PART Three: Human Phenomena
26 – Guinness World Records Book
Chronicle of Human Possibilities
First Edition: August 27, 1955
History of Creation: In 1951, a heated debate arose between Sir Hugh Beaver, manager of the Irish Guinness Brewery, and his friends over which bird was the fastest in the world. Unable to find an answer in any reference book, Hugh Beaver decided to create a book himself, compiling facts about the most remarkable achievements and phenomena in the world.
Interesting Fact: The first edition was titled The Book of Superlatives: Of the Highest and Lowest, the Biggest, the Smallest, the Fastest, the Oldest, the Newest, the Loudest, the Hottest, the Coldest, the Strongest. It consisted of 198 pages and instantly became a bestseller.
Uniqueness: The Guinness Book of Records itself holds a place in the Guinness World Records as the most popular copyrighted book in the world.
Exhibit Significance: This is more than an encyclopedia; it is a valuable reminder of the boundless potential of humans and nature, stimulating curiosity and inspiring new discoveries.
History of Creation: In 1951, a heated debate arose between Sir Hugh Beaver, manager of the Irish Guinness Brewery, and his friends over which bird was the fastest in the world. Unable to find an answer in any reference book, Hugh Beaver decided to create a book himself, compiling facts about the most remarkable achievements and phenomena in the world.
Interesting Fact: The first edition was titled The Book of Superlatives: Of the Highest and Lowest, the Biggest, the Smallest, the Fastest, the Oldest, the Newest, the Loudest, the Hottest, the Coldest, the Strongest. It consisted of 198 pages and instantly became a bestseller.
Uniqueness: The Guinness Book of Records itself holds a place in the Guinness World Records as the most popular copyrighted book in the world.
Exhibit Significance: This is more than an encyclopedia; it is a valuable reminder of the boundless potential of humans and nature, stimulating curiosity and inspiring new discoveries.
27 – Thomas Wedders
The Longest Nose
Nose Length: 19 cm
Life Story: Little is known about Thomas Wedders. He was born in the 1770s in Yorkshire, northern England, and used his unique feature to earn a living by performing in a traveling circus.
Interesting Fact: To this day, Thomas Wedders’ record remains unbeaten. In the modern world, the average human nose measures 5.8 cm in length.
Exhibit Significance: Thomas’s story highlights how unique physical traits could shape a person’s life in past centuries and how society perceived such differences.
Life Story: Little is known about Thomas Wedders. He was born in the 1770s in Yorkshire, northern England, and used his unique feature to earn a living by performing in a traveling circus.
Interesting Fact: To this day, Thomas Wedders’ record remains unbeaten. In the modern world, the average human nose measures 5.8 cm in length.
Exhibit Significance: Thomas’s story highlights how unique physical traits could shape a person’s life in past centuries and how society perceived such differences.
28 – Robert Wadlow
Giant Among Us
Height: 272 cm
Historical Context: Robert Wadlow, born in 1918 in Alton, Illinois, USA, became known as the tallest person in recorded history. His extraordinary height was the result of hyperactive pituitary glands, a condition characterized by excessive production of growth hormone.
Interesting Fact: By the age of 8, Robert had outgrown his father, and by 18, he had reached the ceiling of his room.
Family of the Giant: His parents sought to give him a normal childhood: they enrolled him in the Boy Scouts and built a custom school desk. In the family car, to accommodate his size 76 feet, his father removed the front seat so Robert could stretch his legs. Upon finishing school, the Ringling Brothers circus invited him to tour with them, and he became famous as the “Alton Giant.”
Tragic Turn: In 1940, Robert injured his leg with a brace, leading to infection and ultimately sepsis, which caused his premature death.
Exhibit Significance: Wadlow’s life is a story demonstrating that even with extraordinary physical traits, one can live a full and remarkable life.
Historical Context: Robert Wadlow, born in 1918 in Alton, Illinois, USA, became known as the tallest person in recorded history. His extraordinary height was the result of hyperactive pituitary glands, a condition characterized by excessive production of growth hormone.
Interesting Fact: By the age of 8, Robert had outgrown his father, and by 18, he had reached the ceiling of his room.
Family of the Giant: His parents sought to give him a normal childhood: they enrolled him in the Boy Scouts and built a custom school desk. In the family car, to accommodate his size 76 feet, his father removed the front seat so Robert could stretch his legs. Upon finishing school, the Ringling Brothers circus invited him to tour with them, and he became famous as the “Alton Giant.”
Tragic Turn: In 1940, Robert injured his leg with a brace, leading to infection and ultimately sepsis, which caused his premature death.
Exhibit Significance: Wadlow’s life is a story demonstrating that even with extraordinary physical traits, one can live a full and remarkable life.
29 – Chandra Bahadur Dangi
THE SMALLEST MAN IN THE WORLD
Height: 54.6 cm
Weight: 12 kg
Biography:
Chandra Bahadur Dangi was born in 1939 in a remote village in Nepal, where he lived his entire life. He never visited a doctor, never owned a passport, and never left his homeland. His extraordinary height was the result of a genetic condition he himself likely never fully understood.
Life and Work:
The sixth child in his family, Chandra helped with household chores from an early age, tending to cattle and buffalo. Later, he started his own small business making jute hats, which he eventually passed on to his nephews.
Death:
Chandra passed away at the age of 76 from pneumonia while traveling abroad, where he was often invited as an honored guest.
Cultural Significance:
The story of Chandra Dangi reminds us that dignity and strength of spirit are not defined by physical size. His life is a testament to how truly remarkable people can remain unnoticed until the world learns to look beyond appearances.
Weight: 12 kg
Biography:
Chandra Bahadur Dangi was born in 1939 in a remote village in Nepal, where he lived his entire life. He never visited a doctor, never owned a passport, and never left his homeland. His extraordinary height was the result of a genetic condition he himself likely never fully understood.
Life and Work:
The sixth child in his family, Chandra helped with household chores from an early age, tending to cattle and buffalo. Later, he started his own small business making jute hats, which he eventually passed on to his nephews.
Death:
Chandra passed away at the age of 76 from pneumonia while traveling abroad, where he was often invited as an honored guest.
Cultural Significance:
The story of Chandra Dangi reminds us that dignity and strength of spirit are not defined by physical size. His life is a testament to how truly remarkable people can remain unnoticed until the world learns to look beyond appearances.
30 – Walter Hudson
The Story of a Large Waist
Life Years: 1944–1991
Record: Waist circumference 302 cm
Circumstances of Weight Gain: At age 15, Walter Hudson broke his leg and was bedridden for an extended period. Over time, this led to agoraphobia—a mental disorder characterized by a fear of open or crowded spaces—which further worsened his condition. By the time he reached forty, he was so obese that it took him an hour to reach the bathroom. In 1987, he became stuck in his bedroom door.
Interesting Fact: Walter’s breakfast could include a pack of sausage, half a kilogram of lard, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread with grape jam, and two liters of soda.
Societal Pressure: Walter was under intense scrutiny from creators of various diets, which caused him significant stress. It is believed that stress, rather than excess weight, led to his death from a heart attack at the age of 47. At that time, he weighed 543 kg at a height of 177 cm.
Cultural Significance: Walter Hudson’s story illustrates how mental health affects physical well-being and highlights the risks associated with extreme weight gain.
Record: Waist circumference 302 cm
Circumstances of Weight Gain: At age 15, Walter Hudson broke his leg and was bedridden for an extended period. Over time, this led to agoraphobia—a mental disorder characterized by a fear of open or crowded spaces—which further worsened his condition. By the time he reached forty, he was so obese that it took him an hour to reach the bathroom. In 1987, he became stuck in his bedroom door.
Interesting Fact: Walter’s breakfast could include a pack of sausage, half a kilogram of lard, a dozen eggs, a loaf of bread with grape jam, and two liters of soda.
Societal Pressure: Walter was under intense scrutiny from creators of various diets, which caused him significant stress. It is believed that stress, rather than excess weight, led to his death from a heart attack at the age of 47. At that time, he weighed 543 kg at a height of 177 cm.
Cultural Significance: Walter Hudson’s story illustrates how mental health affects physical well-being and highlights the risks associated with extreme weight gain.
31 – Ethel Granger
Icon of Extreme Fashion
Waist Circumference: 33 cm
Biographical Details: Ethel Granger was born in Cambridgeshire, England, and initially had an ordinary figure and appearance. In 1928, she married William Granger, who was fascinated by tiny waists. At his request, Ethel began wearing corsets, gradually reducing her waist to the size of a compact disc.
Fashion Experiments: Ethel and William often traveled across Europe in search of unusual corsets and heels, becoming well-known figures in the fashion world. Ethel also experimented extensively with body piercings, ahead of the trends of her time.
Health: Despite these extreme physical modifications, Ethel lived to the age of 77.
Exhibit Significance: Ethel Granger became an inspiration for many in the fashion world. In 2011, her style was recreated in Vogue Italia, provoking mixed reactions from the modern public.
Biographical Details: Ethel Granger was born in Cambridgeshire, England, and initially had an ordinary figure and appearance. In 1928, she married William Granger, who was fascinated by tiny waists. At his request, Ethel began wearing corsets, gradually reducing her waist to the size of a compact disc.
Fashion Experiments: Ethel and William often traveled across Europe in search of unusual corsets and heels, becoming well-known figures in the fashion world. Ethel also experimented extensively with body piercings, ahead of the trends of her time.
Health: Despite these extreme physical modifications, Ethel lived to the age of 77.
Exhibit Significance: Ethel Granger became an inspiration for many in the fashion world. In 2011, her style was recreated in Vogue Italia, provoking mixed reactions from the modern public.
32 – Kim Goodman
THE BIGGEST EYES IN THE WORLD
Lifetime: 1976 – present
Discovery of Talent:
Chicago resident Kim Goodman discovered her extraordinary ability to pop her eyes out of their sockets after being accidentally hit on the head with a hockey stick.
The Numbers:
Kim can protrude her eyeballs by 12 millimeters — completely painlessly.
Worldwide Recognition:
Her astonishing ability was officially recorded in the Guinness World Records, bringing her international fame. Since then, she has traveled the world showcasing her unique talent.
Exhibit Significance:
Kim Goodman’s story illustrates how even the strangest physical quirks can lead to global recognition — proof that fame sometimes looks you straight in the eye.
Discovery of Talent:
Chicago resident Kim Goodman discovered her extraordinary ability to pop her eyes out of their sockets after being accidentally hit on the head with a hockey stick.
The Numbers:
Kim can protrude her eyeballs by 12 millimeters — completely painlessly.
Worldwide Recognition:
Her astonishing ability was officially recorded in the Guinness World Records, bringing her international fame. Since then, she has traveled the world showcasing her unique talent.
Exhibit Significance:
Kim Goodman’s story illustrates how even the strangest physical quirks can lead to global recognition — proof that fame sometimes looks you straight in the eye.
