Humanity’s horizons are expanding once again, and our world is experiencing unprecedented change. Keeping up with this dizzying revolution are the Guinness World Records adjudicators, who’ve been busier than ever documenting the Officially Amazing. The result is Guinness World Records 2023!

We start with a tour of our Solar System and beyond, exploring astronomical superlatives in a chapter dedicated to the latest developments in the New Space Race. Back down to Earth, we delve into the natural world to encounter the animal kingdom’s mightiest and most bizarre beasts.

Get up close and personal with the most iconic human beings – the tallest, shortest, strongest and hairiest – and be amazed at the extraordinary skills on display from the world’s greatest jugglers, rock-climbers, freestylers and mermaids (yes, mermaids!).

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, we dedicate a chapter to a whistle-stop tour of our planet from the comfort of your armchair, pointing out record-worthy landmarks, tourist hot-spots and cultural phenomena.

Our team of gaming consultants and editors have picked out the Top 25 Greatest Gaming Records of All Time – does your favourite game get a mention?

We end with every significant new sporting achievement logged in the 30-page Sports section.

The awesome gift the whole-family can enjoy! This 2024 children’s annual is loaded with all-new jaw-dropping, eye-popping, brain-bending facts and bright, bold photography! Combining the planet’s weirdest facts with the coolest and strangest true stories From peculiar pooches and cockroach cyborgs to unusual sculptures, sparkling salt flats and super sneezes Explores animals, geography, science, the environment, human achievement and lots more The perfect book for fans of Guinness World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Whether it’s weird words, foul food, yucky creatures, or the Wonders of the World, this 2024 children’s annual is sure to entertain!

The SASOL Encyclopaedia of science and technology is the ideal comprehensive reference source for Secondary school learners and Higher education and training (HET) students. It also provides a reference resource for professional and general use.

Bursting with facts on over 600 unique blocks! Minecraft continues to grow every year and Minecraft Blockopedia: Updated Edition catalogues every single block in the game. Over 200 new blocks have been added in this completely revised edition, including those from the most recent Caves & Cliffs update. Ever wanted to know how to make obsidian, or find out where you can mine for emeralds? Maybe you've wondered what you can use ancient debris or copper ore for? The answers are all contained in this comprehensive collection of blocks. Every page has been lovingly crafted from the ground up to suitably showcase each of the blocks - from deep dives on the intricate patterns of glazed terracotta and the benefits of the beacon block to concise explanations of furnace and anvil mechanics. This is the perfect gift for Minecraft fans of all generations, in a beautifully presented hardback edition. The original version of this title was a bestseller, shifting 200,000 copies in the UK alone.

A holistic and extensive exploration of both the dynamic and incremental changes in EU public policy and the decision processes surrounding them, this Elgar Encyclopedia is the definitive reference work in the field of EU public policy. Unifying theoretical insights with empirical phenomena, this pioneering Encyclopedia begins by engaging with the multi-level structure of the EU's polity and identifies how this affects public policy, considering the role of various non-state actors in EU policymaking, and the concepts of Europeanization and policy diffusion. Offering a theoretical introduction to policy integration, it examines intergovernmentalism, neofunctionalism, and postfunctionalism, alongside an innovative analysis of policy styles and the effects of recent crises on EU public policy, including COVID-19 and populism. Chapters conclude by reflecting on policy implementation and dynamics, and the impact of feedback on public policies and institutions. Ultimately demonstrating that the study of public policy in the EU has produced a set of EU-specific analytical perspectives, this timely book will guide further research avenues into EU public policy for students and scholars interested in (EU) public policy, public administration and comparative politics, alongside informing the decision-making of policymakers globally. Key Features: Accessible format split into 9 thematic parts Fully cross-referenced with select bibliographies for further reading Entries written by an international and interdisciplinary group of over 90 preeminent experts in the field of public policy

Did you know this...

Billy Crystal's childhood babysitter was the legendary Billie Holiday?

It is physically impossible for pigs to look up at the sky?

The dot above the letter "i" is called a "tittle"?

Would you like to know which celebrities died virgins, or which novel was the first written on a typewriter? Or are you simply looking for some way to entertain yourself in the bathroom? Would you like to know the working titles of the Beatles' songs, or what things were invented by women? Answer "yes!" to any or all of these questions and This Book--like That Book--is the book you've been waiting for!

Fully revised and updated, and with a bright new design, Guinness World Records 2022 provides a fascinating snapshot of our world today.

Our editors have chosen to curate the book with environmental issues at the forefront of their mind, so we open with a chapter exploring what’s happening to our ecosystem and what superlative lengths people are going to make a difference. We also want to encourage readers to put their own record-breaking to good, so look out for projects that might inspire you to make a difference – so don’t just Discover Your World, Change Your World!

Despite the challenges of the past year, it’s been business as usual at Guinness World Records, and our researchers continue to field thousands of applications a month. Expect that unique mix of remarkable humans, talented pets, incredible vehicles and impressive sporting legends.

What you’ll find inside:

• Environmental champions – the eco-warriors fighting to make our planet a better place
• Wonders of the natural world, from the most intelligent creatures to the deadliest plants
• The tallest and shortest… Our record scouts have measured a host of the world’s loftiest and diminutive humans
• Pop Culture icons – we reveal the world’s most successful movie franchises, videogames, toys and brand
• Young Achievers – meet the under-16 influencers, entrepreneurs and entertainers who are taking positive steps to change the world
• Sporting heroes – we review the biggest sporting achievements of the year and put them in context alongside the greatest athletes of all time

PLUS! Look out for bonus features including free Augmented Reality dinosaurs that come to life straight off the page; more inductees into the Guinness World Records Hall of Fame, including Sir David Attenborough, astronaut Peggy Whitson and K-Pop sensations BTS; and “Virtual Visits” that take you on a journey to some of the most fascinating and record-packed visitor attractions, museums, art galleries and parks – all without leaving your home!

Ponder, if you will ...Why are tennis balls fuzzy? How come birds don't tip over when they sleep on telephone wires?What makes yawning contagious?Why, oh why, do roosters have to crow so early in the morning?

Pop-culture guru David Feldman demystifies these topics and so much more in When Do Fish Sleep? -- the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's most baffling questions. Part of the Imponderables(R) series and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, When Do Fish Sleep? arms readers with the knowledge about everyday life that encyclopedias, dictionaries, and almanacs just don't have. And think about it, where else are you going to get to the bottom of why Mickey Mouse has only four fingers?

Here are the answers to questions that have been keeping you and your loved ones up nights, questions that have driven families to feuds, questions that nag and nag just won't let go. Have you ever wondered juts what purpose those warning labels on mattresses are supposed to serve? Or what happens to the trend that wears off tires? And how many meals have you spent pondering the perennially baffling question of why hot dogs come ten to a package while hot dog buns come in eight?

"Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" has the solutions to these and scores of other Imponderables. David Feldman's witty and irresistible compendium of knowledge goes where other reference books fear to trend, uncovering closely guarded secrets, revealing long-hidden facts, and, like all other invaluable works of detection, never letting well enough alone. Whether you want to settle those arguments about the difference between a kit and a caboodle, or just curious about dry cleaning, Teflon, Wayne Gretzky, or chocolate bunnies, "Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?" is indispensable.

“The Collins English Dictionary is a book to be treasured, no home should be without one”, The Times. The largest single-volume English dictionary in print celebrates the extraordinary breadth and changing nature of world English, with more than 732,000 words, meanings and phrases. Updated with the very latest new words and senses, this is an unparalleled resource for word lovers, word gamers and word geeks everywhere. It draws on Collins’ extensive language databases and covers many literary and rare words useful for crossword solvers and setters as well as Scrabble players. Ideal for use at work, at home and for study – new words, new meanings and new uses are tracked by Collins’ lexicographers who monitor language change around the world. This, along with suggestions from the public on the award-winning collinsdictionary.com, ensures Collins English Dictionary truly is the home of living language. More place names and biographical entries – with over 9,500 place names and 7,300 biographies you will find thousands of fascinating facts and figures at your fingertips. The latest edition is beautifully designed and printed, and now with a protective slipcase, and is surprisingly light and easy to hold. Designed for day-to-day use, with a clear layout and virtual thumb tabs, it is also available in flexible formats to suit every user – in print, as a Kindle dictionary and an iOS app.

The encyclopaedia once shaped our understanding of the world. Now these huge books sell for almost nothing on eBay while we derive information from our phones. What have we lost in this transition? All the Knowledge in the World tracks the story from Ancient Greece to Wikipedia, from modest single-volumes to the 11,000-volume Chinese manuscript that was too big to print. It exposes how encyclopaedias reflect our changing attitudes towards sexuality, race and technology, uncovers a fascinating part of our shared past and wonders whether the promise of complete knowledge - that most human of ambitions - will forever be beyond our grasp

How much did Byron's brain weigh? Why are people said to grin like Cheshire cats? Was the Duke of Clarence really drowned in a Malmsey butt? First published in 1849, Notes and Queries quickly established itself as a unique treasure-trove of lore and out-of-the-way information on a wide and eccentric range of subjects. This newly created collection brings together the most intriguing items from its early years, ranging from ornamental hermits to regimental goats, from mummified monks to seventeenth-century mince pies, from how to handle Ivan the Terrible to remedies for the plague. The result is a plum pudding of a book, and an ideal gift for the curious.

'This book is great because it covers everything in existence apart from the 95% of stuff not worth bothering with' Philomena Cunk, star of Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, Moments of Wonder and Cunk on Britain, Cunk & Other Humans 'Essential reading for these slipshod times' Al Murray Once in a blue moon, a book comes along that changes the world. The Origin of Species. War and Peace. 1984. The World According to Danny Dyer. And now, Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena, by Philomena Cunk. Philomena Cunk is one of the greatest thinkers of the 21st century, and in Cunk on Everything she turns her attention to our biggest issue: why are there so many books? Wouldn't it be better if there was just one? This is that book - an encyclopedia of ALL HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, from sausages to Henry of Eight to Brush Strokes to vegetarian sausages. Read it, and you'll never have to read another book again. 'This is a book' Philomena Cunk 'Never contact me again' Professor Rupert Delgado, MBE 'Cunk for PM' Rachel Riley '. . . book . . .' Guardian 'Truly the intellect for our baffling times' The Times 'This book is absolutely stupid' The Pool

A visual guide to how the world really works, through stunning infographics and data visualisations, thoroughly revised, recalculated and reimagined for this new edition. We are overwhelmed by information - from our phones, our televisions, our computers, our newspapers. This new edition of Information is Beautiful has been revised throughout with over 20 updates and 20 new visualisations. It offers shelter from the flood by visualising data in a new way that blends facts with their connections, their context and their relationships - making information meaningful, entertaining and beautiful. This is information like you have never seen it before - easy to flick through but also engaging enough to study - information that comes to life in your hands and your eyes.

A micro-encyclopedia for those who want to know the perfumer's work and learn about the perfume industry from the inside, but have no guide on where to start.

On July 6, 1947, rancher Mack Brazel walked into the sheriffs office in Rosewell, New Mexico, to report some strange debris in one of his fields.  The incident was the culmination of several reports of strange lights, sounds, and shapes in the sky; the beginning of a series of government statements, retractions, and denials; and the subject of a thousand conflicting stories.

What actually happened at Rosewell-and how the government reacted to the case-has been in dispute for more than half a century.  Now this unique reference guide, by one of the best known and respected Rosewell experts, presents a mountain of pertinent information in an easy-to-use A-to-Z format, including facts, theories, people, objects, observation, and events.  Exhaustive, up-to-date, and compelling, The Rosewll Encyclopedia will help you come to your conclusions about an incident that continues to mystify and fascinate believers and skeptics alike.

The Encyclopedia of Percussion is an extensive guide to percussion instruments, organized for research as well as general knowledge. Focusing on idiophones and membranophones, it covers in detail both Western and non-Western percussive instruments. These include not only instruments whose usual sound is produced percussively (like snare drums and triangles), but those whose usual sound is produced concussively (like castanets and claves) or by friction (like the cuica and the lion's roar). The expertise of contributors have been used to produce a wide-ranging list of percussion topics. The volume includes: (1) an alphabetical listing of percussion instruments and terms from around the world; (2) an extensive section of illustrations of percussion instruments; (3) thirty-five articles covering topics from Basel drumming to the xylophone; (4) a list of percussion symbols; (5) a table of percussion instruments and terms in English, French, German, and Italian; and (6) an updated section of published writings on methods for percussion.

Why are recessions not all bad? (pg. 51)

Which Major League Baseball team keeps its baseballs in a humidor--and why? (pg. 123)

Why is 300 cents more than 3 dollars? (pg. 49)

Mark Di Vincenzo, author of the New York Times bestseller Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon, returns with more fascinating facts Do you know:

(1) what percentage of doctors in China smoke?(2) which is the most dangerous day of the year to drive a car?(3) whether a heart can literally break? (4) how much investors paid for a Canadian cow named Missy?

Within these pages you'll find tips and facts that will save you money, help you live healthier, and make you the most interesting person to talk to at any party.

The encyclopaedia once shaped our understanding of the world. Created by thousands of scholars and the most obsessive of editors, adults cleared their shelves in the belief that wisdom was now effortlessly accessible in their living rooms. Contributions from Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Orville Wright, Alfred Hitchcock, Marie Curie and Indira Gandhi helped millions of children with their homework. But now these huge books gather dust and sell for almost nothing on eBay, and we derive our information from the internet, apparently for free. What have we lost in this transition? And how did we tell the progress of our lives in the past? All the Knowledge in the World is a history and celebration of those who created the most ground-breaking and remarkable publishing phenomenon of any age. It tracks the story from Ancient Greece to Wikipedia, from modest single-volumes to the 11,000-volume Chinese manuscript that was too big to print. It looks at how Encyclopaedia Britannica came to dominate the industry and how an army of ingenious door-to-door salesmen sold their wares to guilt-ridden parents. It explains how encyclopaedias have reflected our changing attitudes towards sexuality, race and technology, and exposes how these ultimate bastions of trust were often riddled with errors and prejudice. With his characteristic ability to tackle the broadest of subjects in an illuminating and highly entertaining way, Simon Garfield uncovers a fascinating and important part of our past, and wonders whether the promise of complete knowledge - that most human of ambitions - will forever be beyond our grasp.

There are a number of points throughout the trade mark system where multiple undertakings share the same name, either unwillingly, or by consent. In this timely book, expert contributors address this controversial issue and identify the various points at which names are shared. This unique book uses both historical and interdisciplinary perspectives, as well as more traditional legal methodology, to examine the practical and theoretical implications of such name sharing for the parties involved. It analyses what can be learned from the sharing process about the nature of the trade mark system and the interests which it protects. General themes relating to the nature and purpose of trade mark law are also discussed. The contributors focus on UK and European law and their detailed treatment of specific trade mark topics will prove invaluable to postgraduate law students and academics specialising in intellectual property. Legal practitioners will appreciate the up-to-date consideration of concepts important in both contentious and non-contentious trade mark practice and in-house counsel for brand owners will benefit from the expert guidance offered on issues relevant to protecting their trade marks.