer scored 11 goals for the USA at the 2018 Winter Paralympics, including the overtime winner in the final against Canada. He matched thetally of Sylvester Flis (USA, b. POL) from 2002. Farmer won his second Winter Paralympic gold aged just20. His team-mates Steve Cash, Adam Page, Josh Pauls and Nikko Landeros have all won three – the most Winter Paralympic Games para ice hockey gold medals.
Most snowboarding gold medals wonattheWinter Olympics
Shaun White (USA) won the men’s halfpipe in 2006, 2010 and 2018. In Pyeongchang, White landed his first competitive back-to-back 1440s for a winning score of 97.75. He shares the title for mostsnowboarding Winter Olympic medals (three) withKelly Clark (USA), who won agold andtwo bronze in 2002–14. The most snowboard slopestyle gold medals at the Winter Olympics is two, by Jamie Anderson (USA) in 2014–18. (For Anderson’s record-breaking XGames exploits, turn to p.219.) 228
Greatest margin of victory in aWinterOlympic skeleton event On 16Feb 2018, Yun Sung-bin (KOR) claimed the men’s skeleton title by 1.63sec at the Alpensia Sliding Centre near Pyeongchang, South Korea. The home favourite posted the fastest time on all four runs, setting a track record of 50.02sec on his final attempt.
Fastest two goals at a Winter Olympic icehockey match
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson (USA) scored twice in 6 sec against the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) on 13 Feb 2018. She beat the record of 8sec, set by Carl-Göran Öberg (SWE) at Squaw Valley in California, USA, on 21 Feb 1960.
Most luge gold medals wonattheWinterOlympics
Youngest Olympic freestyle skiing medallist (male) Nico Porteous (NZ, b.23Nov 2001) won bronze in the halfpipe event aged 16years 91days on 22Feb 2018. Porteous became the third-youngest male to medal in an individual Winter Olympic event, after snowboarder Ayumu Hirano in 2014 and Scott Allen (USA, b.8Feb 1949), who won bronze in the men’s singles figure skating on 6Feb 1964 aged 14years 363days – the youngest individual medallist at the Winter Olympics (male).
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Natalie Geisenberger (DEU) won the women’s singles and the mixed team relay at both Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang to take her tally tofour – more than any other luger.
Most Winter Olympic gold medals woninbiathlon (female)
On 22Feb 2018, Dárya DÓmracheva anchored the Belarus team to victory in the women’s 4x6km relay in Pyeongchang, bringing her total gold medal tally to four. She won three events at Sochi2014. DÓmracheva is married to retired biathlete OleEinar Bjørndalen (NOR), who has won the mostWinter Olympic biathlon gold medals (male) – eight.
Most Winter Olympic appearances Ski-jumper Noriaki Kasai (JPN)competed in eight consecutive Winter Games from Albertville1992 to Pyeongchang2018. He intends to keep competing into hisfifties, with the lure of a home Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, in 2026. Kasai is pictured receiving his GWR certificates, including most individual starts in FISSki Jumping World Cup competitions – 543, from 17Dec 1988 to 25Mar 2018.
Most Winter Paralympic Games cross‑country skiing gold medals (male) Wu Dajing wo the 500m Win n Olympic title hater le d fromstar tt ving o in ever y race of finish th competition. e
Brian McKeever (CAN) won 13 Paralympic golds at five different Games between 2002 and 2018. He claimed three more titles in Pyeongchang, in the 20km freestyle, 1.5km sprint and 10km classic visually impaired categories. The most Winter Paralympic biathlon gold medals is six, achieved by Vitaliy Lukyanenko (UKR) from 2006 to 2018.
Fastest short track speed skating 3,000mrelay (women) Fastest short track speed skating 500m In the final of the Winter Olympic men’s 500m event on 22Feb 2018, short track speed skater Wu Dajing (CHN) took gold in 39.584sec atthe Gangneung Ice Arena in South Korea. Wu broke JR Celski’s sixyear‑old record of 39.937sec twice over the course of the competition.
On 20Feb 2018, the Netherlands – represented by Suzanne Schulting, Jorien ter Mors, Lara van Ruijven and Yara van Kerkhof – won the BFinal of the women’s 3,000m relay in 4min 3.471sec. The Dutch teamwere eventually promoted to a bronze medal after both China and Canada were disqualified in the AFinal.
First woman to win individual gold medals indifferent sports at a Winter Olympics Ester Ledecká (CZE) made history at the 2018Winter Olympics by winning gold in the Alpine skiing Super-G on 17Feb and the snowboarding parallel giant slalom on 24Feb. A snowboarding world champion, Ledecká caused the upset of the Games by winning the Super-G on a pair of borrowed skis, beating defending champion Anna Veith by 0.01 sec. It was the first time she had even made the podium at an international-level ski race. 229
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ROUND-UP Fastest 15 m speed climb (female) Iuliia Kaplina (RUS) won gold in the women’s speed climbing in a time of 7.32 sec at the World Games in Wrocław, Poland, on 22 Jul 2017. It was the third time she had broken the record that year, having set new fastest times at International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) events intheChinese cities of Chongqing andNanjing.
Fastest winning time forthe Oaks
On 2Jun 2017, Enable won the Oaks Stakes in a time of 2min 34.13sec at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey, UK. With Frankie Dettori on board (see below), she battled driving rain to win byfivelengths.
Most goals scored in aSuper Netball regular season (individual)
Caitlin Thwaites scored 594goals from 647attempts for Collingwood Magpies Netball (both AUS) during the 2017Super Netball regular season (see right).
First winners of the Super Netball title On 17Jun 2017, Sunshine Coast Lightning beat GIANTS Netball (both AUS) 65–48 in the inaugural Super Netball Grand Final, held in Brisbane, Australia. Captain and goalkeeper Geva Mentor (UK, above right) was named Player of the Year. She achieved the most deflections inaSuper Netball regular season –90.
Heaviest para powerlift (-49 kg, male)
Most Group1/Grade1 flat races won by a trainer in a calendar year
Fastest 15m speed climb
On 30Apr 2017, Reza Alipourshenazandifar (IRN) won his semi-final of the men’s speed climb in 5.48secat an IFSCWorld Cupevent in Nanjing, China. The previous record of 5.60sec by Danyil Boldyrev had stood since2014.
Most points needed to win a set of international team volleyball The third set of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball World League Group3 intercontinental round match between Qatar and Venezuela on 11Jun 2017 ended 45–43 in favour of Qatar. The marathon set lasted 49min at Kalev Sports Hall in Tallinn, Estonia. Qatar won the match 3–1 (27–29, 25–16, 45–43, 25–13). 230
Trainer Aidan O’Brien (IRE) won28 Group1/Grade1 flat races in 2017. He surpassed the record of25 – set by Bobby Frankel in2003 – when his horse Saxon Warrior won the Racing Post Trophy in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK, on 28Oct 2017. O’Brien’s most prolific horse was Winter, which won four Group1 races, while Roly Poly and Highland Reel won three each. He won an unprecedented eight out of 10British and Irish Classics.
Most wins of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by a jockey Frankie Dettori (ITA) has ridden the winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s richest horse race, five times: on board Lammtarra (1995), Sakhee (2001), Marienbard (2002), Golden Horn (2015) and Enable (2017). His fifth victory took place in his 29th Arc, held on 1 Oct 2017 at theChantilly Racecourse in Oise, France.
Lê Văn Công (VNM) successfully lifted 183.5kg (404lb 8.7oz) at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Mexico City, Mexico, on 4Dec. At the same tournament, Lingling Guo (CHN) achieved the heaviest para powerlift (-45 kg, female) – 110kg (242lb 8.1oz), also on 4Dec. It was her first major powerlifting competition. On 19Feb 2018, Paul Kehinde (NGA) broke his own record for heaviest para powerlift (-65kg, male) with a 221-kg (487-lb 3.5-oz) lift in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Most wins of the IWRFEuropeanChampionship Great Britain’s wheelchair rugby team secured their sixth International Wheelchair Rugby Federation European Championship title by beating Sweden 49–41 in the final in Koblenz, Germany, on 1Jul 2017. Also known as “murderball”, wheelchair rugby is played on a basketballcourt-sized indoor space, with four-player teams trying to score points by carrying a ball over a line.
Most consecutive UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup race wins On 30Apr 2017, Rachel Atherton (UK) won her 14thconsecutive race at the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup in Lourdes, France. She completed an unprecedented perfect season in2016, winning all seven races. Atherton’s winning run was halted by injury, when she dislocated her shoulder during a practice run.
2001, 2009, 2013 and 2017. On 22Jul 2017, they defeated Canada 10–5 to secure their eighth title in Guildford, Surrey, UK.
Most World Polo Championship wins
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On 29Oct 2017, Argentina claimed their fifth Federation of International Polo (FIP) World Championship with an 8–7overtime victory over Chile in Richmond, New South Wales, Australia. Lucio Fernandez Ocampo equalled the scores in the
Most UCI Mountain BikeDownhill World Cupwins (male)
On 26Aug 2017, Aaron Gwin (USA) won the final race of the season in Val di Sole, Italy, to secure his fifth Downhill World Cup title. He had previously triumphed in 2011–12 and 2015–16. Gwin matched the feat of five-time champion Nicolas Vouilloz (FRA), who won in 1995–96 and 1998–2000.
Fastest average speed recorded at the ParisRoubaix cycling race
Greg van Avermaet (BEL) won the 2017 Paris-Roubaix on 9Apr with an average speed of 45.2km/h (28.08mph). He completed the 257-km (159.69-mi) course in 5hr 41min 7sec. The previous record of 45.1km/h (28.02mph), by Peter Post, had stood since1964. Known as the “Hell of the North”, the Paris-Roubaix is famed for its cobbled streets and testing weather conditions.
Fastest Antarctic mile Irish runner Paul Robinson ran a mile in Antarctica in 4min 17.9sec on 25 Nov 2017. The straight point-to-point course across the remote Union Glacier was measured four times by a GPS satellite before the race to ensure the distance was accurate. Accounting for wind chill, the temperature was -25°C (-13°F). Most broken tackles in an Australian rules football (AFL) regular season Dustin Martin (AUS, above left) broke 68tackles playing for Richmond during the 2017AFL regular season. He has become famous for his stiff arm fend-off, known as the “don’t argue”. Martin capped a stellar2017 by winning the Brownlow Medal, Norm Smith Medal and a premiership winners’ medallion – all in the space of a week.
Most wins of the Women’s Lacrosse WorldCup
The USA have won the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup eight times: in1982, 1989, 1993, 1997, Kenzō Shirai de three original skbuted ills at the 2013Wor GymnasticsCha ld Ar tistic wherehe also mpionships, firstperson tobecame the quadruple twistperforma gymnastics fin in a major al . He agedjust17 at was thetime.
last second of regular time before hitting the winning golden goal.
Youngest helmsman to win the America’s Cup
On 26Jun 2017, helmsman Peter Burling (NZ, b.1Jan 1991) guided the Emirates Team New Zealand to a 7–1 victory over Oracle Team USA aged 26years 176days. First staged in1851 at Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK, the America’s Cup is the oldest international yacht race.
Most wins of the Gordon Bennett Cup (individual)
First held in 1906, the GordonBennett Cup is the oldest aviation race. Winners are the pilots who can guide their 1,000-m3 (35,314-cu-ft) gas balloons the farthest from the launch site. In 2017, Vincent Leys and Christophe Houver (both FRA) piloted their balloon 1,834.72km (1,140.04miles) – from Fribourg in Switzerland to Estonia – to take first place. It was Leys’ ninth overall victory in the race.
Most elements named after a gymnast intheFIGCodeof Points (male) Kenzō Shirai (JPN) has six elements (original skills) named after him in the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique’s Code of Points: three on the floor andthree on the vault. His sixth element is the Shirai3 vault, a variation on a vault performed by Vitaly Scherbo and first demonstrated in competition by Shirai on 25Feb2017.
231
SPORTS REFERENCE
ATHLETICS ATHLETICS – OUTDOOR TRACK EVENTS MEN 100m
Time/Distance 9.58
Name & Nationality
Location
Usain Bolt (JAM)
Berlin, Germany
16Aug 2009
Date
200m
19.19
Usain Bolt (JAM)
Berlin, Germany
20Aug 2009
400m
43.03
Wayde van Niekerk (ZAF)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
14Aug 2016
800m
1:40.91
David Rudisha (KEN)
London, UK
9Aug 2012
1,000m
2:11.96
Noah Ngeny (KEN)
Rieti, Italy
5Sep 1999
1,500m 1mile
3:26.00 3:43.13
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
Rome, Italy Rome, Italy
14Jul 1998 7Jul 1999
2,000m
4:44.79
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
Berlin, Germany
7Sep 1999
3,000m
7:20.67
Daniel Komen (KEN)
Rieti, Italy
1Sep 1996
5,000m
12:37.35
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Hengelo, Netherlands
31May 2004
10,000m
26:17.53
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Brussels, Belgium
26Aug 2005
20,000m
56:26.00
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)
Ostrava, Czech Republic
27Jun 2007
1hour
21,285 m
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)
Ostrava, Czech Republic
27Jun 2007
25,000m
1:12:25.40
Moses Cheruiyot Mosop (KEN)
Eugene, USA
30,000m
1:26:47.40
Moses Cheruiyot Mosop (KEN)
Eugene, USA
3Jun 2011
Saif Saaeed Shaheen (QAT)
Brussels, Belgium
3Sep 2004
3Jun 2011
3,000m steeplechase 110m hurdles
7:53.63 12.80
Aries Merritt (USA)
Brussels, Belgium
7Sep 2012
400m hurdles
46.78
Kevin Young (USA)
Barcelona, Spain
6Aug 1992
4x 100m relay
36.84
London, UK
11Aug 2012
4x 200m relay
1:18.63
Nassau, The Bahamas
24May 2014
4x 400m relay
2:54.29
Stuttgart, Germany
22Aug 1993
4x 800m relay
7:02.43
Jamaica (Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt, MichaelFrater, Nesta Carter) Jamaica (Yohan Blake, Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown) USA (Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, HarryReynolds, Michael Johnson) Kenya (Joseph Mutua, William Yiampoy, IsmaelKombich, Wilfred Bungei) Kenya (Collins Cheboi, Silas Kiplagat, JamesKiplagat Magut, Asbel Kiprop)
Brussels, Belgium
25Aug 2006
Nassau, The Bahamas
25May 2014
4x 1,500m relay WOMEN
14:22.22 Time/Distance
Name & Nationality
Location
Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
Indianapolis, USA
Date
100m
10.49
200m
21.34
Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
Seoul, South Korea
400m
47.60
Marita Koch (GDR)
Canberra, Australia
6Oct1985
800m
1:53.28
Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE)
Munich, Germany
26Jul 1983
1,000m
2:28.98
Svetlana Masterkova (RUS)
Brussels, Belgium
23Aug 1996
1,500m
3:50.07
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Fontvieille, Monaco
17Jul 2015
1mile
4:12.56
Svetlana Masterkova (RUS)
Zurich, Switzerland
14Aug 1996
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Sabadell, Spain
Wang Junxia (CHN)
Beijing, China
16Jul 1988 29Sep 1988
2,000m
*5:23.75
3,000m
8:06.11
5,000m
14:11.15
Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)
Oslo, Norway
10,000m
29:17.45
Almaz Ayana (ETH)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
20,000m
1:05:26.60
Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
Borgholzhausen, Germany
Dire Tune (ETH)
Ostrava, Czech Republic
12Jun 2008 21Sep 2002
1hour
18,517m
7Feb 2017 13Sep 1993 6Jun 2008 12Aug 2016 3Sep 2000
25,000m
1:27:05.90
Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
Mengerskirchen, Germany
30,000m
1:45:50.00
Tegla Loroupe (KEN)
Warstein, Germany
Ruth Jebet (BHR)
Paris, France
27Aug 2016 22Jul 2016
6Jun 2003
3,000m steeplechase 100m hurdles
8:52.78 12.20
Kendra Harrison (USA)
London, UK
400m hurdles
52.34
Yuliya Pechonkina (RUS)
Tula, Russia
8Aug 2003
4x 100m relay
40.82
London, UK
10Aug 2012
4x 200m relay
1:27.46
Philadelphia, USA
29Apr 2000
4x 400m relay
3:15.17
Seoul, South Korea
1Oct 1988
4x 800 m relay
7:50.17
USA (Tianna Madison, AllysonFelix, BiancaKnight, Carmelita Jeter) USA “Blue” (LaTasha Jenkins, LaTashaColander- Richardson, NanceenPerry,Marion Jones) USSR (Tatyana Ledovskaya, Olga Nazarova, Maria Pinigina, Olga Bryzgina) USSR (Nadezhda Olizarenko, Lyubov Gurina, Lyudmila Borisova, Irina Podyalovskaya) Kenya (Mercy Cherono, Irene Jelagat, FaithKipyegon, Hellen Obiri)
Moscow, Russia
5Aug 1984
4x 1,500m relay
16:33.58
* indoor performance (see p.234) All information correct, as of 4Apr 2018
232
Nassau, The Bahamas
Fastest mile (male) Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) won a mile race in 3min 43.13sec in Rome, Italy, on 7Jul 1999. Runner-up Noah Ngeny also beat the previous world record. ElGuerrouj had earmarked the Stadio Olimpico for a record attempt having run the fastest 1,500m (male) – 3min26sec – there the previous year.
24May 2014
Fastest 2,000m (female) On 7Feb 2017, Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) won a 2,000m indoor race in 5min 23.75sec in Sabadell, Spain. Although the indoor 2,000m is not an official IAAF world record event, Dibaba’s time was faster than the previous outdoor record and can be classed as the outright record (see p.234).
ATHLETICS – INDOOR TRACK EVENTS Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m
5.56
Donovan Bailey (CAN)
Reno, USA
Date 9Feb 1996
60m
6.34
Christian Coleman (USA)
Albuquerque, USA
18Feb 2018
200m
19.92
Frankie Fredericks (NAM)
Liévin, France
18Feb 1996
400m
**44.52
Michael Norman Jr (USA)
College Station, USA
10Mar 2018
800m
1:42.67
Wilson Kipketer (DNK)
Paris, France
1,000m
2:14.20
Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI)
Stockholm, Sweden
9Mar 1997
1,500m
3:31.18
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
Stuttgart, Germany
1mile
3:48.45
Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR)
Ghent, Belgium
3,000m
7:24.90
Daniel Komen (KEN)
Budapest, Hungary
5,000m
12:49.60
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Birmingham, UK
17Feb 2016 2Feb 1997 12Feb 1997 6Feb 1998 20Feb 2004
50m hurdles
6.25
Mark McKoy (CAN)
Kobe, Japan
5Mar 1986
60m hurdles
7.30
Colin Jackson (GBR†)
Sindelfingen, Germany
6Mar 1994
Great Britain & Northern Ireland (LinfordChristie, Darren Braithwaite, AdeMafe, John Regis) Poland (Karol Zalewski, Rafał Omelko, Łukasz Krawczuk, Jakub Krzewina) USA All Stars (Richard Jones, David Torrence, Duane Solomon, Erik Sowinski) Mikhail Shchennikov (RUS)
Glasgow, UK
3Mar 1991
Birmingham, UK
4Mar 2018
Boston, USA
8Feb 2014
Moscow, Russia
4x 200m relay
1:22.11
4x 400m relay
**3:01.77
4x 800m relay
7:13.11
5,000m walk WOMEN
18:07.08
14Feb 1995
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m
5.96
Irina Privalova (RUS)
Madrid, Spain
9Feb 1995
60m
6.92
Irina Privalova (RUS)
Madrid, Spain
200m
21.87
Merlene Ottey (JAM)
Liévin, France
11Feb 1993 9Feb 1995 13Feb 1993
400m
49.59
Jarmila Kratochvílová (CZE)
Milan, Italy
7Mar 1982
800m
1:55.82
Jolanda Batagelj (SVN)
Vienna, Austria
3Mar 2002
1,000m
2:30.94
Maria de Lurdes Mutola (MOZ)
Stockholm, Sweden
1,500m
3:55.17
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Karlsruhe, Germany
1Feb 2014
1mile
4:13.31
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Stockholm, Sweden
17Feb 2016
3,000m
8:16.60
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Stockholm, Sweden
6Feb 2014
5,000m
14:18.86
Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Stockholm, Sweden
19Feb 2015
Cornelia Oschkenat (GDR)
Berlin, Germany
20Feb 1988
Susanna Kallur (SWE)
Karlsruhe, Germany
10Feb 2008
Russia (Yekaterina Kondratyeva, IrinaKhabarova, Yuliya Pechonkina, YuliaGushchina) Russia (Yulia Gushchina, Olga Kotlyarova, Olga Zaytseva, Olesya Krasnomovets) Team Moscow (Aleksandra Bulanova, Yekaterina Martynova, Elena Kofanova, Anna Balakshina) Claudia Ştef (ROM)
Glasgow, UK
29Jan 2005
Glasgow, UK
28Jan 2006
Moscow, Russia
18Feb 2011
50m hurdles 60m hurdles
6.58 7.68
4x 200m relay
1:32.41
4x 400m relay
3:23.37
4x 800m relay
8:06.24
3,000m walk
11:40.33
SPORTS REFERENCE
MEN
Date
Bucharest, Romania
25Feb 1999
30Jan 1999
Fastest indoor 60m (male) On 18Feb 2018, Christian Coleman (USA) won the men’s 60m in 6.34sec at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. The 21-year-old sprinter, a 100m silver medallist at the 2017IAAF World Championships, broke Maurice Greene’s record of 6.39sec that had stood for almost 20years. † GBR = Great Britain, asperIAAF listings
** pending ratification
ATHLETICS – ULTRA LONG DISTANCE MEN 50km 100km 100miles 1,000km 1,000miles 6hours
Location
Date
2:43:38 Thompson Magawana (ZAF)
Cape Town, South Africa
6:10:20 Donald Ritchie (GBR)
London, UK
28Oct 1978
11:28:03 Oleg Kharitonov (RUS)
London, UK
20Oct 2002
5days 16:17:00 Yiannis Kouros (GRC) 10days 10:30:36 Yiannis Kouros (GRC) 97.2km (60.39mi) Donald Ritchie (GBR)
Colac, Australia New York City, USA
12Apr 1988
26Nov–1Dec 1984 20–30May 1988
London, UK
28Oct 1978 14Dec 2013
12hours
163.785km (101.77mi) Zach Bitter (USA)
Phoenix, USA
24hours
303.506km (188.59mi) Yiannis Kouros (GRC)
Adelaide, Australia
4–5Oct 1997
48hours
473.495km (294.21mi) Yiannis Kouros (GRC)
Surgères, France
3–5May 1996
6days WOMEN 50km 100km
Fastest 100miles ultra distance (women) On 10–11Dec 2016, Gina Slaby (USA) ran 100mi in 13hr 45min 49sec at an ultradistance race in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. She registered for the 24-hr event, only to switch focus mid-race when she realized that Ann Trason’s 1991 record for 100mi was within reach. Slaby averaged 8.15min per mile around a 400–m high-school track.
Time/Distance Name & Nationality
100miles 1,000km 1,000miles 6hours 12hours
1,036.8km (644.2mi) Yiannis Kouros (GRC) Time/Distance Name & Nationality 3:08:39 Frith van der Merwe (ZAF) 6:33:11 Tomoe Abe (JPN) 13:45:49 Gina Slaby (USA) 7days 1:28:29 Eleanor Robinson (GBR)
Colac, Australia Location Cape Town, South Africa Tokoro, Japan
20–26Nov 2005 Date 25Mar 1989 25Jun 2000
Phoenix, USA
10–11Dec 2016
Nanango, Australia
11–18Mar 1998
12days 14:38:40 Sandra Barwick (NZ)
New York City, USA
16–28Oct 1991
85.492km (53.12mi) Nele Alder-Baerens (DEU)
Münster, Germany
149.130km (92.66mi) Camille Herron (USA)
Phoenix, USA
11Mar 2017 9–10Dec 2017
24hours
259.990km (161.55mi) Patrycja Bereznowska (POL)
Belfast, UK
48hours
397.103km (246.75mi) Sumie Inagaki (JPN)
Surgères, France
21–23May 2010
6days
883.631km (549.06mi) Sandra Barwick (NZ)
Campbelltown, Australia
18–24Nov 1990
1–2Jul 2017
233
SPORTS REFERENCE
ATHLETICS & CYCLING ATHLETICS – ROAD RACE
Fastest road run 10km (female) On 9Sep 2017, Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) won the Prague Grand Prix 10km race in the Czech Republic in 29min 43sec. It was the first time that any female athlete had gone under the 30-min markover this distance, and the fifthworld‑record time that Jepkosgei had runin Prague in the same calendar year.
MEN
Time Name & Nationality
Location
10km
26:44 Leonard Patrick Komon (KEN)
Utrecht, Netherlands
26Sep 2010
Date
15km
41:13 Leonard Patrick Komon (KEN)
Nijmegen, Netherlands
21Nov 2010
20km Half marathon
55:21 Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 58:23 Zersenay Tadese (ERI)
Lisbon, Portugal Lisbon, Portugal
21Mar 2010 21Mar 2010
25km
1:11:18 Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
Berlin, Germany
6May 2012
30km
London, UK
24Apr 2016
Marathon
1:27:13 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) Stanley Kipleting Biwott (KEN) 2:02:57 Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
Berlin, Germany
28Sep 2014
100km
6:13:33 Takahiro Sunada (JPN)
Tokoro, Japan
21Jun 1998
Road relay
1:57:06 Kenya (Josephat Ndambiri, Martin Mathathi, Daniel Mwangi, Mekubo Mogusu, Onesmus Nyerere, John Kariuki)
Chiba, Japan
23Nov 2005
WOMEN
Time Name & Nationality
Location
10km
29:43 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)
Prague, Czech Republic
9Sep 2017
Date
15km
45:37 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)
Prague, Czech Republic
1Apr 2017
20km
1:01:25 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)
Prague, Czech Republic
Half marathon
1:04:51 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN)
Valencia, Spain
1Apr 2017 22Oct 2017
25km
1:19:53 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (KEN)
Berlin, Germany
9May 2010
30km
1:36:05 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (KEN)
London, UK
23Apr 2017
Marathon
2:15:25 Paula Radcliffe (GBR)
London, UK
13Apr 2003
100km
6:33:11 Tomoe Abe (JPN)
Tokoro, Japan
25Jun 2000
Road relay
2:11:41 China (Jiang Bo, Dong Yanmei, Zhao Fengting, Ma Zaijie, Lan Lixin, Lin Na)
Beijing, China
28Feb 1998
Since1998, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has ruled that world records can be set in a facility “with or without a roof” – meaning that times, heights and distances achieved indoors can also stand as outdoor records, providing they meet certain conditions e.g. no banked running track. This applies to Renaud Lavillenie’s pole vault (see right) and Genzebe Dibaba’s 2,000m world record on p.232.
ATHLETICS – OUTDOOR FIELD EVENTS MEN
Distance/Points
Name & Nationality
Location
High jump
2.45m (8ft 0.45in)
Javier Sotomayor (CUB)
Salamanca, Spain
Date
Pole vault
6.16m (20ft 2.51in)*
Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
Donetsk, Ukraine
15Feb 2014
Long jump
8.95m (29ft 4.36in)
Mike Powell (USA)
Tokyo, Japan
30Aug 1991
Triple jump
18.29m (60ft 0.07in)
Jonathan Edwards (GBR)
Gothenburg, Sweden
Shot
23.12m (75ft 10.23in)
Randy Barnes (USA)
Los Angeles, USA
Discus
74.08m (243ft 0.52in)
Jürgen Schult (GDR)
Neubrandenburg, Germany
Hammer
86.74m (284ft 6.95in)
Yuriy Sedykh (USSR)
Stuttgart, Germany
Javelin
98.48m (323ft 1.15in)
Jan Železný (CZE)
Jena, Germany
Decathlon†
9,045points
Ashton Eaton (USA)
Beijing, China
27Jul 1993
7Aug 1995 20May 1990 6Jun 1986 30Aug 1986 25May 1996 28–29Aug 2015
† 100m, 10.23sec; long jump, 7.88m; shot,14.52m; high jump, 2.01m; 400m,45.00 sec; 110mhurdles, 13.69sec; discus, 43.34m; polevault, 5.20m; javelin, 63.63m; 1,500m, 4min17.52sec WOMEN
Distance/Points
Name & Nationality
Location
High jump
2.09m (6ft 10.28in)
Stefka Kostadinova (BGR)
Rome, Italy
30Aug 1987
Date
Pole vault
5.06m (16ft 7.21in)
Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
Zurich, Switzerland
28Aug 2009
Long jump
7.52m (24ft 8.06in)
Galina Chistyakova (USSR)
Leningrad, USSR
11Jun 1988
Triple jump
15.50m (50ft 10.23in)
Inessa Kravets (UKR)
Gothenburg, Sweden
10Aug 1995
Shot
22.63m (74ft 2.94in)
Natalya Lisovskaya (USSR)
Moscow, Russia
Discus
76.80m (251ft 11.61in)
Gabriele Reinsch (GDR)
Neubrandenburg, Germany
Hammer
82.98m (272ft 2.92in)
Anita Włodarczyk (POL)
Warsaw, Poland
Javelin
72.28m (237ft 1.66in)
Barbora Špotáková (CZE)
Stuttgart, Germany
13Sep 2008
Heptathlon††
7,291points
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee (USA)
Seoul, South Korea
23–24Sep 1988
7Jun 1987 9Jul 1988 28Aug 2016
†† 100m hurdles, 12.69sec; high jump, 1.86m; shot, 15.80m; 200m, 22.56sec; long jump, 7.27m; javelin, 45.66m; 800m, 2min 8.51sec Decathlon†††
8,358points
Austra Skujytė (LTU)
Columbia, Missouri, USA
14–15Apr 2005
††† 100m, 12.49sec; long jump, 6.12m; shot,16.42m; high jump, 1.78 m; 400m, 57.19sec; 100m hurdles, 14.22sec; discus, 46.19m; polevault,3.10m; javelin, 48.78m; 1,500m, 5min 15.86sec * indoor performance
234
Farthest long jump (male) Mike Powell (USA) won long-jump gold at the 1991World Championships in Athletics with a leap of 8.95m (29ft 4.36in). Heemerged triumphant after a thrilling battle with rival Carl Lewis, beating one of the most enduring records in sport: Bob Beamon’s mark of 8.90m (29ft 2.3in), set in1968.
ATHLETICS – INDOOR FIELD EVENTS MEN
Distance/Points
Name & Nationality
Location
High jump
2.43m (7ft 11.66in)
Javier Sotomayor (CUB)
Budapest, Hungary
Date
Pole vault
6.16m (20ft 2.51in)
Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
Donetsk, Ukraine
15Feb 2014
Long jump
8.79m (28ft 10.06in)
Carl Lewis (USA)
New York City, USA
27Jan 1984
Triple jump
17.92m (58ft 9.51in)
Teddy Tamgho (FRA)
Paris, France
Shot
22.66m (74ft 4.12in)
Randy Barnes (USA)
Los Angeles, USA
Heptathlon†
6,645points
Ashton Eaton (USA)
Istanbul, Turkey
4Mar 1989
6Mar 2011 20Jan 1989 9–10Mar 2012
WOMEN
Distance/Points
Name & Nationality
Location
High jump
2.08m (6ft 9.88in)
Kajsa Bergqvist (SWE)
Arnstadt, Germany
Pole vault
5.02m (16ft 5.63in)
Jennifer Suhr (USA)
Albuquerque, USA
Long jump
7.37m (24ft 2.15in)
Heike Drechsler (GDR)
Vienna, Austria
Triple jump
15.36m (50ft 4.72in)
Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS)
Budapest, Hungary
Shot
22.50m (73ft 9.82in)
Helena Fibingerová (CZE)
Pentathlon††
5,013points
Natallia Dobrynska (UKR)
Jablonec, Czechoslovakia Istanbul, Turkey
Date 4Feb 2006 2Mar 2013 13Feb 1988 6Mar 2004 19Feb 1977 9Mar 2012
†† 60m hurdles, 8.38sec; high jump, 1.84m; shot, 16.51m; long jump, 6.57m; 800m, 2min 11.15sec
Fastest road walk 50km (female) On 13Aug 2017, Inês Henriques (PRT) took gold in the women’s 50km walk at the IAAF World Championships in 4hr 5min 56sec in London, UK. It was the first time the race had been staged at the championships – only four athletes finished, from seven starters. Henriques improved her own world-record time by more than 2min.
Highest pole vault (male, indoors) Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) successfully cleared a height of 6.16m (20ft 2.51in) at the Pole Vault Stars meeting in Donetsk, Ukraine, on 15Feb 2014. As the highest-ever pole vault, it is acknowledged by the IAAF as both the indoor and the outdoor record, eclipsing the mark of 6.14m (20ft 1.73in) set by Sergei Bubka in1994.
ATHLETICS – RACE WALKING MEN
Time
20,000m
1:17:25.6
20km (road)
1:16:36
Name & Nationality
Location
Bernardo Segura (MEX)
Bergen, Norway
Date 7May 1994
Yusuke Suzuki (JPN)
Nomi, Japan
30,000m
2:01:44.1
Maurizio Damilano (ITA)
Cuneo, Italy
50,000m
3:35:27.2
Yohann Diniz (FRA)
Reims, France
12Mar 2011
3:32:33
Yohann Diniz (FRA)
Zurich, Switzerland
15Aug 2014
Name & Nationality
Location
50km (road) WOMEN
Time
10,000m
41:56.23
20,000m
1:26:52.3
15Mar 2015 3Oct 1992
Date
Nadezhda Ryashkina (USSR) Seattle, USA
24Jul 1990 6Sep 2001
Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS)
Brisbane, Australia
20km (road)
1:24:38
Liu Hong (CHN)
La Coruña, Spain
50km (road)
4:05:56
Inês Henriques (PRT)
London, UK
6Jun 2015 13Aug 2017
CYCLING – ABSOLUTE TRACK MEN 200m (flying start) 500m (flying start) Team 750m (standing start) 1km (standing start) 4km (standing start) Team 4km (standing start) 1hour WOMEN 200m (flying start) 500m (flying start) 500m (standing start) Team 500m (standing start) 3km (standing start) Team 4km (standing start) 1hour
Time/Distance
Name & Nationality
Location
9.347
François Pervis (FRA)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
24.758
Chris Hoy (GBR)
La Paz, Bolivia
41.871
Germany (Joachim Eilers, RenéEnders,Robert Förstemann) François Pervis (FRA)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
5Dec 2013
Aguascalientes, Mexico
7Dec 2013
4:10.534
Jack Bobridge (AUS)
Sydney, Australia
2Feb 2011
3:50.265
Great Britain (Edward Clancy, OwainDoull, Bradley Wiggins, StevenBurke) Bradley Wiggins (GBR)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
London, UK
56.303
54.526km Time/Distance
Date 6Dec 2013 13May 2007
12Aug 2016
7Jun 2015
Name & Nationality
Location
10.384
Kristina Vogel (DEU)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
28.970
Kristina Vogel (DEU)
Frankfurt, Germany
32.268
Jessica Salazar Valles (MEX)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
7Oct 2016
32.034
China (Jinjie Gong, Tianshi Zhong)
Saint-Quentin-enYvelines, France Apeldoorn, Netherlands
18Feb 2015
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13Aug 2016
Colorado Springs, USA
27Feb 2016
3:20.060
Chloé Dygert Owen (USA)
4:10.236
Great Britain (Katie Archibald, LauraTrott, Elinor Barker, JoannaRowsell Shand) Evelyn Stevens (USA)
47.980km
Date 7Dec 2013 17Dec 2016
3Mar 2018
Fastest cycle 500m unpaced (flying start, female) On 17Dec 2016, Kristina Vogel (DEU) cycled 500m from a flying start in 28.970sec in Frankfurt, Germany. It was the first time a female rider had broken the 29-sec barrier. Vogel’s time of 10.384sec is also the fastest cycle 200m unpaced flying start (female).
235
SPORTS REFERENCE
† 60m, 6.79sec; long jump, 8.16m; shot, 14.56m; high jump, 2.03m; 60m hurdles, 7.68sec; pole vault, 5.20m; 1,000m, 2min 32.77sec
SPORTS REFERENCE
DIVING, ROWING & SKATING FREEDIVING MEN’S DEPTH DISCIPLINES
Depth Name & Nationality
Date
129m (423ft 2in) Alexey Molchanov (RUS)
Isla Espíritu Santo, Mexico
28Oct 2016
Constant weight without fins
102m (334ft 7in) William Trubridge (NZ)
Long Island, The Bahamas
20Jul 2016
Variable weight
146m (479ft) Stavros Kastrinakis (GRC)
Kalamata, Greece
No limit
214m (702ft 1in) Herbert Nitsch (AUT)
Spetses, Greece
Free immersion
124m (406ft 9in) William Trubridge (NZ)
Long Island, The Bahamas
MEN’S DYNAMIC APNEA With fins Without fins
Distance Name & Nationality
Time Name & Nationality
Duration
Constant weight without fins Variable weight No limit Free immersion
Depth Name & Nationality
Turku, Finland
2Jul 2016 Date 7Oct 2014 Date
Long Island, The Bahamas
72m (236ft 2in) Sayuri Kinosh*ta (JPN) 160m (524ft 11in) Tanya Streeter (USA) 92m (301ft 10in) Jeanine Grasmeijer (NLD)
WOMEN’S DYNAMIC APNEA
Date
Location
130m (426ft 6in) Nanja van den Broek (NLD)
Long Island, The Bahamas
26Apr 2016 18Oct 2015
Turks and Caicos Islands
17Aug 2002
Location
237m (777ft 6in) Natalia Molchanova (RUS)
Cagliari, Italy
Without fins
191m (626ft 7in) Magdalena Solich-Talanda (POL)
Opole, Poland
Duration
Time Name & Nationality 9min 2sec Natalia Molchanova (RUS)
6Sep 2016 Date
With fins WOMEN’S STATIC APNEA
10May 2017
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands
Distance Name & Nationality
2May 2016 3Jul 2016
Dubai, UAE
104m (341ft 2in) Alessia Zecchini (ITA)
1Nov 2015 14Jun 2007
Turku, Finland
Location
11min 54sec Branko Petrovic (SRB)
WOMEN’S DEPTH DISCIPLINES Constant weight with fins
Location
300m (984ft 3in) Mateusz Malina (POL) Giorgos Panagiotakis (GRC) 244m (800ft 6in) Mateusz Malina (POL)
MEN’S STATIC APNEA
Deepest freedive – freeimmersion (male) William Trubridge (NZ) dived to a depth of 124m (406ft 9in) on 2May 2016 at Dean’s Blue Hole in The Bahamas. He overcame problems retrieving his target tag at the bottom of his dive to break his own record of 121m (396ft 11in) from 2011. In total, Trubridge’s dive lasted 4min 24sec.
Location
Constant weight with fins
Location
26Sep 2014 1Jul 2017 Date
Belgrade, Serbia
29Jun 2013
ROWING (All events take place over a 2,000-m course) MEN
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
6:30.74
Robert Manson (NZ)
Poznań, Poland
Double sculls
5:59.72
Croatia (Valent Sinković, Martin Sinković)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Quadruple sculls
5:32.26
Ukraine (Morozov, Dovgodko, Nadtoka, Mikhay)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
30Aug 2014
Coxless pairs
6:08.50
New Zealand (Eric Murray, Hamish Bond)
London, UK
Coxless fours
5:37.86
Lucerne, Switzerland
25May 2012
Coxed pairs**
6:33.26
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Coxed fours**
5:58.96
Vienna, Austria
24Aug 1991
Eights
5:18.68
Great Britain (Reed, James, TriggsHodge,Gregory) New Zealand (Caleb Shepherd, EricMurray,Hamish Bond) Germany (Ungemach, Eichholz, Weyrauch,Rabe,Dederding) Germany (Jakschik, Sauer, Schmidt, Weissenfeld, Johannesen, Schneider, Planer, Ocik, Wimberger)
Poznań, Poland
18Jun 2017
Single sculls
Date 18Jun 2017
28Jul 2012
LIGHTWEIGHT
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
Single sculls**
6:43.37
Marcello Miani (ITA)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Double sculls
6:05.36
South Africa (John Smith, James Thompson)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
30Aug 2014
Quadruple sculls**
5:42.75
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Coxless pairs**
6:22.91
Greece (Magdanis, Giannaros, EKonsolas,GKonsolas) Switzerland (Simon Niepmann, Lucas Tramèr)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Coxless fours
5:43.16
Denmark (Barsøe, Jørgensen, Larsen, Winther)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Eights**
5:30.24
Germany (Altena, Dahlke, Kobor, Stomporowski, Montreal, Canada Melges, März, Buchheit, Von Warburg, Kaska)
WOMEN
29Aug 2014 13Aug 1992
Name & Nationality
Location
7:07.71
Rumyana Neykova (BGR)
Seville, Spain
Double sculls
6:37.31
Australia (Sally Kehoe, Olympia Aldersey)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Quadruple sculls
6:06.84
Amsterdam, Netherlands
30Aug 2014
Coxless pairs
6:49.08
Germany (Annekatrin Thiele,Carina Bär, JuliaLier, Lisa Schmidla) New Zealand (Grace Prendergast, Kerri Gowler)
Coxless fours**
6:14.36
New Zealand (Prendergast, Pratt, Gowler, Bevan) Amsterdam, Netherlands
29Aug 2014
Eights
5:54.16
USA (Regan, Polk, Snyder, Simmonds, Luczak, Robbins, Schmetterling, Opitz, Lind)
14Jul 2013
Single sculls
Time
Date
Poznań, Poland Lucerne, Switzerland
LIGHTWEIGHT
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
Single sculls**
7:24.46
Zoe McBride (NZ)
Varese, Italy
Double sculls
6:47.69
Netherlands (Maaike Head, Ilse Paulis)
Poznań, Poland
Quadruple sculls**
6:15.95
Netherlands (Woerner, Paulis, Kraaijkamp, Head) Amsterdam, Netherlands
Coxless pairs**
7:18.32
Australia (Eliza Blair, JustineJoyce)
** Denotes non-Olympic boat classes
236
Aiguebelette-le-Lac, France
Fastest row, men’s coxlesspairs At the London 2012 Olympics, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond (NZ) smashed a decade-old record by winning the men’s coxless pairs in 6min 8.50sec. They recorded 69consecutive wins in the event before Murrayretired in May2017.
Date 21Sep 2002
18Jun 2017
Date 20Jun 2015 19Jun 2016 29Aug 2014 6Sep 1997
Fastest row, women’s coxlesspairs On 18Jun 2017, Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast (NZ) wonthe final of the women’s pair in a time of 6min 49.08sec at a Rowing World Cup regatta. It was one of three world-best times set on the same day in Poznań, Poland.
SPEED SKATING – LONG TRACK Time/Points Name & Nationality
500m
33.98 Pavel Kulizhnikov (RUS)
Location
Date
Salt Lake City, USA
20Nov 2015
2x 500m
1:08.31 Jeremy Wotherspoon (CAN) Calgary, Canada
1,000m
1:06.42 Shani Davis (USA)
Salt Lake City, USA
1,500m
1:41.02 Denis Yuskov (RUS)
Salt Lake City, USA
9Dec 2017
3,000m
3:37.28 Eskil Ervik (NOR)
Calgary, Canada
5Nov 2005
Salt Lake City, USA
10Dec 2017
Salt Lake City, USA
21Nov 2015
Sprint combination
6:01.86 Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN, b. NLD) 12:36.30 Ted-Jan Bloemen (CAN, b. NLD) 136.065points Kai Verbij (NLD)
Calgary, Canada
25–26Feb 2017
Small combination
146.365points Erben Wennemars (NLD)
Calgary, Canada
12–13Aug 2005
Big combination
145.742points Shani Davis (USA)
Calgary, Canada
18–19Mar 2006
5,000m 10,000m
Team pursuit (eight laps) WOMEN 500m
3:35.60 Netherlands (Blokhuijsen, Kramer, Verweij) Time/Points Name & Nationality 36.36 Lee Sang-hwa (KOR)
15Mar 2008 7Mar 2009
Salt Lake City, USA
16Nov 2013
Location
Date
Salt Lake City, USA
16Nov 2013 28Dec 2013
2x 500m
1:14.19 Heather Richardson (USA)
Salt Lake City, USA
1,000m
1:12.09 Nao Kodaira (JPN)
Salt Lake City, USA
10Dec 2017
1,500m
Salt Lake City, USA
21Nov 2015
3,000m
1:50.85 Heather RichardsonBergsma (USA) 3:53.34 Cindy Klassen (CAN)
Calgary, Canada
18Mar 2006
5,000m
6:42.66 Martina Sáblíková (CZE)
Salt Lake City, USA
18Feb 2011
Sprint combination
146.390points Nao Kodaira (JPN)
Calgary, Canada
25–26Feb 2017
Mini combination
155.576points Cindy Klassen (CAN)
Calgary, Canada
15–17Mar 2001
Small combination
154.580points Cindy Klassen (CAN)
Calgary, Canada
18–19Mar 2006
Team pursuit (six laps)
2:50.87 Japan (Miho Takagi, NanaTakagi, Ayano Sato)
Fastest short-track speed skating 5,000m relay (male) On 12Nov 2017, a US team comprising Thomas Hong, JohnHenry Krueger, Keith Carroll and JRCelski (right, in picture) won the 5,000m relay at the ISU Short Track World Cup in 6min 29.052sec in Shanghai, China. They edged out their South Korean rivals by just 0.024sec, improving upona record time set by a Canadian relay team that had stood since2012.
SPORTS REFERENCE
MEN
Salt Lake City, USA
8Dec 2017
Fewest points for long-track speed skating sprint combination (male) On 25–26Feb 2017, Kai Verbij (NLD) won the men’s sprint combination at the 2017 ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Calgary, Canada, with 136.065points. The event comprises two 500-m and two 1,000-m races.
SPEED SKATING – SHORT TRACK MEN
Time Name & Nationality
Location
Date
500m
*39.584 Wu Dajing (CHN)
Gangneung, SouthKorea
1,000m
1:20.875 Hwang Dae-heon (KOR)
Salt Lake City, USA
12Nov 2016
1,500m
2:07.943 Sjinkie Knegt (NLD)
Salt Lake City, USA
13Nov 2016
3,000m
4:31.891 Noh Jin-kyu (KOR)
Warsaw, Poland
19Mar 2011
5,000 mrelay
6:29.052 USA (John “J R” Celski, John‑Henry Krueger, Keith Carroll, Thomas Hong)
Shanghai, China
12Nov 2017
WOMEN
Time Name & Nationality
500m 1,000m
42.335 Elise Christie (GBR) 1:26.661 Shim Suk-hee (KOR)
Salt Lake City, USA Calgary, Canada
1,500m
2:14.354 Choi Min-jeong (KOR)
Salt Lake City, USA
12Nov 2016
3,000m
4:46.983 Jung Eun-ju (KOR)
Harbin, China
15Mar 2008
Gangneung, SouthKorea
20Feb 2018
3,000 m *4:03.471 Netherlands (Suzanne Schulting, relay Yara van Kerkhof, Lara van Ruijven, Jorien Ter Mors)
Location
22Feb 2018
Date 13Nov 2016 21Oct 2012
* pending ratification
FIGURE SKATING MEN
Points Name & Nationality
Location
Combined total
330.43 Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)
Barcelona, Spain
12Dec 2015
Short programme
112.72 Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)
Montreal, Canada
22Sep 2017
Free skating
223.20 Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)
Helsinki, Finland
WOMEN
Points Name & Nationality
Location
Combined total
241.31 Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS)
Tokyo, Japan
20Apr 2017
Gangneung, SouthKorea Tokyo, Japan
21Feb 2018
Short programme
82.92 Alina Zagitova (RUS)
Free skating/ Longprogramme
160.46 Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS)
PAIRS
Points Name & Nationality
Location
Combined total
245.84 Aljona Savchenko & Bruno Massot (DEU)
Milan, Italy
Short programme
84.17 Tatiana Volosozhar & Maxim Trankov (RUS)
Date
1Apr 2017 Date
20Apr 2017 Date 22Mar 2018
Sochi, Russia
11Feb 2014
Free skating
162.86 Aljona Savchenko & Bruno Massot (DEU)
Milan, Italy
22Mar 2018
ICE DANCE
Points Name & Nationality
Location
Combined total
207.20 Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Milan, Italy
24Mar 2018
Short dance
83.73 Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Milan, Italy
23Mar 2018
Free dance
123.47 Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Milan, Italy
24Mar 2018
Date
Highest score in figure skating’s short programme (women) On 21Feb 2018, Alina Zagitova (RUS) scored 82.92points during the Winter Olympics ladies’ singles at the Gangneung IceArena in South Korea. Skating to “Black Swan”, the 15-year-old broke the record just minutes after compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva had set a new worldbest score of 81.61. Zagitova went on to win the gold medal. 237
SPORTS REFERENCE
SWIMMING SWIMMING – LONG COURSE (50-M POOL) MEN
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m freestyle
20.91
César Cielo Filho (BRA)
São Paulo, Brazil
18Dec 2009
100m freestyle
46.91
César Cielo Filho (BRA)
Rome, Italy
30Jul 2009
200m freestyle
1:42.00
Paul Biedermann (DEU)
Rome, Italy
28Jul 2009
400m freestyle
3:40.07
Paul Biedermann (DEU)
Rome, Italy
26Jul 2009
800m freestyle
7:32.12
Zhang Lin (CHN)
Rome, Italy
29Jul 2009
1,500m freestyle 4x 100m freestyle relay 4x 200m freestylerelay 50m butterfly
Most FINA world records(current) As of 4Apr 2018, over a year after his retirement, swimming legend Michael Phelps (USA) still held seven fastestever times. His longest-standing record was the fastest long course 400 m medley (male) – 4min 3.84sec, set winning gold at the Beijing Olympics on 10Aug 2008. Phelps took more thana second off his own world record.
14:31.02 3:08.24
Sun Yang (CHN)
London, UK Beijing, China Rome, Italy
4Aug 2012
22.43
USA (Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak) USA (Michael Phelps, Ricky Berens, David Walters, Ryan Lochte) Rafael Muñoz (ESP)
Malaga, Spain
5Apr 2009
100m butterfly
49.82
Michael Phelps (USA)
Rome, Italy
1Aug 2009
200m butterfly
1:51.51
29Jul 2009
6:58.55
11Aug 2008 31Jul 2009
Michael Phelps (USA)
Rome, Italy
50m backstroke
24.04
Liam Tanco*ck (GBR)
Rome, Italy
100m backstroke
51.85
Ryan Murphy (USA)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13Aug 2016
200m backstroke
1:51.92
Aaron Peirsol (USA)
Rome, Italy
31Jul 2009
50m breaststroke
25.95
Adam Peaty (GBR)
Budapest, Hungary
25Jul 2017
100m breaststroke
57.13
Adam Peaty (GBR)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
200m breaststroke
2:06.67
Ippei Watanabe (JPN)
Tokyo, Japan
200m medley
1:54.00
Ryan Lochte (USA)
Shanghai, China
400m medley
4:03.84
Michael Phelps (USA)
Beijing, China
4x 100m medley relay
3:27.28
USA (Aaron Peirsol, Eric Shanteau, Michael Phelps, David Walters)
Rome, Italy
WOMEN
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m freestyle
23.67
Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
Budapest, Hungary
2Aug 2009
7Aug 2016 29Jan 2017 28Jul 2011 10Aug 2008 2Aug 2009 Date 29Jul 2017
100m freestyle
51.71
200m freestyle
1:52.98
400m freestyle
3:56.46
Katie Ledecky (USA)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7Aug 2016
800m freestyle
8:04.79
Katie Ledecky (USA)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
12Aug 2016
1,500m freestyle 4x 100m freestylerelay 4x 200m freestylerelay 50m butterfly
Fastest long course 100m breaststroke (female) Lilly King (USA) won the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1min 4.13sec at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on 25Jul 2017. Five days later, King swam the fastest long course 50m breaststroke (female) – 29.40sec – onher way to another gold medal.
Date
15:25.48 3:30.65
Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
Budapest, Hungary
23Jul 2017
Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
Rome, Italy
29Jul 2009
Katie Ledecky (USA)
Kazan, Russia
4Aug 2015
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
6Aug 2016
Rome, Italy
30Jul 2009
24.43
Australia (Bronte Campbell, Brittany Elmslie, Emma McKeon, Cate Campbell) China (Yang Yu, Zhu Qianwei, Liu Jing, Pang Jiaying) Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
100m butterfly
55.48
Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
200m butterfly
2:01.81
7:42.08
Borås, Sweden
5Jul 2014 7Aug 2016
Liu Zige (CHN)
Jinan, China
21Oct 2009
50m backstroke
27.06
Zhao Jing (CHN)
Rome, Italy
30Jul 2009
100m backstroke
58.10
Kylie Masse (CAN)
Budapest, Hungary
25Jul 2017
200m backstroke
2:04.06
Missy Franklin (USA)
London, UK
3Aug 2012
50m breaststroke
29.40
Lilly King (USA)
Budapest, Hungary
30Jul 2017 25Jul 2017
100m breaststroke
1:04.13
Lilly King (USA)
Budapest, Hungary
200m breaststroke
2:19.11
Rikke Møller Pedersen (DNK)
Barcelona, Spain
1Aug 2013
200m medley
2:06.12
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Kazan, Russia
3Aug 2015
400m medley
4:26.36
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
6Aug 2016
4x 100m medley relay
3:51.55
USA (Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Kelsi Worrell, Simone Manuel)
Budapest, Hungary
30Jul 2017
Fastest long course 50m freestyle (female) Sarah Sjöström (SWE) won her 50m freestyle semi-final in 23.67sec at the FINA World Championships on 29Jul 2017. She went on to take gold with the second-fastest time ever, 23.69sec. At the same championships, Sjöström set the fastest long course 100m freestyle (female) – 51.71sec – as part of the Swedish women’s4x 100m freestyle relay team.
238
SPORTS REFERENCE
Fastest short course 100m butterfly (male) On 8Dec 2016, Chad le Clos (ZAF) won the men’s 100m butterfly at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in 48.08sec. He bounced back from his Olympic disappointment – he won two silvers but finished fourth in a hotly contested 200m butterfly final – to beat his own record of 48.44sec. Le Clos also swam the fastest short course 200m butterfly (male): 1min 48.56sec, recorded in Singapore on 5Nov 2013. SWIMMING – SHORT COURSE (25-M POOL) MEN
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m freestyle
20.26
Florent Manaudou (FRA)
Doha, Qatar
Date 5Dec 2014
100m freestyle
44.94
200m freestyle
1:39.37
400m freestyle
3:32.25
800m freestyle
7:23.42
Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
Netanya, Israel
4Dec 2015
Manchester, UK
19Dec 2009
Dubai, UAE
16Dec 2010
Berlin, Germany
14Nov 2009
1,500m freestyle 4x 100m freestyle relay 4x 200m freestyle relay 50m butterfly
14:08.06
Rijeka, Croatia
13Dec 2008
Berlin, Germany
15Nov 2009
Yannick Agnel (FRA)
Angers, France
15Nov 2012
Grant Hackett (AUS)
Melbourne, Australia
20Jul 2008
21.80
USA (Nathan Adrian, Matt Grevers, GarrettWeber-Gale, Michael Phelps) Russia (Nikita Lobintsev, Danila Izotov, Evgeny Lagunov, Alexander Sukhorukov) Steffen Deibler (DEU)
100m butterfly
48.08
Chad le Clos (ZAF)
Windsor, Canada
8Dec 2016
200m butterfly
1:48.56
Chad le Clos (ZAF)
Singapore, Singapore
5Nov 2013
50m backstroke
3:03.30
Amaury Leveaux (FRA) Paul Biedermann (DEU)
6:49.04
Florent Manaudou (FRA)
Doha, Qatar
100m backstroke
**48.90
22.22
Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS)
St Petersburg, Russia
200m backstroke
1:45.63
Mitch Larkin (AUS)
Sydney, Australia
27Nov 2015
50m breaststroke
25.25
Cameron van der Burgh (ZAF)
Berlin, Germany
14Nov 2009
100m breaststroke
55.61
200m breaststroke
2:00.44
6Dec 2014 22Dec 2017
Cameron van der Burgh (ZAF)
Berlin, Germany
15Nov 2009
Marco Koch (DEU)
Berlin, Germany
20Nov 2016
Vladimir Morozov (RUS)
Berlin, Germany
30Aug 2016 14Dec 2012
100m medley
50.30
200m medley
1:49.63
Ryan Lochte (USA)
Istanbul, Turkey
400m medley
3:55.50
Ryan Lochte (USA)
Dubai, UAE
16Dec 2010
4x 100m medley relay
3:19.16
Russia (Stanislav Donets, Sergey Geybel, Evgeny Korotyshkin, Danila Izotov)
St Petersburg, Russia
20Dec 2009
WOMEN
Time
Name & Nationality
Location
50m freestyle
22.93
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NLD)
Berlin, Germany
100m freestyle
50.25
200m freestyle
1:50.43
400m freestyle
3:54.52
800m freestyle
7:59.34 15:19.71
1,500m freestyle
Date 7Aug 2017
Cate Campbell (AUS)
Adelaide, Australia
26Oct 2017
Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
Eindhoven, Netherlands
12Aug 2017
Mireia Belmonte (ESP)
Berlin, Germany
11Aug 2013
Mireia Belmonte (ESP)
Berlin, Germany
10Aug 2013
Mireia Belmonte (ESP)
Sabadell, Spain
12Dec 2014
Doha, Qatar
5Dec 2014
Doha, Qatar
3Dec 2014
Singapore, Singapore
4x 100m freestyle relay
3:26.53
4x 200m freestyle relay
7:32.85
50m butterfly
24.38
Netherlands (Femke Heemskerk, IngeDekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Maudvan der Meer) Netherlands (Femke Heemskerk, IngeDekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Sharonvan Rouwendaal) Therese Alshammar (SWE)
100m butterfly
54.61
Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
Doha, Qatar
7Dec 2014
200m butterfly
1:59.61
Mireia Belmonte (ESP)
Doha, Qatar
3Dec 2014
50m backstroke
25.67
Etiene Medeiros (BRA)
Doha, Qatar
7Dec 2014
100m backstroke
55.03
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Doha, Qatar
4Dec 2014
200m backstroke
1:59.23
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Doha, Qatar
5Dec 2014
50m breaststroke
28.64
Alia Atkinson (JAM)
Tokyo, Japan
26Oct 2016
Rūta Meilutytė (LTU)
Moscow, Russia
12Oct 2013
Alia Atkinson (JAM)
Doha, Qatar
100m breaststroke
200m breaststroke
1:02.36
22Nov 2009
6Dec 2014
Chartres, France
26Aug 2016 18Dec 2009
Rebecca Soni (USA)
Manchester, UK
100m medley
56.51
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Berlin, Germany
7Aug 2017
200m medley
2:01.86
Katinka Hosszú (HUN)
Doha, Qatar
6Dec 2014
400m medley
4:18.94
Mireia Belmonte (ESP)
Eindhoven, Netherlands
12Aug 2017
4x 100m medley relay
3:45.20
USA (Courtney Bartholomew, Katie Meili, Kelsi Worrell, Simone Manuel)
Indianapolis, USA
11Dec 2015
** pending ratification
2:14.57
Fastest short course 400m medley(female) On 12Aug 2017, Mireia Belmonte (ESP) swam a short course 400m medley in 4min 18.94sec at the FINA World Cup in Eindhoven, Netherlands. She made up a two-second gap on race leader Katinka Hosszú on the breaststroke leg, and held her advantage over the freestyle. Hosszú had beaten Belmonte in the FINA World Championships 400m medley just two weeks earlier.
Fastest short course 50m freestyle(female) Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NLD) swam the 50m freestyle in 22.93sec at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Berlin, Germany, on 7Aug 2017. She reclaimed the record from Sarah Sjöström, who had swum a time of 23.10sec only five days earlier. Kromowidjojo, a triple Olympic champion in the 50m, 100m and 4x 100m freestyle, had previously held the record since Aug2013.
239
SPORTS REFERENCE
WEIGHTLIFTING MEN 56kg
62kg
69kg
77kg
85kg
Heaviest 94kg total(male) On 3Dec 2017, Sohrab Moradi (IRN) took gold at the IWF World Championships in Anaheim, California, USA, with a total of 417kg (919lb 5oz). He lifted 184kg (405lb 10oz) in the snatch and followed up with the heaviest 94kg clean & jerk (male): 233kg (513lb 10oz).
94kg
105kg
105+kg
Location
Wu Jingbiao (CHN)
Houston, USA
21Nov 2015
Clean & jerk
171kg
Om Yun-Chol (PRK)
Houston, USA
21Nov 2015
Total
307kg
Long Qingquan (CHN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7Aug 2016
Snatch
154kg
Kim Un-Guk (PRK)
Incheon, South Korea
21Sep 2014
Clean & jerk
183kg
Lijun Chen (CHN)
Houston, USA
22Nov 2015
Total
333kg
Lijun Chen (CHN)
Houston, USA
22Nov 2015
Snatch
166kg
Liao Hui (CHN)
Almaty, Kazakhstan
10Nov 2014
Clean & jerk
198kg
Liao Hui (CHN)
Wrocław, Poland
23Oct 2013
Total
359kg
Liao Hui (CHN)
Almaty, Kazakhstan
10Nov 2014
Snatch
177kg
Lü Xiaojun (CHN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
10Aug 2016
Clean & jerk
214kg
Nijat Rahimov (KAZ)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
10Aug 2016
Total
380kg
Lü Xiaojun (CHN)
Wrocław, Poland
24Oct 2013
Snatch
187kg
Andrei Rybakou (BLR)
Chiang Mai, Thailand
22Sep 2007
Clean & jerk
220kg
Kianoush Rostami (IRN)
Tehran, Iran
31May 2016
Total
396kg
Kianoush Rostami (IRN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
12Aug 2016
Snatch
188kg
Akakios Kakiasvilis (GRC)
Athens, Greece
27Nov 1999
Clean & jerk
233kg
Sohrab Moradi (IRN)
Anaheim, USA
Total
417kg
Sohrab Moradi (IRN)
Anaheim, USA
3Dec 2017
Snatch
200kg
Andrei Aramnau (BLR)
Beijing, China
18Aug 2008
Clean & jerk
246kg
Ilya Ilyin (KAZ)
Grozny, Russia
12Dec 2015
Total
437kg
Ilya Ilyin (KAZ)
Grozny, Russia
12Dec 2015
Snatch
220kg
Lasha Talakhadze (GEO)
Anaheim, USA
Clean & jerk
263kg
Hossein Rezazadeh (IRN)
Athens, Greece
Total
477kg
Lasha Talakhadze (GEO)
Anaheim, USA
Category
48kg
Snatch
58kg
63kg
69kg
75kg
90kg
90+kg
240
Name & Nationality
139kg
WOMEN
53kg
Heaviest 58kg clean&jerk (female) Hsing-chun Kuo (TPE) cleaned & jerked 142kg (313lb) at the 29th Summer Universiade in Taipei, Chinese Taipei, on 21Aug 2017. She broke a 10‑year-old record on her way to gold at the student games, her total of 249kg (548lb 15oz) just3kg (6lb 9oz) short of the world record.
Category Snatch
Weight
Weight 98kg
Date
Name & Nationality
Location
Yang Lian (CHN)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
3Dec 2017
5Dec 2017 25Aug 2004 5Dec 2017 Date 1Oct 2006
Clean & jerk
121kg
Nurcan Taylan (TUR)
Antalya, Turkey
Total
217kg
Yang Lian (CHN)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
17Sep 2010
Snatch
103kg
Ping Li (CHN)
Guangzhou, China
14Nov 2010
Clean & jerk
134kg
Zulfiya Chinshanlo (KAZ)
Almaty, Kazakhstan
10Nov 2014
Total
233kg
Shu-ching Hsu (TPE)
Incheon, South Korea
21Sep 2014
Snatch
112kg
Boyanka Kostova (AZE)
Houston, USA
23Nov 2015
Clean & jerk
142kg
Hsing-chun Kuo (TPE)
Taipei, Chinese Taipei
21Aug 2017
Total
252kg
Boyanka Kostova (AZE)
Houston, USA
23Nov 2015
Snatch
117kg
Svetlana Tsarukaeva (RUS)
Paris, France
8Nov 2011
Clean & jerk
147kg
Wei Deng (CHN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9Aug 2016
Total
262kg
Wei Deng (CHN)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
9Aug 2016
Snatch
123kg
Oxana Slivenko (RUS)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Clean & jerk
157kg
Zarema Kasaeva (RUS)
Doha, Qatar
13Nov 2005
Total
276kg
Oxana Slivenko (RUS)
Chiang Mai, Thailand
24Sep 2007
Snatch
135kg
Natalya Zabolotnaya (RUS)
Belgorod, Russia
17Dec 2011
Clean & jerk
164kg
Un Ju Kim (PRK)
Incheon, South Korea
25Sep 2014
Total
296kg
Natalya Zabolotnaya (RUS)
Belgorod, Russia
17Dec 2011
Snatch Clean & jerk Total Snatch Clean & jerk Total
130kg 160kg 283kg 155kg 193kg 348kg
Victoria Shaimardanova (UKR) Hripsime Khurshudyan (ARM) Hripsime Khurshudyan (ARM) Tatiana Kashirina (RUS) Tatiana Kashirina (RUS) Tatiana Kashirina (RUS)
Athens, Greece Antalya, Turkey Antalya, Turkey Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan
21Aug 2004 25Sep 2010 25Sep 2010 16Nov 2014 16Nov 2014 16Nov 2014
1Oct 2006
4Oct 2006
Heaviest 90kg snatch(female) Victoria Shaimardanova (UKR) completed a 130-kg (286-lb 9-oz) snatch in the +75kg women’s weightlifting class at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. The 90kg women’s world records were established by the International Weightlifting Federation following their decision to introduce the newweight category in Sep2016.
WATERSKIING MEN
Record
Name & Nationality
Location
Slalom
2.5buoy | 9.75-m line | 58km/h
Nate Smith (USA)
Covington, USA
Date
Barefoot slalom
20.6crossings of wake in 30sec
Keith St Onge (USA)
Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa
Tricks
12,570points
Alexi Zharnasek (BLR)
Isles of Lake Hanco*ck, USA
Barefoot tricks
12,500 points
David Small (UK)
Blue Moo Lake, Wisconsin, USA
Jump
77.4m (253ft 11in)
Ryan Dodd (CAN)
Palm Bay, Florida, USA
Barefoot jump
29.9m (98ft 1in)
David Small (GBR)
Brandenburg, Germany
Ski fly
95.09m (312ft)
Freddy Krueger (USA)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
7Aug 2015
Overall
2,812.71points*
Adam Sedlmajer (CZE)
Isles of Lake Hanco*ck, USA
20Apr 2017
7Sep 2013 6Jan 2006 29Apr 2011 4Aug 2016
WOMEN
Record
Name & Nationality
Location
Slalom
3.5buoy | 10.25-m line | 55km/h
Regina Jaquess (USA)
Isles of Lake Hanco*ck, USA
Date
Barefoot slalom
17.2crossings of wake in 30sec
Ashleigh Stebbeings (AUS)
Perth, Australia
8Oct 2014
Tricks
10,610points
Anna Gay (USA)
Lake Grew, USA
14Oct 2016
Barefoot tricks
10,100points
Ashleigh Stebbeings (AUS)
Mulwala, Australia
13Mar 2014
Jump
60.3m (197ft 10in)
Jacinta Carroll (AUS)
Lake Grew, USA
27Sep 2016
Barefoot jump
23.4m (76ft 9in)
Ashleigh Stebbeings (AUS)
Canungra, Australia
19Feb 2017
Ski fly
69.4m (227ft 8.2in)
Elena Milakova (RUS)
Pine Mountain, USA
26May 2002
Overall
3,126.52 points**
Natalia Berdnikova (BLR)
Groveland, USA
19May 2012
5Nov 2016
*[emailprotected]m, 10,640tricks, 65.7m jump **[emailprotected]m, 9,740tricks, 58.0m jump
SPORTS MARATHONS SPORT Aerobics Baseball Basketball Basketball (wheelchair) Bowling (tenpin) Bowls (indoor) Bowls (outdoor)
Time 39hr 59min 74hr 26min 53sec 120hr 1min 7sec 27hr 32min 134hr 57min 52hr 172hr 7min
Cricket Curling Darts (doubles)
150hr 14min 100hr 3min 25sec 49hr 29min 18sec
Darts (singles) Dodgeball Floorball
50hr 50min 50sec 41hr 3min 17sec 28hr
Hockey (ice) Hockey (indoor) Hockey (inline/roller) Hockey (street) Hurling Korfball Netball Pétanque (boules) Pool (singles) Skiing Snowboarding Soccer Soccer (five-a-side) Table soccer (doubles)
250hr 3min 20sec 62hr 2min 36hr 56sec 105hr 17min 24hr 14min 2sec 30hr 2min 72hr 5min 52hr 105hr 202hr 1min 180hr 34min 108hr 2min 70hr 3min 61hr 17min
Table tennis (doubles) Table tennis (singles) Tennis (doubles)
101hr 1min 11sec 132hr 31min 57hr 32min 27sec
Tennis (singles) Volleyball (beach)
63hr 27min 40sec 25hr 39min
Volleyball (indoor) Wiffle ball
101hr 25hr 39min 33sec
Most points waterskiing overall(men) On 20Apr 2017, Adam Sedlmajer (CZE) scored 2,812.71points (using the new IWWF method of calculation) at the Isles Spring Invitational at Winter Garden, Florida, USA. He skied 4buoys on a 10.25‑m line at 58km/h (36mph), tricked 10,640points and made a 65.7‑m (215‑ft 6.6‑in) jump.
Name & Nationality
Location
Electric Eleven (USA) 56amateur baseball players from the Missouri area, USA Walang Iwanan & Bounce Back (PHL) South West Scorpions Wheelchair Basketball Club (UK) Stephen Shanabrook (USA) Kaye Bunn, Glenys Carter, Hans Kerkhof, Bob Perrin, AlistairCarterand Bryan Allen (all NZ) Paul Crawley, Alan Buchanan, Ryan McGowan, Neil Nicol, SueLeCompte and Alistair Carter (all NZ) Loughborough University Staff Cricket Club (UK) SwissCurling Association (CHE) Gary Pickford, Adam Dickinson, Paul Pickford andMarkWeaver(all UK) Mark Dye and Wayne Mitchell (both UK) Right to Play @ Castleton Club (USA) Mailattomat (FIN)
Fremont, USA Sauget, USA
30–31Dec 2016 26–29May 2017
Manila, Philippines Bristol, UK Plano, USA Central Bowling Club, Cambridge, NewZealand Central Bowling Club, Cambridge, NewZealand Loughborough, UK Biel/Bienne, Switzerland Alsager, UK
24–29Mar 2014 11–12Aug 2012 14–19Jun 2010 21–23Oct 2016
24–30Jun 2012 16–20Dec 2015 12–14Feb 2016
Bromley, UK Castleton, USA Seinäjoki, Finland
13–15Mar 2014 27–29Apr 2012 12–13Jun 2016
Dr Brent Saik and Friends (CAN) Prairie Cat Productions (CAN) Scorpions Inline Hockey Club (NAM) Molson Canadian and Canadian Tireteams (CAN) Cloughbawn GAA Club (IRL) Kingfisher Korfball Club (UK) Generation Netball Club (AUS) 12members of Gilles de B’Heinsch (BEL) Darren Stocks and Graham Cuthbert (both UK) Nick Willey (AUS) Bernhard Mair (AUT) Heartbeat United FC (UK) Lee Knight Foundation (UK) Alexander Kuen, Manuel Larcher, Bernd Neururer andDietmarNeururer (all AUT) Lance, Mark and Phil Warren, BillWeir(all USA) Randy Nunes and Danny Price (both USA) Sipke de Hoop, Rob Hamersma, Wichard Heidekamp and Andre Poel (all NLD) Dennis Groissl and Niklas Jahn (both DEU) Mateusz Baca, Wojciech Kurczyński, Sebastian Lüdke and Tomasz Olszak (all DEU) SVU Volleybal (NLD) Chris Conrad, Julian Cordle, Gary Dunn, Donny Guy andTom Mercier versus Bobby Heiken, Josh McDermott, JeffMultanen,RichRosenthal and Cameron Williams (USA)
Alberta, Canada Regina, Canada Otjiwarongo, Namibia Lethbridge, Canada Castleboro, Ireland Larkfield, UK Launceston, Australia Toernich, Belgium Kingsteignton, UK Thredbo, Australia Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria Worthing, UK Wirral, UK Innsbruck, Austria
Date
19–26Mar 2016
6–16Feb 2015 29–31Jul 2016 10–11Sep 2016 20–24Aug 2008 22–23Jun 2012 14–15Jun 2008 9–12Jul 2015 18–20Sep 2009 22–26Feb 2017 2–10Sep 2005 9–16Jan 2004 26–30May 2016 30Jul–2Aug 2015 29Aug–1Sep 2012
Sacramento, USA Cherry Hill, USA Zuidlaren, Netherlands
9–13Apr 1979 20–26Aug 1978 16–18Aug 2013
Bargteheide, Germany Görlitz, Germany
7–9Jul 2015 3–4Jul 2010
Amstelveen, Netherlands Medford, USA
2–6Jan 2017 10–11 Aug 2013
241
SPORTS REFERENCE
1Jul 2017 11Aug 2010
E DO TRY THIS AT HOM
A E B O T HOW
R E A K E R B D O R REC
ue GWR certificate? iq un a rn ea to s ke it ta re stuck Have you got what h with us! And if you’ y for uc to in t ge , ve ha u pl If you think yo hemed records to ap -t er ak m e fiv d fin for ideas, you’ll s. Good luck! on the following page
AK ER HOW TO BE A RE CORD -BRE
1. Apply online begins at our website: Your first step on the path to GWR glory “Apply to set or break a on Click m. ds.co recor world www.guinness t the record you have abou can you record” and tell us as much as and Why, to help When e, Wher , What Who, the in mind. We want World Records! ness Guin name the us decide if it really is worthy of
Coordinate with so well on your wa me like-minded people and yo u could be y to a GWR title! 316 TombRaide r fans came toge On 8 Mar 2018, a total of ther to form th of people dresse e largest gather d ing Warner Bros. Pic as Lara Crof t. The event was organized by tures (CHN) in Beijing, China.
2. Get the guidelines try to break an existing record, If we like your idea, or if you want to lines that you have to follow when then we’ll send you the official guide t your proposal, we’ll tell you rejec we attempting the record. (And if in around 12weeks. Everyone us from them ve recei ld why.) You shou attempt can be fairly judged. each that MUST follow the same rules so 3. Attempt your record ise, practise! It’s important that Now it’s time to plan and practise, pract this. When you’re finally ready you factor in the time you’ll need for your effor ts and get lots of video to sure for your record attempt, be nt eyewitness statements. Full photographs and at least two independe . lines guide instructions are set out in the 4. Send your evidence lines Collate all your evidence as per the guide rds Reco Our HQ. GWR to it t d/pos and uploa Management Team will sift through your books clips, photos, witness statements, log e you’r If ion. and so on, and make a decis when it t abou know l you’l then , successful the your official GWR certificate arrives in you that ion rmat confi the is post. This are OFFICIALLY AMAZING!
his 1997) receives LD, b. 30 Sep an (N in en w pp to ta rs er Max Ve gest driv te as the youn He won the Spanish GWR certifica . ce ra ip sh pion 228 days. F1World Cham May 2016, aged 18 years 15 Grand Prix on
Could you be a record-breaking collector, like Tai-T Tseng (TPE)? He ing ow Fantasy memorab ns the largest collection of Fina l ilia: 3,782 items, as of 22 Jul 20 17.
242
- top t ip
ea Make sure you provid for ce den full set of evi tos , you r claim: video, pho nes s wit ned sig , ets she e tim ng thi any statem ent s – and to use can els e that we . verify you r achiev em ent l wil ce den evi te ple om inc im! on ly del ay you r cla
E N I R U G I F D N A B R E RUBB thing sculptures using no 3D l fu ur lo co te ea You can cr nds making bands. Get your frie r the but regular rubber uld set the record fo them too, and you co er-band figurines! bb largest display of ru
Keep in mind the proportions of the figure when you’re making it. The average human is around seven to eight heads tall, so your figurine must be about the same.
2 1
de your figurine can be ma The building blocks for ds. ban 20 ut abo of groups by bunching together
Secure these bunches with more bands, then repeat as necessary to make your figurine’s arms, legs and torso.
Use more bands to tie the arms, legs and head to the torso. Keep looping the bands until the body parts are firmly attached.
3
-band ball for Make a classic rubber tructions). ins for 3 p.13 e (se d hea a 4
G UI DE L I N
ES
and figurines most rubber-b e th r fo is rd • This reco ultaneously. one place sim in d ye la l or a team. sp di by an individua e ad can m be n ca bands – there • The figurines glue ly from rubber of on e rm ad fo m y be an t e mus may not use u Yo e. • Each figurin ur ct ru suppor t st ur figurines. be no internal nds; e making of yo th in e ly available ba siv he or ad rd, commercial da an st be t us bands m e ay be used. • The rubber must be in th lour of band m co d an e siz each sculpture y t an d bu an , es gs le siz o g in , torso, tw may be of vary um of a head rd • The figurines ., with a minim to the standa i.e m – or nf an co m hu so al t ht us rig m e e th shape of a ur es fig cords reserv shape of the ness World Re dy in two arms. The bo Gu . sic dy as bo cl a human strate the propor tions of fails to demon y figurine that effort. an tic y tis lif ar ua of sq di to es ssary degree ce ne e th or mpleted figurin propor tions lay the fully co sp di t us m u e record, yo • To achieve th ace. pl count. ic bl ina pu ersee the final esses must ov itn w t en nd pe • Two inde register elines, and to • For full guid it vis se ea pl n, 9 yourapplicatio cords.com/201 re ld or sw es www.guinn
-you will need Lots and lots of rubber bands – they should be the regular, commercially available variety
243
E DO TRY THIS AT HOM
L L U P G N I R NECK LA CE N
1
and raid the recycling or bs ta an -c da you make it Save up your so ed necklace. And if at ic –t ! zz –fi so is th make lf a GWR certificate se ur yo rn ea d ul co u ch one with reeeeaaally long, yo ake a cut in ea
Use the scissors to snip through one end of all the ring-pulls you can get your hands on. The metal will be sharp, so ask for help if you need it.
m soda cans and ain. Simple! e ring-pulls on th er to create a ch e th ov ge m to re all lly fu em th Care k g lin , kin xt lin Ne at scissors. ve a go us, why not ha a strong pair of ng really ambitio eli fe e ? ce u’r la yo ck if , ne Then g-pull rld ’s longest rin together the wo
G UI DE L I
NES
t g-pulls that e hole are no available rin ly al ci er m m pulls with on co gin e n: R us . ca t e em us les in th 1. You m ed from th e-existing ho when remov have two pr ok like this lo ld . They ou sh ey ree ring-pulls permitted. Th consist of th ns shown here. t us m n ai of the ch instructio g the 2. Each link ked together using the le attemptin lin e b ld ou by the peop sh e ad -m . ed nd ha ovid lace must be its creation must be pr It should 3. The neck ce of en id d necklace. ev he o is de fin e are th of record. Vi e length the two ends based on th e rface before th is su le rd at hi fl co w re a d e on he 4. Th n laid out t be stretc he no w t d us re m su It be mea cklace. form the ne connected to ace. pl ng ki ttern must ta t is item. The pa us measuremen uo in nt one co its length. lace must be e entirety of th r fo ted 5. The neck rm t be connec t and unifo e chain mus e a necklace. beconsisten th in k lin al mak sured, the fin ks the loop and 6. Once mea rder to close number of lin o in k lin t ng le th, the s d n’ te ai un ch tothefirs co e must be sed on th record is ba mpt. pulls used – ber of ring7. While the t at the atte m en nu es e pr th es e ss or ef ne it er w th t d en – an n, two independ ur applicatio accurately by to register yo rds.com/2019 d an , es in el id ssworldreco 8. For full gu www.guinne pleasevisit
2
Carefully w id alittle to en the snipped end sep of the ring -p totheclos arate the metal. N ext, link th ull ed end of is end another ri ng-pull.
l need l i w u o y lots of lls (and eds!) Ring-pu e, Hundr ik l … m e th f g pair o A stron l l (idea y scissors rs s’ scisso butcher s) r a e en sh orgard easure A tape m
244
3
Repeat step 2 twice more so th at there are thre ring‑pulls connec e ted. Add two m ore pulls to the singlepull, and continue until yo u have a long ch ain.
BALL OON DOGS g by learning to make this Master the fine art of balloon modellin have a go at the record for balloon poodle. Once you’re up to speed, dogs! Just don’t pop the pups! the fastest time to make three balloon
No
Twist A three or four times
se
3
2
1
Fold
Front
p a ws
E
G
legs Front B 4 and et w e en 6 cm long
He a
A
d
N
e os
The front half of your dog should now look like this. Make thebody with another twist(H)…
H
Bo d y
4
J
5
…then create the back legs by folding (I) and twisting (J). You should be left with a tail stump and a length of uninflated balloon.
I
6
A
N e ck
B
To make the head, measure about four fingers from the nose then bend the balloon and twist A and B together.
To start, inflate your balloon to about halfway, then tie it off. Then twist the end to make the nose (A).
Finally, pinch the tail so that a little bit of air pops up into the end of the balloon to create a pom-pom (K). Repeat all six steps until you have three dogs.
F
K
D
C
To make the neck, front legs and paws, twist two long bubbles (C, D), two shortones (E, F) and a long one (G).
eed - you will lnloons -
g ba Modellin riety. e 260Q va h t e b t s u m lloon’s to the ba s r e f e r is lly th s when fu dimension hick 2 inches t inflated: ches long and60 in 2 cm) (or 5x 15 tch A stopwa easure A tape M
GUIDEL IN ES
1. This record challenges you to make three balloon dogs using threemodelling balloons in the fastest time possibl e. You mustfollowthe exact dire ctions shown here. 2. The balloons used mu st be 260Q modelling bal loons. They should beinflated and tied prior to the attempt. The balloon s’ inflated length must be a minimu m of 44.5cm (17.5in). 3. At a given signal, you may pick up the first bal loon and begin modelling. Additional balloon s are not permitted, so if any of thempop it’s the end of your attempt. 4. Once you have have com pleted your three dogs, give a clear andloud finishing signal. 5. The completed poodles must conform to the foll owing lengths: • Nose: 4–6 cm • Head: 7–9 cm • Neck: 1.5–2.5 cm • Front legs: 4.5–6.5cm • Paws: 1.5–2.5cm • Body: 5–7 cm • Back legs: 9–12 cm in total • Deflated tail: 5–7 cm (to be folded in half) • Bottom of tail: 4–6 cm • Tail tip (pom-pom ): 3–5 cm 6. For full guidelines, and to register yourapplicatio n, pleasevisit www.guinnes sworldrecords.com/2019
245
E DO TRY THIS AT HOM
E U B I C M G A ORI
make the fastest time to t r fo rd co re e th at ve a go from no Don’t be square - ha . The challenge here is that it’s made design… be cu se amodular origami a traditional Japane by d ire sp in x, si t bu one sheet of paper
3
2
1 in half a piece Star t by folding i paper. m ga ori e ar ofsqu
Open up the sheet and fold the edges towards the centre crease. Tuck
4
Unfold once more, then fold over two opposite corners.
Repeat the fold made in step2.
Lif t Lif t
Tuck
6 5 s, following the Make two diagonal fold s from step 3. ner cor ed fold e th lineof
7
Unfold the diagonal folds and refold them, this time tucking the corner under the layer above.
Repeat with the other tip, sliding it beneath the layer above.
GUIDEL IN ES
origami paper you to make a cube from 1. This record challenges e” design. nob “So et she on a sixinthefastest time, based er. Each square tical squares of origami pap 2. You must have six iden obe unit. Son construct an individual ofpaper must be used to pre-marked or pre-folded. 3. The paper may not be the paper flat llenge with both hands and 4. You must begin the cha and so can you! – rts n signal, the time sta uponthe table. At a give way that the be interlocked in such a 5. The Sonobe units must or other tools sors scis No no open flaps. final cube issealed, with canbeused. stops when it leaves drop the cube. The time 6. To end the challenge, g will count. n t remain intact upo landin yourhands. Only cubes tha foo the tage must st be video-recorded, and 7. The entire attempt mu e. cub the finished clearlyshow all sides of ss World and sharply folded. Guinne tly nea 8. The cube must be unevenly folded is t tha e cub any ct t to reje Recordsreser ves the righ nobe units. So the n s betwee or that has excessive gap r application, you r to registe 9. For full guidelines, and .com/2019 rds eco rldr swo nes please visit www.guin
8 fold Turn it over and rners. up the pointed co one You will now have l u’l Yo it. un e” ob “Son , so need six of these repeat steps 1–8.
9
Connect the Sonobe units by sliding each pointed corner into the “pocket” formed onthe underside of each unit.
- you will need six pieces of square origami paper (or rectangular paper cut intosquares) A stopwatch
246
Slide
10 Tuck in the last unit, which willholdthe cube together.
PA PE R
BANGER
th a noisy frustrate your parents wi to make Annoy your teachers and e tim t cord? It’s the fastes paperbanger. What’s the re times - BANG! ree andpop apaperbanger th
If you use the right material, paper bang ers are reusable many tim es. To achieve the “bang”, pinchoneend and give a sharp flick of the wrist.
2
1 r paper ce of rectangula Star t with a pie st side. ge lon lf along its andfolditinha
d, l folds at each en Make four diagona the centre. s ard tow in rs turning the corne
3
Open out the centre fold and fold the paper inhalf, back on itself.
5
4 e sharp corners, Fold up one of th nal edge… go following the dia
GUIDEL IN ES
...and repeat with the other sharp corner, creating a square.
following the d to fold a paper banger 1. For this record, you nee es in a row – tim e thre it pop n the instructions given here, and sible. allinthe fastest time pos t that standard size, but we would sugges any of 2. The paper may be or Letter paper is ideal. printer paper such as A4 pre-marked or pre-folded. 3. The paper may not be the paper flat llenge with both hands and 4. You must begin the cha and so can you! – rts sta e tim the al, n sign uponthe table. At a give or other tools can ed byhand. No scissors 5. The paper must be fold beused. such a way that a de, it should be popped in 6. Once the banger is ma k the extended tuc , ng” “ba h rd; after eac loud, audible “crack” is hea Only after es. e and repeat two more tim flap back into the triangl p. sto s the timer thethird audible bang doe the flap and try a sound, you may refold ke ma 7. If the banger fails to the record. bangs will count towards again. Only three audible , please to register your application 8. For full guidelines, and 19 /20 .com rds eco visit www.guinnessworldr
6
Turn it over and fold the square in half to make a triangle. You should have two loose corners that you hold on to when popping thebanger.
need l l i w u - yo of one piece ar paper rectangul ter‑size (a4 or let per printer pa ce) willsuffi ch A stopwat See our vide o guide to making th ese projects at www. guinnesswo rldrecords. com/2019
247
INDEX Bold entries in the index indicate a main entry on a subject; BOLD CAPITALS indicate an entire chapter. 3D printing: motorcycles169; robots 159; ship propellers176
A
abalone 64 abundance: copepods 66; fish 63 accordions 117 action movies 185 actors & actresses: Instagram followers 194; movies 184–85; TV 190; Twitter followers 196, 197 adoptees 90 adoptive parents 90 adrift at sea 170 advent calendar chocolates99 adventure movies 183 Adventurers Grand Slam 120 advertising statues 102 aerobics 241 age: athletes 211, 213, 220, 221, 223, 227, 228, 242; islands 40, 41; manatees 76; myriapods 66; Oldest People 88–89; stars 16; supercentenarians 90; Twitter users 196 AIBA World Boxing Championships 214 air pistols 220 air rifles 220 Aircraft 164–65; altitude 164; bomber aircraft 165; electric aircraft 120, 164; fire-fighting aircraft 164; gliders 164; helicopters 164; hot-air balloons 114, 120, 164; pulled 9, 125; solar-powered aircraft 164; speed 164, 165; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) 172, 173; Wright Flyer48–49 see also aviation airline mechanics 88 airports 160; control towers160 albums & album charts 187, 188 alphabet: alphabet soup4; human images of letters106 alpine biomes 42 Alpine skiing 228 altitude: aircraft 164; birds 59; glaciers 34; islands 40; observation decks 160; rivers 38; skateboarding 124; spiders 68 American Football 206 America’s Cup 231 ammonites 64 analogue computers 154 animal sound archive 200 animals: animal videos 198, 199; captive animals 61, 76; Instagram followers 194; migrations 54, 56, 58, 60; pets 74–75; prehistoric 54, 72–73; speed 54, 56, 58–59, 60, 62, 66, 68, 69, 73, 173 see also poisonous & venomous animals; and individual index entries animated movies 182–83; YouTube videos 198 Annapurna 122 antenna, implanted 86 anticyclones 12 apes 54
248
apples: chainsawed 114; crunched 9 aquabikes 118 aquatic insects 68 aquatic mammals 56 arachnids 68–69 arcade machines 192, 193 archery 220 archipelagos 40 Architecture 160–61 see also buildings Arctic mountains 34 Argentinosaurus 73 armour, dinosaurs 72 art: auction prices 201 see also paintings; sculpture artificial intelligence (AI) 158 ARTS & MEDIA 180–201 Arts & Media Round-up 200–01 assists (baseball) 208 asteroids 24–25, 26 astronauts: applicants 22; Moon landings 23; mountain climbing 121 athletes: age 211, 213, 220, 221, 223, 227, 228, 242; earnings 217; height 84; Instagram followers 194; Twitter followers 197; weight 83 Athletics 232–33 see also entries for individual sports Athletics & Cycling 234–35 Atlantic Ocean: hot-air balloon crossing 120; rowing and sailing 120 atolls 40 ATP World Tours 217 auction sales: false teeth 92; motorcycles 168; paintings 201 Australian rules football 231 Auto Sports 218 Avengers: Infinity War 180–81 aviation: circumnavigation by scheduled flights 118; in-flight lightning strikes 44; non-stop flight 120; powered flight 48; races231; transatlantic flight 165 see also Aircraft awards: Latin Grammy Awards 186; Laurence Olivier Awards 200; Oscars183, 184; Primetime Emmy Awards190; Tony Awards200 see also medals axe juggling 105 axial tilts 18
B
B flat 14 babies see childbirth baboons 76 backflips: BMX backflips 125; fire-breathing 9, 108; into trousers 108; motorcycles 120, 168, 169; pogo stick 108; robots 158; running 108 backstroke 226, 238, 239 backwards 108–09; basketball shot 108; cycling 108; driving 108, 109; handsprings 108; juggling 109; jumping 108; marathons 109; motorcycling 108; palindromes 108; rolls 108; running 108; skating109; skiing 109; typing 108; walking 108 see also backflips bagpipes 117
balance board: duration on 116; juggling on 105 balancing: chainsaw on chin 125; chainsaw on forehead 125; guitar on forehead 105; on ladders 125; on one foot 117; toilet rolls on head 105; treats on dog’s nose 74 ballet dancers 85 balloons: Balloon Dogs 245; balloon-popping 76; hotair balloons 114, 120, 164; water-balloon fights 110 ballpoint pens 153 ballroom dancers 88 balls: beach balls 152; bingo balls 152; bowling balls 105; cake ball 98; paper-ball fights 110; rubber-band balls 132–33; spun on toothbrush 104; stickers and labels 132; thrown into target from motorcycle 104 see also soccer balls bananas 102 barbecues 98 barefoot walking 4 barking 74 barnacles 66 barrel rolls 125 barrier islands 40 Baseball 207; 241 Basketball 208; backwards shot 108; half-court shots124; marathons 241; spun on finger while pogo-stick jumping 5; spun on toe 5; spun on toothbrush 104; upwards shots 9 bats 55; carnivorous 76; colonies 54 batteries 166 beach balls 152 beach soccer 210 beaks 58 bean bags 4, 152 beards 93 bed of nails 114 beer steins 98 biathlon 229 bicycles: bunny hopping 104; human image 106; oil barrel course 104 see also cycling Big Food 100–01 Big Stuff 152–53 billboards 177 billionaires 162 bills (birds) 58 binary digits, memorizing 125 bingo balls 152 bingo tickets/cards 152 biodiversity 43 Biomes 42–43 birdies 221 Birds 58–59; birds of prey 59; migration 58; origami dove 135 see also individual index entries birds of paradise 77 birth see childbirth birthdays 90–91 bites 72 black comedies 182 black holes 14, 26 blind mountaineers 123 blindfolded: carrots sliced 5; blizzards 44 Blockbusters 182–83 blue holes 36 blueberries 98 BMX Street 219 bō staff rotations 104 boats: boat lifts 170; origami boat 104; water-speed
records 171 see also sailing; ships Boats & Ships 170–71 Bodies of Water 36–37 see also lakes; oceans; rivers; seas Body Mods 86–87 bodyboarding 227 bog-snorkelling 111 bomber aircraft 165 bon dance 107 bone tattoos 86 bony fish 63 books: miniature 102; typed backwards 108 Boston Push-Rim Wheelchairs 225 bottles: brandy bottles 102; Klein bottles 177; unicycling on 108 bowlers (cricket) 216 bowling (tenpin) 241 bowls (indoor) 241 box jellyfish 70 box-office receipts: Broadway 201; movies 180, 182–83, 192 boxing 214, 215; boxers 88; muay thai (Thai boxing) 215 brains 55 brandy bottles 102 breaststroke 226, 238, 239 breath, holding 124 bridges 174, 175; floating bridges 174; footbridges 150–51, 175; suspension bridges 175 brightness: planets 18; stars 16 British and Irish Lions 212 Broadway 201 brood care 76 Bucket-Wheel Excavator 148–49 buildings: castles 94–95; greenhouses 42; height 53, 160–61, 162, 201; houses 160; insect builders 50–51; palaces 160; rooms in space 22; temples 160; towers 28–29 bullet in the head 92 bumper cars 116 bunny hopping 104 Burj Khalifa 53, 137, 161, 162 butterflies 77 butterfly stroke 226, 238, 239
C
cakes; cake ball 98; cupcakes 98; French strawberry cake 100; vegan cake 8; wedding cake 100; yule logs 98 calm water areas 36 camels 76 cameo acting roles 184 camera: human image 107 see also photographs Canadian Football League (CFL) 206 canals 174 candy: dulce de leche candy 100; mosaics 98 cannonball, human 114 canoeing 227 canopy piloting 219 capucha stew 100 career lengths 4, 88, 190 carnivores: bats 76; dinosaurs 72; felines 77; plants 52; sharks 62; sponges 71 carrots 5 Cars 166–67; barrel rolls 125; bumper cars 116; electric cars 167, 172; football controlled on car
roof 114; jumping over on pogo stick 115; model cars 102; motor racing 218, 242; motorsport 218; production cars 166; rampjumping 109, 120; in space 177; speed 166–67, 218; taxis 118; towing skiers 104; towing snowboarders 104 see also driving cartoon characters 87 casino chips 124 castles 94–95 catamarans 120, 171 cathedral spires 160 cats: carnivores 77; dice stacked on paw 74; longevity 74; purring 74; scratching trees 74; skateboarding 74; YouTube subscribers 199 catwalk modelling 106 caves 46; geodes 47; lunar 27; underwater 46 celebrity earnings 188 centipedes 66, 67 cephalopods 64 ceviche 98 chainsaws: apple-cutting 114; balanced on chin 125; balanced on forehead 125; juggled 114 chaotic rotation 20 charts: eye charts 152; music charts 186, 187, 188 chat shows 190 chelonians 60 chemical elements 177 chest measurements 82 Chicago Wheelchair Marathon225 childbirth: birthweight 90; married man 90; mother’s age 90; mother’s weight 82; multiple births 91 children’s magazine programmes 190 chili con carne 100 chilli peppers 99 chocolate: rabbits 100; truffles 100 chopsticks 104 circumnavigation: car 118; cycling 119; hot-air balloon 120; plane (scheduled flights) 118; plane (solar-powered) 164; sailing 118; via both poles 118; walking 118 Cities 162–63; Instagrammed 194 clams 64 clamshell laptops 155 claws 72 cliff diving 219 cliffs 20 climbing: robot climbers 159; speed climbing 230 see also Mountaineering clothes: cosplay 1; jetengine‑powered suit 8, 96–97; Romanian traditional clothing 106; socks 153; T-shirts 153; tank tops 152;trousers 153; underpants 152 see also dressing up clothes pegs 93 clowns 102 coaches: basketball 208; soccer 211 coelacanths 62 coffee beans 104 cold 14 cold seeps 42 Collections 102–03; 242 colonies 54 Combat Sports 214–15 comedy: black comedies
182; comedians 85; movies 182, 184; romantic comedies 182, 185 comets 24; comas 24; tails 24 comics artists 88 commutes 162 composers 200 Computing 154–55; computer collections 102 CONCACAF Gold Cup 211 concrete-block breaking 114 CONIFA European Football Cup 211 construction ships 170 Container Ship 178–79 continental collision zones 33 continental islands 40 Continents 32–33 continuity announcers 190 contortionists: contortion rolls 8; full-body revolutions 92 cookery programmes 190 coral: coral atolls 40; coral reef die-off 46; reef systems 71; reef-building animals 70 cores, planetary 18 cosplay 1; Instagram followers 195 cost of living 162 countries: in a continent 32; landlocked countries 52 country music 188 cowries 64 cranberry sauce 99 cranes (birds) 77 cranes (machines) 170, 175 crashes, motorcycle 168 crater lakes 36 craters 20, 24 crawling 117 crayons 152 Cricket 216; lessons 106; marathons 241 crocodiles 61 cross-country running 223 cross-country skiing 220 crowd events see Mass Participation crowdfunding: debut singles 187; VR projects 156 crust, Earth’s 32 Crustaceans & Myriapods 66–67 crystals 46 cupcake towers 98 cups: cup pyramids 8; paper cup collection 102 curling 241 custard pie-throwing 110 Cutting-Edge Science 172–73 cuttlefish 64 cyborgs 86 cycling: backwards 108; bicycle-friendly cities 162; BMX backflips 125; BMX bike jumps 125; circumnavigation 119; electric bicycles 173; epicjourneys 88, 118, 119; mountain biking 231; racing 231, 235 slackline 112; unicycle 108, 112 see also bicycles cyclones 44
D
dams 174 dancing: ballroom dancers 88; bon dance 107; dance videogames 116; folk dance 106, 107; Kuchipudidance 107; marathons 116; robots 159; sword-dancing 106 dark objects 24 darkness/daylight periods 18
E
ear trumpets 102 earnings: athletes 217; celebrities 188; eSports 158; film actors & actresses 184, 185;
musicians 188; TV actors & actresses 190; TV hosts 190; YouTube contributors199 ears: ear hair 93; earlobes 86 Earth see PLANET EARTH earthquakes 44, 45 eating: advent calendar chocolates 99; chilli peppers 99; cranberry sauce 99; doughnuts 99; grapefruit 98; hamburgers 130; hot dogs 99; ice lollies (popsicles) 99; KitKats 98; mozzarella 98; pasta 99; pickled eggs 99; pizza 99 echinoderms 77 Editor’s Letter 4–5 effervescent table rockets 5 eggs: birds 58; fish 63; pickled 99 Eiffel Tower 28–29 Eiger 122 El Capitan 122 electricity: electric aircraft 120, 164; electric bicycles 173; electric cars 167, 172; electric ice-cream vans 126–27; electric motorcycles 173; electric skateboard 173; fish 62; motorcycles 120 electricity pylons 174 elegant cities 163 emojis 107, 194 en pointe slacklining 114 Endurance 116–17 engagement numbers, Twitter 196 engines: diesel 167; rocket 79 English Channel: kiteboarding 120; swimming 124 English Premier League 210, 211 entrepreneurs 196 environmentally friendly cities 162 ephemeral lakes 37 Epic Engineering 174–75 Epic Journeys 118–19 escapologists 114, 115 espionage 84, 102 eSports 158 European Rugby Champions Cup 212 Eurovision Song Contest 187 Everest, Mount 34, 120, 121, 122, 123 expensive: cities 162; food 100–01; soccer player transfer 211; whisky 100; wine 100 see also auction sales Explorers Grand Slam 120 Extreme Performers 114–15 Extreme Sports 219 eye charts 152 eyeball popping 92 eyes: fish 62; mammals 54; reptiles 60; squid 65
F
face: clothes pegs clipped to 93; flesh tunnels 86; piercings 86 fail video YouTube channels 199 false teeth 92 families: fish 63; reunions 90; siblings 90 Family Matters 90–91 fancy dress see dressing up FANTASTIC FEATS 96–125 Fantastic Feats Round-up 124–25 fashion personalities 197 fatbergs 176 feather tattoos 87 feet 84; balancing on one foot 117 see also toes ferries 171 Ferris wheels 174
fertility: fish 63; national fertility rates 90 fidget spinners 176 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 210 Fight! 110–11 fighter pilots 88 figure skating 228, 237 films see movies Final Fantasy 242 fingernails 80–81 fingers: basketball spun on while pogo-stick jumping 5; magnetic finger implants 86; plate spinning 124; polydactylism 92; Swiss ball spinning 124 finswimming 226 fire: disasters 45; diving into 125 fire-breathing 9, 108 fire-fighting aircraft 164 Fishes 62–63 fishing lures 102 fjords 36 flatness: continental land mass 32; Earth 36; stars 16 flautas (rolled tacos) 98 flesh tunnels 86 flight: birds 58, 59; robots 158 see also aviation flips: Risley flips 9 see also backflips floating bridges 174 floating cranes 170 floods 38 floorball 241 floppy disks 155 flowers 52; human images 106, 107; sunflowers 107 flutes 200 flybys 22 flying trapeze artists 88 folk dance 106, 107 followers, social media 194–95, 196, 200 food: alphabet soup 4; food fights 110, 111; TV cookery programmes 190 see also Big Food; eating; Food Feats Food Feats 98–99 football see soccer footbridges 150–51, 175 forenames 106 forests 42, 43 Formula 1 racing 218, 242 fossils 60 freediving 227, 236 freefalling 116 freestyle skiing 229 French strawberry cake 100 freshwater bodies 37 freshwater crustaceans 67 freshwater fish 63 freshwater lakes 36 freshwater mammals 56, 57 frogs 102 fruits 52; food fights 111 fungi 52 fur: crustaceans 66; mammals 56; rabbits 74 futsal 116
G
galactic jets 14 galaxies 14, 15, 26 gambling cities 162 Game Boy 192 game-show announcers 4 gaming videos 198 gape 57 garbage 36 generations: Leap Day births 90; living 90; same-day births 91 geodes 47 geysers 20 glaciers 34 gliders 164 Go game 158 go-karts 138–39 goals: American football 206;
basketball 208; ice hockey 209, 229; netball 230; penalty goals 213; rugby 213; soccer 210, 211 goats 77 gold reserves 46 Goldberg, Rube 142–43 Golf 125, 221 GolfSixes 221 Gordon Bennett Cup 231 grab dredgers 175 Grand Slams 217 grape juice extraction 5, 98 grapefruit 98 grasslands 42 Great North Run 225 great-great-great-greatgrandparents 90 greenhouses 42 greetings cards 176 Grey Cup 206 growth rates: mountains 35; plants 52–53 guacamole 100 guinea pigs 74 guitars: balanced on forehead105; marathon116 guns: air pistols 220; air rifles 220; Nerf gun 144; toy pistols 110; water pistols 110, 144–45 GWR Day 8–9 gymnastics 231
H
habitable cities 163 hailstorms 44, 45 hair: beards 93; ear hair 93; hirsutism 92–93; moustaches 93 hamburgers 101, 130–31 hammer throw 223, 234 hand-skating 104 hands 84, 85 see also fingers handsprings 108 Harry Potter 107 hashtags 194 hat-tricks: cricket 216; rugby 212 head: chainsaw balanced on125; guitar balanced on 105; hats juggled on to 105; nails hammered with 114; soccer ball balanced on 116; toilet rolls balanced on 105 head spins 125 headsets, VR 156 hearts: animals 57; transplants 93 heat tolerance 66 height: animals 54, 74; continental elevations 32; cosplay costume 1; humans 84–85, 217; mountains 34; structures 28, 29, 53, 160–61, 162; trees 52; volcanoes 18; waterfalls 39 see also altitude helicopters 164; pilots 89 heptathlon 234, 235 herds 54, 55 hexagons 19 hexapods 146–47 high jump 234, 235 highline walking 112, 113 highway systems 174 hippopotamuses 102 hirsutism 92–93 hockey 241; Ice Hockey 89, 209, 229, 241 holes-in-one 221 home ranges 54 horns: dinosaurs 73; mammals 54; ship horns 200 horror movies 182 horseracing 230 hosts, TV 190, 191 hot dogs 99, 100 hot-air balloons: altitude 164; Atlantic crossing 120; circumnavigation
120; Pacific crossing 120; suspended from 114 hotels 160 houses 160 hovercraft 170 How to be a RecordBreaker 242–43 hugs 5 hula-hoop spinning 8, 92, 114; suspended by wrists 9 HUMAN BEINGS 80–93; age 88–89; height 84–85; weight 82–83 Human Beings Round-up 92–93 human habitation 32 human images 106–07 human tunnels 74, 77; skateboarding through 74 hummingbirds 58 hurdling 233 hurling 241 hydrogen 27 hyperloop pods 172 hypertext browsers 155
I
IAAF World Athletics Championship 222, 223 ice cores 176 Ice Hockey 89, 209, 229, 241 ice lollies (popsicles) 99 ice plumes 27 ice storms 44 ice-cream scoops 100 icebergs 37 implants: antenna 86; magnetic finger implants 86 In Focus: 60 Years of NASA 22–23; Cars166–67; Collections 102–03; Dinosaurs 72–73; Heaviest Humans82–83; Mountains 34–35; Videogames 192–93 Indian Ocean 120 Indian Premier League 216 inflatable pool toys 152 Insects & Arachnids 68–69; insect builders 50–51; insect orders 68, 76; insect tattoos 86 Instagram 194–95 integrated circuits 154 internet: connections 154; searched-for TV shows 191 ion thrusters 27 iron structures 28 Ironman World Championship 224 irons 102 Islands 40–41
J
jam-filled biscuits 100 Japanese singles (music) 186, 187 javelin throw 234 Jellyfish & Sponges 70–71 JENGA 152 jet engines 164; jet-enginepowered suit 8, 96–97; jetpowered go-kart 138–39 jetskis 118 jigsaw puzzles 102 jiu-jitsu 215 job applications 22 John O’Groats to Land’s End 118 journeys: driving in reverse 108; Epic Journeys 118–19; Minecraft 193; motorcycle 168; ocean crossings 120; polar expeditions 118–19, 120–21; walking backwards 108 see also circumnavigation; migrations joypads 193 judo 215 juggling: axes 105;
backwards 109; on balance board 105; bowling balls 105; chainsaws 114; combined weight 105; hats on to head 105; on a pogo stick 115; samurai swords 105; on a slackline 112; soccer balls 105; torches 105 jumps: above one’s own head 104; backwards 108; BMX bike 125; by dog 74; high jump 234, 235; long jump 234, 235; motorcycle 169; ski jumping 229; on space hopper 104; standing jump 105; triple jump 234, 235 see also pogo stick; ramp jumps
K
K-pop (Korean pop) 186 K2 122 karate chops 5 kayaking 227 kebabs 101 ketchup 98 kiteboarding 120 KitKats 98 Klein bottles 177 knife throwing 114 knitting needles 152 knots 177 Korean butt bounces 113 korfball 241 Kuchipudi dance 107
L
La Liga 210 lacrosse 231 ladders 125 lakes: contamination 36; crater lakes 36; deadly 44; depths 36, 77; desert lakes 37; ephemeral lakes 37; formed by nuclear explosions 36; freshwater lakes 36; islands 40–41; pink lakes 37; salt 36; subglacial lakes 37 land-speed record 166, 167 landlocked countries 52 laptops 154, 155 Lara Croft 242 larvae 68 laser-tag survival match 110 Latin Grammy Awards 186 Laurence Olivier Awards 200 lava plateaus 47 Le Mans 218 Leap Day 90 LED cinema screens 201 leg kicks 214 leg spans: crustaceans 66; spiders 69 LEGO® 3; barefoot walking on LEGO bricks 4; Bucket-Wheel Excavator 148–49; Container Ship 178–79; Disney Castle 94–95; Eiffel Tower 28– 29; LEGO sets collection 103; Millennium Falcon 202–03; Saturn V 78–79; Statue of Liberty 10–11; Technic sets 149; Wright Flyer 48–49 legs: animals 66; human 84; shin-kicking 111 leopards 134 lessons: cricket 106; yoga 106 letters, human images 106 life saving 226
249
INDEX
darts 220, 241 data-sorting operations 154 data-storage devices 154 Day of the Dead altar 201 daylength 18 Daytona 500 218 Dead Sea 120 deadliness: animals 77; lakes 44; mountains 122 see also death tolls; poisonous & venomous animals death tolls: floods 38; murder rates 162; natural disasters 38, 44, 45 decathlon 234 deciduous forests 42 Deep Space 14–15 deltas 38 densities: moons 20; planets 18; stars 16 dentures 92 depths: blue holes 36; crustaceans 66; fish 62; lakes 36, 77; molluscs 64; oceans 62; plants 52; rivers38; seas 36 desert lakes 37 deserts 42, 43 desktop computers 155 destroyers (ships) 170 destructiveness: insects 68 see also deadliness diabetes 93 Diamond Race 223 dice 74 diesel-engined cars 167 digital singles 186 Dinosaurs 72–73 Diplodocus 72 discrete land masses 32 discus 222, 234 Disney Castle 94–95 distant objects 14 diving 227, 236; birds 58, 59; cliff diving 219; death dive escape 115; freediving 227, 236; into fire 125; mammals 56 Diving, Rowing & Skating 236–37 DJs 197 DNA, artificial 177 “Do Not Disturb” signs 102 Do Try This At Home 242–47 Doctor Who 190 documentaries 182 dodgeball 241 dogs: Balloon Dogs 245; balloon-popping 76; barking 74; height 74; jumps 74; longevity 74; skateboarding 74; skipping75; tongues 77; treats balanced onnose74 domes 160 donkeys 74 Dota 2 158 doughnuts 99 dove, origami 135 drag racing 218 drainage basins 38 drama movies 182, 184 dressing up: cosplay 1; marathon runners 224– 25; mass participation 106, 107, 242 drinking: ketchup 98; maple syrup 99 driving: backwards 108, 109; circumnavigation 118; stunts 109, 120, 125 see also Cars drones 173 Dubai Marathon 225 dulce de leche candy 100 dumper trucks 175 dumplings 100
INDEX lift capacity, rockets 78, 177 light-and-sound shows 201 lightning storms 19 lightning strikes 44 “likes” 195, 196 limbo-skating 104 lip balms 102 LIVING PLANET 50–77 see also animals; Plants Living Planet Round-up 76–77 lizards 60; venomous 60, 61 locations, Instagrammed 194 locro de papa soup 98 London Marathon 224 long jump 234, 235 longevity: jellyfish 70; land animals 66; mammals 56; molluscs 64; pets 74; sponges 70 loop-the-loops 164 LPGA Tour 221 luge 229 luminosity 16 lung transplants 93
M
M&M’s: mosaic 98; stacks 99 macarons 99 Mad Libs 5 magnetic fields 18 magnetic finger implants 86 magnetic objects 26 Major League Baseball (MLB) 207 Making History: Bucket-Wheel Excavator 148–49; Container Ship 178–79; Disney Castle 94–95; Eiffel Tower 28–29; Millennium Falcon 202–03; SaturnV78–79; Statue of Liberty 10–11; Wright Flyer 48–49 Mammals: Aquatic/ Semi-Aquatic 56–57; Terrestrial 54–55 manatees 76 mangoes 101 mangroves 42 maple leaves 107 maple syrup 99 maps, interactive 156 Marathon des Sables 225 Marathons 224–25; backwards 109; married couples 90; running 90, 109, 224–25, 231, 234; sports 241; wheelchair 225 marker pens 152 married couples: body modifications 86; height 84, 85; marathons 90; mountaineering 122; scuba diving 89; wifecarrying 111 Mars landers 22 Mars rovers 22, 176 Mass Participation 106–07, 242 mass production: cars 177; motorcycles 169 matchbook covers 102 meatballs 131 medals: athletics 222, 223; boxing 214; diving 227; motocross 120; muay thai (Thai boxing) 215; Olympic medals 204, 228, 229; pétanque 220; raffa 220; snowboarding 204; swimming 226; taekwondo 215; X Games 204, 219 MEET THE MAKERS 126–47; Fastest Jet-Powered Go-Kart 138–39; Largest Display of Toothpick
250
Sculptures 136–37; Largest Hamburger 130–31; Largest Origami Rhino 134–35; Largest Rideable Hexapod 146– 47; Largest Rubber-Band Ball 132–33; Largest Rube Goldberg 142–43; Largest Skateboard 140–41; Largest WaterPistol 144–45; Largest Yo-Yo 128–29 memorabilia see Collections memorizing 125 meteor showers 25 meteorites 24 methane seas 20 mice and rats 102 microchips 154 microprocessors 154 migrations: birds 58; mammals 54, 56; reptiles60 mile: Antarctic mile 231; four-minute mile 222 Milky Way 14, 26 Millennium Falcon 202–03 million-selling records 188 millipedes 66 Minecraft 193 mobile phones: phonethrowing 110 see also smartphones models: cars 102; trains 102 models, professional: catwalk modelling 106; height 84 Molluscs 64–65 Moon landings 23 Moon rocks 20 Moons 12, 20–21, 25 mosaics: candy 98; coloured water 201 mosquitoes 77 motherhood: brood care 76 see also childbirth motionless, standing 116 Moto X 120 motor racing 218, 242; drivers 88 Motorcycles 168–69; backflips 120, 168, 169; championships 218; crashes 168; electric 120, 173; human image 107; logo 107; ramp jumps 168; ridden backwards 108; sidecars 218; speed 168; steam-powered 168; tandem motorcycles 168; throwing balls into target from 104; wheelies 168 Mount Washington Hillclimb218 mountain biking 231 Mountaineering 34, 35, 122–23; blind climber 123; older climbers 122–23; without supplementary oxygen 122 mountains 34–35; growth rates 35; height 18, 34–35; peaks 35; ranges 34; tabletops 34; underwater 35; vertical drops 35 mouse (computer) 154 moustaches 93 mouth: human image 106; making origami boat with 104 mouth, holding in the: apples chainsawed 114; blueberries 98 Movie Makers 184–85 movies: actors & actresses 184–85; Blockbusters 182–83; box-office takings 180, 192; custard pie-throwing 110;
directors 184; producers 184; shorts 201; trailers 198 mozzarella 98 Ms Olympia contestants 83 muay thai (Thai boxing) 215 Multi-Disciplinarians 120–21 murder rates 162 muscle movement 68 music: awards 186; composers 200; country music 188; covered songs 188; Eurovision Song Contest 187; marathons 116–17; million-selling records 188; music charts 186, 187, 188; musical compositions 200; pop music 186–89; pop musicians 188, 189, 195, 198; Queen songs 8; remixed acts and tracks 188, 189; sampled acts and tracks 189; solo artists 189; in space 186; talent shows 190 music tours 188 music videos: VR videos 156; YouTube videos 186, 198 musicals 182, 185, 200 myriapods 66–67
N
nails: bed of nails 114; fingernails 80–81; hammered with head 114; inserted into nose 114 names: forenames 106; surnames 106; tattoos of 86 NASA 22–23 National Football League (NFL) 206 nationalities: emoji users 194; on Everest in one season 122; height 85 Natural Disasters 44–45; death tolls 38, 44, 45 Near-Earth Objects 24–25 nebulae 14, 15 necks 86 Nerf guns 144 nests 54 netball 230, 241 neutrino detectors 172 neutron stars 26 Next Gen ATP 217 Nitro World Games 219 nitrogen geysers 20 noise: animal sound archive 200; apple crunching 9; barking 74; purring 74; rooms 176–77 North Pole 118, 119, 120, 121 noses: dogs 74; humans 92, 114; nails inserted into 114; quarters held in 92; things balanced on 74; tongue-to-nose touches 93 nuclear energy: nuclear explosions 36; nuclearpowered spacecraft 22 nuts 104
O
Oaks 230 obesity 82–83 observation decks 160 ocean descents 36 oceans: biomes 42; “garbage patches” 36; lava plateaus 47; rowing 120, 124; shallow 36; size 36 see also Atlantic Ocean; Indian Ocean; Pacific Ocean Oceans Seven 125 octopuses 64, 65
Odd Talents 104–05 offices 161; mobile 126 oil barrel course 104 oil-painted feature films 182 Oldest People 88–89 ollie blunts 124 Olympic Games: medals 204; Paralympic Games 84, 228; Winter Olympics 204, 228–29 ONE Championship 214 One-Day Internationals (cricket) 216 orbital flights 176 orbital surveys 176 origami: boat 104; made by mouth 104; Origami Cube 246; rhino 134–35 Oscar winners 183, 184 otters 56 oxygen, climbing without 122 oysters 5
P
Pacific Ocean 120 paintings 201; snow painting 200 palaces 160 palindromes 108 Paper Banger 247 paper cups 102 paper-ball fights 110 paperclips 153; paperclip chains 125 papier-mâché sculpture 201 para powerlifting 230 para-rowing 227 parachute jumps: canopy piloting 219; from drone 173; motorcycle 168; swooping 219; tandem jumps 89 paragliding 89 Paralympic Games 84, 228 Paris Marathon 225 Paris-Roubaix 231 parkour 105 passenger liners 36, 171, 179 pasta: eating 99; rolling 5 peas 4 penalties, rugby 213 pencils 152 penguins 103 pentathlon 235 personal computers 154 Peruvian folk dance 106 pétanque 220, 241 Peter Pan 106 Pets 74–75 PGA Tour 221 photographs: Instagram 194, 195; likes 195; selfies 194 Pi places, memorizing 125 pianos 116 piercings 86 piggy banks 104 pigs 74, 194 pike 62 pillow-fights 110 pilots 88, 89 pink lakes 37 pinky pull-ups 104 pinnipeds 56 pirated TV shows 190 pizza 99, 101; bases 5 planes see aircraft PLANET EARTH 30–47; Biomes 42–43; Bodies of Water 36–37; Continents 32–33; Islands 40–41; Mountains 18, 34–35; Natural Disasters 44–45; Rivers 38–39 Planet Earth Round-up 46–47 planetary cores 18 planetary rings 19, 22 Planets 12, 16, 18–19, 26, 27; planetary systems 26,
terrestrial 31 see also Moons Plants 52–53 plate spinning 124 plov (rice-and-meat dish) 98 pogo stick 114–15; backflips 108; basketball spun on finger 5; forward flips 115; juggling on 115; jumping over cars 115; without hands 124 poisonous & venomous animals: birds 58; centipedes 66; crustaceans 66; fish 62; jellyfish 70; lizards 60, 61; molluscs 64; scorpions 69; snakes 60; spiders 68 polar expeditions 118–19, 120–21 pole positions 218 pole vault 234, 235 pollution: cities 162; lakes 36; rivers 38 polo 231 polydactylism 92 pool (sport) 152, 220, 241 pop music 186–87 pop musicians 188, 189; Instagram followers 195; YouTube subscribers 198 Popes 196 populations: camels in the wild 76; seasonal populations 32; urban populations 163 ports 170 Portuguese folk dance 107 post-post-millenials 198 postcards 102 predators: fish 62; landbased animals 72 prehistoric animals: Dinosaurs 72–73; mammals 54 prime numbers 172 Primetime Emmy Awards 190 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 230 propellers: propeller-driven aircraft 164; propellerdriven boats 170; ships 176 pull-ups 104 pulsars 26 pulse, absence of 93 purring 74 push-ups 125 pylons 174 pyramids 160; cup pyramid 8; human motorcycle pyramid 168; ice-cream scoops 100
Q
quadruplets 82 quantum computers 155 quasars 14 Queen songs 8
R
rabbits 74; chocolate 100 radio: talk-show hosts 88; underwater radio broadcasting 116 raffa 220 rail tunnels 174 rainbows 46 rainfall 47 rainforests 43 ramp jumps: cars 109, 120; motorcycles 168; reverse jumps 109 rarity: cranes 77; jellyfish 70; mammals 56; plants 52; spiders 69; swallowtail butterflies 77 Raspberry Pi 154 records: albums 187, 188; best-sellers 188; singles 186, 187, 188
Redneck Games 110 reef systems 71 reef-building animals 70 relays: running 222, 232, 233; speed skating 229; swimming 226, 238, 239 remixed acts 188 remoteness: islands 40; man-made objects 13, 186; trees 52 Reptiles 60–61; aquatic reptiles 60; gliding reptiles 60 residential buildings 161 retrograde moons 20 rhinos 134–35 ridges 20 Ring-Pull Necklace 244 rings, planetary 19, 27 Risley flips 9 river basins 38 Rivers 38–39; deltas 38; pollution 38; subglacial rivers 38; underground rivers 38 road tunnels 174 roads: road running 234; road walking 223, 235 robots: 3D-printed robots 158, 159; backflips 158; dancing 159; fights 110; flying robots 158; hexapods 146–47; quadrupeds 158; robotic billboards 177; robotic surgery 158; skipping 158; smartphonecontrolled 110; speed 158–59 Robots & AI 158–59 rock concert audiences 188 rocket cars 167 rockets 177; effervescent table rockets 5; orbital rockets 27; re-use 177; Saturn V 78–79 rocking chairs 117 roller-coasters 116; VR rollercoaster 157 rolls, backward 108 rolls, forward, motorcycle 169 Romanian traditional clothing 106 romantic comedy films 182, 185 roofs: football controlled on car roof 114; stadiums 160 rooms: noise 176–77; in space 22 rowing 236; oceans 120, 124; para-rowing 227; sculling 227, 236; University Boat Race 227 rubber ducks 102 rubber-bands: ball 132–33; figurine 243 Rubik’s Cube 129 Rugby 212; wheelchair rugby 230 Rugby World Cup 213 running: backflips 108; backwards 108; birds 58; four-minute mile 222; long-distance 233; marathons 90, 109, 224–25, 231, 234; relay 222, 232, 233; road running 234; in ski boots 124; sprinting 222, 223, 32–233 runs: baseball 5, 207; cricket 216
S
safe cities 162 sailing: America’s Cup 231; circumnavigation 118; Indian and Atlantic Oceans 120
skiing 219, 241; Alpine skiing 228; backwards 109; biathlon 229; crosscountry skiing 220; freestyle skiing 229; ski jumping 229; towed by vehicle 104; waterskiing 241 skin: animals 63; stretchy 93 skinks 60 skipping: dogs 75; marathon 116; robots 158 skull tattoos 86 skulls: dinosaurs 73; object removed from human skull 92 skydiving 219 see also parachute jumps Slacklining 112–13, 114 slime 152 smartphones: cameras 172; smartphone-controlled robots 110 smelly: birds 58; plants 52 smoothness 20 snails 64 snakes: length 60; marine snakes 61; speed 60; venomous 60, 61 Snapchat 201 snooker 220 snow: blizzards 44; snow globes 102; snow painting 200; snowstorms 45 snowball fights 110 snowboarding 219, 241; Olympics 204–05, 228; towed by vehicle 104 snowmobiles 219 Soccer 210–11, 241; beach soccer 210; domestic league titles 211; five-aside 241; table soccer 241 see also American football; Australian rules football soccer balls: balanced on head 116; controlled on car roof 114; controlled on a slackline 113; juggled105; rolled from eye to eye 9 social media 154; followers 194–95, 196, 200; Instagram 194–95; Snapchat 201; Twitter 196–97; Weibo 200 socks 153 Solar System 12, 18, 20, 24 solar-powered: aeroplanes 164; vehicles 166, 172; World Solar Challenge 172 songwriters 188 sound: deep notes 14; distant 27; stellar 26 see also noise sound barrier 167 South Pole 118, 119, 120, 121 space: cars in 177; deep space 14–15; Instagram from 194; music in 186; tweets from 196 space flight, manned 22 space hoppers 104 space probes 22 space stations 23 spacecraft 22; Millennium Falcon 202–03; reusable 23, 176 speed: aircraft 164, 165; animals 54, 56, 58–59, 60, 62, 66, 68, 69, 73, 173; cars 166–67, 218; computers 154; galaxies 14; humans 22, 96–97; motorcycles 168; muscle movement 68; planets 18; plate tectonics 32–33; robots 158–59; stars 16; trucks 138; wing-beats 68 speed skating 228, 229, 237 spiders 68, 69 spies 84; espionage-related items 102 spikes, dinosaurs 72 Spinosaurus 62
sponges 70–71 SPORTS 204–41 see also entries for individual sports Sports Marathons 241 sports memorabilia 102 Sports Round-up 230–31 sports stacking 8 sports teams, Instagram followers 195 sports TV programmes 191 Spotify 186 sprinting 222, 223, 232–33 squid 64–65 Sri Chinmoy SelfTranscendence 3100 Mile Race 224 stadiums 160; roofs 160 standing motionless 116 Star Wars 183; character identification 9; Millennium Falcon 202–03; toothpick sculpture 137 Stars 16–17, 26, 27; age 16; clusters 15; neutron stars 26; pulsars 26; sounds 26; supernovae 15, 26 statues: advertising statues 102; Statue of Liberty 10–11 see also sculpture steam cars 166 steam-powered motorcycles 168 stick insects 68 stickers and labels 132 stop-motion animation 182 storms: cyclones 44; hailstorms 44, 45; ice storms 44; lightning storms 19; snowstorms 45; tornadoes 44, 47 straitjackets 114 streamer-string fights 110 streaming: music 186; TV series 190 strength: spiders 68 see also Weightlifting stuntmen 84 stunts: aircraft 164; bike 104; cars 104, 109, 114, 115, 120, 125; motorcycles 104, 108, 120, 168 see also Extreme Performers subglacial lakes 37 subglacial rivers 38 submarines 170, 171 subscribers: streaming services 190; YouTube 198 sumo wrestling 215 sunflowers 107 Super Bowl 206 Super Rugby 212 supercentenarians 90 superhero movies 182, 184 supernovae 15, 26 superstructures, galactic 14 surgery: robotic 158; twin transplant surgeons 90; VR surgery 156 surnames 106 sushi rolls 101 suspension bridges 175 swallowtail butterflies 77 Swimming 226, 238–39; birds 58; crustaceans 66; English Channel 124; finswimming 226; Oceans Seven 125 see also diving Swiss ball 116: spinning 124 swooping 219 swords: samurai swords 105; swallowing 125; sworddancing 106 Sylvanian families 102
T
T-shirts 153 table tennis 241 taekwondo 215 taiga 42, 43 tails: asteroids 25; comets 24; dinosaurs 72
talk-show hosts 88 tandem motorcycles 168 tandem parachute jumps 89 tank tops 152 Target Sports 220 tattoos 86 taxi journeys 118 taxonomic orders and classes: insects 68, 76; myriapods 67 tectonic plates 32–33 teenagers 84 teeth: dentures 92; extractions 92; human teeth collections 102; mammals 54; wisdom teeth 92 temperatures: Earth 46; man-made objects 172; planets 18; space 14 temples 160 Tennis 217; marathons 241 tenpin bowling 241 termites 50–51 terrestrial biomes 42 Test matches 216 Tetris cabinets 192 thaliaceans 76 theme parks 94–95 therapeutic use of VR 156 Three Poles Challenge 120–21 ties 102 tigers 77 toes 92; basketball spun on5; toe-wrestling 110 toilet rolls 105 tomatoes 111 tongues: animals 56, 77; piercings 86; tongue-tonose touches 93 Tony Awards 200 toothbrushes 104 toothpick sculptures 136–37 Top of the Pops 188–89 torches 105 tornadoes 44, 47 touchdowns, American football 206 tourism 162 tower cranes 175 towers 161; Eiffel Tower 28–29; food 98, 99 toys: inflatable pool toys 152; soldiers 102; toypistol fights 110; wagons 153 Track & Field 222–23 tractors & trailers 109 trains, model 102 trampolining: forward flip slam dunk 105; marathons 116 trans-Neptunian objects 27 transplants: heart 93; lung 93; twins 90 trees 52, 53 tricks: animals 74, 75, 76 see also stunts triclad worms 77 tries, rugby 212, 213 triple buttflips 112 Triple Crown of Motorsport 218 triple jump 234, 235 triple-doubles (basketball) 208 triplets 82 trousers 153; backflips into 108 trucks: dumper trucks 175; jet-powered fire truck 138; reversing 109 truffles, chocolate 100 tsunamis 44, 45 tundra 42, 43 tunnel-boring machines 174 tunnels 174 tusks 56 TV 190–91; awards 190; ratings 190 tweets 196; retweets 196 Twenty20 (cricket) 216 twins: conjoined 90; height 84; mixed gender 90; transplant surgeons 90;
weight 82 Twitter 196–97 typing backwards 108 Tyrannosaurus rex 72
U
UEFA European Cup/ Champions League 210, 211 UEFA Women’s Champions League 210 UEFA Women’s European Championship 211 ukuleles 116 Ultimate Fighting Championship 214 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc 224 unboxed objects 152 underground rivers 38 underpants 152 underwater: breath-holding 124; caves 46; continent 32; mountains 35; radio broadcasting 116; robots 158; walking 104 unicycle: cycling backwards 108; on a line of bottles 108; slackline 112 uninhabited islands 40 UNIVERSE 12–27; Deep Space 14–15; Moons 12, 20–21, 25; Near-Earth Objects 24–25; Planets 12, 16, 18–19, 26, 27, 31; Stars 15, 16–17, 26, 27 Universe Round-up 26–27 University Boat Race 227 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) 172, 173 urban populations 163 US Open: golf 221; tennis 217
V
vaults (parkour) 105 veganism 8 vehicles: bucket-wheel excavators 148–49; electric 126–27, 167, 172; land vehicles 174 see also cars; trucks venom see poisonous & venomous animals vertebrates 62 VEVO 186 Videogames 192–93; first-person shooters 192; hack-and-slash games 8; marathons 8, 156; mobile gaming rig 127; music composers 200; platformers 192; Twitter followers 196; VR videogames 156; YouTube channels 156, 198 videos: animal videos 198; cartoon/animated movie videos 198; gaming videos 198; movie trailers 198; music videos 186, 198; video tweets 196; YouTube 198–99 vinegaroons 68 violins 117 Virtual Reality 156–57 voids 14 volcanic islands 41 volcanoes: effusive eruptions 47; eruptions 44, 47; height 18; on planetary moons 12; Solar System 18, 20 volleyball 230, 241
W
waist size 86 walking: backwards 108; barefoot 4; circumnavigation 118; John O’Groats to Land’s End 118; polar treks 118–19; race walking 223, 235; slacklining 112–13; underwater 104 Wally 106 walnuts 104 walruses 56
warships 170 water pistols 110, 144–45 water polo 227 Water Sports 227 water-balloon fights 110 water-pistol fights 110 water-speed records 171 waterfalls 38, 39 waterline walking 112 watermelons 5 Waterskiing 241 wedding cake 100 Weibo followers 200 weight: aircraft 165; arachnids 68; birds 59; birthweight 90; buildings 161; crustaceans 67; dinosaurs 72; fish 63; humans 82–83; insects 68; jellyfish 71; reptiles 61; sponges 71; statues 10, 11 Weightlifting 240; barbell thruster 5; deadlifts 115; para powerlifting 230; using hooks through forearms 114 Western movies 182 whales 56–57, 134 wheelchair: athletics 222; basketball 241; epic journeys 118; marathons 225; rugby 230; tennis 217 wheelies 168 whisky 100 wi-fi enabled cities 162 wickets 216 wife-carrying 111 wiffle ball 241 Wimbledon 217 wind farms 174 wind speeds 18 windsurfing 227 wine 100 wing-beats 68 wingspans: aircraft 164; insects 68 wingsuits 219 winning streaks: baseball 207; basketball 208 Winter Olympics 204, 228–29 wisdom teeth 92 wolf-howling 106 Women’s Rugby World Cup 212 World Series (baseball) 207 World Solar Challenge 172 worms 77 Wright Flyer 48–49
X
X Games 204, 219
Y
The Year in Pop 186–87 yo-yos 128–29 yoga: lessons 106; marathon 116 YouTube 156, 193, 198–99 yule logs (cakes) 98
Z
zip wires 88
251
INDEX
sales: motorcycles 168; videogames 193 see also auction sales salt lakes and seas 36 samosas 100 samurai swords 105 sand islands 40 sandwiches 101 Santa 153 satellites 22, 23 Saturn V 78–79 sausages 98; sausage chains 101 savanna 42 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 150–77 Science & Technology Round-up 176–77 science YouTube channels 199 scientific descriptions 72 scissors 153 scorpions 69 scratching trees 74 scuba diving 89 sculling 227, 236 sculpture: balloon dogs 245; busts 200; papiermâché sculpture 201; rubber-band figurine 243; toothpick sculptures 136–37 see also LEGO; statues Sdrawkcab 108–09 sea slugs 64 sea snakes 61 seas: depths 36; salt 36; shallow 36 selfies 194 senior citizens: Oldest People 88–89; piercings 86; tattoos 86, 87; Twitter users 196 Serie A 210 Seven Summits 122, 123 shallowness 36 sharks 62, 63 shaving-cream pie fights 110 sheep 103 shin-kicking 111 ship canals 174 ship crews 170 ship horns 200 ship propellers 176 ships: construction ships 170; container ships 178–79; destroyers 170; naval vessels 179; passenger liners 36, 171, 179; scrapped 179; warships 170 shipwrecks 170 shooting 220 see also guns shopping malls 160 shot put 223, 234, 235 shows, TV: chat shows 190; children’s magazine programmes 190; music talent shows 190; ratings 190; searched for on Internet 191; sketch shows 191; sports programmes 191; YouTube subscribers 198 siblings 90 side surfs (slackline) 113 sidecars 218 singles (music) 186, 187, 188 siphonophores 70 sitar 116 Size Matters 84–85 skateboarding 219; altitude 124; blunt to fakies 124; cats 74; dogs 74 skateboards 140–41; electric skateboard 173 skating: backwards 109; figure skating 228, 237; hand-skating 104; limboskating 104; marathons 109; speed skating 228, 229, 237 skeleton (sport) 228 sketch shows 191 ski boots 124
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Front/ROW 1: 1. M ost rear wheel 360°spins by a truck in one minute 2. L ongest duration balancing ahockey stick on one finger 3. L argest human maple leaf 4. Tallest sandcastle 5. L argest gathering of people dressed as cats 6. L argest kuchipudi dance Front/ROW 2: 1. M ost chopsticks thrown blindfolded at a target in oneminute 2. L argest inflatable beach ball 3. L argest plastic bottle sculpture 4. Most ice cream scoops balanced in a cone 5. M ost stickers on a bus 6. Youngest person to climb theSeven Summits and the Seven Volcanic Summits Front/ROW 3: 1. T allest tower of cupcakes 2. L ongest cartoon strip (individual) 3. L argest horseshoe 4. L argest pencil-drawn mural 5. L argest plastic bottle mosaic 6. L argest inflatable pool toy 7. M ost books typed backwards Front/ROW 4: 1. M ost pistol squats on a balance board in one minute 2. L ongest knitted scarf
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FrederickHorace Lazell; Lion Television (Sarah Clarke, Susan Cooke, Anna Goldsworthy, Michelle Tierney, Dan Trelfer, Simon Welton); Zoë Luchman; DrCraig McClain (Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium); DrJonathan McDowell (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics); Sarah Ho Ying Ma; Dave McAleer; Alexander, Dominic and Henrietta Magill; Andres Mendez (The Latin Recording Academy); MOHN Media (Anke Frosch, Theo Loechter, Christin Moeck, Reinhild Regragui, Florian Seyfert, Jeanette Sio, Dennis Thon); Sophie, Joshua and Flossie Molloy; Adam Moore; Dora and Tilly Morales; Mark Morley (White Light LTD); NASA (Brandi K Dean, Kathryn Hambleton, Megan Sumner); Viet Nguyen; Christian Nienhaus; DrSimon Pierce (Marine Megafauna Foundation); Ping Leisure Communications (David Richard Apps, Claire Owen); Print-Force.com; Prominent Events (Andrew Dickson, Ben Hicks); Rainbow Productions; DrIngo Rechenberg (Technische Universität Berlin); Rightsmith (Jack Boram, Masato Kato, Sachie Takahashi); Ripley Entertainment (John Corcoran, Lydia Dale, Ryan DeSear, Suzanne DeSear, Megan Goldrick, Rick Richmond, Andy Taylor); Albert Robinson; Robot Operations Group, JPL (Paolo Bellutta, DrJeng Yen, Guy Webster); Bob Rogers; Rube Goldberg Inc. (Kathleen Felix, Janine Napierkowski); Tore Sand; Scott’s Travel Management Ltd; DrKatsufumi Sato (University of Tokyo); Matthew Schultz (LEGO®); Ben Shires; Gabriel and Scarlett Smith; Samuel Stadler (Parrot Analytics); Stockroom London (Steve Chapman, Matthew Watkiss); DrClifford Stoll (Acme Klein Bottle Co.); Hannah Stone (Australia Broadcasting Corporation); TEDGroup (Matt Spence, Derek Leather); Frances Tessendorf; Julian Townsend; Universal Kids (Deidre Brennan, Rick Clodfelter, Rhonda Medina, Dana Rappaport, Kristofer Updike); David Wells; Graham Wells; Whitby Morrison; Lara White; Sevgi White; the Whittons; Isabella Whitty; Beverley Williams; Eddie Wilson; Hayley, Rueben George and Tobias Hugh Wylie-Deacon; DrAngel Yanagihara (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa); Xtreme Graphics
3. M ost cans crushed with thehead in one minute 4. Most money raised by a static cycling event Front/ROW 5: 1. L ongest journey on amotorized bicycle 2. L argest parade of alpacas 3. M ost rope skips while keeping afootball in the air with thefeet in one minute 4. Most baseball bats broken withthe shins in one minute 5. L argest margarine sculpture 6. Longest duration spinning three basketballs Back/ROW 1: 1. F astest 50 m on an inclined gradient 2. F astest half marathon dressed as a chef (male) 3. L argest free-floating soapbubble (indoors) 4. L argest balloon zoo 5. L argest hanging lantern 6. Highest altitude game of women’s football (soccer) Back/ROW 2: 1. F astest time to remove 10 wrist watches (one hand) 2. F astest marathon dribbling abasketball 3. G reatest distance travelled ona bicycle balancing afootball on the head 4. Fastest half marathon dressed
as a boxer 5. L argest bingo ticket – card 6. Longest duration with head fully covered with bees 7. G reatest distance travelled whilst juggling three chainsaws Back/ROW 3: 1. G reatest distance in 24hours by mouth-controlled motorised wheelchair 2. L argest gathering of mascots (same mascot) 3. L argest bean bag 4. Longest duration balancing aguitar on the forehead 5. L ongest distance sailed in adouble-handed dinghy 6. Most aircraft in inverted acrobatic flight Back/ROW 4: 1. T allest chocolate fountain 2. M ost people exercising to afitness video 3. L argest gathering of dancingdragons 4. Most people doing yoga in pairs 5. L argest basketball lesson (multiple venues) Back/ROW 5: 1. L argest Bowie knife 2. M ost bird species in an aviary 3. F arthest distance limboskating under cars 4. L argest gathering of people dressed as ghosts 5. F arthest barrel-roll in a car
123Shutterstock, Facebook, Getty; 124Ben Duffy, Konrad Bartelski; 125Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 126Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Tim Anderson/GWR, Ranald Mackechnie/GWR, Shutterstock; 127Yui Mok/PA, Shutterstock; 128Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR, Shutterstock; 129Bibi Saint-Pol, Shutterstock; 130Sabrina Melis, Shutterstock; 131Shutterstock; 132Getty, Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR, Shutterstock; 133Shutterstock; 134Ge Tao/ GWR, Shutterstock; 135Alamy, Aurelien Foucault/GWR, Shutterstock; 136Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR, Shutterstock; 137Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR, Shutterstock; 138Richard Bradbury/GWR, Alamy, Shutterstock; 139Shutterstock; 140Ryan Schude/GWR, California Skateparks, Shutterstock; 141Alamy, Shutterstock; 142Purdue News Service, Getty, Alamy, Shutterstock; 143Shutterstock; 144James Ellerker/GWR, Shutterstock; 145Shutterstock; 146Paul Michael Hughes/ GWR, Shutterstock; 147Alamy, Shutterstock; 148Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Shutterstock; 149Richard Bradbury/GWR, Shutterstock; 150Getty; 152Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 153James Ellerker/GWR, Alamy, Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR, Shutterstock, Ranald Mackechnie/ GWR; 154Shutterstock, Bitscope, Alamy, Thomas Nguyen; 155Alamy, Getty, Shutterstock; 156Sony, Paul Michael Hughes/ GWR, MIT, Shutterstock; 157; 158Boston Dynamics, Shutterstock; 159Shutterstock; 160Gensler, Getty, Reuters, Alamy, Shutterstock; 161Google Earth, Shutterstock, SuperStock, KPF, Alamy; 164Darren Harbar, Vulcan, Shutterstock; 165Alamy, Alex Beltyukov/Russian Planes, Shutterstock; 166Getty, Chris Ison; 167Shutterstock, Archiv Käsmann, Getty, Shivraj Gohil/Spacesuit Media;
Country codes
ABW Aruba AFG Afghanistan AGO Angola AIA Anguilla ALB Albania AND Andorra ANT Netherlands Antilles ARG Argentina ARM Armenia ASM American Samoa ATA Antarctica ATF French Southern Territories ATG Antigua and Barbuda AUS Australia AUT Austria AZE Azerbaijan BDI Burundi BEL Belgium BEN Benin BFA Burkina Faso BGD Bangladesh BGR Bulgaria BHR Bahrain BHS The Bahamas BIH Bosnia and Herzegovina BLR Belarus BLZ Belize BMU Bermuda BOL Bolivia BRA Brazil BRB Barbados BRN Brunei Darussalam BTN Bhutan BVT Bouvet Island BWA Botswana CAF Central African Republic CAN Canada CCK Cocos (Keeling) Islands CHE Switzerland CHL Chile CHN China CIV Côte d’Ivoire CMR Cameroon COD Congo, DR of the COG Congo co*k Cook Islands COL Colombia COM Comoros CPV Cape Verde CRI Costa Rica CUB Cuba CXR Christmas Island CYM Cayman Islands CYP Cyprus CZE Czech Republic DEU Germany DJI Djibouti DMA Dominica DNK Denmark DOM Dominican Republic DZA Algeria ECU Ecuador EGY Egypt ERI Eritrea ESH Western Sahara ESP Spain EST Estonia ETH Ethiopia FIN Finland FJI Fiji FLK Falkland Islands (Malvinas) FRA France FRG West Germany FRO Faroe Islands FSM Micronesia, Federated States of FXX France, Metropolitan GAB Gabon GEO Georgia GHA Ghana
168PIH Auctions, Getty; 169Richard Bradbury/ GWR, YouTube; 170Shutterstock, PA, YouTube, Alamy; 171Shutterstock, Michel Verdure, Michel Verdure; 172Jean Lachat/The University of Chicago, Teufel/NIST, Graeme Fordham; 173Shutterstock, Ansis Starks; 174iStock, Shutterstock, Richard Bradbury/GWR, Bassetti Photography; 175Getty, Valentin Flauraud, Shutterstock; 176Paolo Bellutta; 177Shutterstock; 178Paul Michael Hughes/ GWR, Shutterstock, Getty; 179Shutterstock; 180Marvel Studios/Disney; 182Shutterstock, Alamy; 183New Line Cinema, Disney, Warner Bros., Lucasfilm, Pixar, Shutterstock; 184Marvel, Warner Bros., Alamy, Twentieth Century Fox; 185Shutterstock, Facebook, Alamy; 186Mark Surridge, Shutterstock, Getty; 187Roc Nation, Shutterstock, Johnny’s Entertainment Inc.; 188Shutterstock, John Shearer/GWR, Alamy; 189Shutterstock, Getty; 190CBS, Getty, Endemol, BBC; 191Alamy, Shutterstock; 192Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR; 193Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Ranald Mackechnie/GWR, James Ellerker/GWR; 194Alamy, Instagram, Shutterstock, Instagram; 195Instagram, Instagram, Shutterstock, Instagram, Instagram; 196Twitter, Vanity Fair, Shutterstock; 197Twitter, Getty, Twitter, Alamy, Shutterstock; 198Alamy, YouTube, Getty, Shutterstock, Instagram, YouTube; 199YouTube, Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, YouTube, Facebook; 201Shutterstock, Joan Marcus, Joan Marcus, Getty; 202Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, PropStore, Lucasfilm, Shutterstock; 203Alamy; 204Shutterstock; 205Shutterstock; 206Shutterstock, Getty, Alamy; 207Getty, Shutterstock; 208Alamy, Getty, Shutterstock; 209Getty; 210Getty, Shutterstock; 211Shutterstock, Getty, Alamy; 212Getty,
Alamy, Shutterstock; 213Shutterstock; 214Getty, Shutterstock, Alamy; 215William Burkhardt/BJJ Pix, Getty, Shutterstock; 216Getty, Shutterstock; 217Shutterstock, Getty; 218Getty, GeeBee Images, Mark Gewertz/NHRA, Shutterstock; 219Red Bull, A.Sports, Getty, Red Bull; 220JPParmentier/ Matchroom Sport, Dean Alberga/Dutch Target, Getty; 221Getty, Shutterstock, Alamy; 222Alamy, Shutterstock; 223Alamy, Shutterstock; 224Shutterstock, Ryan Maxwell; 225Alamy, Shutterstock; 226Alamy, Voros Nandor, Shutterstock; 227Shutterstock; 228Shutterstock, Getty; 229Shutterstock, Alamy; 230Getty, Shutterstock; 231Alamy, Getty; 232Getty, Shutterstock; 233Alamy, Aravaipa Running; 234Alamy, Getty; 235Alamy, Getty, Drew Kaplan; 236Daan Verhoeven, Shutterstock, World Rowing; 237Getty, Shutterstock; 238Getty, Shutterstock; 239Shutterstock, Getty; 240Shutterstock, IWF, Getty; 241Shutterstock; 242Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, James Ellerker/GWR, Shutterstock; 243Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 244Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 245Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 246Paul Michael Hughes/GWR; 247Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Shutterstock
GIB Gibraltar GIN Guinea GLP Guadeloupe GMB Gambia GNB Guinea-Bissau GNQ Equatorial Guinea GRC Greece GRD Grenada GRL Greenland GTM Guatemala GUF French Guiana GUM Guam GUY Guyana HKG Hong Kong HMD Heard and McDonald Islands HND Honduras HRV Croatia (Hrvatska) HTI Haiti HUN Hungary IDN Indonesia IND India IOT British Indian Ocean Territory IRL Ireland IRN Iran IRQ Iraq ISL Iceland ISR Israel ITA Italy JAM Jamaica JOR Jordan JPN Japan KAZ Kazakhstan KEN Kenya KGZ Kyrgyzstan KHM Cambodia KIR Kiribati KNA Saint Kitts and Nevis KOR Korea, Republic of KWT Kuwait LAO Laos LBN Lebanon LBR Liberia LBY Libya LCA Saint Lucia LIE Liechtenstein LKA Sri Lanka LSO Lesotho LTU Lithuania LUX Luxembourg LVA Latvia MAC Macau MAR Morocco MCO Monaco MDA Moldova MDG Madagascar MDV Maldives MEX Mexico MHL Marshall Islands MKD Macedonia MLI Mali MLT Malta MMR Myanmar (Burma) MNE Montenegro MNG Mongolia MNP Northern Mariana Islands MOZ Mozambique MRT Mauritania MSR Montserrat MTQ Martinique MUS Mauritius MWI Malawi MYS Malaysia MYT Mayotte NAM Namibia NCL New Caledonia NER Niger NFK Norfolk Island NGA Nigeria NIC Nicaragua NIU Niue NLD Netherlands NOR Norway
NPL Nepal NRU Nauru NZ New Zealand OMN Oman PAK Pakistan PAN Panama PCN Pitcairn Islands PER Peru PHL Philippines PLW Palau PNG Papua New Guinea POL Poland PRI Puerto Rico PRK Korea, DPRO PRT Portugal PRY Paraguay PYF French Polynesia QAT Qatar REU Réunion ROM Romania RUS Russian Federation RWA Rwanda SAU Saudi Arabia SDN Sudan SEN Senegal SGP Singapore SGS South Georgia and South SS SHN Saint Helena SJM Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands SLB Solomon Islands SLE Sierra Leone SLV El Salvador SMR San Marino SOM Somalia SPM Saint Pierre and Miquelon SRB Serbia SSD South Sudan STP São Tomé and Príncipe SUR Suriname SVK Slovakia SVN Slovenia SWE Sweden SWZ Swaziland SYC Seychelles SYR Syrian Arab Republic TCA Turks and Caicos Islands TCD Chad TGO Togo THA Thailand TJK Tajikistan TKL Tokelau TKM Turkmenistan TMP East Timor TON Tonga TPE Chinese Taipei TTO Trinidad and Tobago TUN Tunisia TUR Turkey TUV Tuvalu TZA Tanzania UAE United Arab Emirates UGA Uganda UK United Kingdom UKR Ukraine UMI US Minor Islands URY Uruguay USA United States of America UZB Uzbekistan VAT Holy See (Vatican City) VCT Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VEN Venezuela VGB Virgin Islands (British) VIR Virgin Islands (US) VNM Vietnam VUT Vanuatu WLF Wallis and Futuna Islands WSM Samoa YEM Yemen ZAF South Africa ZMB Zambia ZWE Zimbabwe
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ACK NOW LEDGEMENTS
Picture credits 1Kevin Scott Ramos/GWR; 2Alamy; 4(UK)Shutterstock, Chris Lobina/Sky; 6(UK)Shinsuke Kamioka/GWR; 7(UK)Ben Duffy, Mikael Buck/GWR, Milton J Haworth; 4(US)Monty Brinton/CBS, Carol Kaelson, Shutterstock; 5(US)Michael Becker/Fox, Lou Rocco/ABC; 4(AUS)Adrian Rohnfelder; 5(AUS)Kym Illman, Adam Hollier; 7(AUS)Timothy M Campbell; 5(ARAB)Joel Oloroso Nerona; 4(BRAND)Nick Dimbleby; 5(BRAND)Nick Dimbleby; 7(BRAND) Ben Gibson; 8(BRAND)John Caprani, Bircan Tulga; 9(BRAND)Danny Hickson; 8Matt Alexander, Shinsuke Kamioka/GWR; 9Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Jeff Halperin, Philip Robertson/ GWR; 10Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Alamy; 11Alamy, Shutterstock; 12NASA; 14NASA; 15ESO, NASA; 16NASA, SPL, ESA, Shutterstock; 17Alamy, Shutterstock; 18Getty, Shutterstock, NASA, Alamy; 19NASA, Shutterstock; 20SPL, NASA, Alamy; 21SPL, NASA, Alamy; 22Getty, NASA; 23NASA; 24SPL, Alamy, Getty, NASA; 25Perth Observatory, Alamy, NASA; 26University of Warwick, NASA; 27University of Warwick, JAXA, NASA; 28Shutterstock, Paul Michael Hughes/GWR, Alamy; 29Getty, Shutterstock; 30NASA; 32Science Photo Library, Alamy, Shutterstock; 33Shutterstock, Science Photo Library, Alamy, Getty; 34Science Photo Library, Shutterstock, NGDC/GLCF/USGS/ DLR; 35iStock, Alamy, Getty; 36Getty, Shutterstock, Gabor Merkl; 37NASA, Shutterstock; 38Alamy, Shutterstock, Getty; 39Alamy, Shutterstock; 40Google Earth, Alamy, Shutterstock, NASA; 41Alamy; 42Shutterstock, Alamy; 43Shutterstock; 44Shutterstock, Reuters; 45Shutterstock,
ROUND -UP
STOP PRESS The following entries were approved and added to our database after the official closing date for this year’s submissions. Largest prize-linked bank account payout
Gulf Bank (KWT) made a payout of KWD1,000,000 ($3,269,680; £2,634,033) in a prize draw at the Grand Avenue Mall in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 5Jan 2017.
Longest baking marathon (individual) On 26–27Jan 2017, Sarah Corley, Hayley Christine Finkelman, Katherine Hinrichs, Cherise Nicole Ragland, Soyoung Shin and Eric Casper Wang (all USA) each baked for 25hr. The marathon was part of NestléToll House’s Bake Some Good campaign in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Largest smoothie
Cabot Creamery Cooperative (USA) served up a 1,000-USgal (3,785-litre) smoothie at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida, USA, on 3Mar 2017.
Largest carpet of flowersand plants
Yanbu Flower Festival (SAU) presented a 16,134.07-m2 (173,665.68-sq-ft) display featuring 1.8million flowers of 14different varieties in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, on 14Mar 2017.
Largest kaikottikalidance
On 1 May 2017, a group of 6,582 kaikottikali dancers performed together in Kizhakkambalam, Kerala, India. The event was organized jointly by Twenty20Kizhakkambalam Association charitable organization, textile manufacturers Kitex, the Parvanendu School of Thiruvathira and Chavara Cultural Centre (all IND).
Greatest light output inaprojected image
An image with a light output of 4.66million lumens was projected skywards by WestJet (CAN) in Hildale, Utah, USA, on 3 May 2017. WestJet attempted the record as part of the launch 254
of a new daily non-stop flight from Toronto, Canada, to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Passengers flying overhead were able to watch the rotating circular projection that displayed the number of a seat, the owner of which won a trip back to Las Vegas.
Most bird species inanaviary
Created by Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji (IND), the Shuka Vana aviary houses 468bird species, as verified on6 May 2017. It is located at the SGS Avadhoota Datta Peetham in Mysuru, Karnataka, India.
Most people performing a jumping high five simultaneously
Grupo Bolívar S.A. (COL) brought together 2,209pairs of people to do a jumping high five at the same time in Bogotá, Distrito Capital, Colombia, on 18 May 2017.
Most consecutive wins of the real tennis Ladies World Championship
On 20May 2017, Claire Fahey (UK, née Vigrass) sealed her fourth consecutive world title with a 6–0, 6–0 win over her sister Sarah Vigrass (UK) at The Tuxedo Club in New York,USA.
Highest average speed inan open-road race
The Nevada Open Road Challenge is held every May on Route318 in Nevada, USA. On 21May 2017, Robert Allyn (driver) and David Bauer (navigator, both USA) set the highest-ever average speed for this race – 353.4811km/h (219.6429mph) – in a 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. This authorized event is staged under the aegis of the Silver State Classic Challenge (USA) and can see cars hit peak speeds in excess of 394km/h (244mph) along the 145‑km (90‑mi) course.
Largest doormat
On 23May 2017, a 39.82‑m² (428.62-sq-ft) doormat was laid out at the brand-new Guinness World Records attraction in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA, by Woods Hippensteal (USA). This is equivalent to the area of three parking spaces.
Largest gathering of people wearing traditional Yakut clothing
South Africa, on 20Aug 2017. Ludeña clocked a time of 2hr31min 17.43sec.
The mayor of Yakutsk, Aysen Nikolayev (RUS), organized a gathering of 16,620 people wearing national costume in the capital of the Republic of Sakha, Russian Federation, on 24 Jun 2017.
Largest parade ofalpacas
Most consecutive winsinprofessional shogi matches
Tallest sandcastle
On 26Jun 2017, Sōta Fujii (JPN) recorded his 29th consecutive victory in the game known as “Japanese chess” – breaking a 30-yearold record at the age of just14. This was also the most consecutive wins in professional shogi matchesfrom debut.
Largest basketball lesson (multiple venues)
NBA Properties Inc. (USA) and Reliance Foundation (IND) set up a basketball lesson for 3,459players at five locations across India on 28Jul 2017.
Fastest ground speed by a battery-powered remote-controlled quadcopter
A DRL drone piloted by Ryan Gury of the Drone Racing League (both USA) reached a ground speed of 265.87km/h (165.20mph) at Cunningham Park in Queens, New York City, USA, on 13Jul 2017.
Longest line of waterinflatables
On 30 Jul 2017, Welland Floatfest (CAN) put together a165.74-m-long (543-ft 9-in) line of buoyant inflatables in Ontario, Canada.
Largest parade of Indianmotorcycles
On 19Aug 2017, a parade of 274 Indian motorbikes rode through StPaul, Minnesota, USA, in an event planned by Indian Motorcycle of the Twin Cities Minnesota and Welch Charities (both USA).
Deepest underground half marathon distancerun
Millán Ludeña (ECU) completed a half marathon 3,559.08m (11,676ft 9in) below ground at the Mponeng mine in Gauteng,
Municipalidad Provincial de Carabaya (PER) assembled a line of 460 alpacas in the town of Macusani in Puno, Peru, on 21Aug 2017. On 1Sep2017, SchauinslandReisen GmbH (DEU) erected a 16.68-m-tall (54-ft 8-in) sandcastle in a disused coal plant in Duisburg, Germany.
Largest foam finger/hand
Dell Technologies (USA) created a 6.12-m-tall, 2.86-m-long and 0.47-m-wide (20‑ft 0.9‑in x 9‑ft 4‑in x 1‑ft 6‑in) sports-style foam hand, as confirmed in GrandPrairie, Texas, USA, on 5Sep 2017.
Fastest return journey from Land’s End to JohnO’Groats by bicycle(male)
Starting and finishing at JohnO’Groats in Caithness, James MacDonald (UK) cycled to Land’s End in Cornwall and back in 5days 18hr 3min. His journey between these geographical extremities of the UK took place on 4–10 Sep 2017.
Largest display of tomato varieties
On 17Sep 2017, the World Tomato Society Foundation (USA) presented 241 varieties of tomato at the Heirloom Tomato Harvest Celebration in Los Gatos, California, USA.
Greatest distance skiedon an indoor skislope in 8 hours
On 8Oct 2017, instructors from the Ski Dubai (UAE) school covered a combined distance of 302.3km (187.84mi) on an indoor slope in 8 hr in Dubai, UAE.
Largest human image ofa forklift truck
On 10Oct 2017, a total of 694people came together to create the likeness of a forklift truck in Dormagen, Germany. The attempt was arranged by Covestro Deutschland AG (DEU) to celebrate a new high-bay warehouse.
Largest shipping container image
PSA Corporation Limited (SGP) assembled 359multicoloured shipping containers to form a giant lion’s head at Tanjong Pagar in Singapore on 15Oct 2017.
Longest nail bar
On 21Oct 2017, OPIProducts (USA) unveiled a 47.42-m-long (155-ft 6-in) nail bar in Santa Monica, California, USA. Fifty nail technicians provided 501manicures, with guests including actress Peyton List.
Most netball goals scored in one hour (individual) Lydia Redman (UK) scored 756goals in a 60-min netball “shoot-a-thon” on 23Oct 2017. Redman, who was just 13years old, achieved her feat on the outside courts of The Kibworth School in Leicestershire, UK.
Largest race series onsand
On 5 Nov 2017, the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project (USA) brought together 4,288runners in Encinitas, California, USA. There were races over various distances for adults, and a shorter course for children.
Largest wave surfed(unlimited)
On 8Nov 2017, Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) surfed a monster 80‑ft (24.38‑m) wave off the coast of Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal. The record was authenticated by the Quiksilver XXL Biggest Wave Awards judging committee.
Largest serving of green‑bean casserole
On 16Nov 2017, a 288.93‑kg (636-lb 15.7-oz) green-bean casserole was prepared by Green Giant (USA) at Stella34 Trattoria in Macy’s Herald Square, New York City, USA. The meal was donated to Citymeals on Wheels.
Largest wheelchair race
Dubai Police (UAE) arranged a race involving 289 wheelchair users in Dubai, UAE, on 18Nov 2017. The following month, on 3Dec, Dubai Police HQ and Meydan (UAE) organized the longest line of horses, which boasted a total of 116animals.
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center (USA) brought together 448 couples to kiss under the mistletoe in Kissimmee, Florida, USA, on 7Dec 2017.
Greatest distance vehicledrift in 8 hours
Skilled drivers can produce a controlled “drift” of a car, spinning or skidding the rear wheels while driving through a corner. BMW of North America (USA) achieved a vehicle drift of 374.17km (232.5mi) in 8hr in a vehicle driven by Johan Schwartz (DNK) in Greer, South Carolina, USA, on 11Dec 2017. The attempt took place concurrently with the longest twin vehicle drift (water assisted), also achieved by BMW of North America. Drivers Matt Mullins (USA) and Johan Schwartz covered 79.26km (49.25mi).
Largest roulette wheel
Casino du Liban (LBN) produced a roulette wheel with an 8.75-m (28-ft 8.48‑in) diameter in Jounieh, Lebanon, on 16Dec2017.
Safest year for air travel According to Dutch consultancy To70 and the Aviation Safety Network (ASN), the year 2017 was the safest yet for air travel, with no passenger jet crashes anywhere in the world. The ASN reported 10accidents involving cargo carriers and small commercial aircraft, leading to 79fatalities. This is a decrease from 2016, when 16accidents caused 303fatalities. The rate of lives lost has been reduced to “one fatal accident for every 16million flights”, accordingto To70.
(USA) brought together 3,236participants to dunk cookies at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, USA.
Farthest wheelie on a quad bike (ATV)
Abdulla Al Hattawi (UAE) sustained a quad-bike wheelie for 60 km (37.28mi) in Dubai, UAE, on 12Jan 2018.
Greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24hours (individual)
Carl Reese (USA) drove 3,406.17km (2,116.5mi) in 24hr at the Uvalde Proving Grounds in Texas, USA, on 25–26Feb 2017. He stopped with 1hr 18min still on the clock, as his team had run outof fresh tyres.
Fastest unpaced 3km intrack cycling (standingstart, female)
On 3Mar 2018, American cyclist Chloé Dygert Owen took gold in the women’s individual pursuit at the UCI Track World Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, with a time of 3min 20.060sec. She broke her compatriot Sarah Hammer’s 2010 record of 3min 22.269sec twice in one day.
Most awards won byashort film
Luminaris (2011), directed by Juan Pablo Zaramella (both ARG), received a total of 324awards, as confirmed on 6Mar 2018. The film has a running time of 6min and uses stop-motion animation to create scenes with real actors and animated objects.
First centibillionaire
Al Marjan Island (UAE) and Fireworks by Grucci (USA) produced an aerial firework shell weighing 2,397lb (1,087.26kg). It was launched on Al Marjan Island in Ras alKhaimah, UAE, on 1Jan 2018.
According to the annual Billionaires list, published by Forbes on 6Mar 2018, eCommerce entrepreneur and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (USA) is the first person to surpass $100bn in personal wealth. He has an estimated net worth of $112bn (£81bn). According to Forbes, the richest person (female) is Alice Walton (USA), coowner of supermarket chain Wal-Mart. Her estimated net worth was $46bn (£33.2bn) as of 6Mar 2018.
Most people dunkingcookies
Most expensive camera sold at auction
Largest aerial fireworkshell
On 6Jan 2018, the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
On 10Mar 2018, a prototype Leica 35‑mm-film camera was sold to a private collector
from Asia for €2.40m (£2.13m; $2.95m) at the WestLicht Photographica Auction in Vienna, Austria. The early model, known as the Leica 0-series No.122, was one of just 25 produced for testing in1923 – two years before the first Leica camera went on sale to the public.
Most crowdfunded project (overall)
The appeal for public support from publisher Cloud Imperium Games for its Star Citizen videogame project began in Sep2012, and has continued to make headlines and generate funds. As of 19Mar 2018, the as-yetunreleased space-faring sim had raised a remarkable $180,386,613 (£129,326,000) from 1,997,150 backers (referredtoas Star Citizens).
Fastest time to cycle the length of South America (Ushuaia to Cartagena)
Dean Stott (UK) cycled from Ushuaia police station in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to the Casa Cochera del Gobernador hotel in the Colombian city of Cartagena in 48 days 54min from 1Feb to 21Mar 2018. He raised money for the mental-health charity Heads Together.
Tallest lantern
Wuhan East Lake Tingtao Tourism Development (CHN) produced a 26.28‑m-tall (86‑ft 2.6-in) lantern, as verified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on 21Mar 2018. It has a diameter of 28.26m (92ft 8.5in) and covers an area of 400.59m2 (4,311 sqft).
Most consecutive NBAregular-season games scoring at least10points
LeBron James (USA) played 867 regular-season games in which he scored 10 points or more for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat between 6Jan 2007 and 30Mar 2018. James broke Michael Jordan’s record of 866games during the Cavaliers’ 107–102win against the NewOrleans Pelicans.
Least expensive city
According to The Economist Intelligence Unit in Mar2018, the Syrian capital of
Damascus has replaced Almaty (seep.162) as the world’s least expensive city. Itfell 14places to finish with an index score of26, where New York City, USA, is 100.
Tallest hat
Milliner Odilon Ozare (USA) sported a hat measuring 4.8m (15ft 9in) in Tampa, Florida, USA, on 2Apr 2018. He had to walk more than 10m (32ft 10in) while wearing it to qualify for therecord.
Most competitive 147breaks in snooker
On 3Apr 2018, Ronnie O’Sullivan (UK) recorded his 14th competitive maximum break, at the China Open.
Largest chess piece
A 20-ft-tall (6.09-m) king piece measuring 2.79m (9ft 2in) in diameter at its base was created by the World Chess Museum (USA) and presented in StLouis, Missouri, USA, on 6Apr 2018. It was 53times the size of a standard king piece.
Largest passenger liner
The MS Symphony of the Seas departed for her maiden voyage on 7Apr 2018. She measures 362.12m (1,188ft) long and 65.6m (215ft) wide, and has a gross tonnage of 228,081 across 18decks. She supersedes Harmony of the Seas (seep.171) as the largestliner on the ocean.
Most full-body revolutions maintaininga chest stand in oneminute
Nine-year-old Tanushree Udupi (IND) completed 42rotations of her legs around her body in 60sec while supporting herself on her chest in Udupi, Karnataka, India, on7Apr 2018.
Most turbans tied in8hours
On 7Apr 2018, Sikhs of NY (USA) celebrated World Turban Day by tying3,010 of them in New York City, USA.
Most followed Twitchchannel
As of 8Apr 2018, American gamer and broadcaster “ninja” (aka Richard Tyler Blevins) had 5,144,968 followers on Twitch. His statistics surged by around
2million following an all-star Twitch stream on 14Mar 2018 featuring musicians Drake and Travis Scott and gridiron icon JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Largest cinnamon roll
Wolferman’s (USA) produced a 521.5-kg (1,149-lb 11-oz) cinnamon roll, as confirmed in Medford, Oregon, USA, on 10Apr 2018.
Most basketball threepointers scored by a rookie in an NBA season
Donovan Mitchell (USA) threw his 187th successful threepointer for the Utah Jazz on 11Apr 2018. He beat Damian Lillard’s rookie tally of 185 from the 2012/13 season.
Most simultaneous USHot 100 hits (female) On 16Apr 2018, rapper CardiB (USA, b. Belcalis Almanzar) had 13 hits on theBillboard Hot 100 at thesame time.
Fastest time to solve aRubik’s Cube
Feliks Zemdegs (AUS) solved a standard 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube in 4.22sec at the Cube for Cambodia competition in Melbourne, Australia, on 6May 2018.
Longest soccer drop-kick On 10May 2018, goalkeeper Ederson de Moraes (BRA) celebrated Manchester City’s league title by dropkicking a football 75.35m (247ft 2.53in) at the Etihad Campusin Manchester, UK.
Fastest swim long course 1,500m freestyle(female)
On 16May 2018, Katie Ledecky (USA) won a 1,500m freestyle race in 15min 20.48sec in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. She smashed her own record by 5sec.
Most ascents of Everest
Nepalese Sherpa Kami Rita successfully climbed Everest for the 22nd time on 16May 2018. On the same day, LakpaSherpa (NPL) also broke her own record for most ascents of Everest (female), reaching the summit for the ninth time. 255
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Most couples kissing under the mistletoe (single venue)
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