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 Continue reading →

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 greatest pressure drop ever measured inside a tornado was 100 millibars. It was recorded by severe storms researcher Tim Samaras (USA) who successfully placed an instrument probe in the path of an F4 tornado, near Manchester, South Dakota, USA on 24 June 2003. The research was supported by National Geographic (USA), Applied Research Associates (USA), the Department of Commerce (USA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA).

The one million euro (then approximately £667,000; $1.3 million) Millennium Technology Prize is awarded every two years in recognition of outstanding contributions to world science and technology. The 2006 winner was Professor Shuji Nakamura (Japan) of the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. His scientific achievements include the invention of blue light emitting diodes and the blue laser diode.

The widest vocal range of any human is 10 octaves ranging from G/G#-5 to G/G#5 (0.7973 Hz – 807.3 Hz), achieved by Tim Storms (USA) at Citywalk Studios in Branson, Missouri, USA, on 1 August 2008. Mr. Storms also holds the record for the lowest vocal note. The notes achieved are actually between G and G#, so in terms of concert tuning his rang is actually 9 octaves and 11 semitones, however because we use a hertz measurement the range is recognised as the full Continue reading →

On 23 June 2010, the US Army announced that it had started sending the new M855A1 5.6 mm cartridges, Enhanced Performance Rounds, to troops in Afghanistan. What is notable about this type of ammunition, lethal and the most thoroughly tested small calibre round though it is, is the fact that it has been manufactured with regard to environmental considerations. The bullet (slug) is made of copper, making the projectile non-hazardous to the environment and up to 2,000 tons of lead is thus removed from the Continue reading →

The most consecutive loops performed with a hang glider is 95 by Chad Elchin at the Highland Aerosports flight park at Ridgely, Maryland, USA on 16 July 2001. Elchin was towed to 15,900 feet (4,846 m) and looped his Aeros Stealth Combat non-stop down to 700 feet (213 m), with speeds ranging from 18 – 80 mph (28 – 128 kph).

The heaviest triplets at birth (current) are Evan Patrick, Aiden Cole and Lilly Kathryn (all USA), who had a combined weight of 10.33 kg (22 lb 12.6 oz) and were born to Michelle Lee Wilson on 29 July 2003 at Englewood, Colorado, USA. Carried for 257 days, Evan Patrick Wilson weighed 3.89 kg (8lb 9.4 oz), Aiden Cole Wilson weighed 3.32 kg (7 lb 5.4 oz) and Lilly Kathryn Wilson weighed 3.11 kg (6 lb 13.8 oz).

A broccoli grown by John and Mary Evans of Palmer, Alaska, USA in 1993 weighed 15.87 kg (35 lb).

The heaviest cabbage weighed 62.71 kg (138.25 lb) and was presented at the Alaska State Fair by Scott A. Robb (USA) in Palmer, Alaska, USA, on 31 August 2012. Scott A. Robb has previously held a number of Guinness World Records for heaviest vegetables, including the ‘Heaviest turninp’, among others.