Everything you'd ever want to know about the Guinness Book of World Records

Everyone wants to make history, to have their achievements recognized and preserved, no matter how ridiculous they seem. 

They want a set record, and there is no higher form of recognition in pop culture than the Guinness Book of World Records. 

Every year, this publication releases new editions, listing a new host of world records and natural world extremes. 

But what is the Guinness Book of World Records, and how did it start? What are the longest-standing records? How does the whole process work?

Here is everything you need to know.

What is the Guinness Book of World Records?

The Guinness Book of World Records is a reference book published in the UK that catalogs world records both of human achievement and from the natural world. 

How did the Guinness Book of World Records start?

As documented on their website, the Guinness Book of World Records was started in the 1950s by Guinness Brewery managing director Sir Hugh Beaver to settle arguments in bars. He assembled a team with two fact-finding researchers, Norris and Ross McWhirter, to compile a book of different figures, records, and facts. 

Since then, the book has exploded in popularity, outgrowing the Guinness Brewery itself, and is read all over the world.

How often is the Guinness Book of World Records updated?

The Guinness Book of World Records is updated every year, and a new edition is published annually.

What are the criteria for a record to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records?

For a record to be included, it must not meet any of the following conditions. 

The record must not be something subjective, such as beauty.

The record must not be something too easy, impossible, or specific to a single person.

The record must not be dangerous to animals or spectators.

If the record in question is deemed unsuitable for a minor, the person trying to break it must not be under 16.

Additional criteria include those relating to crime, alcohol, tobacco, excessive eating, and more.

One other oft-forgotten rule is that anyone who works for Guinness World Records may not attempt to set any world records. So if you work for Guinness World Records, you're out of luck.

How can someone apply to set or break a world record?

The Guinness World Records website offers several application processes and a handy beginner's guide to getting started. 

Part of this includes finding out in advance which record you want to break and looking through the many criteria on the site. However, this also involves a lot of waiting, and getting it done faster and more efficiently requires a lot of money. 

Fees exist to help speed up the process for priority applications and evidence submissions. A non-refundable fee is also charged for suggesting a new record. 

Organizations or individuals looking to use their records for business purposes can pay for consultancy services. These services include speaking with an account manager to help guide these clients through the process, finding the right record to break, and creating the appropriate marketing campaign. The services also help them license the Guinness World Records logo.

What is the process for verifying a world record attempt?

This is all part of the application process. Depending on your payment, it will take five business days to 12 weeks to receive proper guidelines after applying. 

After that, you have to make your attempt to break the record and submit the evidence that you have done so, which can also take between five business days to 12 weeks, depending on how much you pay.

What is the role of a Guinness World Records adjudicator?

69 Guinness World Records adjudicators verify the records, explain guidelines, answer questions about the process, and engage the audience. 

As public speakers with media training, the adjudicators are also able to handle the media side of things, such as participating in interviews or creating photo opportunities. 

How many records are included in the Guinness Book of World Records each year?

While the Guinness Book of World Records has recorded tens of thousands of world records throughout its history, the books are limited by page space. As such, they can only include around 4,000 records in the books each year.

Who holds the record for the most records in the Guinness Book of World Records?

According to Guinness World Records, the answer is Ashrita Furman, who, over the course of his life, has broken 600 world records and currently holds 200 world records. He has broken records on every continent. 

How has technology impacted the verification and documentation of world records?

Yes. Technological advancements have made submitting evidence easier. Furthermore, Guinness World Records Adjudicators have also said that video evidence has made verification easier, letting them slow down, pause, or restart when reviewing. 

Are there any risks or controversies associated with attempting to break world records?

Yes, there have been several controversies and risks. Given the physical nature of many records, some sort of risk is always a given. There are also risks that the money invested into the process will go to waste since Guinness doesn't compensate or provide cash prizes.

There have been a few controversies. Still, in recent years, the biggest ones have to do with Guinness World Records changing its business model to be more focused on advertising, something that seemed to have been necessitated by declining book sales due to the rise of the Internet. This has seen a greater focus on getting rich clients to pay Guinness World Records to help them set records, including those set by authoritarian regimes with the resources to accomplish this.

In 2019, British-American pundit John Oliver blasted Guinness World Records on his show Last Week Tonight for taking money from authoritarian governments such as Turkmenistan. This led to many human rights groups criticizing the brand and questioning its ethics.