In September 1960, during speed trials to set a new land speed record at Bonneville Flats, Utah, USA, Donald Campbell (UK) crashed his car Bluebird while travelling at a speed of 579 km/h (360 mph). The vehicle rolled over and Campbell fractured his skull, yet against all the odds he survived.

The fastest aerial circumnavigation of the Earth via both the geographical Poles is 54 hr 7 min 12 sec (including refuelling stops) by a Boeing 747 SP piloted by Captain Walter H Mullikin (USA) between 28 and 31 October 1977. The journey started and finished in San Francisco, USA, and stopped in Cape Town, South Africa, and Auckland, New Zealand. The average speed was 784.31 km/h (487.34 mph), and the time airborne was 48 hr 3 min.

The record for the fastest circumnavigation via both Poles by helicopter is 170 days 22 hr 47 min 17 sec, and was achieved by Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill (both UK), from 5 December 2006 to 23 May 2007, in a Bell 407 helicopter. The journey started and finished in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. It was as well the first time this journey was attempted: The first pilots to fly around the world via the poles with a helicopter.The record has been recognised by the Continue reading →

Shor’s quantum factoring algorithm is able to find the prime factors of a large number faster than any other method – this task is the key to cracking modern information-based security systems, particularly on the internet. The algorithm, named for MIT maths professor Peter Shor (USA), is so complex that it requires the quantum superposition and entanglement of quantum bits (or qubits) and so requires the use of a quantum computer.

The fastest completion of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (SEGA, 1994) took 42 min 10.6 sec and was achieved by Steven Meyer (USA) in Orange, Connecticut, USA, on 28 May 2010 http://www.bragster.com/brags/367463

The fastest completion of the achievement ‘Vidmaster: Classic’ on Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft, 2009) is 2 min 33 sec, achieved by Geno ‘FunkyFunkFunky’ Belfatto (USA) in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on 17 May 2010. The achievement requires the player to complete any level of Halo 3: ODST on the toughest difficulty without firing a single shot. Most players, including Belfatto attempt this on the level ‘Uplift Reserve’.

The fastest speed reached on a conventional motorcycle by a female pilot (as opposed to aerodynamic ‘streamliner’) is 374.208 km/h (232.522 mph), by Leslie Porterfield (USA) on a modified Suzuki Hayabusa at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA, on 5 September 2008. In accordance with standard speed record practice, the record is the average of two timed runs over a mile (1.6 km) in opposite directions.

*6:42.16 Igor Boraska, Tihomir Frankovic, Milan Razov (all Croatia) Indianapolis, USA 18 September 1994 *Denotes non-Olympic boat classes.

The fastest cross country half marathon wearing a functioning gas mask is 2 hr 35 min 51 sec achieved by Team X-T.R.E.M.E. members Jeremy Soles, Jim Snyder, Matt Small, Colin Bunn, and Ben Dyer (all USA) at the XTERRA XDURO 21K in Richmond, Virginia, USA, on 11 June 2011. The gas mask used by each team member was a fully-functioning Avon Protection C50. All five team members crossed the finish line side by side, simultaneously setting the record. Team X-T.R.E.M.E. dedicated the run to SSgt. Continue reading →

The fastest crocheter is Lisa Gentry (USA) who crocheted a total of 5,113 stitches in 30 minutes at the Michaels Arts and Crafts Store, Monroe, Louisiana, USA on 25 June 2005. Lisa crocheted 284 shells (3 treble crochet in each shell) plus one treble crochet which is 5,113 in total – equivalent to 170 stitches per minute.