20 Strange Guinness World Records That Make No Sense
From bizarre talents to utterly pointless feats, these world records leave us wondering why they even exist.
- Chris Graciano
- 5 min read
The Guinness World Records book is filled with incredible achievements, but not all of them make sense. Some records seem absurd, whether due to their sheer ridiculousness or the fact that they serve no real purpose. Here’s a look at 20 strange world records that will make you question humanity’s priorities.
1. Most Big Macs Eaten in a Lifetime
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
One man, Don Gorske, has eaten over 30,000 Big Macs since the 1970s. He keeps track of every burger he consumes, rarely going a day without one.
2. Longest Fingernails on a Single Hand
Eric Kim on Pexels
Shridhar Chillal of India didn’t cut his fingernails for over 66 years, growing them to a combined length of 29 feet. Daily life became incredibly difficult, and the nails had to be carefully preserved to avoid breaking.
3. Most T-Shirts Worn at Once
MART PRODUCTION on Pexels
A man in Croatia set a record by putting on 245 T-shirts in one go. The layers got so thick that he could barely move by the end of the attempt.
4. Fastest Time to Eat a Raw Onion
Monleo Yellow Chef on Pexels
This record involves eating a whole raw onion as quickly as possible, the fastest time being just over 29 seconds. Between the burning eyes and terrible breath, it’s unclear why anyone would willingly attempt this.
5. Farthest Distance Squirting Milk from the Eye
Teo Do Rio on Unplash
One man discovered he could squirt milk from his eye and decided to turn it into a world record. The longest recorded distance is over 9 feet, proving that human bodies are capable of truly strange things.
6. Longest Time Balancing a Lawn Mower on the Chin
Le Thanh Huyen on Pexels
A man held a running lawn mower on his chin for over three minutes. While it takes skill and strength, it’s also a dangerous way to spend an afternoon.
7. Most Snails on a Face
Riadh Dallel on Pexels
A record-holder once let 43 live snails cover their face at the same time. The slimy creatures slowly crawled around while the person remained still.
8. Most Toilet Seats Broken by a Head in One Minute
Pixabay on Pexels
Someone out there decided that smashing toilet seats with their head was a skill worth mastering. The current record stands at over 40 seats in 60 seconds.
9. Fastest Time to Type a Text Message While Running a Marathon
Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels
Not only did someone run an entire marathon, but they also typed a complete text message while doing it. The ability to text while moving at high speed is mildly impressive, but it’s hardly a skill anyone needs.
10. Heaviest Weight Lifted by a Human Beard
Kevin Bidwell on Pexels
Some people lift weights with their arms; others do it with their beards. The record for heaviest beard lift stands at over 140 pounds, proving that facial hair can be surprisingly strong.
11. Most Watermelons Chopped on a Stomach in One Minute
Marco Antonio Victorino on Pexels
This record requires someone to lie down while another person chops watermelons on their stomach with a machete. Timing, precision, and trust are crucial, but it’s mostly a recipe for disaster.
12. Longest Distance Dragged by a Horse While on Fire
Mark Thomas on Pexels
Yes, this is a real record. Someone set themselves on fire, got dragged behind a horse, and called it an achievement.
13. Largest Collection of Traffic Cones
Mary Taylor on Pexels
One person has collected over 500 different traffic cones. While collecting rare or historical items makes sense, traffic cones are about as mundane as it gets.
14. Most Rotations Hanging from a Power Drill in One Minute
Ono Kosuki on Pexels
For reasons unknown, someone thought it would be a great idea to attach themselves to a spinning power drill and rotate as many times as possible. The record stands at over 140 spins.
15. Fastest Time to Solve a Rubik’s Cube While Skydiving
Pixabay on Pexels
Solving a Rubik’s Cube on the ground is already a challenge for many people, but doing it while free-falling from thousands of feet in the air? That’s next-level unnecessary.
16. Most Socks Put on One Foot in 30 Seconds
Annushka Ahuja on Pexels
The record for this involves stuffing as many socks as possible onto one foot within half a minute. The current record stands at 52 socks.
17. Longest Time Spent Hula Hooping
Kaboompics.com on Pexels
The longest hula hooping session lasted over 100 hours. That’s more than four days of continuous spinning.
18. Most Eggs Crushed with the Head in One Minute
Klaus Nielsen on Pexels
A record-breaking individual once smashed over 80 eggs with their forehead in just 60 seconds. While it might be fun to watch, it’s hard to argue that it’s an actual talent.
19. Largest Collection of Garden Gnomes
Francesco Ungaro on Pexels
One person amassed a collection of over 2,000 garden gnomes. While collecting is a common hobby, dedicating an entire property to gnome figurines is a next-level commitment.
20. Fastest Time to Eat a Bowl of Pasta with No Hands
cottonbro studio on Pexels
This record involves devouring a full bowl of pasta without using hands or utensils. The mess factor alone makes it hard to take seriously.