world records
23 questions tagged world records — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
Which Is the World's Smallest Country by Population?
Vatican City has the smallest population of any recognized country, with roughly 800 residents.
What is a world record?
A world record is the best or most extreme officially recognized achievement in a particular category.
What is the World's Largest Ball of Twine?
The World’s Largest Ball of Twine is a roadside attraction in Cawker City, Kansas. It is a famous example of a novelty world record.
When was the first Nobel Prize awarded?
The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901. The prizes were established by the will of Alfred Nobel.
When was the first roller coaster built?
The first roller coaster ancestor opened in the 1800s, with one of the earliest in 1817. It was the Russian Mountains attraction in France.
When was the first successful deep-sea submersible dive to the Challenger Deep?
The first successful descent to the Challenger Deep was made in 1960 by the bathyscaphe Trieste. It reached the deepest known point in the oceans.
When was the hottest temperature on Earth first officially recorded?
The current officially recognized hottest air temperature, 56.7°C, was recorded on 10 July 1913 at Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley.
When was the coldest temperature on Earth first officially recorded?
The coldest officially measured air temperature on Earth, −89.2°C, was recorded at Soviet Vostok Station on 21 July 1983.
Where is the world’s largest clock face?
The world’s largest clock face is on the Abraj Al Bait Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The tower’s clock faces are about 43 metres across.
Where is the Deep Sea Challenger submersible associated with its Mariana Trench dive?
Its record-setting 2012 dive took place in the Challenger Deep, the deepest known part of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean. That site lies near Guam.
Where is the largest living organism on Earth?
A massive Armillaria fungus in Oregon, USA, is often cited as the largest living organism. It spans an enormous underground area in the Malheur National Forest.
Where is the world’s largest known living structure made by an animal located?
The Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, Australia, is the largest living structure created by animals.
Where is the deepest known whale dive recorded?
The deepest recorded dive by a whale was made by a Cuvier’s beaked whale in the North Atlantic near the Bahamas. It reached about 2,992 meters.
Which shellfish creates the largest pearl in recorded history?
The largest known pearl is often called the Pearl of Lao Tzu or the Pearl of Allah. It weighs about 6.4 kilograms and was formed inside a giant clam.
Whose expedition first reached the bottom of the Challenger Deep?
Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh descended to the Challenger Deep in 1960 aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste. They reached about 10,916 meters, proving humans could visit the deepest oceanic point.
When was the first confirmed ascent of the Seven Summits challenge completed?
The Seven Summits challenge was first completed by Richard Bass in 1985.
When was the first official world record for extreme heat recorded?
The often-cited early record for extreme heat was 56.7 °C, measured at Death Valley, California, on 10 July 1913. It remained one of the best-known global heat records for more than a century.
When was the first bird flight speed record officially measured?
The formal study of bird flight speed developed in the 20th century, with the fastest stoop of the peregrine falcon measured in the modern era.
When did the largest known fungal organism begin growing?
The largest known fungal organism, Armillaria ostoyae, is estimated to have started growing about 2,400 years ago.
Where are the world’s largest known nesting colonies of sociable weavers found?
Sociable weavers build enormous communal nests in the arid regions of southern Africa, especially Namibia and Botswana. Their nests are among the largest bird-built structures in the world.
Which fungus is the largest living organism by area?
A honey fungus in Oregon is often cited as the largest living organism by area. It spreads underground across more than 2.4 square miles, or about 965 hectares.
Which fungus is the oldest known living organism?
A honey fungus in Oregon is often estimated to be thousands of years old, possibly around 2,400 years or more. Exact ages are difficult to prove because fungi spread underground.
Whose work first described the ostrich as the fastest living bird on land?
The ostrich is recognized as the fastest land bird, capable of sprinting around 70 km/h. This is a biological fact established through observation, not attributed to one person.