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What in the World? The 'Weirdest' Guinness World Records Ever

Published May 9th, 2018 - 07:58 GMT

The idea for the Guinness Book of World Records came out of an argument Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery, had on a hunting trip in the early 1950s. He wasn't able to find the answer to the fastest game bird in any reference book.

Guinness World Records, known from its inception in 1955 until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, is a reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. 

The book itself holds a world record, as the best-selling copyrighted book of all time. As of the 2017 edition, it is now in its 62nd year of publication, published in 100 countries and 23 languages.

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Go, 'Murica. U.S. resident Donald A. Gorske consumed his 26,000th McDonald's Big Mac on October 11, 2012 — after 40 years of eating Big Macs on a daily basis. (Twitter)

Go, 'Murica. U.S. resident Donald A. Gorske consumed his 26,000th McDonald's Big Mac on October 11, 2012 — after 40 years of eating Big Macs on a daily basis. (Twitter)

Jackie Bibby a.k.a. “The Texas Snakeman” holds in his mouth ten 2 ft 6-inch-long western diamondback rattlesnakes for 12.5 seconds without any assistance at the CW11 morning show on November 9, 2006 to set a new Guinness World Record for Most Live Rattlesnakes Held In Mouth. (AFP/ File Photo)

Jackie Bibby a.k.a. “The Texas Snakeman” holds in his mouth ten 2 ft 6-inch-long western diamondback rattlesnakes for 12.5 seconds without any assistance at the CW11 morning show on November 9, 2006 to set a new Guinness World Record for Most Live Rattlesnakes Held In Mouth. (AFP/ File Photo)

Ram Singh Chauhan (61) displays his 18ft moustache in Ahmedabad, India. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest moustache. (AFP/ File Photo)

Ram Singh Chauhan (61) displays his 18ft moustache in Ahmedabad, India. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest moustache. (AFP/ File Photo)

Jim Mouth uses a fan to blow smoke from 155 cigarettes as he breaks “The Guinness Book of World Records” record November 18, 1993 for smoking the most cigarettes at the same time. (AFP/ File Photo)

Jim Mouth uses a fan to blow smoke from 155 cigarettes as he breaks “The Guinness Book of World Records” record November 18, 1993 for smoking the most cigarettes at the same time. (AFP/ File Photo)

Indian man and Guinness World Record holder C. Manoharan popularly known as Snake Manu practices for a new record by putting a live snake up his nose and out through his mouth in Madras, September 2, 2004. (AFP/ File Photo)

Indian man and Guinness World Record holder C. Manoharan popularly known as Snake Manu practices for a new record by putting a live snake up his nose and out through his mouth in Madras, September 2, 2004. (AFP/ File Photo)

Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, know as the “wolfman” in the Guinness World of Records. Jesus Manuel, 24, whose hairy condition is a result of hiper tricosis, a disease causing an overabundance of hair, says he inherited the condition from his great-grandmother. (AFP/ File Photo)

Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, know as the “wolfman” in the Guinness World of Records. Jesus Manuel, 24, whose hairy condition is a result of hiper tricosis, a disease causing an overabundance of hair, says he inherited the condition from his great-grandmother. (AFP/ File Photo)

Briton Isobel Varley, 69, the world’s eldest tattooed woman according to the Guinness Book of Records, poses at a hotel in Buenos Aires, July 7, 2005. (AFP/ File Photo)

Briton Isobel Varley, 69, the world’s eldest tattooed woman according to the Guinness Book of Records, poses at a hotel in Buenos Aires, July 7, 2005. (AFP/ File Photo)

Patesh Talukdar, from Assam state, pierces his face with 23 needles during an attempt to make it into the annals of the Guinness Book of World Records November 11, 2002 in Guwahati. Talukdar has already made it into the Limca book of records with his bizarre feat of consuming bulbs and bricks. (AFP Photo)

Patesh Talukdar, from Assam state, pierces his face with 23 needles during an attempt to make it into the annals of the Guinness Book of World Records November 11, 2002 in Guwahati. Talukdar has already made it into the Limca book of records with his bizarre feat of consuming bulbs and bricks. (AFP Photo)

World's most pierced woman Elaine Davidson poses for photographers at the photocall for the 100 millionth copy of the Guinness World Records in the Tate Modern on November 11, 2003 in London. (Shutterstock/ File Photo)

World's most pierced woman Elaine Davidson poses for photographers at the photocall for the 100 millionth copy of the Guinness World Records in the Tate Modern on November 11, 2003 in London. (Shutterstock/ File Photo)

American Lee Redmond nearly 30 years to grown her nails out to the record-holding 28 feet, 4.5 inches in February 2008. The longest single nail was her right thumb, which reached to 2 feet, 11 inches. (AFP/ File Photo)

American Lee Redmond nearly 30 years to grown her nails out to the record-holding 28 feet, 4.5 inches in February 2008. The longest single nail was her right thumb, which reached to 2 feet, 11 inches. (AFP/ File Photo)

British man Garry Turner can stretch the skin of his stomach to 6.25 inches due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (Twitter)

British man Garry Turner can stretch the skin of his stomach to 6.25 inches due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (Twitter)

Go, 'Murica. U.S. resident Donald A. Gorske consumed his 26,000th McDonald's Big Mac on October 11, 2012 — after 40 years of eating Big Macs on a daily basis. (Twitter)
Jackie Bibby a.k.a. “The Texas Snakeman” holds in his mouth ten 2 ft 6-inch-long western diamondback rattlesnakes for 12.5 seconds without any assistance at the CW11 morning show on November 9, 2006 to set a new Guinness World Record for Most Live Rattlesnakes Held In Mouth. (AFP/ File Photo)
Ram Singh Chauhan (61) displays his 18ft moustache in Ahmedabad, India. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest moustache. (AFP/ File Photo)
Jim Mouth uses a fan to blow smoke from 155 cigarettes as he breaks “The Guinness Book of World Records” record November 18, 1993 for smoking the most cigarettes at the same time. (AFP/ File Photo)
Indian man and Guinness World Record holder C. Manoharan popularly known as Snake Manu practices for a new record by putting a live snake up his nose and out through his mouth in Madras, September 2, 2004. (AFP/ File Photo)
Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, know as the “wolfman” in the Guinness World of Records. Jesus Manuel, 24, whose hairy condition is a result of hiper tricosis, a disease causing an overabundance of hair, says he inherited the condition from his great-grandmother. (AFP/ File Photo)
Briton Isobel Varley, 69, the world’s eldest tattooed woman according to the Guinness Book of Records, poses at a hotel in Buenos Aires, July 7, 2005. (AFP/ File Photo)
Patesh Talukdar, from Assam state, pierces his face with 23 needles during an attempt to make it into the annals of the Guinness Book of World Records November 11, 2002 in Guwahati. Talukdar has already made it into the Limca book of records with his bizarre feat of consuming bulbs and bricks. (AFP Photo)
World's most pierced woman Elaine Davidson poses for photographers at the photocall for the 100 millionth copy of the Guinness World Records in the Tate Modern on November 11, 2003 in London. (Shutterstock/ File Photo)
American Lee Redmond nearly 30 years to grown her nails out to the record-holding 28 feet, 4.5 inches in February 2008. The longest single nail was her right thumb, which reached to 2 feet, 11 inches. (AFP/ File Photo)
British man Garry Turner can stretch the skin of his stomach to 6.25 inches due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (Twitter)
Go, 'Murica. U.S. resident Donald A. Gorske consumed his 26,000th McDonald's Big Mac on October 11, 2012 — after 40 years of eating Big Macs on a daily basis. (Twitter)
Go, 'Murica. U.S. resident Donald A. Gorske consumed his 26,000th McDonald's Big Mac on October 11, 2012 — after 40 years of eating Big Macs on a daily basis. (Twitter)
Jackie Bibby a.k.a. “The Texas Snakeman” holds in his mouth ten 2 ft 6-inch-long western diamondback rattlesnakes for 12.5 seconds without any assistance at the CW11 morning show on November 9, 2006 to set a new Guinness World Record for Most Live Rattlesnakes Held In Mouth. (AFP/ File Photo)
Jackie Bibby a.k.a. “The Texas Snakeman” holds in his mouth ten 2 ft 6-inch-long western diamondback rattlesnakes for 12.5 seconds without any assistance at the CW11 morning show on November 9, 2006 to set a new Guinness World Record for Most Live Rattlesnakes Held In Mouth. (AFP/ File Photo)
Ram Singh Chauhan (61) displays his 18ft moustache in Ahmedabad, India. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest moustache. (AFP/ File Photo)
Ram Singh Chauhan (61) displays his 18ft moustache in Ahmedabad, India. It has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest moustache. (AFP/ File Photo)
Jim Mouth uses a fan to blow smoke from 155 cigarettes as he breaks “The Guinness Book of World Records” record November 18, 1993 for smoking the most cigarettes at the same time. (AFP/ File Photo)
Jim Mouth uses a fan to blow smoke from 155 cigarettes as he breaks “The Guinness Book of World Records” record November 18, 1993 for smoking the most cigarettes at the same time. (AFP/ File Photo)
Indian man and Guinness World Record holder C. Manoharan popularly known as Snake Manu practices for a new record by putting a live snake up his nose and out through his mouth in Madras, September 2, 2004. (AFP/ File Photo)
Indian man and Guinness World Record holder C. Manoharan popularly known as Snake Manu practices for a new record by putting a live snake up his nose and out through his mouth in Madras, September 2, 2004. (AFP/ File Photo)
Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, know as the “wolfman” in the Guinness World of Records. Jesus Manuel, 24, whose hairy condition is a result of hiper tricosis, a disease causing an overabundance of hair, says he inherited the condition from his great-grandmother. (AFP/ File Photo)
Fajardo Aceves Jesus Manuel, from Mexico, know as the “wolfman” in the Guinness World of Records. Jesus Manuel, 24, whose hairy condition is a result of hiper tricosis, a disease causing an overabundance of hair, says he inherited the condition from his great-grandmother. (AFP/ File Photo)
Briton Isobel Varley, 69, the world’s eldest tattooed woman according to the Guinness Book of Records, poses at a hotel in Buenos Aires, July 7, 2005. (AFP/ File Photo)
Briton Isobel Varley, 69, the world’s eldest tattooed woman according to the Guinness Book of Records, poses at a hotel in Buenos Aires, July 7, 2005. (AFP/ File Photo)
Patesh Talukdar, from Assam state, pierces his face with 23 needles during an attempt to make it into the annals of the Guinness Book of World Records November 11, 2002 in Guwahati. Talukdar has already made it into the Limca book of records with his bizarre feat of consuming bulbs and bricks. (AFP Photo)
Patesh Talukdar, from Assam state, pierces his face with 23 needles during an attempt to make it into the annals of the Guinness Book of World Records November 11, 2002 in Guwahati. Talukdar has already made it into the Limca book of records with his bizarre feat of consuming bulbs and bricks. (AFP Photo)
World's most pierced woman Elaine Davidson poses for photographers at the photocall for the 100 millionth copy of the Guinness World Records in the Tate Modern on November 11, 2003 in London. (Shutterstock/ File Photo)
World's most pierced woman Elaine Davidson poses for photographers at the photocall for the 100 millionth copy of the Guinness World Records in the Tate Modern on November 11, 2003 in London. (Shutterstock/ File Photo)
American Lee Redmond nearly 30 years to grown her nails out to the record-holding 28 feet, 4.5 inches in February 2008. The longest single nail was her right thumb, which reached to 2 feet, 11 inches. (AFP/ File Photo)
American Lee Redmond nearly 30 years to grown her nails out to the record-holding 28 feet, 4.5 inches in February 2008. The longest single nail was her right thumb, which reached to 2 feet, 11 inches. (AFP/ File Photo)
British man Garry Turner can stretch the skin of his stomach to 6.25 inches due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (Twitter)
British man Garry Turner can stretch the skin of his stomach to 6.25 inches due to a rare medical condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. (Twitter)
Tags:Guinness World RecordsHugh Beaver

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