Historically the greatest ransom paid was that paid for Atahualpa, the last emperor of the Incas, to the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1532-3 at Cajamarca, Peru, which constituted a hall full of gold and silver, worth in modern money some $1.5 billion (£1 billion).
The greatest mass ascent of hot air balloons consists of 408 balloons and was achieved by Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons (France) in Lorraine, France, on 31 July 2013.
The greatest insect builder is the termite (order Isoptera). Mounds in eastern Australia have measured 6 m (20 ft) in height and 30.5 m (100 ft) in circumference.
Kathy Pycior (USA) has not missed a day’s training since 31 December 1980. She has kept a meticulously compiled log of route and distance for every single run between 1 January 1981 and 30 June 2004, totalling a distance of 48,656.5 miles (78,305 km).
Sergeant Major Karl Ley (UK), of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment of the British Army, has made safe 139 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the Taliban during a six-month tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, and been awarded the UK George Medal. According to the medal citation, he has cleared more IEDs than any other operator in history. In one three-day period, he removed an incredible 42 bombs form a village outside the town of Grereshk. The George Medal is the second highest gallantry that
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For a calendar month the record is 9,300 mm (366 in) at Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India in July 1861 and, the 12-month record was also set at Cherrapunji, with 26,461 mm (1,041.75 in) between 1 August 1860 and 31 July 1861.
The greatest platform jumping distance in one minute by a team is 48.32 m (158 ft 6 in) and was achieved by Cane Armitage, Cole Armitage, Scott Fidgett and Sam Parham (all UK) at Parkour Park, Chineham, Hampshire, UK, on 8 September 2010. Four members of 3RUN attempted the record. The distance between two platforms was 3.02 m.
The greatest personal-injury damages awarded to an individual were $163,882,660 (£109,109,627), awarded by a jury to Shiyamala Thirunayagam, aged 27, in the Supreme Court of the State of New York on 27 Jul 1993. She was almost completely paralysed after the car in which she was travelling hit a truck which had broken down in the fast lane of the New Jersey Turnpike on 4 Oct 1987. Because the defendants would have challenged the jury’s verdict in a higher court, Mrs Thirunayagam agreed to accept
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The greatest number of layers in a cake is 230 and was achieved by Jayn Parenti (USA) displayed at the Springdale Country Club, Springdale, Arkansas, USA, on 4 July 2006.
The largest prize fund for a single horse race is $10 million (£6.71 million), for the Dubai World Cup, held at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 27 March 2010. The full prize fund is split between the top 6 placing horses, the winner’s share of this total is a princely $6 million (£4 million).