This post is brought to you by Saab. At Saab, we believe in independent thinking. It’s in everything we do. Learn more here.
World records are usually spoken of in terms of the professional athlete, with time, distance, speed and strength being the facto units of measurement. But as any Guinness representative will be quick to point out, world records come in many forms. Here are several world records that you’d never have thought up, but which are nonetheless impressive, if not a little bizarre.
Drawing a Perfect Circle
We’re not sure who thought this one up, or how many drinks they’d had, but somewhere down the line Circle Drawing became a semi-legitimate sport. There is now an annual world championship in Las Vegas to determine who could draw the most perfect circle in the least amount of time, because nothing says Las Vegas like a bunch of grown adults in a room drawing circles. And while we scoff, watching a world record holder do it is actually pretty amazing.
Stacking Cups
Yes, really. In fact it’s become a major international sport, popular with kids as young as 3 up to the age they realize stacking cups isn’t going to get them anywhere with the opposite sex.
Highest Free Fall
In 2010, the world record for BASE jumping was set by two guys who stepped into the void from 2,205 feet off a skyscraper in Dubai. Almost 50 years ago, a guy named Joe Kittenger did something similar, except that he was 46 times as high. In 1960, a year before Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter space, Joe rode a weather balloon 19 miles up to the edge of space, then peaced out its front door. The fall took almost 15 minutes, through air that was -94 °F, with Joe hitting speeds of 614 mph. We imagine this speed was made possible by the weight of his solid brass testicles.
The Abacus
This may not be a world record per se, but it is nonetheless insanely impressive. If you thought the abacus was a hilariously out-dated arithmetic device, watch this. If you thought Tokyo school children were normal humans, watch this.
Limbo
Ah, limbo… the ugly step-sister of the high jump, only found on cruise ships and at company Christmas parties. We must give respect where respect is due however; this 50 year-old man passes under a bar a bit over 5 inches high.
