Largest Q-tip breaks a record for World Marrow Donor Day

A bid to drive volunteer bone marrow donors has resulted in a super-sized cotton wool bud setting a new world record for the Largest Q-tip.

 

Having decided to achieve an incredibly large record to promote World Marrow Donor Day earlier this month, the Gift of Life Marrow Registry set out to create a huge Q-tip as the symbol for the cause as cotton wool buds are used to swab the inner cheek, which gathers cells of potential donors. 

 

 

 

After being measure by official adjudicator Michael Furnari, the mammoth structure was declared 18 ft and 8.3 inches long during an unveiling event in the center of Columbus Circle, and iconic spot location near Central Park in the greater New York City area. 

 

 

Present at the unveiling were advocates of the organization, such as CEO and Founder Jay Feinberg, Chairman Bill Begall, campus chapter ambassadors, volunteers, and potential donors.

 

 

World Marrow Donor Day celebrates all donors, family or unrelated, who have given marrow to patients in need. 

 

The holiday doubles as a way of raising awareness to the public about becoming stem cell donors, as well as the significance that a blood stem cell transplants can have on those in need of receiving one. 

 

 

Earning a Guinness World Records title is an appropriate triumph for the registry’s cause, as 50% of patients who need marrow transplants find their perfect match in another nation. 

 

This feat was one of several events that took place around the world for World Marrow Donor Day to thank the 28 million donors in 55 countries in 2016. 

 

India's PM Narendra Modi sees three 

records broken at birthday event

In celebration of the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi’s 66th birthday on Saturday, three Guinness World Records titles were successfully attempted in Navsari, Gujarat.

The record attempts took place during an event for ‘divyangs’ - differently-abled people – and was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Disabled, Government of India and ALIMCO as part of the government’s ongoing ‘Accessible India’ initiative.

On Friday, an incredible 989 disabled people, whose ages ranged from young to old, came together to set an all-new record for the Most oil lamps lit simultaneously (single venue) - almost doubling the minimum of 500 participants they needed in order to achieve the title.

 

Guinness World Records adjudicator Rishi Nath was on hand to officiate the attempt and ensure that everyone lit their lamp within the 30 seconds allowed.

 

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The following day, with Prime Minister Modi in attendance, guests at the event broke the record for the Largest wheelchair logo/image - 1,000 participants in wheelchairs depicted a message saying ‘Happy Birthday PM’ by wearing orange, white or blue hats and blankets.

 

 

They significantly bettered the previous record of 346 participants that was achieved by Hope Inc. in Moorhead, Minnesota, USA, documented on the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2010.

Official Guinness World Records adjudicator Alan Pixsley flew out from London especially to judge at the event in India.

 

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A record for the Most people fitted with hearing aids in 8 hours was also set as 600 people with hearing impairments were given the amplification devices.

 

 

Free assistive devices kits were handed out to thousands of people throughout the weekend, in addition to the hearing aids distributed during the record attempt.

 

 

PM Narendra Modi spoke to the guests at his birthday event to congratulate the many new record holders, talk about the 'Accessible India' scheme, and applaud his country’s Paralympic athletes that have been competing at Rio 2016.

Game of Thrones wins three Emmys and breaks two world records

The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles on Sunday and saw HBO’s global hit show Game of Thrones take home its 38th award after winning coveted statuettes for Best Writing, Best Directing and Best Drama. 

The series was nominated for 24 awards and came home with 12 and, as a result, the popular fantasy epic has secured two new Guinness World Records titles for Most Emmy Awards for a fictional series and Most Emmy Awards for a drama series.

The previously, the most awarded fictional series was US comedy Fraiser, which has 37.

Game of Thrones first premiered on HBO on 17 April 2011 and concluded its sixth season on 26 June 2016.

Over the years, the series - which was adapted by HBO from George R. R. Martin's series of novels - has achieved a multitude of historic television records.

As of 2 Feb 2016, HBO’s smash-hit fantasy series had received 16 awards from the Visual Effects Society since 2012 – the Most VES awards won by a TV series.

On 20 Sep 2015, Game of Thrones gained the Most Emmy awards won by a TV series in a season – 12, for its fifth season.

 

 

One downside to Game of Thrones’ incredible popularity is that in 2015 the series was the Most pirated TV show for the fourth consecutive year, according to download-monitoring website TorrentFreak. From Apr to Jun 2015, there were about 14,400,000 illegal downloads per episode.

 

2015: Maisie Willaims, who plays Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, accepts a certificate from Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday to celebrate the show's place in the Guinness World Records 2016 book

 

The dramatic Season 5 finale also saw the Most viewers sharing a single torrent file simultaneously: 258,131. And for around 7,997,000 bona fide viewers in the USA, it was Thrones’ most successful season to date.

The seventh season is scheduled to premiere in mid-2017.

Game of Thrones appears in the new Guinness World Records 2017 Edition book, alongside loads of the world’s favourite TV shows, movies, arts and media record breakers.

Records fall at Blackmores Sydney Marathon

A number of impressive new Guinness World Records titles were achieved at Blackmores Sydney Running Festival in Australia on Sunday as four dedicated runners took on the 26-mile marathon in costume.

 

Sports psychologist Alexander Scherz from Switzerland broke his own record for theFastest marathon dressed as a jester (male), crossing the line in an impressive 2 hr, 59 min and 54 sec.

 

Alex Scherz receives a certificate from official Guinness World Records adjudicator Solvej Malouf

The 43-year-old bettered his previous time of 3 hr 1 min 56 sec that he achieved at the Virgin London Marathon four years ago.

Speaking to Guinness World Records ahead of his attempt, Alexander said he chose the jester costume because his surname means ‘joke’ in German and he thinks that the event in Sydney was his 55th marathon.

Next across the line was Howard Dawson (Australia), who earned the title Fastest marathon dressed as a food supplement (male) in a time of 3 hr 3 min 52 sec.

 

Finishing the gruelling course in a time of 3 hr 37 min 25 sec, 24-year-old Aussie student Dominic Sweeny-Nash achieved the Fastest marathon dressed as a French Maid (male) – having never trained in his costume before.

Dominic chose to support mental health charity Black Dog Institute while running his first ever marathon.

 

  

Joseph Peach (Australia) proved he was king of the track after completing the Fastest marathon dressed as a monarch (male) in a time of 3 hr 59 min 29 sec.

 

This is the first year that Guinness World Records has partnered with the marathon’s organisers, enabling participants to attempt records and receive on-the-day verification from an official adjudicator.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Solvej Malouf, who was on hand to officiate the attempts, said: "This was such an exciting day. There is such a buzz here and the crowd has been loving our costumed runners. Fingers crossed we can build on this momentum next year."

Guinness World Records will be at the Berlin Marathon this Sunday, where two devoted runners will be attempting to break the record for Fastest marathon run by a married couple (aggregate time).