Guinness-World-Records-2017

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CONTENTS

This year’s edition is divided into 13 chapters, covering a vast spectrum of topics
from the exploration of our universe to the latest sporting achievements. In between,
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that you could try for yourself at home – and another chapter
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Stunning photographs: Our picture team has
been travelling the world to snap the most

visually striking record holders. Every edition of
GWR features more than 1,000 photos – many
unique to us and seen for the first time.

EDITOR’S LETTER 4 Gallery: Dateline: Fun and informative: Annotated images:
GWR DAY 8 This photo-led feature Running through the Our records are a unique We’ve added notes to some of the
FOREWORD: DR BUZZ ALDRIN 10 offers a change of pace mix of quirky facts and more complex imagery in the book,
INTERVIEW: CHRIS HADFIELD 12 and gives you the chance book, at the foot of extraordinary stats that you so that you can grasp the details
to explore record-breaking the page, you’ll find won’t find anywhere else.
a chronological history of what you’re seeing.
in picture form. of the universe… in

200 records!

SPACE 14 MONKEYS 58 JOURNEYS 104 TOYS & GAMES 138
SPIDERS 60
FACTOGRAPHIC: THE MOON 16 DINOSAURS 62 FACTOGRAPHIC: EVEREST 106 FACTOGRAPHIC: LEGO-OLOGY 140
EXTRASOLAR PLANETS 18 CATS & DOGS 64 EXPLORATION 1500–1970 108
PLUTO 20 FANTASTIC BEASTS 66 EXPLORATION 1971–1995 110 TOYS & BOARD GAMES 142
SPACEWALKS 22 EXPLORATION 1996–2005 112
VOYAGER 24 EXPLORATION 2006–2009 114 CHESS 144
BLACK HOLES 26 EXPLORATION 2010–2015 116
CHAIN REACTIONS 146

HUMANS 68 ACTION FIGURES & DOLLS 148

PUZZLES 150

CONSTRUCTION TOYS 152

EARTH 28 FACTOGRAPHIC: BODY PARTS 70 DO TRY VIDEOGAMES 154
BODY MODIFIERS 72 THIS AT HOME… 118
FACTOGRAPHIC: EARTH 30 MEDICAL MIRACLES 74 ENGINEERING & 156
WILD WEATHER 32 OLDEST... 76 IN YOUR KITCHEN 120 ARCHITECTURE
CLOUDS 34 FAMILY VALUES 78 IN YOUR BACKYARD 122
BIZARRE GEOLOGY 36 BODY EXTREMES 80 IN YOUR BEDROOM 124
REEFS 38 IN YOUR GYM 126
RAINFORESTS 40 RECORDOLOGY 82 FACTOGRAPHIC: 158
KILLER PLANTS 42 ENGINEERING 160
DON’T TRY 128 DOMES 162
FACTOGRAPHIC: PICTURE THIS! 84 THIS AT HOME… WALLS 164
MAZES 166
ANIMALS 44 FOOD 86 WATER PARKS 168
EPIC ENGINEERING
FACTOGRAPHIC: ANIMALS 46 GARDEN GIANTS 88
ANTS 48
OCTOPUSES 50 CHOCOLATE 90 VEHICLES 130
BIG CATS 52 FIRE 132
CROCODILES 54 COLLECTIONS 92 WATER 134 ARTS & MEDIA 170
OWLS 56 PERFORMERS 136
MASS PARTICIPATION 94 FACTOGRAPHIC: 172
2 Contents MOVIE MONEY 174
COSPLAY 96 ART SALES 176
SHAKESPEARE
BIG STUFF 98

SMALLTOWN BIG STUFF 100

BALL SKILLS 102

FAST FACTS

The GWR book was the result of a question: “Which is the fastest game bird in

Europe?” (The answer: the red-breasted merganser and the eider) • The first

edition went on sale in 1955 • It’s the world’s biggest-selling annual book

Factographics: Fast Facts:
Each chapter kicks off with a special new feature Bite-sized info that relates to
that explores a topic visually. Facts and figures are the pages you’re on at the time.

given context with the help of spectacular
photography and helpful infographics.

Tape measure: Wherever you see this
icon, you’re looking at a record holder
shown at its actual size or scaled up.

100%

MUSIC 178 Do Try
MOVIES 182 This At Home:
DISNEY 184 Don’t just read
TV 186 about records,
VIDEO 188 break them! This
interactive chapter
SCIENCE & 190 offers up dozens
TECHNOLOGY of record ideas you
can try from the
comfort  of your
bedroom, kitchen,
garden or gym. Go
on, have a go!

FACTOGRAPHIC: 192 AUTO SPORTS / CYCLING 220
SCI-FI VS SCIENCE 194
3D PRINTING 196
CONSUMER TECH 198
ROBOTS 200
SMALL STUFF 202
LASERS 204
CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE

RUGBY / TENNIS 222

SPORTS 206 CLUB SOCCER / 224
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER

FACTOGRAPHIC: 208 TRACK / FIELD 226 X GAMES 242
SPORT’S BIG HITTERS SWIMMING / WATER SPORTS 228 125TH ANNIVERSARY
210 SPORTS ROUND-UP 230 OF BASKETBALL 244
AMERICAN FOOTBALL / 212 246
BASEBALL 214 ATHLETICS: TRACK / ULTRA 232 INDEX
216 250
BASKETBALL / ICE HOCKEY ATHLETICS / CYCLING 234 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 252
218 254
BOXING / MARTIAL ARTS DIVING / ICE SKATING 236 PICTURE CREDITS &

CRICKET / GOLF SWIMMING 238 COUNTRY CODES

EXTREME SPORTS / WEIGHTLIFTING / SPORTS CONTRIBUTORS
STREET SPORTS
MARATHONS / WATERSKIING 240 STOP PRESS

guinnessworldrecords.com 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

Compiling the world’s best-selling annual book is made all the more challenging by having to Most game shows produced
decide what to leave out. Once again, over the past year we’ve seen about 1,000 people a week
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the pleasure of interviewing of record-breaking for
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BLINDFOLDED SPORTS STARS

On 5 Nov 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona, Thunder Law (USA,
left) of the Harlem Globetrotters celebrated GWR Day by
achieving the longest basketball shot blindfolded: 69 ft
6 in (21.18 m). At the same event, “Big Easy” Lofton (USA)
performed the farthest basketball hook shot blindfolded:
50 ft 3.5 in (15.32 m). Both records were later broken by,
respectively, Cody Jones and Garrett Hilbert of Dude
Perfect (USA) – see p.7.

On 5 Feb 2016, Indianapolis Colts punter and part-time
comedian Pat McAfee (below), with Nate Boyer (both USA)
holding the ball, scored the farthest American football
field goal blindfolded: 40 yd (36.5 m). This record was
coordinated by NFL Network on the Friday before Super
Bowl 50. GWR’s Alex Angert presented Pat with his
certificate on camera, declaring him “Officially Amazing!”

DATELINE 13,700 MYA Largest explosion ever
The Big Bang occurs. It is the source of all matter and energy in the universe, and of time itself.
One second after this event, the temperature is around 1032 kelvin – the highest temperature ever.

4 Editor’s Letter

FAST FACTS

The first ever record listed in The Guinness Book of Records (1955) was the

remotest known bodies: extra-galactic nebulae 1 billion light years away

• The current record is now 13 times farther away, at 13.4 billion light years

EXPLORING SPACE 1 1. GWR Editor-in-Chief
Craig Glenday poses
Space travel is a relatively new venture for us homo sapiens – it was only in 1961 for selfies with Moon
that Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space – and records are being pioneer Buzz Aldrin…
broken all the time. Indeed, setting ambitious, almost-impossible targets is an 2. ...and Chris Hadfield
inherent part of being a space pioneer, so any hopeful record holder would do 3. GWR science
well to hear what these iconic figures have to say. Throughout this year’s book, consultant David
you’ll find words of wisdom from some superlative astronauts, among them Buzz Hawksett presents
Aldrin, Chris Hadfield and Al Worden (all pictured right). We were also honoured two certificates to
to hear from NASA Administrator – and former astronaut – Charlie Bolden: Apollo 15’s Al Worden.

“At NASA, we’ve been leading the world in historic 2
firsts, from the first nation to successfully land on
the Red Planet, to the first humans to land and 3
walk on the Moon, to the first reusable spacecraft,
nearly 16 years of continuous habitation aboard
the International Space Station, and record-
shattering science missions with incredible space
observatories that peer into other galaxies and
spacecraft that travel to the farthest reaches of the Solar System. Now
we’re on a human journey to Mars and astronauts continue to break their
own records for time spent in space, and we’re developing cutting-edge
new technologies as we learn to live and work in orbit and travel farther,
not just to visit but to stay.”

Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator

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Oldest known galaxy 13,300 MYA DATELINE
Galaxy GN-z11 has formed. It will be discovered in Mar 2016 by astronomers using the NASA/ESA

Hubble Space Telescope. Its redshift – which is used to measure the distance to galaxies – is 11.09.

guinnessworldrecords.com 5

EDITOR’S LETTER

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discussion and get you
thinking about history.

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DATELINE 13,000 MYA Oldest planet
An extrasolar planet in the globular cluster M4 forms some 5,600 light years from Earth. It is
more than twice as old as the Solar System, and its discovery will be announced in Jul 2003.

6 Editor’s Letter

FAST FACTS

The USA is the third largest country by size (after Russia and Canada)

and population (more than 323,000,000, behind China and India)

• Alaska is the largest state, purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 m

Guinness World Records LIVE! The last new feature to Longest career as a sports
mention is Factographics. broadcaster for a single team
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(court room)

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Greatest impact on Earth 4,500 MYA DATELINE
A planet the size of Mars collides with the young Earth. Some of the debris from this cataclysm

goes into orbit around Earth and collects together under its own gravity to form the Moon.

guinnessworldrecords.com 7

GWR DAY

You could say that every day is Guinness World Records Day, with records
being attempted and achieved by someone, somewhere, at any moment.
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mark our 50th anniversary and is an international celebration of records and
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stacking in multiple venues. Featured here are some of the
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Most pine boards Farthest basketball
broken in one minute hook shot blindfolded
(female)
In one of seven records broken by the Harlem Globetrotters
GWR Day in Australia was featured (USA) on GWR Day 2015 (see Ball Skills), “Big Easy” Lofton
live on the Today show, and Summerly PGVVGF C DCNN HTQO ǡHV ǡKP
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the record in order to raise awareness Most people sport stacking from 31 countries – took
of cancer research; her father Glenn in multiple venues part in the record, which
%QZQP Ť YJQ JCRRGPU VQ JQNF VJG TGEQTF The 10th annual World challenges as many people
for the most pine boards broken in one Sport Stacking Association as possible to participate
minute (male) – had recently undergone STACK UP! proved, once in sport stacking. This
treatment for stage-four cancer. again, to be the most relatively new sport requires
attended Guinness World people to stack and de-
Records Day attempt. A stack specially designed
total of 618,394 stackers plastic cups. Attendance
– representing 2,691 numbers varied, from the
schools and organizations USA’s 547,777 participants
to the Philippines’ 35, but
LONGEST HUMAN TUNNEL everyone was a winner!
SKATEBOARDED BY A DOG
Fastest 100 m running
Otto the skateboarding dog has perfected the art of on all fours
whizzing through an arch of human legs, tilting and GWR Day clearly motivated
weaving to avoid mishaps. No surprise, then, that Kenichi Ito (JPN) to regain
the English bulldog wowed fans in Lima, Peru, by a record that he had held
skimming through a tunnel of 30 people for GWR until 2013. After studying
Day. Otto’s proud owners, Luciana Viale and Robert the locomotion of patas
Rickards, were inspired to choose a bulldog after monkeys, Ito worked out
watching videos of former record star Tillman, another how best to run 100 m
skateboarding bulldog. Otto is also a talented surfer. on all fours in the fastest
possible way, clocking a
new time of 15.71 sec in
Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.

Fastest tennis ball caught
Anthony Kelly (AUS) –
a martial artist and
Australia’s most decorated
Guinness World Records
title holder – demonstrated
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the Today show for GWR
Day. At the Olympic Park
in Sydney, Anthony caught
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a machine at a distance
of 6 m (19 ft 8 in). It was
travelling at a scorching
119.86 mph (192.9 km/h)
– a painful but impressive
feat that brought his record
total to 41.

8 GWR Day

FAST FACTS

YouTube rap star Dan Bull wrote an inspirational GWR song to encourage

everyone attempting records on the day • Sport stacking is the most popular

GWR Day activity: to date, more than 3.7 million people have taken part

MASS PARTICIPATION

GWR Day is the day to gather friends, family, colleagues
or classmates to try for a listing in our book. Here are
some of the group effort records that were set for
GWR Day in the past (some have since been broken):

PEOPLE RECORD COUNTRY/YEAR

Most people sport stacking – USA, 2015
OWNVKǡXGPWG

Largest line dance – multi venue China, 2014

Most children reading with an adult UAE, 2008

Largest computer class – India, 2006
multi venue

1,554 Largest wheelbarrow race #WUVTCNKC

Largest game of leapfrog 0GY <GCNCPF

882 Largest sports lesson 0 +TGNCPF 7- Largest gathering of people dressed as penguins

Largest gathering of people 0 +TGNCPF 7- 5OCUJKPI VJGKT RTGXKQWU TGEQTF QH 4KEJCTF *QWUG %JKNFTGPŨU *QURKEG
7- ICVJGTGF
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Most people flapping USA, 2012 HTQO VJG JQURKEG KPKVKCVGF VJG GXGPV VQ RWDNKEK\G CPF TCKUG HWPFU HQT VJGKT EJCTKV[ YJKEJ
simultaneously RTQXKFGU ENKPKECN CPF TGUKFGPVKCN ECTG HQT [QWPI RCVKGPVU CPF UWRRQTV HQT VJGKT HCOKNKGU

Largest gathering of ABBA Australia, 2011

DCPFU impersonators

Fastest time to type a text Largest lipstick sculpture their shopping mall, and simultaneously (49), honour of both Guinness
message (SMS) on a mobile On 10 Nov 2015, Agnè she spent two months the most matchsticks World Records Day and
phone while performing Kišonaitè (LTU) revealed her developing the 3.03-m-tall extinguished with the Veterans Day (11 Nov).
head spins glamorous Lipstick Tower, (9-ft 11-in) tower. tongue in one minute 7KH ͤWQHVV HQWKXVLDVW
He may have several built from 18,399 lipsticks. (30), and the most grapes surpassed the previous
breakdance records to Agnè was sponsored by Most lit candles stuffed in the mouth (88). record of 5,801 pull-ups with
his name, but it was by wtc more (HKG) to make held in the mouth a nail-biting 12 min to go.
WH[WLQJ WKDW %HQHGLNW a Christmas sculpture for In honour of GWR Day 2015, Most pull-ups in 24 hours
Mordstein (DEU) secured Dinesh Shivnath Upadhyaya Marine Corps veteran Guy Most hula-hoops spun
his latest world record. (IND) beat his own personal Valentino (USA) completed %UHH .LUN %XUQQDQG $86
While maintaining a head EHVW E\ VWXͦQJ EXUQLQJ 5,862 pull-ups in New York, whirled into the record
spin, Mordstein typed out candles into his mouth. USA, live on television in books by keeping 181 hula-
D VHYHQ ZRUG WH[W ̰ WKH He continued the “mouth” hoops spinning in Perth,
German proverb “Ein theme with the most Australia. She held the
EOLQGHV +XKQ ͤQGHW DXFK record for 10 days before it
ein Korn” (“Even a blind hen toothpicks was reclaimed by previous
VRPHWLPHV ͤQGV WKH FRUQ̹ rotated in holder Marawa Ibrahim
– doing so in just 56.65 sec the mouth (AUS), with 200 hoops!
in Freising, Germany.

DID YOU KNOW?(t2Aais.aghb9lpaths5iassot tcisthleFnaheuesi)ioatttrAwehwtp(uoaw5riadinitt0ngoroew 08arhsrBcla pltdJtil)saiorhenarmnralaetlt pnso2mciIonao0ntaergrhh1trkpdhe5eoe.ar.alfcHndr7omak.sare5ri,tt tnsciiUhhotlgmiseKende,alfl Tightest parallel park in reverse

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guinnessworldrecords.com 9

FOREWORD: DR BUZZ ALDRIN

“DR RENDEZVOUS” The children born between the years 2000
and 2010 will be the ones making the first
Colonel Buzz Aldrin – born landings on Mars. And it’s those kids that
Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr – was we would like to ensure are enthusiastic
known to his NASA colleagues as about the future… Dr Buzz Aldrin,
“Dr Rendezvous”. He was the first lunar explorer and space pioneer
of the NASA astronauts to have a
doctorate – in Buzz’s case, in orbital This edition of Guinness
dynamics – and his pioneering World Records takes as
research and techniques on docking its inspiration two major
spacecraft in orbit are still employed themes of record-breaking:
today. A keen scuba diver, he also the conquest of space and
championed underwater training pioneering adventures. And
techniques to simulate the zero- there is no one alive on
gravity environment encountered (DUWK WRGD\ PRUH TXDOLͤHG
during spacewalks. to introduce these concepts
than Dr Buzz Aldrin. A
Upon his return from the Moon, space scientist, astronaut
Buzz was awarded the Presidential and educator, Buzz
Medal of Freedom and, in 2011, occupies the space where
the Congressional Gold Medal. He these two worlds collide.
continues to advocate space travel, +H LV WKH YHU\ GHͤQLWLRQ RI
and inspires a new generation of a space pioneer, holding
astronauts with his best-selling records for, among other
books and his commitment things, taking the ƒTUV
to education. UGNƒG KP QRGP URCEG and, of
course, for his central role
10 Foreword in the ƒTUV OCPPGF NCPFKPI
QPǡVJGǡ/QQP.

During a trip to London to
launch his book – Welcome
to Mars: Making a Home
on the Red Planet (2015)
– Dr Aldrin met with GWR
to receive his world record
FHUWLͤFDWHV ,Q DQ H[FOXVLYH
interview with Editor-in-
Chief Craig Glenday, Buzz
talked about his superlative
achievements and his
determination for humanity
to reach our planetary

neighbour.

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Apollo 11 saw Buzz (Lunar Module Pilot) and Neil Armstrong

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the Moon – in the Eagle – at 20:18 UTC on 20 Jul 1969. While
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FAST FACTS

Buzz got his name from his sister, who mis-pronounced “brother” as “buzzer”

• He changed his name legally to Buzz in 1988 • His mother’s maiden name was

Marion Moon • MTV named their Video Music Award statue “Buzzy” after him

(KTUV UGNƒG KP QRGP URCEG and computers. You need for people to be out of their And when you’re out there
the arts involved, so a element and to land [on the on the surface and look up,
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not knowing whether it would turn out at all! The lighting was being set. there at the Moon... that’s
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VGNN WU CDQWV [QWT a desolate place we were For more on the Moon
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not miss a step!

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You are the future. You are
going to achieve super things
that are out of this world and
that no one else has done before,
and go to places that no one has
ever gone. Earth isn’t the only
world for us any more.

guinnessworldrecords.com 11

INTERVIEW: CHRIS HADFIELD

If you get into Guinness World Records, it means that you’ve
done something that’s right on the edge of the human
experience. Something that has pushed back the level of what
we’ve achieved in the past. As an astronaut, I’ve been lucky
enough to do several things that fit into that category…
CDR Chris Hadfield

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to identify a planetary WR SUHVV *:5 (GLWRU LQ
ambassador – a truly &KLHI &UDLJ *OHQGD\ VSRNH
H[FHSWLRQDO ͤJXUH WR with Chris about the need to
represent our race – then set goals and aim to be the
we would do well to choose record-breaking best in the
the Canadian astronaut ZRUOG QR PDWWHU ZKDW WKH
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the very best of what it KXPDQ QDWXUH ZH UHVSRQG
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incredible resumé has given VRPHRQH VD\V WR \RX
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year’s edition of Guinness
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DQ REYLRXV FKRLFH

COMMANDER .CTIGUV URCEG UVCVKQP
CHRIS AUSTIN
HADFIELD The International Space Station, which Chris commanded
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Chris Hadfield was first CPF ǡO
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inspired to become an
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the Moon landings on TV.
With the Moon as his goal, he
embarked on learning to fly – first
gliders, then fighter jets – and later
earned a degree in engineering and
a masters in aviation systems.

In 1992, he joined the Canadian Space
Agency’s astronaut programme, and finally
became the first Canadian to walk in space.
He also learned Russian, reckoning that being

able to speak the language of a superpower
able to send humans into space would serve
him well, which it did when he visited the Mir
space station and flew on Space Shuttle and
Soyuz missions. In Mar 2013, he took command
of the International Space Station (ISS).
Since returning to Earth, Chris has written
three books: An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on
Earth (2013), You Are Here: Around the World
in 92 Minutes (2015), and the children’s book
The Darkest Dark (2016).

12 Interview

FAST FACTS

Chris Hadfield’s YouTube video of “Space Oddity” had amassed nearly

31.7 million views as of 4 May 2016 • Chris is afraid of heights! • During his first

spacewalk, Chris was temporarily blinded by contamination in his spacesuit

a goal in life that is right

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Because even though you

might not climb all those

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would have been denied VQ UEKGPEG CTV VQIGVJGT Ŭ

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VJG VKVNG QH JKU JKV

within each of us that is “I want to climb Mount That’s the real core of UKPING KP TGURQPUG VQ %JTKUŨU XKFGQ
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<RX PLJKW UXQ IDVWHU LQ the highest six peaks in 1RW GHͤQH \RXUVHOI E\ WKDW

your life than you ever had WKH ZRUOG ̹ RU ̸, ZDQW WR ͤQDO VXFFHVV EXW XVH LW

for no greater purpose invent a valve that will as the long-term lure that

than the competition; it’s allow someone who has allows you to pursue – and

just primordial to who we D KHDUW DWWDFN WR VXUYLYH ̹ succeed at – things on a

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you to do something that

otherwise you never would That’s the real core of it: to
have attempted – a self- challenge yourself. Not define
betterment that you might

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is a wonderful thing to have

LQ OLIH $QG OLNH HYHU\RQH but use it as the long-term lure
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read through Guinness that allows you to pursue –
World Records and have and succeed at – things
been amazed by some of

the things people have on a daily basis.
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%TCKI 9JCV FQGU KV VCMG
VQǡDG %JTKU *CFƒGNF!
Chris: I think the most
important thing is to give
yourself a long-term goal
that you think is probably
LPSRVVLEOH %XW JLYH

guinnessworldrecords.com 13

SPACE

DID YOU KNOW?TBahPatnuhnleure1dnnt1loeawi-b’yymsa(reU(sdaeaUriSarPsKit-Abachlo)ulo)n.elea,dtvHanoadtesoetnifrwcsreeOpohcawrguaxoo,srsnfvoCmassoeclnlurgoryoedgdyinddnrgfUe.wltahe,hTtnVaseshotrsieeveamniderfdetrbwebetsaaiyriaauttsygoh

DATELINE 3,825 MYA Oldest volcanic rocks on Earth
A lava flow on the surface of the still-cooling Earth solidifies into a slab of igneous rock.
Its age will be confirmed in 2002 by researchers in Quebec, Canada.

14 Space

CONTENTS 16
18
SPACE FACTOGRAPHIC 20
EXTRASOLAR PLANETS 22
PLUTO 24
SPACEWALKS 26
VOYAGER
BLACK HOLES

Smallest planet?

Discovered in 1930, Pluto was known for generations as the Solar
System’s smallest planet. This all changed in 2006, when the
International Astronomical Union (IAU) revoked its planet status,
changing it from the ninth planet – and the last entry in numerous
classroom rhymes and mnemonics – to trans-Neptunian object
“134340 Pluto”. Recently, however, the campaign to return Pluto’s
planet status has been gaining ground, boosted by pictures such
as this composite showing the relative scale of Pluto (right) and
KVUǡOQQP %JCTQP VCMGP D[ 0#5#ŨU New Horizons spacecraft in
&Tǡ#NCP 5VGTP Ť 2TKPEKRCN +PXGUVKICVQT QP VJG New Horizons
mission – gives his thoughts on the debate on p.21.

First photosynthesis 3,700 MYA DATELINE
Tiny, single-celled organisms – distant ancestors of present-day cyanobacteria – develop

the ability to process nutrients using the light of the Sun as an energy source.

guinnessworldrecords.com 15

FACTOGRAPHIC

THE MOON

GWR presents a whistle-stop tour of our nearest DID YOU KNOW?
EQUOKEǡPGKIJDQWT Ť CPF VJG VGEJPQNQI[ VJCV GPCDNGF
JWOCPKV[ VQǡTGCEJ KV The maximum distance between Earth and
The Moon is slightly more than a quarter the size of Earth in terms of diameter, the Moon is around 406,700 km (252,711 mi).
and its elemental composition is very similar to that of our own planet. In fact, To understand the vast distance, consider this:
YGŨTG ENQUGN[ TGNCVGF CEEQTFKPI VQ VJG IKCPV KORCEV J[RQVJGUKU CTQWPF ǡDKNNKQP the combined diameter of Mercury, Venus,
years ago a Mars-sized planet called Theia crashed into Earth, violently ejecting Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and
large amounts of debris into space. During the next million years or so, those rocky Pluto is 387,941 km (241,055 mi). This means
bits and pieces eventually coalesced to form the Moon. The Moon was thought you could fit all eight of our Solar System
VQǡDGǡWPKSWG WPVKNǡ YJGP +VCNKCP neighbours between Earth and the Moon!
astronomer Galileo Galilei
KFGPVKƒGF OQQPU Crust 6JG ƒTUV OGP QP VJG /QQP YGTG ECTTKGF SATURN V (USA)
CTQWPFǡ,WRKVGT On average, the Moon’s crust KPVQ URCEG QP Cǡ5CVWTP 8 TQEMGV UVKNN VJG • Length: 110.6 m
is 34–43 km (21–27 mi) thick, NCTIGUV TQEMGV launched to date. On the (363 ft)
Mantle although it is as thin as 1 km launchpad, fully loaded with propellant • About 18 m (60 ft)
Between the Moon’s crust and (0.6 mi) in certain impact – crucial to escape the pull of Earth’s taller than the
inner core is a rigid zone known basins, and as thick as 60 km gravity – the rocket weighed some Statue of Liberty
as the lithosphere, or upper (37 mi) in the highlands on ǡVQPPGU
75 VQPU *GTGǡKU and some 15 times
mantle. It is approximately the far side. The surface of VJGǡ5CVWTP 8 UJQYP VQ UECNG YKVJ VYQ heavier than a blue
620 km (385 mi) deep. the Moon is called its regolith, other record-worthy spacecraft. whale. Active from
and there are two main types: 1967 to 1973.
the bright ancient highlands,
Partial melt Fluid outer core dominated by breccia, formed VOSTOK 1 (USSR, SPACE SHUTTLE (USA)
Separating the mantle from Thought to be composed mainly by asteroids and meteorites now Russia) • Length: 56 m (184 ft)
the innermost core is a partly of liquid iron. The outer core has a pulverising and melting the • Length: 30.8 m • The first reusable spacecraft
molten layer of rocks and radius of around 330 km (205 mi). surface, and the darker maria (101 ft) made its maiden flight on 12 Apr
metals with a radius of roughly (seas) that formed as basaltic • Carried Yuri 1981, weighing 2,000 tonnes
480 km (300 mi). ODYD ̨RRGHG WKH ORZODQGV Gagarin (USSR) on (2,204 US tons) at launch. Fuel
the first manned alone was around 25 times
spaceflight on heavier than the shuttle itself.
12 Apr 1961.

Solid inner core
The heart of the Moon consists
of a hard core with a radius of
240 km (150 mi), containing a
high density of iron. It represents
about 20% of the Moon; the cores
of other planets in the Solar
System can account for up to
50% of their size.

The footprints left by the
Apollo astronauts are all
still there. There is no lunar
atmosphere, which means
that there is no wind or
YGCVJGT VQǡGTQFG VJGO

The Apollo Guidance = #P CXGTCIG 75$ OGOQT[ UVKEM KU OQTG
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#)% powerful than the computers that were
circuitry was even used to put a man on the Moon.
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electronics used in QT Z 25 ND KU UQOG ǡVKOGU
modern toasters, having greater than that of the Moon
LWUV ǡ-$ QH OGOQT[
ǡZ 22 MI QT Z ND
and operating at
ǡ/*\ #V CRRTQZKOCVGN[ MO

ǡOK VJG FKCOGVGT QH VJG
A single Google search for /QQP KU CTQWPF MO
ǡOK
ū#RQNNQ OKUUKQPŬ WUGU CU smaller than the distance
much computing power as between Australia’s west
VJGǡGPVKTG #RQNNQǡ ǡOKUUKQP CPFǡGCUV EQCUV

DID YOU KNOW?rwcpliaosahenukuroTtydlectdhh,io1tdnnaeei6soap’gf AttJtnpahuewgpmai-aleone rst1tilnet9llctlanoitiha6emftwe1s9esle1iyp rbi–r.noetaySflhdnssaaoaetugumartf.rfinnohrTainrcdilenheishayepectnusdeoMsdptcias–shgoootytoennou.odtnelooddtso DID YOU KNOW?tahssaftionrxroohttnnTEihhemaMehaereu-ereaeiostrtvsisooshxcyunnhw.tu rsiThiEgmfopshaauhoaacbirfelcspetderethmprhgsbosru–reeenooaiawgmxatvtnrsibheimea.stlreeyvaetaMihtnotitoteanydolntjooyutonhnmtep The Moon is 4

moving away from

Earth at a rate of 3
4 cm (1.5 in)

per year. This is

roughly the length 2
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grow in the same

amount of time. 1

ǡEO

EXTRASOLAR PLANETS

Largest on 20 Feb 2013. Kepler-37b Youngest extrasolar planet Most planets orbiting
extrasolar is only about 1,200 mi Infrared observations of another star
planet (1,930 km) across, smaller the young star CoKu Tau 4
than the planet Mercury. by NASA’s Spitzer Space *&ǡ
CTVKUVŨU KORTGUUKQP CDQXG KU C UVCT VJCV KU
Discovered in 2005, planet Telescope reveal a gap in XGT[ UKOKNCT VQ QWT 5WP CPF CDQWV NKIJV [GCTU CYC[
*&ǡ D JCU DGGP The smallest extrasolar the circumstellar disc of $CUGF QP QDUGTXCVKQPU OCFG CV .C 5KNNC 1DUGTXCVQT[
GUVKOCVGF VQ DG ǡOK planet directly imaged by dust and gas that is likely KPǡ%JKNG D[ /KMMQ 6WQOK
7- KV JCU CVǡNGCUV UGXGP

ǡMO KP FKCOGVGT telescope is the gas giant to be a newly formed planet. RNCPGVU CPF RQUUKDN[ CU OCP[ CU PKPG
+VǡJCU C OCUU CRRTQZKOCVGN[ 51 Eridani b. It is about the The star, along with its
VKOGU VJCV QH ,WRKVGT CPF same diameter as Jupiter possible planet, is located 5GXGP RNCPGVU CTG CNUQ MPQYP VQ QTDKV -+%
KVU UK\G OCMGU KV XGT[ ENQUG (86,880 mi; 139,820 km) around 420 light years from C FYCTH UVCT CDQWV NKIJV [GCTU CYC[
VQ VJG DQWPFCT[ DGVYGGP but twice its mass. It orbits Earth in the constellation
IKCPV RNCPGVU CPF DTQYP the star 51 Eridani in the Taurus, and is no more than the Sun. The gas giant, TRIVIA
FYCTH UVCTU +P HCEV KV OC[ constellation Eridanus and 1 million years old. estimated to be 1.6 times
VWTP QWV PQV VQ DG C RNCPGV ZDV WKH ͤUVW GLVFRYHU\ RQ the mass of Jupiter, If we awarded a record
CV CNN +V QTDKVU VJG UVCT 13 Aug 2015, by the Gemini Nearest extrasolar planet orbits the star Epsilon for pinkest planet, it
*&ǡ CMC -4 /WUECG Planet Imager at Stanford On 7 Aug 2000, a team led Eridani. The exoplanet would surely go to the
KP VJG EQPUVGNNCVKQP /WUEC University, USA, which began by Dr William Cochran of lies some 478 million km newly formed GJ 504b
CRRTQZKOCVGN[ ǡNKIJV searching for extrasolar the University of Texas (297 million mi) from its in the constellation of
[GCTU CYC[ 6JG UVCT KVUGNH planets in Nov 2014. McDonald Observatory central star, which is about Virgo, which glows a
KUǡE OKNNKQP [GCTU QNF (both USA) revealed the same distance as our
evidence of a new world Sun to the Asteroid Belt. magenta or cherry red
Smallest extrasolar planet “in our own backyard”, (artist’s impression
Kepler-37b orbits the star just 10.45 light years from below).
Kepler-37 at around 210 light
years from Earth in the
constellation Lyra. Its
discovery by NASA’s Kepler
spacecraft was made public

DID YOU KNOW?hwBoaEhLfvtxbGoieoctu u-orah3tarrtt9iibsohSvst0ois auitlaLlnisarnbiebtotra .osctcfTptuaorkcmhlotknhyaezeoocniselsnwseluenpyaaetrohlb-opfOrefiaeocladGdfcreurteebaLetih,sEenni1lstn-lsi0thi2k.beks0eyeaetee0altmEliayhr5ear,a-vtrssoteshd,

MOST DISTANT EXTRASOLAR PLANET

Near the centre of the Milky Way, at a distance of 21,500 ± 3,300 light years
away from Earth, the planet OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb orbits a red dwarf star.
The low energy of its star, coupled with the size of its orbit (corresponding
to between that of Mars and Jupiter around the Sun), means that the
planet’s surface temperature is just -220°C (-364°F). This makes
OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb the coldest extrasolar planet.
The OGLE part of its name derives from the Optical Gravitational
Lensing Experiment. This uses ground-based telescopes to scan
the central Milky Way for signs of a “microlensing event”. In this
phenomenon, light coming from a distant star is seen to dip if
another star and its planet crosses in front of it. This is owing
to the gravity of the nearer star and its planet.

DATELINE 3,600 MYA Oldest mountain range
The Barberton Greenstone Belt (also known as the Makhonjwa Mountains) begins to form in
present-day South Africa. It is here, in 1875, that the first gold in the country will be discovered.

18 Space

FAST FACTS

As of Feb 2016, there have been 2,085 confirmed discoveries of extrasolar

planets • According to the National Academy of Sciences, there could be

as many as 11 billion habitable, Earth-like planets in the Milky Way alone

First map of an
extrasolar planet

+P 0#5#ŨU Spitzer Space
Telescope QDUGTXGF VJG UVCT
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Closest extrasolar planet to be subject to winds of up of Earth and orbits its DID YOU KNOW?beDc1cra4onaAmn sues–ttewgteacrrIsLrohnn,tisnP,caa2aaohorom0nnpalmat1dcedeen5tins r3cef,d.go1atrtSehio lsletokieUsfxtslPrhottIpnoSnrrealimaeRatonpse.n ndBuorfenl1a(bPtaI2naslAhri5ttcaoUpi7a,rob+ls)teaneyo1rntnaa2goelnoirtwvsae
to its parent star to 9,000 mph (14,500 km/h). Sun-like star in about
290 days. The luminosity
&KUEQXGTGF D[ 0#5#ŨU Kepler URCEGETCHV KP -GRNGT D 'CTVJ NKMG GZVTCUQNCT RNCPGV of this star and Kepler-22b’s
QTDKVU KVU JQUV UVCT -GRNGT CV C FKUVCPEG QH ǡCUVTQPQOKECN More than 2,000 extrasolar orbital distance suggest
WPKVU
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[GCTU CYC[ KP VJG EQPUVGNNCVKQP %[IPWU -GRNGT D QTDKVU KVU systems have been spotted star’s habitable zone. If the
UVCT KP LWUV JT CPF JCU CP GUVKOCVGF UWTHCEG VGORGTCVWTG to date. Of these, Kepler-22b planet has an Earth-like
QH CTQWPF °%
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planet +V OC[ DG VJG TQEM[ EQTG TGOCKPU QH C ICU IKCPV like example. Found in 2011, surface temperature could
it is about 2.4 times the size be about 22°C (72°F).
FIRST…

Planet hunter space mission (KTUV EQPƒTOGF FKUEQXGT[
The Convection Rotation of an extrasolar planet
CPFǡ2NCPGVCT[ 6TCPUKVU
(COROT ) spacecraft was +P CUVTQPQOGTU CPPQWPEGF VJG RTGUGPEG QH VYQ
launched on 27 Dec 2006 RNCPGVU QTDKVKPI C RWNUCT PCOGF 254 $

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into a polar orbit 827 km ǡNKIJV [GCTU HTQO 'CTVJ # RWNUCT KU C TCRKFN[ URKPPKPI
(513 mi) above Earth. It PGWVTQP UVCT Ť VJG EQNNCRUGF EQTG QH CP GZRNQFGF IKCPV
ZDV WKH ͤUVW FUDIW GHVLJQHG UVCT Ť CPF GOKVU KPVGPUG TCFKCVKQP 254 $
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operated until Nov 2012, VJCP QWT ICU IKCPVU Ť UQ VJKU CNUQ OCTMGF
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discovered orbiting KU VJG lightest extrasolar
CǡOCKP UGSWGPEG UVCT planet +VU OCUU KU CDQWV
Astronomers from the ǡVKOGU VJCV QH 'CTVJ
University of Geneva (CHE)
announced the discovery of
51 Pegasi b on 6 Oct 1995.
It orbits 51 Pegasi, a G5V
main-sequence star – one
that is in the process of
fusing hydrogen into helium
at its core, like our Sun.

The title of windiest
extrasolar planet also goes
to 51 Pegasi b, along with
the gas giants HD 179949 b
and HD 209458 b, which
orbit other stars. All appear

Oldest oil 3,200 MYA DATELINE
The remnants of dead organisms lying on the seabed begin millions of years of
transformation, crushed by the intense pressure from sediment deposits to form oil.

guinnessworldrecords.com 19

PLUTO

Shortest time from the Most Plutonian geology
discovery of a planet to its distant The New Horizons ̨\E\ UHYHDOHG VWXQQLQJ VXUIDFH
exploration by spacecraft human details that helped scientists better understand the
Pluto was discovered remains composition of the planet
by US astronomer Clyde
Tombaugh on 18 Feb 1930. #TQWPF ǡI
ǡQ\ QH Rock core
It took just over 85 years – the cremated remains A core of dense rock
31,193 days, to be precise QH %N[FG 6QODCWIJ accounts for an
– for it to be explored by
Ť CTG DGKPI estimated 70% of
spacecraft (see below). ECTTKGF QP DQCTF VJG New Pluto’s diameter
Horizons URCEGETCHV KP C
Planet with the most ECPKUVGT
CDQXG CVVCEJGF Nitrogen ice surface Mantle of water ice
chaotically rotating moons VQ VJG ETCHVŨU WRRGT FGEM An estimated 98% of the A sub-surface ocean
3OXWR KDV ͤYH NQRZQ PRRQV 1PG QH JKU ƒPCN YKUJGU surface is nitrogen ice, of water ice that
Charon was discovered YCU HQT JKU CUJGU VQ DG with traces of methane could be 100–180 km
by American astronomer UGPV KPVQ URCEG and carbon monoxide (62–112 mi) thick
James Christy at the US
Naval Observatory in Pluto’s largest moon around a common centre Pluto at a glance Atmospheric pressure
Flagstaff, Arizona. Its is Charon, with a mean of gravity between them. at the surface 2C
discovery was announced diameter of 1,212 km New Horizons came within Discovery Density ǡI EO3
on 7 Jul 1978. Nix and Hydra (753 mi) – more than half 28,800 km (17,895 mi) of Mass Z 22ǡMI Surface gravity ǡO U2
were discovered in 2005, Pluto’s diameter. Pluto is Charon on 14 Jul 2015. Volume Z MO3 Axial tilt o
and two others in 2011 and around eight times more Equatorial radius ǡMO
2012, provisionally named massive than Charon; the The longest canyon on Number of moons 5
TGVTQITCFG TQVCVKQP
S/2011 P 1 and S/2012 P 1. two bodies orbit each other Charon, as imaged by New Temperature VQ o%
Horizons, stretches at least
These last four are
chaotically rotating
moons. This means they
tumble instead of rotating
neatly along one axis.
Saturn’s moon Hyperion
is the only other known
chaotically rotating moon
in the Solar System.

NEW HORIZONS 1,600 km (990 mi) across
the surface of the moon
On 14 Jul 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft made the first flyby of Pluto. and may extend farther,
It launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, in Jan 2006, and, because to its dark side.
of its mass of less than 0.5 tonnes (0.55 US tons), achieved the fastest Earth
departure speed for a planetary mission: 58,338 km/h (36,250 mph). New Tallest mountain on Pluto
Horizons passed the orbit of the Moon in just 9 hr and reached Neptune’s In 2015, a 5.25-km-tall
(3.2-mi) mountain
orbit in 8.6 years. It made observations of Jupiter during its was discovered by the
flyby in Feb 2007. The craft’s suite of seven instruments New Horizons team.
includes the Venetia Burney Student It was named Matthew
Dust Counter, built by students Alexander Henson, after
at the University of Colorado. WKH ͤUVW $IULFDQ $PHULFDQ
It is the first mission to the outer Arctic explorer.
Solar System led by a scientist rather
than a NASA centre, and is now en route
to the Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) 2014 MU69
– an icy, rocky object – which
it will encounter on
1 Jan 2019.

DID YOU KNOW?ofbKvtmoeahiBtlfaoPifiOaleoatfleluvur2itsdes-thr0adboate1Steihi4asorSysate loaoMapatlnblinraNaUcodtrSrefu6tryPrwS9teoosly,gufttHmshaeitttoolohmeemtnr,emhei.wzooveKSo.soifcuflntllioiuicsaerpr’ytnembeiflvotbriyiealnoslBbatitdoieylsoilnetn,s

DATELINE 2,400 MYA Longest ice age
The most severe ice age begins, and will last around 70 million years. During this period,
the entire Earth will be covered in ice, possibly to a depth of 1 km (0.6 mi).

20 Space

FAST FACTS

Pluto is 4.8 billion km (3 billion mi) from Earth • A major feature is a vast,

roughly heart-shaped area dubbed the Tombaugh Regio • Pluto has a nitrogen

atmosphere with layers of constant haze hovering above its surface

Largest cryovolcano direction of Pluto. Part of TRIVIA
on Pluto by diameter WKLV VLJQDO ZDV UHͥHFWHG
from Pluto and detected by On 4 Jul 2015, the
# ET[QXQNECPQ QT KEG XQNECPQ GTWRVU NKSWKFU CPF XCRQWT the REX radar experiment New Horizons team
6YQǡIGQNQIKECN HGCVWTGU TGUGODNKPI ET[QXQNECPQGU JCXG DGGP on board the spacecraft. lost contact with the
HQWPF UQWVJ QH 2NWVQŨU KE[ 5RWVPKM 2NCPWO 4GUWNVU UQ HCT The technique, known spacecraft – it had
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YKFG CPF 9TKIJV /QPU
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ǡOK YKFG +H reveal surface properties computer because of
VJGUG CTG ET[QXQNECPQGU VJGKT GTWRVKXG OCVGTKCN YQWNF of planetary bodies. a problem. The team
RTQDCDN[ DG YCVGT KEG COOQPKC PKVTQIGP CPF QT OGVJCPG During this successful had to work round the
experiment, New Horizons clock to restore main
was 33 astronomical units computer function in
from Earth, or 33 times the time for the 14 Jul flyby.
distance of Earth to the Sun.

Coldest
glaciers in the
Solar System

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Largest crater on Pluto and the lack of impact Most distant bistatic Dr Alan Stern
Sputnik Planum, mostly craters indicates its surface radar experiment
in Pluto’s northern is less than 10 million years Just after New Horizons’ The Principal Investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission to
hemisphere, measures old. Sputnik Planum is now closest approach to Pluto, Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, Dr Alan Stern (fourth from right) shares
around 1,050 x 800 km believed to occupy a giant a radar signal from NASA’s his thoughts on Pluto’s changing status as a planetary body.
(650 x 495 mi). It is the site DQFLHQW LPSDFW EDVLQ ͤOOHG Deep Space Network on
of active nitrogen glaciation, with volatile ices. Earth was sent in the ū6KOGU EJCPIG $CEM KP C EQPXGPVKQP QH CUVTQPQOGTU
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VQ QVJGT UVCT U[UVGOU CU YGNN Ŭ

Oldest macroscopic organism 2,100 MYA DATELINE
Grypania cf. spiralis, an ancestor of algae, is present in Michigan, USA. Meanwhile, other organisms, later called

the “Gabonionta” or “Francevillian biota”, are flourishing in Gabon, Africa. Both are visible to the naked eye.

guinnessworldrecords.com 21

SPACEWALKS

(KTUV URCEGYCNM Longest total time (KTUV
YCNMKPIǡKP URCEG D[ URCEGYCNM
.KGWVGPCPV %QNQPGN #NGZGK .GQPQX
7554 RGTHQTOGF VJG ƒTUV CǡHGOCNG CUVTQPCWV
HGOCNG
'8# QP /CT URGPFKPI OKP UGE QWVUKFG VJG Sunita Williams (USA)
8QUMJQFǡ URCEGETCHV 6JG URCEGYCNM YCU C VTKWORJ DWV has spent 50 hr 40 min on 1P ǡ,WN 5QXKGV
.GQPQX JCF RTQDNGOU 4GVWTPKPI VQ VJG CKTNQEM JG HQWPF VJCV seven separate spacewalks EQUOQPCWV 5XGVNCPC
JKU URCEGUWKV JCF DCNNQQPGF *G EQWNFPŨV DGPF JKU CTOU QT NGIU from the International 5CXKVUMC[C RGTHQTOGF C
RTQRGTN[ CPF JCF VQ TGNGCUG C NKVVNG QZ[IGP YJKNG KP URCEG VQ 5RCEGǡ5VCVKQP (ISS). URCEGYCNM Ť OQTG HQTOCNN[
TG GPVGT VJG ETCHV MPQYP CU CP GZVTCXGJKEWNCT
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On 19 Apr 2013, Russia’s CU RCTV QH VJG 5Q[W\ǡ6
Pavel Vinogradov (b. 31 Aug OKUUKQP 5CXKVUMC[C CPF
1953) performed a 8NCFKOKT &\JCPKDGMQX URGPV
spacewalk from the ISS ǡJT ǡOKP QWVUKFG 5CN[WVǡ ,
aged 59 years 231 days. ECTT[KPI QWV OCKPVGPCPEG
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5RCEGYCNM DGVYGGP IPVGTPCN URCEGYCNM
URCEGETCHV On 22 Aug 1997, Russia’s
On 20 Jul 1966, Michael Anatoly Solovyev and
Collins (USA) spacewalked Pavel Vinogradov carried
from )GOKPKǡ to the out a spacewalk inside
unmanned GATV-8 booster the depressurized Spektr
with a tether and Hand-Held module of the Mir space
Maneuvering Unit. The craft station, whose hull had been
were 3 m (9 ft 10 in) apart. breached after striking an
unmanned Progress supply
The day before, Collins vehicle. Their spacewalk, to
ͥLSSHG KLV FDPHUD inspect and initiate repairs,
around to take the ̨UVW lasted 3 hr 16 min.
VHǪH LQ VSDFH in
(KTUV URCEGYCNM KP FGGR URCEG
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during the Gemini 12 ƒNO ECUUGVVGU HTQO ECOGTCU QP VJG URCEGETCHV *KU '8# QP
mission, which ǡ#WI NCUVGF HQT ǡOKP KP CNN 9QTFGP KU RKEVWTGF CDQXG
took place later that TGEGKXKPI JKU )94 EGTVKƒECVG KP (GD
year. On 13 Nov, he
paused during a 2-hr
spacewalk to take

the ̨UVW VHǪH LQ
RSHQ VSDFH.

CHRIS HADFIELD, SPACEWALKER

Canada’s Chris Hadfield is the man who charmed the world with his memorable
take on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”, filmed during his last mission on the ISS and
immortalized as the first music video filmed in space. But GWR caught up with him
in Nov 2015 to find out about another record-breaking feat.
During a 7-hr spacewalk on 22 Apr 2001, Chris and Scott Parazynski (USA) attached
Canadarm2 (the longest robotic arm in space) to the ISS. It was his first spacewalk, and
it got off to a bad start: his visor’s chemical anti-fogging solution got in his eyes, causing
him to lose his vision, first in one eye, then the other.
“And then I was blind, in my spacesuit, outside on a spacewalk!” Years of extensive
preparation helped him to keep a calm head, even when he was hanging on to the ISS for
dear life. “OK, I can’t see,” he told himself. “But I can still feel. I can hear. I can talk. I can
breathe. How am I going to solve this problem?” Luckily, his tears welled up and helped
to dilute the contaminant within half an hour.

DATELINE 2,000 MYA Largest impact crater on Earth
An asteroid or comet collides with Earth, creating a depression with an estimated diameter of 300 km (186 mi).
Now known as the Vredefort crater, it is located near present-day Johannesburg in South Africa.

22 Space

FAST FACTS

To date, more than 200 astronauts have performed a spacewalk
• Spacesuits are white to reflect the heat of direct sunlight in space,
which may exceed 275°F (135°C) • It takes about 45 min to don a spacesuit

DID YOU KNOW?raesmsctOlrpagoootranapvhdSnrcseagiepeaeeiebrpnauwntdwruechit.taieonsbieFrnslwubd booke“ttlirgabrehnt(e–leeshstkeganhen,aestjweoledyhoftcnrshbihefiamno”eoitnrp.mcthluissouhgltegaw–rhtfchstheeta)aatewtowdknsuhixkaeraphecyvssbaogetlbouoaouleeodnsnrl8ipiiesng ,teh,ttgeslro.se,t

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MOST… 5RCEGYCNMU FWTKPI /QUV RGQRNG QP C URCEGYCNM
Cǡ5RCEGǡ5JWVVNG OKUUKQn
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OKUUKQP
'XULQJ ͤYH VSDFH ͥLJKWV performed four spacewalks 565 6JG RTKOCT[ CKO QH VJG GZGTEKUG YCU VQ TGRCKT VJG
between 1988 and 1998, during the STS-116 mission Intelsat VI UCVGNNKVG YJKEJ JCF RCTVKCNN[ HCKNGF 4GVTKGXKPI VJG
Anatoly Solovyev (RUS) by the Space Shuttle UCVGNNKVG RTQXGF RTQDNGOCVKE WPVKN 2KGTTG 6JWQV 4KEJCTF *KGD CPF
made 16 spacewalks. Discovery on 9–22 Dec 2006. 6JQOCU #MGTU
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As of 3 Feb 2016, a total
of 193 spacewalks had
been staged outside the

ISS. They were undertaken
by 121 different astronauts
and cosmonauts and lasted

for 1,192 hr overall.

.QPIGUV URCEGYCNM

#OGTKECP CUVTQPCWVU ,KO 8QUU CPF 5WUCP *GNOU URGPV ǡJT
ǡOKP KP URCEG QP /CT 6JGKT LQD YCU VQ OCMG TQQO
on the ISS HQT VJG +VCNKCP ECTIQ OQFWNG Leonardo 6JG OQFWNG
YJKEJ ECTTKGF UWRRNKGU CPF GSWKROGPV HQT VJG UVCVKQP YCU
VTCPURQTVGF D[ VJG 5RCEG 5JWVVNG Discovery

Largest marine animal structure 600 MYA DATELINE
Dead and living stony corals begin to coalesce into what will become the Great Barrier Reef. Located off the

coast of present-day Queensland in Australia, it will eventually measure 80,000 sq mi (207,200 km2).

guinnessworldrecords.com 23

VOYAGER

First and farthest VOYAGER MISSIONS
Launched in 1977, 8Q[CIGTǡ
and 8Q[CIGTǡ were sent to -XSLWHU
study the giant outer planets 8 /CT
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and 8 ,WN
Neptune. En route to Jupiter,
8Q[CIGTǡ captured the ̨UVW 6DWXUQ
LPDJH RI (DUWK DQG WKH 8 0QX
0RRQ LQ D VLQJOH IUDPH IURP 8 #WI
VSDFH. It has now travelled
into interstellar space, 8UDQXV
making it the ̨UVW SUREH WR 8 ,CP
OHDYH RXU 6RODU 6\VWHP, on
around 25 Aug 2012. As 8Q[CIGT (launched 5 Sep 1977) 1HSWXQH
of 24 Mar 2016, 8Q[CIGTǡ 8Q[CIGT (launched 20 Aug 1977) 8 #WI
was 20,078,268,831 km
(12,476,057,841 mi) away Not to scale
from Earth and still sending
data to Mission Control
in the USA – the ORQJHVW
FRPPXQLFDWLRQV GLVWDQFH.
With their radioisotope
thermoelectric generators,
the probes are the PRVW
GXUDEOH QXFOHDU SRZHUHG
LQWHUSODQHWDU\ VSDFHFUDIW.

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1979. After its closest /QTCDKVQ
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Ť VJG OCKP EQORQPGPV KPǡVJG XQNECPKECNN[ CEVKXG DQF[ +OCIGU QH YJCV NQQMU NKMG DID YOU KNOW?cSbTtoaehhntieSneuisnyoggtramnraasona’rnlserovteoriwssrntticoaihnloei,yieegndtstnrehsipoorst1eaeffoai0 rsrridpme0tmtiepssn kimdeapgcmea,nrsrpiproaelemtleamndniidoriyantetcn.,ylmttboyeyhtruoobehbataroyaviiartntettsrbehse.sye.
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ICU CPF VYQ HCKPV QWVGT TKPIU JWPFTGFU QH MKNQOGVTGU JKIJ QEGCP OC[ GZKUV QP 'WTQRC

Planetary bodies not to scale

DATELINE 565 MYA Oldest animal trails
Marine creatures, possibly resembling sea anemones, leave tracks on rocks
in the Ediacaran Period. These are later found off Newfoundland, Canada.

24 Space

High-gain antenna: FAST FACTS
For transmitting science and
Voyager 1 and 2 carry a “Golden Record” – a phonograph of sounds and images
engineering data to Earth
via two channels. from Earth to tell aliens who and where we are • Both Voyagers are powered

VOYAGER 2 by long-lasting plutonium batteries, which should operate until the 2020s

Magnetometer boom: Takes Imaging
direct measurements of magnetic cameras:
Voyager 2 has
fields in space. Voyager 2 is narrow-angle
equipped with two low-field and and wide-angle
two high-field magnetometers. cameras.

Radioisotope thermoelectric
generator: The central power
source for the mission module

– there are three in all.

Low-energy charged-
particle detector: For sensing

the speed and number of
particles in the solar wind and

at the outer planets.

Optical calibration target: Infra-red spectrometer:
Flat, fixed rectangle against A multi-function device that acts as
a thermometer, a detector of elements
which instruments (such and compounds, and a radiometer for
as cameras) on the movable measuring the amount of sunlight
scan platform can calibrate.
reflected by a body.

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ǡOK QH VJG VQ ǡMO
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ǡORJ CTG HCNNQWV HTQO VJG IG[UGTU

Oldest vertebrate 530 MYA DATELINE
The prehistoric jawless fish Haikouichthys swims in Earth’s Early Cambrian

oceans. This makes the 2.5-cm (1-in) sea creatures our oldest ancestors.

guinnessworldrecords.com 25

BLACK HOLES DID YOU KNOW?itisnhncetitThehcwhneoetaetleDh“oismfibaeouolccprpahrcarpcliaorelogkllnleseyyietuhndre.ialooadAeitcnnllf,rceilftttsyudehieipsnrcminotsaituiscIc,tucnit”egwtcult.yhsiehhrIcu,rtoeieasmrcffdntrnhaetoocdchlaeurltaefetonwhfrlredieaegcisdnhtsgt
here.
What is a black hole?
Black holes are the remnants of stars that ended
their lives as supernovae. They are characterized
by a region of space in which gravity is so strong
that not even light can escape. Pictured right
is a ground-breaking rendering of a black hole,
painstakingly created by the makers of the movie
Interstellar (USA, 2014) in collaboration with the
US theoretical physicist Kip Thorne.

Densest objects Heaviest First MOST SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE
KPǡVJGǡWPKXGTUG black hole “rogue” black BLACK HOLE IN A MOVIE
A “stellar” black hole (i.e., In 2009, hole discovered
a black hole created from astronomers using Markarian 177 is Gargantua (above) is the fictional black hole in the
the gravitational collapse NASA’s Swift gamma- a dwarf galaxy some movie Interstellar (released 5 Nov 2014). It was rendered
of a massive star) can be ray space telescope 90 million light years away. using code called Double Negative Gravitational
around 20 times the mass measured the mass of the Studies using Hawaii’s Keck Renderer (DNGR), which was developed by visual
of our Sun. At its centre supermassive black hole Observatory in Jun 2013 effects company Double Negative in collaboration
is the “singularity”, where at the centre of the quasar strongly suggest that the with renowned physicist Kip Thorne (USA, below).
the mass of the dead star S5 0014+81. (Quasars are bright object SDSS1133,
from which the black hole star-like “extra-galactic” associated with the galaxy, It works by solving equations for bundles of light
originated is compressed objects that are the most is a supermassive black propagating around the curved space-time of a spinning
to a single point of zero luminous objects in the hole that has been ejected black hole. The result is an accurate reproduction of the
VL]H DQG LQͤQLWH GHQVLW\ universe.) The result – from the galaxy’s centre. gravitational lensing effects
It is this singularity that around 40 billion solar an observer would see if they
generates the powerful masses – means that were there. While the initial
JUDYLWDWLRQDO ͤHOG RI D EODFN this black hole is some black hole they produced
hole. Many thousands of 10,000 times larger than was more realistic, director
them are thought to exist in the supermassive black Christopher Nolan requested
our galaxy alone. Scientists hole at the heart of our a few changes to make it
believe that supermassive Milky Way galaxy. more comprehensible to
black holes reside in the movie audiences – a decision
centres of most, if not all, that Thorne agreed with.
galaxies and weigh more
than a million Suns.

Closest black hole to Earth Shortest distance between Farthest object ever visible
two black holes to the naked eye
A0620-00 is a binary system containing a low-mass star and a stellar black hole. The In Mar 2009, a team of Gamma-ray bursts are the
system is located approximately 3,000 light years away from Earth, in the constellation astronomers reported birth cries of black holes,
Monoceros. The black hole in this star system has a mass at least 3.2 times that of the Sun that the quasar SDSS created as supermassive
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Ť QPG VJCV KP UVGNNCT VGTOU JCU C TGNCVKXGN[ EQQN VGORGTCVWTG 6JG CTVKUVŨU KORTGUUKQP CDQXG appears to contain a binary collapse to a singularity. On
UJQYU VJG EQORCPKQP UVCT ECWIJV KP VJG DNCEM JQNGŨU ITCXKVCVKQPCN RWNN black hole at its centre. 19 Mar 2008, NASA’s Swift
Revealed by spectral satellite detected a gamma-
analysis of their light, the ray burst from a galaxy
two black holes weigh the 7.5 billion light years away.
equivalent of 50 million and Some 30–40 sec after
20 million Suns, but are the detection by Swift, the
only one-third of a light year optical counterpart of the
apart. This is less than 10% gamma burst was picked up
of the distance between by telescopes on Earth. The
our Sun and the nearest ͥDVK IURP WKLV LQFLGHQW ̰
star, Alpha Centauri. referred to by astronomers

DATELINE 380 MYA First known example of a live birth
A mother and embryo placoderm (prehistoric armoured fish) perish, producing a well-preserved fossil in which the embryo is
attached to its mother via an umbilical cord. Some 25 cm (9.8 in) long, the species will be named Materpiscis attenboroughi.

26 Space

FAST FACTS TM

Black holes distort space and time: the closer you get to one, the more time slows

down • Prof John Wheeler (USA) coined the term “black hole” in 1967 • The term

for the way matter is shredded by the gravity of a black hole is “spaghettification”

Fastest spinning Despite its distance, it has
supermassive black hole an apparent magnitude of
12.9 – bright enough for it
At the heart of the spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is a black to be seen with relatively
JQNG YKVJ C OCUU QH CTQWPF ǡOKNNKQP 5WPU 5EKGPVKƒE modest telescopes. The
UVWFKGU RWDNKUJGF QP (GD TGXGCNGF VJCV VJG extreme luminosity of
black hole is spinning at around 84% of the speed of light. this quasar is believed to
be caused by the heating
as GRB 080319B – was Later the same year, of a huge accretion disc Nearest supermassive black hole
visible to the naked eye for on 16 Sep, NASA’s Fermi (revolving disc of material)
approximately 30 sec. In Gamma-ray Space Telescope surrounding a supermassive 5CIKVVCTKWU # KU VJG UWRGTOCUUKXG DNCEM JQNG CV VJG EGPVTG
technical terms, it had an detected the most powerful black hole. If 3C 273 was QH QWT /KNM[ 9C[ UQOG NKIJV [GCTU CYC[ HTQO 'CTVJ
apparent magnitude of 5.8, gamma-ray burst ever, just 30 light years away, 9KVJ C OCUU QH CTQWPF OKNNKQP 5WPU KV KU QTDKVGF D[ UGXGTCN
making it about as bright as from 12.2 billion light years it would shine as brightly OCUUKXG UVCTU 6JKU KOCIG YCU VCMGP D[ 0#5#ŨU Chandra space
the planet Uranus appears away in the direction of the as the Sun in our sky. telescope. The different colours represent X-rays of different
from Earth. Carina constellation. The GPGTIKGU 6JG ūENQWFŬ KP VJG EGPVTG TGRTGUGPVU FWUV CPF ICU CV
event recorded by Fermi Most powerful X-ray flare the centre of the galaxy emitting X-rays. Sagittarius A* is
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scale used in astronomy to 9,000 normal supernovae. Milky Way
describe the brightness of The blast threw out material On 14 Sep 2013,
objects as seen from Earth. at speeds of 99.9999% of astronomers using NASA’s
Confusingly, the numbers the speed of light. Chandra X-ray Observatory
in the magnitude scale run detected an increase in
backwards: the brighter the Brightest quasar in the sky X-ray radiation of a factor of
light from an astronomical Quasar 3C 273 is some 400 from the supermassive
object appears, the lower 2.5 billion light years away black hole Sagittarius A*,
its apparent magnitude in the constellation of Virgo. located at the centre of
number will be. the Milky Way galaxy. The
ͥDUH ZDV WKUHH WLPHV PRUH
powerful than the previous
holder, which occurred in
the same region in 2012.

It lasted for a couple of
hours, which is consistent
with one theory about its
origins. Scientists have
speculated that an asteroid
was torn apart by the
gravitational force of the
black hole, and that its

Most massive overcontact binary debris was then heated million billion times lower
as it spiralled into the event than the deepest note a
VFTS 352 is a binary star system in the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, KRUL]RQ FUHDWLQJ WKH ͥDUH human ear can detect.
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OCVGTKCN -PQYP CU CP ūQXGTEQPVCEV DKPCT[Ŭ VJGUG VYQ OCUUKXG UVCTU CTG CP GUVKOCVGF Acoustic waves generated were discovered by
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hole in the centre of of astronomers led by
the Perseus cluster of Prof Andrew Fabian
galaxies, 250 million light (UK) using observations
years away, have given recorded by the Chandra
rise to a phenomenally X-ray Observatory.
deep note. The sound,
which propagates through DID YOU KNOW?bl–aBconaeikusoAnyttth.nor“eeIoopnrt“vnlo deepieoisv’enntsmephrtplnieiiemosugtrrfhhblhselnaototuaoepu–rnsrsinrecdzeotadothtfwnaonueari”drelyubnlsie,slblc”sntaaec.ticohmprsktieeuhbahtcteiteohnektrlegehemd.e
the extremely thin gas
surrounding the black
KROH LV D % ͥDW RFWDYHV
below middle C.

We can’t hear this noise
because sound waves
cannot travel through the
vacuum of space and so
the black hole’s rumblings
are contained within the
gas cloud. Also, the note
produced is more than a

Largest galactic collision 300 MYA DATELINE
A group of around 300 galaxies slams into a larger group of approximately 1,000 galaxies, resulting
in Abell 754 – a turbulent giant galactic cluster with a diameter of approximately 1 million light years.

guinnessworldrecords.com 27

EARTH

DATELINE 240 MYA Oldest known dinosaur
The small, meat-eating Nyasasaurus parringtoni thrives in Tanzania; analysis
of fossils in 2012 reveals that it is the oldest dinosaur by 10–15 million years.

28 Earth

CONTENTS 30
32
EARTH FACTOGRAPHIC 34
WILD WEATHER 36
CLOUDS 38
BIZARRE GEOLOGY 40
REEFS 42
RAINFORESTS
KILLER PLANTS

Longest-burning methane crater

The Darvaza Crater, also known as the “Door to Hell”, is located
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Longest dinosaur 154 MYA DATELINE
At 39–52 m (128–170 ft) in length, Seismosaurus halli – a diplodocid
sauropod dinosaur – is the lengthiest vertebrate to ever roam the Earth.

guinnessworldrecords.com 29

FACTOGRAPHIC

EARTH

Our home planet carries us through space at more than 2 WHAT MAKES THE EARTH? HIGHEST POINT
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DID YOU KNOW?st–irenoo–lnnxIearyegmorrgmmenaeec,tbnnioahtnor-gtheseeunaei,rmtlnegami9tcdoili5vosocsb%en,stfiumstacoelockobfaluodmuktomr.hifnpSnpeEmdoiglclaaauiorurcnnnuntpaetdhsttset’si.sts 3 Silicon /CPVNG ETWUV
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3

9 6

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BOWLING BALL EARTH WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE

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RAINING CHAMPION DID YOU KNOW?TwreedHrbnpeeMpeceedlihapobnsr,kweeuopislnpwro)ot,vpiow1wpnee8uatydit7eltrhds5hditneh.sioa Intiisfpfontu  tt M2dtCrhh hfkhoneeaemuaaoMctlnmeclra(et.ee1neraEn.idg2navce temnh(rhsra,fieieei)tesrstst

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DEEPEST POINT ON EARTH

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WILD WEATHER

(CUVGUV MCVCDCVKE YKPF

When cold, dense air from high altitudes flows downhill under the force of gravity, it
can give rise to so-called katabatic (or fall) winds. Around the coastal escarpment of
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trains. Because these winds are driven by the local geography, they are known for their
consistency of direction. The term derives from the Greek word katabasis (“descending”).

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or just before sunrise, a P KLJK IW FOLIIV 7KH
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to produce a green spot at /QUV HTGSWGPV QEEWTTGPEG It is probably caused by
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OLDEST
DESCRIPTION
OF VOLCANIC
LIGHTNING

In volcanic eruptions that
include a large ash plume,
an electrical charge builds
up in the air above the
volcano and discharges as
lightning. The first known
description of volcanic
lightning was written by
Roman statesman Pliny the
Younger, who witnessed
the 79 CE eruption of Mount
Vesuvius. He narrowly
escaped with his life, and
his famous uncle, Pliny
the Elder, died trying to
evacuate nearby towns.

DATELINE 153 MYA Oldest flying bird
Archaeopteryx lithographica flourishes in what is now southern Germany; with feathers
and wings but also claws and teeth, it is a key link between dinosaurs and birds.

32 Earth

FAST FACTS

On 3 Mar 1876, it rained raw meat near Rankin in Kentucky, USA • Tropical

cyclones that form in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific are called hurricanes,

while those that form in the western Pacific are called typhoons

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On 15 and 16 Mar 1952, VTQRKECNǡE[ENQPG
some 1,870 mm (6 ft 1 in) of On 29 Aug 2005,
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of Québec. The bill was an
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First known hominid 6 MYA DATELINE
Orrorin tugenensis walks on two legs and is about the size of an adult female chimp. Scientists in the Kenya
Palaeontology Expedition announce their discovery of its 6-million-year-old fossilized remains in Dec 2000.

guinnessworldrecords.com 33

CLOUDS

GALLERY

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DATELINE 5.9 MYA Largest sea to dry up
Geologic processes block the channel between the Atlantic Ocean and
the Mediterranean Sea, transforming the latter into a dry salt basin.

34 Earth

6
7 DID YOU KNOW?thcfHelkoaenrksmBkoesLriynwosufiiauet:tnkoenioswtsefdt”adh wr)hHts ta,chaheacttioamaruihuewrrttsem”uthaach)(“ste.lurLrenodr(aleu“uuatfec(rimdso1unmwmr7(re“e7flaarheo2ctjtaero–oce1asf“rhot8psciicr6pn”nlloo)o4rgglueuo),wadigdasdsians”sdt.

4

58

LARGEST SOLITON CLOUDS 5 SLOWEST CLOUDS 6 7MOST RECENTLY CLASSIFIED LONGEST-LASTING 8

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Heaviest flying bird ever 5 MYA DATELINE
Argentavis magnificens, a massive condor-like bird weighing 72 kg (158 lb) – heavier

than a fully grown adult man – rules the skies over Miocene South America.

guinnessworldrecords.com 35

BIZARRE GEOLOGY

Largest geological feature The tectonic processes Largest cannonball concretions
discovered from space occurring under Afar are the
Located in the part of the same as those on the ocean Cannonball concretions are roughly spherical boulders formed by the natural cementation of
Sahara Desert that lies ͥRRU DW ULGJHV ZKHUH QHZ UCPF D[ C OKPGTCN ECNNGF ECNEKVG 6JG NCTIGUV GZCORNGU CTG ǡO
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within Mauritania, the crust forms and the existing Rock City, Kansas, USA, as well as in central Wyoming and north-east Utah, USA, where they are
Richat Structure is a circular, crust is pushed apart. CUUQEKCVGF YKVJ VJG (TQPVKGT (QTOCVKQP QH VJG .CVG %TGVCEGQWU RGTKQF
E Ť OKNNKQP [GCTU CIQ
multi-ringed sedimentary
basin with a diameter of Largest “stone forest” scientists discovered the ice and a light breeze.
around 50 km (31 mi). Once The Grand Tsingy in cause in Dec 2013 when
thought to be an impact western Madagascar is a checking on equipment As the ice begins to break DID YOU KNOW?twhaaa2rbttce.tey7ooosrtmbunatheichlcrlpteWieleodioooosclYisfaaricnoevioitnlvgdchenygdeoieea.oRnrmnaTrfegoadnrhdargclsiaeskrACt.isnaitIfru(o.,tnesiansrtewaiteattseotretaubanihbsnedrl,eeiefiapatlrnoohtbnartgiweernhmetl)agsoreooinnobsdfidglabaescyskd
crater, it is now believed to 600-km2 (230-sq-mi) “stone put in place to research
be the eroded remains of an forest” of sharp limestone this phenomenon. All it up, the rocks sometimes
uplifted sedimentary dome. pinnacles dating from the takes is the heating up get caught up and moved
This distinctive “bull’s-eye” Jurassic period (201.3– of a thin sheet of ground in a process known as
feature was discovered 145 million years ago). “ice shove”.
from orbit by US astronauts Over time, this limestone
Jim McDivitt and Ed White has been eroded by rain, Most natural arches
on the Gemini 4 mission forming a landscape in KPǡQPGǡTGIKQP
in Jun 1965. which limestone peaks Arches National
reach 90 m (295 ft) in height. Park in Utah, USA, has
Newest ocean 2,067 natural arches with
In 2005, a rift some 56 km .QPIGUV ūUCKNKPIǡUVQPGŬǡVTCKNU spans of 3 ft (90 cm) or
(35 mi) long opened up in The Racetrack Playa – a dry
the Afar Depression (the lake bed in Death Valley on
lowest point in Africa, the US Nevada-California
also known as the Danakil border – is home to “sailing
Depression) in Ethiopia. In stones”. The rocks here
Nov 2009, scientists stated appear to have moved on
that their analysis showed their own, leaving trails
the rift to be the start of the across the surface up to
formation of a new ocean. 880 m (2,887 ft) long. Two

more; the largest exceed

300 ft (97 m).

Largest
flared slope

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with an exposed area of
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north face of Hyden
Rock in Western
Australia.

LONGEST NATURAL ARCH

Xian Ren Qiao (Fairy Bridge) is located north-west of
Fengshan in Guangxi Province, China. A subclass of
arch known as a natural bridge, Xian Ren Qiao was
formed by the Buliu River carving through terrain
composed of limestone. An expedition by the Natural
Arch and Bridge Society in Oct 2010 measured its
span at approximately 400 ft (120 m).

DATELINE 3.6 MYA Oldest hominid footprints
Two or three hominids stride upright on the ashy plains of present-day Laetoli in northern Tanzania, leaving the earliest
known human-like footprints. The track consists of some 70 prints in two parallel trails about 30 m (100 ft) long.

36 Earth

FAST FACTS

Pumice is the only rock that floats in water • Sand makes up only about

30% of the Sahara Desert • Scientists have identified about 4,000 minerals

• You could fit about 4 million Empire State Buildings into the Grand Canyon

Highest natural arch and its tributaries, the
cave has taken some
6WUJWM 6CUJ
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KU C PCVWTCN CTEJ QH EQPINQOGTCVG OCVGTKCN NQECVGF YGUVŤ It is home to around 200
PQTVJ YGUV QH -ŨCUJKJ KP 5KPMKCPI %JKPC +P CP indigenous species, mostly
expedition from National Geographic measured the height invertebrates.
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ǡO UJQTVGT VJCP 0GY ;QTMŨU 'ORKTG 5VCVG $WKNFKPI Deepest cave
On 10 Aug 2013, Ukrainian
Waterfall with the Longest cave system caver Gennady Samokhin
OQUVǡPCVWTCN DTKFIGU Mammoth Cave in extended the explored depth
Discovered in 1952, the Mammoth Cave National of the Krubera Cave in the
Cave of the Three Bridges Park, Kentucky, USA, is Arabika Massif, Georgia,
in Tannourine, Lebanon, a network of limestone by 6 m (19 ft 8 in). Krubera,
contains a waterfall that chambers of which around the only known cave with
plunges 255 m (836 ft) past 400 mi (640 km) have a depth greater than 2 km
three natural stone bridges. been explored so far. PL QRZ KDV DQ RͦFLDO
It cuts through 160-million- Created by the weathering depth of 2,197 m (7,208 ft).
year-old Jurassic limestone. action of the Green River

Largest concentration of Largest slot canyon
OGVJCPGǡGZRNQUKQP ETCVGTU
Slot canyons evolve when hairline cracks in rock gradually
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PQTVJ YGUV 5KDGTKC URQVVGF C NCTIG JQNG E ǡ ǡO
ǡHV flash floods. The US state of Utah is particularly rich in these
CETQUU ǡ ǡO
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believe that it formed after an explosion of methane hitherto UCPFUVQPG 6JG 0CTTQYU UNQV ECP[QP KP <KQP 0CVKQPCN 2CTM 7VCJ
trapped in the permafrost. Seven such craters have now KU CRRTQZKOCVGN[ ǡO
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First recognizable human 2.5 MYA DATELINE
The tool-using Homo habilis evolves from a hominid such as Australopithecus afarensis, although it has
smaller teeth and a larger brain than its ancestors. It lives in what is today eastern and southern Africa.

guinnessworldrecords.com 37

REEFS

Oldest coral reef the coast of Florida, USA,
The Chazy Reef Formation revealed a new type of coral
is a fossilized coral reef that ecosystem. Unlike all the
extends from Tennessee, deep-water reefs previously
USA, to Newfoundland, studied, Pulley Ridge has
Canada. It originally formed photosynthesizing algae.
around 450 million years This is impressive, because
ago in what was then the LWV ORFDWLRQ RQ WKH VHD ͥRRU
Iapetus Ocean. Its most at a depth of 80 m (262 ft)
VLJQLͤFDQW RXWFURS RFFXUV receives only 1% of the light
in Vermont at Isle La Motte, that reaches the surface.
a rocky lake island that was
once a substantial colony Deep-water corals are
of stromatoporoid coral. found everywhere from
Norway to Nova Scotia,

Deepest photosynthetic
coral reef
In 1999, research at a
deep-water reef called
Pulley Ridge, located off

LONGEST REEF but their hard-to-reach Largest raised coral atoll
locations mean that little
The Great Barrier Reef, located is known about their A raised coral atoll is an island that forms as a normal, mostly
off the coast of Queensland in ecosystems and life-cycles. submerged coral atoll, but is then lifted far above sea level
north-eastern Australia, measures by tectonic forces. The largest of these is Lifou Island in the
some 1,260 mi (2,027 km) from end to end. LARGEST... UQWVJ YGUV 2CEKƒE 1EGCP YJKEJ EQXGTU UQOG ǡMO
That’s about the same as the distance from Miami to
ǡUSǡOK CPFǡKUǡJQOG VQ CTQWPF RGQRNG
New York City or from Madrid to Rome. Reef system ever
A system of glass sponge The largest system of that are as tall as 21 m
The Great Barrier Reef is, in fact, a “reef system” – reefs, 7,000 km (4,350 mi) glass sponge reefs today is (69 ft) – that’s more than
comprising some 2,900 separate colonies of living coral from end to end, thrived in ORFDWHG RII &DQDGD̵V 3DFLͤF four storeys high – and in
– that covers an area of 80,000 sq mi (207,200 km²). the Tethys Ocean during coast, covering around excess of 9,000 years old.
The reef is a diverse but fragile ecosystem, maintained the Late Jurassic (157–145 700 km2 (270 sq mi) of
by a delicate balance between the more than 5,000 million years ago). WKH VHD ͥRRU LQ WKH 4XHHQ Barrier reef system in
species that call it home. Seemingly minor human It was more than VJGǡPQTVJGTP JGOKURJGTG
three times the Charlotte Sound. Barrier reefs are separated
interference can have length of the Great It is home to from the mainland or island
dramatic effects. It is Barrier Reef. Such sponges
suspected, for example, reefs were thought
that overfishing to be extinct, but
certain predators living examples were
creates “plagues” discovered in the 1980s.
of coral-eating
starfish that kill
off whole reefs. 

DATELINE 1.65 MYA Oldest stone tools
In Africa, oval- and pear-shaped tools are made by chipping flakes from stone to create sharp or rounded edges.
The oldest surviving samples of these “Acheulean” tools are later found in the West Turkana region of Kenya.

38 Earth

FAST FACTS

Technically, the word “reef” describes any underwater obstruction
• Corals are marine invertebrates (phylum Cnidaria) related to jellyfish
and anemones • Coral reefs are home to around 25% of all fish species

Largest atoll archipelago

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Largest coral die-off

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shore by a deep, and often Double barrier reef encloses a shallow lagoon. Although Kwajalein is Marine reserve
wide, lagoon. Although Only six double barrier reefs The largest is Kwajalein
large barrier reefs are – reefs formed as inner Atoll, one of the Marshall the largest atoll, very little The Northwestern
FRPPRQ LQ WKH 3DFLͤF WKH and outer layers – exist in Islands, which twists and
Caribbean is home to only the world today. Of these, turns for 176 mi (283 km) of it is above sea level. The Hawaiian Islands Marine
a few. No reef system in the largest is the Danajon to enclose a lagoon of
the northern hemisphere Bank, which is 272 km2 1,100 sq mi (2,850 km²) – largest atoll by land area is National Monument
is more extensive than the (105 sq mi) in size. It lies the largest body of water
Belize Barrier Reef, which between the islands of enclosed by an atoll. The Kiritimati, part of the Line covers 356,879 km²
stretches from the coast of Cebu and Bohol in the lagoon is so large that
southern Mexico to northern Philippines. observers cannot see the Islands chain in the central (137,791 sq mi) of the
Guatemala. It is second islands on one side from
in size only to the Great Atoll reef the other. 3DFLͤF 7KLV LV D SDUWLDOO\ 3DFLͤF 7KH UHHIV LQ WKLV
Barrier Reef, the largest An atoll reef is
reef system in the southern an often more raised atoll (see left) whose protected region – about
hemisphere and the overall or less circular
longest reef (see left). coral reef that islands cover an area of the size of Germany – are

235 sq mi (609 km2) around home to more than 7,000

a small lagoon. species, a quarter of which

are found nowhere else.

Fringing reef

This type of reef occurs DID YOU KNOW?tPhKUreiwSnwTtaozrNehjanrEasaeediltlusvycesiGgoydnkidrneraioewouenvcweAfearat,fiitttwssvnahowCiuehgltepilaesitto1(Gcri.ohsnp9rheemia4ugrees6lmwraioalt.envRraaIifetknerntswe)awnhbfinasuhaiidspshtcinlttloieleon’emtaotsihtrhtehe.itepo
close to the shore with no
intervening lagoon. The
largest is Ningaloo Reef in
Western Australia, which
is approximately 300 km
(180 mi) long and some
100 m (330 ft) from the
shore at its closest point.

.CTIGUV CTVKƒEKCN TGGH

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insulation materials, the Oriskany was sent to the bottom of the
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ǡMI QH ECTGHWNN[ RNCEGF GZRNQUKXGU

DGNQY 6JG Oriskany has since attracted an abundance of
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NGHV EQOOQPN[
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Oldest musical instrument 43,000 BCE DATELINE
In a campsite located in modern-day Ljubljana, Slovenia, a Neanderthal takes a segment of
femur from a cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) and pierces it with four holes to create a bone flute.

guinnessworldrecords.com 39

RAINFORESTS

(KTUV WUG QH C ECPQR[ TCHV KP TCKPHQTGUV TGUGCTEJ 295,000 km2 Largest natural
(113,900 sq mi) RJCTOCE[
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(4# NGF VJG ƒTUV GZRGFKVKQP VQ VJG ECPQR[ QH VJG TCKPHQTGUV KP of the west
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%NG[GV /CTTGN YJKEJ YCU FTQRRGF QP VQ VJG VQR QH VJG TCKPHQTGUV ECPQR[ D[ CP CGTQUVCV
C NKIJVGT USA and Canada. pharmaceutical products
VJCP CKT ETCHV UWEJ CU CP CKTUJKR 6JG TCHV KVUGNH YCU C O2
US HV JGZCIQP VJCV WUGF CKT These forests come from ingredients in
KPHNCVGF DGCOU CPF RQN[XKP[N EJNQTKFG PGVVKPI 9GKIJKPI LWUV ǡMI
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ƒGNF VTKCNU CNNQYGF UEKGPVKUVU VQ UCORNG VTGGU CPF RNCPVU CPF RTGUGTXG VJGO HQT NCVGT UVWF[ a few Indigenous tribes have
thousand years old, having utilized plants for medicinal
formed after the last Ice Age. purposes for millennia,
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Largest coastal began to rediscover them
OCPITQXGǡHQTGUV in the second half of the
The Sundarbans stretches VJǡEGPVWT[
for almost 6,000 sq mi
(15,540 km²) across eastern in area, the reserve contains
India and Bangladesh, and many endangered species
acts as a natural barrier of plant and animal. The
against tsunamis and creation of the park was
cyclones that often blow announced on 22 Aug
in from the Bay of Bengal. 2002 by Brazilian president
The mangrove trees in this Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
forest sometimes exceed
70 ft (21 m) in height, above .CTIGUV TKXGT DCUKP
islands of layered sand The greatest river basin
and grey clay. They have is that drained by the
saltwater-tolerant roots. Amazon, covering

Largest tropical
HQTGUVǡTGUGTXG
The Tumucumaque
National Park is located
in the rainforest of the
northern Amazonian
state of Amapá in
Brazil. Measuring some
38,875 km² (15,010 sq mi)

1NFGUV VGTTGUVTKCN DKQOG survived the last Ice Age, This area represents the Biome with the
Most of Earth’s tropical which ended around 10,000 largest single contiguous ITGCVGUVǡDKQFKXGTUKV[
rainforests have been years ago, because unlike block of rainforest in
established for at least the majority of the planet, Australia and is estimated The precise number of animal and plant species
a million years, although the equatorial forests did to be 180 million years old. VJCVǡGZKUV KP VJG YQTNFŨU VTQRKECN TCKPHQTGUVU KU WPMPQYP
some are much older. They not freeze over. Current estimates of biodiversity suggest that
.CTIGUV VGORGTCVGǡTCKPHQTGUV UQOGVJKPI KP VJG TCPIG QH Ť QH CNN 'CTVJŨU NKXKPI
DID YOU KNOW?adTarcdhanaii(eytn5nita5afooe sorrnpiranrenmyeita)onosaowr“ftntftsorahihd,aarntet-hienmdhnwswnbeftIeousoeorrsrelertaitelhnel-laaUktsrrapnhtnSae”ldadAioantdn.ewc,efeneNm1ansss4loceplts0rr.ruetiwI obcrnrcpmeaaehiyestceal The oldest rainforest Temperate rainforests, URGEKGU CTG EQPEGPVTCVGF KP VJKU JCDKVCV YJKEJ VQFC[
of them all is the Daintree which exist outside the EQXGTU CTQWPF Ť QH VJG RNCPGVŨU UWTHCEG
Rainforest, located on Earth’s tropics, generally
the north-east coast of form where relatively warm
Queensland in Australia. ocean temperatures impact
It covers around 1,200 km2 inland climates. They have
(463 sq mi) and is part a much greater seasonal
of the Wet Tropics of variation than tropical
Queensland, which was rainforests. The largest
made a World Heritage expanse of this biome
Site in 1988 by the United RQ (DUWK LV WKH 3DFLͤF
Nations Educational, Temperate Rainforests,
6FLHQWLͤF DQG &XOWXUDO which cover around
Organization (UNESCO).

DATELINE 30,000 BCE Oldest paintings
A group of Stone Age humans paint portraits of animals and imaginary
beasts on the walls of a cave in what is now southern France.

40 Earth

FAST FACTS

Around 70% of plants identified as potential anti-cancer treatments are native

to rainforests • If it were a country, the Amazonian rainforest would be the ninth

largest • More than 20% of Earth’s oxygen is made in the Amazon rainforest

6CNNGUV VTQRKECN TCKPHQTGUV VTGGU YDQLOOD IDPLO\ WKLV ͥRZHU .CTIGUV VTGG EQXGT NQUU tropical forests) that have
grows in the rainforests of D[ǡCTGC historically come under
Above the canopy of rainforests is the “emergent” layer, Queensland, Australia, and is “Tree-cover loss” refers to scrutiny for their rates of
EQORTKUKPI C UOCNN PWODGT QH XGT[ NCTIG VTGGU 6JG VCNNGUV KU a saprophyte (i.e., it feeds on the removal of trees, which deforestation. Brazil lost
VJGǡMCRQM VTGG
Ceiba pentandra YJKEJ ITQYU VQ ǡO
ǡHV decaying organic material). may be within natural 38 million of its 519 million
CV C TCVG QH CTQWPF O
ǡHV RGT [GCT +V ECP DG HQWPF OCKPN[ It is not free-standing, but is forests or tree plantations, hectares of tree cover,
KP UQWVJGTP /GZKEQ VJG UQWVJGTP #OC\QP CPF 9GUV #HTKEC supported by other trees. and can result from factors ranking second globally
such as mechanical after Russia in absolute
(CUVGUV FGENKPKPI DKQOG KDUYHVWLQJ ͤUH GLVHDVH RU tree-cover loss (mostly
Tropical rainforests are storm damage. According tropical forest) in 2001–14.
shrinking more quickly to data from the University More worryingly, and despite
than any other biome. of Maryland and Google a drop in 2013, Indonesia’s
A 2002 study using published by Global Forest tree-cover loss rose by more
satellites revealed that Watch, over the years than 30% in 2013–14 – the
around 5.8 million ha 2001–14 Russia suffered largest deforestation by
(14.3 million acres) of the greatest tree-cover annual increase rate –
rainforest per year were loss – largely boreal forests while that of Brazil rose
lost from 1990 to 1997. – with 40.94 million of its by “only” 16% during the
Between 2000 and 2005, 761 million hectares lost. same time period. The two
Central America lost 1.3% of countries showed a less
its tropical rainforests each In terms of the global marked three-year average
year; around two-thirds of impact of deforestation, trend – 0.46% and 1.01%
its rainforests have become however, it is Brazil and respectively – for the years
pasture since 1950. Indonesia (with some of 2012 to 2014.
Earth’s most extensive

around 7,045,000 km² The Amazon also has LARGEST
(2,720,000 sq mi). It has the JUHDWHVW ULYHU ̩RZ, with TROPICAL RAINFOREST
countless tributaries, an average discharge rate
including the Madeira, of about 200,000 m³/sec The Amazon rainforest spans nine South
which at 3,380 km (7,100,000 cu ft/sec) – American countries and covers some
(2,100 mi) is the longest that’s 80% of an Olympic 5.5–6.2 million km2 (2.1–2.3 million sq mi). This
river tributary. swimming pool – into is necessarily an estimate, not only because
the Atlantic Ocean. the rainforest does not have distinct edges,
Perhaps unsurprisingly, but also because it merges with similar biomes
the Amazon is the widest 6CNNGUV QTEJKF across its indistinct boundaries. It is part of the
river. :KLOH QRW LQ ͥRRG A height of 15 m (49 ft) has Amazon biome – covering 6.7–6.9 million km2
its main stretches reach been recorded for the orchid (2.5–2.6 million sq mi) – and includes the whole
widths of up to 11 km (7 mi) )CNGQNCǡHQNKCVC. Part of the of the Amazon River Basin. Approximately
at their broadest. two-thirds of the rainforest is in Brazil.

Highest concentration
QHǡWPEQPVCEVGF VTKDGU

According to the human rights organization Survival
+PVGTPCVKQPCN VJGTG CTG CRRTQZKOCVGN[ WPEQPVCEVGF
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JQUVKNKV[ VQ QWVUKFGTU KPENWFKPI PGKIJDQWTKPI VTKDGU

Largest waterfall ever 13,000 BCE DATELINE
The ice dam holding Glacial Lake Missoula collapses, sending billions of
tons of water over cliffs in what is now eastern Washington state, USA.

guinnessworldrecords.com 41

KILLER PLANTS

Most fluorescent First plant species Most dangerous tree
carnivorous KFGPVKƒGF QP (CEGDQQM
plant 8S WR P IW LQ A member of the spurge family, the manchineel (Hippomane mancinella) grows in the USA’s
ORQJ WKH DSWO\ QDPHG Florida Everglades and on the Caribbean coast. The sap that its trunk exudes is so acidic
In a 2013 study, the peristome PDJQLͤFHQW VXQGHZ and poisonous that the merest contact with human skin causes a breakout of blisters; if it
(the slippery ring of tissue at &TQUGTC OCIPKƒEC LV RQH touches the eyes, it can cause blindness. Even standing under the tree in the rain is enough
the opening to the pitcher) of RI QHDUO\ VSHFLHV to cause blistering if the skin is wetted by raindrops containing any sap.
the Khasi Hills pitcher plant RI FDUQLYRURXV SODQWV
(Nepenthes khasiana) of India LQ WKH WD[RQRPLF IDPLO\ digesting insects and and southern Oregon, USA. Most selective
was found to emit fluorescent 'URVHUDFHDH ,Q RWKHU VPDOO LQYHUWHEUDWHV %UXVKͤUHV UHJXODUO\ VZHHS ECTPKXQTQWUǡRNCPV
light of a wavelength of DPDWHXU UHVHDUFKHU 7KH SODQWV WUDS WKHLU SUH\ through this area, and the 0GRGPVJGU CNDQOCTIKPCVC
Ť ǡPCPQOGVTGU 5HJLQDOGR 9DVFRQFHORV XSRQ JOLVWHQLQJ GURSV RI FREUD OLO\ KDV HYROYHG WKH DWWUDFWV DQG IHHGV

K G ǡDNWGǡNKIJV %5$ KDG SRVWHG D SKRWR GHZ OLNH PXFXV DW WKH DELOLW\ WR UHJURZ LWV OHDYHV H[FOXVLYHO\ RQ WKH IRUDJLQJ
RQ )DFHERRN RI D VXQGHZ WLSV RI PXFXV VHFUHWLQJ DQG SLWFKHUV IURP LWV URRW WHUPLWH *QURKVCNKVGTOGU
SODQW WKDW KH KDG VHHQ ZKLOH WHQWDFOHV RQ WKHLU OHDYHV DIWHU VXFK D FRQͥDJUDWLRQ DKEQNQT *URZLQJ LQ WKH
H[SORULQJ D MXQJOH LQ 0LQDV UDLQIRUHVWV RI 0DOD\VLD DQG
*HUDLV VRXWK HDVWHUQ %UD]LO /QUV ƒTGRTQQH Largest prey of any Indonesia, 0 CNDQOCTIKPCVC
,Q -XO WKH VXQGHZ ZDV ECTPKXQTQWUǡRNCPV carnivorous plant LV DOVR WKH RQO\ SODQW WR
LGHQWLͤHG E\ H[SHUWV DV D 7KH FREUD OLO\ &CTNKPIVQPKC Both 0GRGPVJGUǡTCLCJ and RIIHU LWV RZQ WLVVXH WR
KLWKHUWR XQNQRZQ VSHFLHV ECNKHQTPKEC LV QRW D WUXH 0 ǡTCHHNGUKCPC KDYH EHHQ VHFXUH D PHDO 7KH SODQW
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sundew is & ǡGT[VJTQI[PG, a SLWFKHU SODQW ,W LV VSHFLHV DUH FRPPRQO\ ZKLFK DWWUDFW WKH WHUPLWHV
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WR :HVWHUQ $XVWUDOLD HQG RI WKH &DVFDGH $VLD LQ SDUWLFXODU %RUQHR VOLS GRZQ WKH ̸WKURDW̹ RI
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FASTEST ENTRAPMENT TRIVIA
BY A CARNIVOROUS PLANT
Tomato leaves and
Carnivorous plants trap their prey in movements stems contain a poison
considered to be among the fastest in the plant kingdom.
On land, the clamshell-like leaves of the Venus flytrap called tomatine,
(Dionaea muscipula, left) shut in one tenth of a second considered a natural
(100 milliseconds) from the moment they are stimulated, pesticide. Apple seeds
typically by insect contain tiny doses of
prey moving into the amygdalin – a cyanide
trap. Underwater, the and sugar compound.
hinged trapdoor of the
bladderwort (Utricularia
vulgaris, right) captures its
victim in 1/15,000th of a
second. The bladderwort
has no roots; its fleshy
underwater leaf branches

are filled with air
and keep the plant
buoyant, enabling
it to float.

DATELINE 9500 BCE Earliest cultivated food crops
Neolithic farmers in south-west Asia begin sowing domesticated plants for human
consumption, including pulses, cereal and flax.

42 Earth

FAST FACTS

Only 5% of the Venus flytrap’s diet consists of flies • The poisonous plant

wolfsbane was once thought to ward off werewolves, hence its name • The first

major study of carnivorous plants was produced by Charles Darwin in 1875

Most poisonous Most dangerous stinger Largest freshwater
common plant blue-green algal bloom
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Ricin – the poison of the castor nettle, aka ongaonga (7TVKEC HGTQZ), inject toxins into PL VWUHWFK RI
oil plant (Ricinus communis) – the skin that are potent enough to kill dogs and horses. $XVWUDOLD̵V %DUZRQ 'DUOLQJ
KUǡ VKOGU OQTG VQZKE VJCP The hairs contain many skin irritants, notably histamine, 5LYHU ZDV FRQWDPLQDWHG
cyanide and 12,000 times more 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), acetylcholine and E\ D WR[LF EOXH JUHHQ
toxic than rattlesnake venom. HQTOKE CEKF 1P CV NGCUV QPG QEECUKQP KP VJG DOJDO EORRP 6XFK HYHQWV
According to 6JG /GTEM +PFGZ RNCPVǡKU MPQYP VQ JCXG MKNNGF CǡOCP LWUV ƒXG JQWTU DUH RIWHQ FDXVHG E\
#P 'PE[ENQRGFKC QH %JGOKECNU CHVGTǡUMKP EQPVCEV IHUWLOL]HU UXQ RII ZKLFK
&TWIU CPF $KQNQIKECNU IHHGV D SRSXODWLRQ
(1997 edition), a dose of H[SORVLRQ LQ FRORQLHV RI
ǡOKETQITCOU
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is enough to kill a person NQRZQ DV F\DQREDFWHULD
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GLJHVWHG 8QZLWWLQJO\ MXVW D VLQJOH VSHFLHV ̰ WKH Most poisonous fungus PRVW SRLVRQRXV VXEVWDQFHV
KRZHYHU VXUYLYLQJ WHUPLWHV $XVWUDOLDQ SLWFKHU SODQW #OCPKVC RJCNNQKFGU NQRZQ NQRZQ WR VFLHQFH 7KH
HQFRXUDJH PRUH RI WKHLU %GRJCNQVWU HQNNKEWNCTKU DV WKH GHDWK FDS PXVKURRP %DUZRQ 'DUOLQJ 5LYHU EORRP
IHOORZ SUH\ WR YLVLW WKH SODQW ZKLFK LV DOVR NQRZQ DV LV UHVSRQVLEOH IRU RI ZKLFK ZDV GRPLQDWHG E\
E\ UHWXUQLQJ WR WKHLU FRORQ\ WKH $OEDQ\ SLWFKHU SODQW IDWDO SRLVRQLQJV FDXVHG #PCDCGPC EKTEKPCNKU, caused
ZLWK WKH KDLUV $ VPDOO VSHFLHV ZLWK GHHS E\ IXQJL 7KH WKH GHDWKV RI GRPHVWLFDWHG
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Smallest family of VWDQGV RQO\ FP LQ LV IRXQG FRQWDPLQDWHG ZDWHU DQG
carnivorous plants WDOO DQG LV QDWLYH WR VRXWK ZRUOGZLGH LQFOXGLQJ OHG WR D VWDWH RI HPHUJHQF\
7KH WD[RQRPLF IDPLO\ ZHVWHUQ FRDVWDO GLVWULFWV 1RUWK $PHULFD EHLQJ GHFODUHG
&HSKDORWDFHDH FRQWDLQV LQ :HVWHUQ $XVWUDOLD and the UK.
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poisoning caused by a
freshwater blue-green
algae occurred in Lake
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URWOKIGPC.

Largest genus of pitcher plants

The genus Nepenthes EQPVCKPU UQOG ǡURGEKGU QH VTQRKECN RKVEJGT
plants, plus hybrids and cultivars. The largest meat-eating plant is
the giant montane pitcher plant
0 ǡTCLCJ, right), native to the state
QH 5CDCJ QP $QTPGQ 6JG NCTIGUV URGEKOGP YCU ǡEO
ǡHV ǡKP
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XKUKV VQǡ/GUKNCW QP VJG GCUV TKFIG QH /QWPV -KPCDCNW QP $QTPGQ

Oldest walled town 7800 BCE DATELINE
With some 2,000 people already calling it home, Jericho in the Middle East is one of the earliest

settlements to construct a stone boundary. It is today the oldest continually inhabited city.

guinnessworldrecords.com 43

ANIMALS

DID YOU KNOW?lMecbwlgaeasemltseiwahgwuKnehdsiordentcuem,nugjsrtultiorhManlradietreagnpooydytpgtadcsholaiutoerrlenaansnwntdmgtbtodiiioAeontlanhaoouutesrningtxeniphne.hutgrehgasoiistemufrte.ihstWrfaahtoeshereirioidritemlnnhyledigss,

DATELINE 7000 BCE Oldest playable instrument
A seven-holed flute is carved from the leg bone of a crane in the village of Jiahu, near the Yellow River in China.
In 9,000 years’ time, when it is unearthed by archaeologists, the wind instrument will still produce a tune!

44 Animals

CONTENTS

ANIMALS FACTOGRAPHIC 46
ANTS 48
OCTOPUSES 50
BIG CATS 52
CROCODILES 54
OWLS 56
MONKEYS 58
SPIDERS 60
DINOSAURS 62
CATS & DOGS 64
FANTASTIC BEASTS 66

Largest lizard

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2JQVQITCRJGT QH VJG ;GCT EQORGVKVKQP VJKU OKF DCVVNG UJQV YCU
UPCRRGF D[ 4WUUKCP RJQVQITCRJGT #PFTG[ )WFMQX KP +PFQPGUKC
)GVVKPI VJKU ENQUG VQ -QOQFQ FTCIQPU
Varanus komodoensis)
KUǡPQǡOGCP HGCV PQV NGCUV DGECWUG VJG O NQPI
HV KP
TGRVKNGU CTG MPQYP HQT DGKPI CIITGUUKXG

+V YCU QPEG VJQWIJV VJCV VQZKE DCEVGTKC KP KVU UCNKXC CNQPI
YKVJ KVU UJCTR VGGVJ YGTG VJKU NK\CTFŨU RTKOCT[ YGCRQPU +P
ǡJQYGXGT UEKGPVKUVU EQPƒTOGF VJCV Ť CU YGNN CU DKVKPI KVU
RTG[ǡŤ VJG URGEKGU GORNQ[U XGPQO UGETGVKPI INCPFU KP KVU NQYGT
LCY OCMKPI -QOQFQU VJGǡlargest venomous land animal

First pottery kilns 6000 BCE DATELINE
Progressing from baking clay in the Sun, the Hassuna culture of northern Mesopotamia
(modern-day Iraq) revolutionizes pottery by developing kilns that can reach 1,000°C (1,830°F).

guinnessworldrecords.com 45

FACTOGRAPHIC LARGEST
WING-SPAN
ANIMALS FOR A LIVING BIRD

The animal kingdom is remarkably diverse. Members range in complexity 1P ǡ5GR C OCNG =
HTQO IGNCVKPQWU LGNN[ƒUJ CPF UKORNG URQPIGU VQ UWTRTKUKPIN[ EQORNGZ YCPFGTKPI CNDCVTQUU
Diomedea
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In size, the range is also extreme, from single-celled organisms to the was studied by members of the
mighty blue whale, the largest animal ever. Illustrated here is a selection TGUGCTEJ UJKR 7505 Eltanin in the
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YKPI URCP QT CRRGVKVG CNQPIUKFG GCEJ KU C EQORCTKUQP VQ KNNWUVTCVG QH ǡO
ǡHV ǡKP Ť CDQWV
just how immense these animals are. VYKEG VJG JGKIJV QH VJG CXGTCIG
JWOCP CPF PGCTN[ ǡVKOGU
TALLEST MAMMAL VJG YKPI URCP QHǡC DNCEMDKTF

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Giraffa
DID YOU KNOW?vtaIToethhrdscsaeiaogannewtndliesnalaeipelpwn.hnthIodhatoofo’onuasrnlltg.oses’uImthsuttrp’ptrtos raeowpnau elbpgaensnrltmeuakaoenncnsrei,eokscdno,uhaatsraga.ehbbdhrnieeyigtsgruohfirgtosylpieyoevrutde,.ll camelopardalis V[RKECNN[ =
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in height. The tallest recorded DID YOU KNOW?2Et mhvboeaifnr(nf6wtsnh mfpiaettsrrohw6tiogsan abutirngnoonhtd)rhu(ud.cinunTnma2mdghgl vmai!epurenfa,sptse)dfo,,mfsrsatetoohvasapeetlraephrtrsaielengigifrtgiieanvlegler
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than three times the height
QHǡCPǡCFWNV JWOCP

LARGEST
TERRESTRIAL MAMMAL

6JG CFWNV OCNG #HTKECP GNGRJCPV
Loxodonta
africana V[RKECNN[ UVCPFU Ť ǡO
ǡHV
ǡKPŤ ǡHV ǡKP CV VJG UJQWNFGT +V YGKIJU
Ť ǡVQPPGU
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6JG VCNNGUV URGEKOGP MPQYP Ť C DWNN UJQV QP
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=

LARGEST LIVING BIRD LARGEST FELINE CARNIVORE

/CNG GZCORNGU QH VJG 0QTVJ #HTKECP QUVTKEJ
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camelus camelus C TCVKVG
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ǡHV ǡKP KP NGPIVJ HTQO PQUG VQ VJG
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ǡHV
ǡMI
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ǡVKOGU JGCXKGT VJCP VJG OCNG DGG JWOOKPIDKTF
ǡND 6Q OCKPVCKP KVU YGKIJV QPG VKIGT JCU VQ GCV

/GNNKUWIC JGNGPCG), the smallest bird. VJGǡGSWKXCNGPV QH VGP [GCT QNF DQ[U GXGT[ OQPVJБ

x10,000 x10,000 x10,000 =

x10,000 x10,000 x10,000 x10,000

=
x10,000 x10,000 x8,000

LARGEST
PINNIPED

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Mirounga leonina $WNNU CXGTCIG ǡO

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Ť ǡND
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QH VJG VCZQPQOKE QTFGT %CTPKXQTC VJG GNGRJCPV UGCN KU CNUQ VJG
largest carnivore UQOG ƒXG VKOGU JGCXKGT VJCP VJG CXGTCIG CFWNV
RQNCT DGCT
Ursus maritimus Ť VJG largest land carnivore. While
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UQ VCZQPQOKECNN[ URGCMKPI CTG PQV ECTPKXQTGU

=

ANTS

ANATOMY Spiracle: Ants do not have Antennae: Sensory organs used that are routinely inundated
OF AN ANT lungs. Oxygen enters the to smell, touch and feel. They can by the tide. Its nests are
body through openings also be used for communication. constructed with purpose-
called spiracles and is piped built air pockets for the safe
100% Head storage of eggs, and its
directly to tissue. Mouth workers have developed the
Largest ant ability to swim underwater
Fulvus driver ant (Dorylus Gaster: Abdominal Leg Thorax: A muscular Eye: The ant’s for prolonged periods – an
fulvus) queens (above) structure housing Claws midsection to compound eyes adaptation seen in no other
can measure as much as which the six comprise numerous species of ant.
5 cm (2 in) long once fully vital organs. Its jointed legs
mature. The smallest driver telescoping segments tiny lenses. (CUVGUV UGNH RQYGTGF
ant workers, by contrast, connect, along with RTGFCVQT[ UVTKMG
are only 2.5 mm (0.1 in) allow the gaster wings in the flying Odontomachus bauri – aka
long. The large, wingless to expand – for the trap-jaw ant – of South
queens travel with their example, if the ant (mating) phase. America can close its
workers in migratory groups has fattened up to mandibles at a speed of
that periodically split up survive the winter. Mandibles: Mouthparts used for up to 64 m/s (209 ft/s).
to form new colonies. cutting, digging and fighting, as In addition to using its
well as passing food to the mouth; mandibles to bite prey, the
Largest average size controlled by powerful muscles ant also utilizes them to
HQTǡCPǡCPV URGEKGU escape danger, striking
7KHUH LV XVXDOO\ VLJQLͤFDQW in the head. them against the ground to
variation in size between ͥLQJ LWVHOI FP LQ LQWR
the different castes of ants a queen that is much larger and Peru as well as in (GYGUV EJTQOQUQOGU the air and horizontally as far
in a colony. A species with than normal may not have coastal Guyana, it averages KPǡCPǡKPUGEV as 39.6 cm (1 ft 3.5 in). This
unusually large workers, 3.3 cm (1.3 in) long. Male ants are “haploid” is the equivalent of a human
DID YOU KNOW?sdpitnJeriuhnfotwsiejhgstenaiecsonwclttkpfeiiOiwrnsatnohig(hSbngcaaciupenolyhesla3vdolsmie-erun)igter.nriesHaidflcnhtenthetaaeditpmnrdereauculexgis”htssn.asbtcitgtnsoyreugigcainbnnehiseaggtnaisihdrlsa“teceelhlirocokeattel and vice versa. (they have only one jumping 13.4 m (44 ft)
.CTIGUV CPV URGEKGU GXGT chromosome from each of straight up.
Going on the mean body We know from fossils found their species’ chromosome
size (the average obtained in Messel, Germany, that pairs), while female ants TRIVIA
from the measurements of queens of Titanomyrma are “diploid” (possessing
workers, soldiers, drones giganteum, which lived in both parts of the pair). The A number of birds
and queens), the largest Europe around 50 million Australian jack jumper ant indulge in “anting”,
species is Dinoponera years ago, were 6 cm (Myrmecia pilosula) has which involves crushing
gigantea. Native (2.4 in) long and had a only a single pair, meaning ants and rubbing them
to the Amazon wing-span of 15 cm (5.9 in). that males of the species all over their plumage.
rainforest in Brazil have just one chromosome. Pictured is a hairy
woodpecker (Picoides
The most chromosomes villosus) in a typical
recorded in an ant is 94 anting posture. The
SDLUV 7KLV ͤJXUH ZDV formic acid released
recorded from two different from the ants helps to
species – the dinosaur or keep parasites away.
dawn ant (Nothomyrmecia
macrops) of Australia and
Platythyrea tricuspidata, a
species found in Indonesia.

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Polyrhachis sokolova, native
to Queensland in Australia,
Papua New Guinea and the
island of New Caledonia,
lives in mangrove forests

/QUV RCKPHWN KPUGEV UVKPI Smallest ant 5,700%
100%
+P GPVQOQNQIKUV ,WUVKP 1 5EJOKFV
75# RWDNKUJGF VJG Carebara bruni, a species of
ƒTUV XGTUKQP QH VJG 5EJOKFV 5VKPI 2CKP +PFGZ 6JG KPFGZ TCPMU ant native to Sri Lanka, contains
VJG DWNNGV CPV
Paraponera clavata Ť PCVKXG VQ 0KECTCIWC CPF YQTMGTU CU VKP[ CU ǡOO
ǡKP
UQWVJYCTFU VJTQWIJ %GPVTCN #OGTKEC VQ 2CTCIWC[ Ť CU VJG NQPI Ť VKOGU UOCNNGT VJCP VJG
KPUGEV YKVJ VJG OQUV RCKPHWN UVKPI TGIKUVGTKPI C OCZKOWO longest worker ant
UGG CDQXG
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UEQTG QH
QP 5EJOKFVŨU HQWT RQKPV UECNG KU TQWIJN[ǡVJG UCOG CU VJG
VJKEMPGUU QH C DCPM ECTF

DATELINE 5000 BCE Oldest surgical procedure
A 50-year-old man in Ensisheim, France, undergoes trepanation – the process of removing bone from
the top of the skull; the discovery of his body 7,000 years later provides the oldest evidence of surgery.

48 Animals