Untouchable: 10 World Records That Stand Unbroken to This Day (12 photos)

Humanity has always been fascinated by the extraordinary, the extreme, and the seemingly impossible. Since the 1950s, Guinness World Records has been documenting mind-boggling achievements, ranging from the heaviest weight ever lifted to the most apples crushed with a bicep. Yet, some records remain untouched—and will likely never be broken. Here are ten of the most unbreakable milestones in history.





Some set records, while others come along to break them again and again. But then there are those rare feats that stand completely out of reach. Here are 10 world records that remain untouched to this day.

1. The man who broke the most world records



Most people dream of breaking just one world record, but Ashrita Furman managed to set over 700. For more than 30 years, he racked up one extraordinary feat after another. While many of his titles have since been reclaimed by others, his legacy remains unmatched. His eccentric accomplishments include riding public transit with a milk bottle balanced on his head, somersaulting over record distances, and playing the most games of hopscotch in 24 hours.

2. The world's longest fingernails





Shridhar Chillal from India set this record in 2014 after growing the fingernails on his left hand for over 60 years. By the time they were measured, their combined length reached 198 cm (nearly 6.5 feet). Maintaining the nails severely impacted his daily life, so he eventually had them cut. They are now on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York City.

3. The tallest man in history



Robert Wadlow was certified as the tallest man in recorded history by Guinness World Records in 1940, standing at an astounding 2.72 meters (8 feet 11 inches). Born in 1918 to average-sized parents, he grew at a staggering rate from early childhood. By the age of eight, he was already taller than his father and all of his classmates.



Wadlow's extraordinary height caused severe health complications. Doctors determined that his rapid growth was caused by hyperplasia of the pituitary gland, which produced abnormally high levels of human growth hormone. Tragically, he passed away at just 22 years old due to a septic infection caused by a blister from a leg brace he was forced to wear.

4. The man who survived seven lightning strikes



Former park ranger Roy Cleveland Sullivan survived being struck by lightning seven distinct times. His incredible streak began with a powerful strike in 1942 and ended with a seventh in 1977. Miraculously, he lived through every single incident, walking away with minor burns and losing a toenail.

5. The highest-grossing film of all time



Despite ticket prices being dramatically higher today than in the early 20th century, modern blockbusters still haven't beaten the true champion: the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind. Adjusted for inflation, its original global box office haul of $393.4 million equals roughly $3.4 billion today.

6. The world's most bizarre diet



Michel Lotito earned his spot in history through his obsession with consuming inedible objects. Over his lifetime, he consumed 18 bicycles, 15 supermarket carts, seven television sets, six chandeliers, two beds, a pair of skis, a light aircraft, and a computer. Gastroenterologists who examined his stomach deemed his ability to digest nearly two pounds of metal per day entirely unique. Lotito once claimed that normal food made him sick, which is why he regularly indulged in glass and iron.

7. The deadliest pandemic in human history



While recent global events shocked the world, nothing compares to the devastation wrought between 1347 and 1351. The bubonic plague epidemic, known as the Black Death, ravaged Europe, wiping out a quarter of its population and claiming an estimated 75 million lives. Though between 1,000 and 3,000 cases of the plague are still diagnosed annually, the disease is now treatable—and hopefully, its horrific record will never be surpassed.

8. The world's largest office building



The Pentagon holds the record for the largest office building in the world. It spans over 557,000 square meters (6.5 million square feet), with more than half of that space dedicated to offices.

9. Most aircraft types flown



Captain Eric Brown, a Royal Navy test pilot, set the world record for flying the greatest number of aircraft types. Over his career—which included flying during World War II—the British aviator piloted 487 different types of aircraft, rapidly testing new planes under wartime conditions.

10. The man who survived both atomic bombings



Tsutomu Yamaguchi survived the atomic bombings of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was on a business trip in Hiroshima when the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the city. Miraculously surviving, he returned home to Nagasaki, only to experience the second blast just days later. Yamaguchi survived both attacks and spent the rest of his life sharing his eyewitness account of the horrors.

Even Jennifer Aniston earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, setting a milestone thanks to her Instagram account.