world record

WTF Fun Fact 13538 – Michel Lotito

Michel Lotito, known as ‘Monsieur Mangetout’ (Mr. Eat All), was not your average eater. His diet included items that most would consider inedible: metal, rubber, and glass.

Lotito’s extraordinary consumption habits earned him a place in the Guinness World Record for the world’s strangest diet. Among his most remarkable feats was eating an entire airplane, along with bicycles, razor blades, and more.

The Method Behind the Madness

Born in 1950 and passing away in 2007, Lotito’s unique eating habits began in his teenage years. He discovered his ability to consume non-food items and developed a taste for them.

To prepare these items for consumption, he cut them into bite-sized pieces using an electric power saw. He swallowed these pieces whole, like a pill, aided by mineral oil and water to lubricate the process. Surprisingly, he managed to excrete these materials without significant problems.

Lotito’s preparations for consuming such bizarre items were meticulous. He had an incredibly high pain threshold, which he attributed to practicing sophrology, a form of self-hypnosis and relaxation. His first experience with eating glass at the age of 16 led him to explore other inedible objects.

What started as a simple party trick evolved into a lucrative career. Lotito performed in various shows, displaying his unique talent. He could consume items like bicycles, which he would eat over several days, and even razor blades, plates, and metal pieces.

The Anatomy of Michel Lotito

Lotito’s unusual diet is attributed to pica, a psychological disorder characterized by eating things that are not food. However, Lotito believed his physical makeup played a significant role in his dietary choices. He claimed to have incredibly strong teeth and powerful gastric juices that could melt metal.

Despite his unique ability, soft foods like bananas and hard-boiled eggs caused him discomfort. While there were doubts about whether his body was genuinely different from an ordinary person’s, his long-term doctor expressed concerns about the impact of his diet on his health.

Legacy of an Extraordinary Eater

Monsieur Mangetout’s diet remained a fascinating and cautionary tale. He passed away in 2007 due to natural causes. The extent to which his diet influenced his health or his death remains a mystery.

Over 15 years after his passing, Michel Lotito’s story continues to intrigue and caution new generations. As a performer, entertainer, and record-breaker, his legacy as a truly one-of-a-kind individual lives on.

Michel Lotito’s story is a testament to the incredible adaptability and resilience of the human body. His ability to consume what most would find inconceivable not only challenged our understanding of what is possible but also provided a unique perspective on the human experience. Whether it was his mental fortitude or a unique physiological makeup, Monsieur Mangetout’s life remains a fascinating chapter in the annals of extraordinary human behaviors.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “The man who ate metal: Monsieur Mangetout’s strange diet” — Guinness Book of World Records

WTF Fun Fact 13527 – World’s Oldest Chicken

Meet Peanut, a 21-year-old bantam hen from Waterloo, Michigan. Recently dubbed the world’s oldest living chicken by Guinness World Records, Peanut has shattered all norms surrounding avian longevity. In a world where the average chicken lives only 5 to 10 years, Peanut’s journey is not just fascinating but also scientifically intriguing.

A Chick with Grit

Peanut’s life started on rocky ground. Abandoned in a frozen egg by her mother, she was minutes away from being a meal for a hungry fox. However, a chirp for help made Marsi Parker Darwin, the owner of Darwin’s Eden Farm, reconsider the decision to discard the seemingly lifeless egg.

Marsi carefully broke the shell and gave Peanut her first taste of life, one she wasn’t willing to give up so easily.

A Bird With Identity

Most chickens live an ordinary life, but not Peanut. From the beginning, she exhibited an unconventional personality. She relished human company, often perching on Marsi’s arm or sitting quietly in her pocket.

According to Marsi, Peanut never saw herself as a ‘normal’ chicken but rather as an individual deserving of a place on Darwin’s Eden, a farm that serves as a sanctuary for various animals.

Peanut’s Secret to Being the World’s Oldest Chicken

The question that puzzles many is, how did Peanut manage to live this long? Marsi credits a well-rounded diet and specialized care for her animals. However, even she believes there must be an unknown ‘x-factor’ that has contributed to Peanut’s record-breaking longevity.

Documenting a Lifetime: Photography as Proof

To establish Peanut’s age and hence claim her title, Marsi had to provide proof. Thanks to a well-documented life in pictures, Marsi could substantiate Peanut’s age. Each photograph captured was not just a moment frozen in time but an irrefutable piece of evidence that showcased Peanut’s extraordinary lifespan.

Peanut’s story isn’t confined to Darwin’s Eden. She’s been immortalized in a children’s book, penned by none other than Marsi herself. The book goes beyond narrating Peanut’s unique life; it also serves as a moral lesson, encouraging kids to overcome obstacles and never lose hope, much like Peanut did when she chirped for her life.

Will She Build the Oldest Chicken Ever?

As Peanut enjoys her twilight years, the world is watching to see if she’ll break the record for the oldest chicken ever, currently held by a 23-year-old hen named Muffy. While age may be catching up with her, Peanut’s story serves as a testament to resilience, the power of care, and the miraculous outcomes that can arise from unexpected beginnings.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “Meet Peanut, a 21-year–old chicken and world record holder” — NPR

WTF Fun Fact 13354 – The Longest Breath Hold

Aleix Segura Vendrell set a record for the breath hold in 2016. To be precise, it was the longest static apnea breath-hold with pure oxygen pre-breathing. This means that Vendrell breathed pure oxygen before holding his breath, which allowed him to extend the duration. This category is separate from the “no oxygen assistance” static apnea records, in which the individual does not use any external oxygen source before holding their breath. As a result, he held his breath for an astounding 24 minutes and 3.45 seconds.

The world record for longest breath hold

Vendrell’s record was set in the static apnea category with pure oxygen pre-breathing, which means he inhaled pure oxygen before holding his breath. This technique saturates the blood and tissues with oxygen, allowing for a longer hold compared to normal air intake. Pre-breathing pure oxygen is not allowed in the “no oxygen assistance” static apnea category. In that category, athletes rely solely on their natural ability to hold their breath.

Freedivers like Vendrell undergo physiological adaptations that enable them to hold their breath for extended periods. One such adaptation is the mammalian dive reflex, a set of responses triggered by immersion in water. This reflex causes the heart rate to slow down (bradycardia), blood vessels in the extremities to constrict (peripheral vasoconstriction), and the spleen to release more oxygen-rich red blood cells into the bloodstream. These adaptations help conserve oxygen and prioritize its delivery to vital organs, such as the brain and heart.

Training for greatness

Another crucial adaptation is the ability to tolerate high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the body. As CO2 levels rise during a breath hold, the urge to breathe becomes more intense. Freedivers train to withstand this urge, allowing them to maintain their breath-hold for longer durations.

Holding one’s breath for an extended period is not without risks. Hypoxia, a state of oxygen deprivation, can lead to loss of consciousness, brain damage, or even death. Therefore, it is essential that freedivers and those attempting long breath-holds take necessary precautions and undergo proper training to minimize these risks.

Safety personnel and medical staff supervise freediving competitions and record attempts to ensure that athletes receive immediate assistance if any complications arise. Additionally, freedivers often follow specific training regimens, gradually increasing their breath-hold durations and practicing techniques to manage the physical and mental challenges associated with this feat.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “What It Takes to Hold Your Breath for 24 Minutes (Yeah, It’s a Thing)” — Wired

WTF Fun Fact 13078 – World’s Biggest Snowflake

We really can’t picture the world’s biggest snowflake. Apparently, it was 15 inches long. But there is no photo since it was spotted by multiple people all the way back in 1887. Nothing has overtaken it in the Guinness Book of World Records because…well, how do you preserve a snowflake long enough to prove it?

According to the Guinness Book of World Records page for the “largest snowflake”: “It is reported that on 28 Jan 1887 at Fort Keogh, Montana, USA, ranch owner Matt Coleman measured a snowflake that was 15in 38cm wide and 8in 20cm thick, which he later described as being ‘larger than milk pans’ in Monthly Weather Review Magazine.”

Spotting the world’s biggest snowflake

Experts insist that snowflakes as large as frisbees or basketballs aren’t entirely out of the question – but they’re likely multiple snowflakes attached to one another.

Yet, since the 19th century, there have been multiple recorded sightings of such giant flakes falling from the sky (and really falling since their weight and size would make them fall faster than small snowflakes).

According to the NYT (cited below), there are still questions.

“But the evidence was always sketchy and, because of the fragile nature of snowflakes, fleeting. The giant flakes were not quite in the category of sea monsters or U.F.O.’s. Even so, skeptics noted the human fondness for exaggeration, as well as the lack of convincing photographs. And the organizations that compile weather records never made tracking big flakes an observational requirement. So the giants languished in a twilight world of science, their existence claimed but seldom documented.”

Snowflakes can get BIG

Maybe there really was a 15-inch snowflake. Multiple Army officers reported seeing them, as did a nearby rancher in Montana where they fell. But what other evidence could we reasonably expect?

There’s not much restricting the possible size of snowflakes other than the wind. It’s likely that a truly huge flake would be torn apart before anyone could see it.

Yet, if you look back far (and wide) enough in history, there are multiple mentions of abnormally large flakes. These days, anyone with a ruler and a camera could document the world’s biggest snowflake if they wanted to.

According to the NYT:

“William S. Pike, a British weather observer for the Royal Meteorological Society, found 11 poorly known reports, which he described in The Journal of Meteorology in January 1988. He wrote that reliable observers of big flakes estimated their diameters at anywhere from two to six inches.” — WTF fun facts

Source: “Snowflakes as Big as Frisbees?” — New York Times

WTF Fun Fact 12407 – Stack of Snacks

Brendan Kelbie is a serial world record breaker who has once again entered the record books with his stack of 6 M&Ms. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but the previous record was 5 and we suggest you give it a try if you think you can do better.

Kelbie recaptured his title from co-champs from Britain and Italy who had done the five stack. His tower held unaided for 10 seconds at his home in Queensland, the Guinness World Records said.

“I’ve decided to break this record because I’m a serial record-breaker, and I am a versatile world record holder,” Kelbie told Guinness.

Kelbie’s other records are equally unique: he’s done the most drumstick flips in 1 minute (98), balanced a basketball on a pair of glasses the longest (29.67 seconds), built the tallest tower of dice on the back of a hand while blindfolded, and spun a basketball on his nose the longest (9.57 seconds).

We think these world records are getting a little silly but to each their own! We certainly can’t do any of those things. – WTF Fun Facts

Source: Australian man stacks six M&M’s, earns world record — UPI