1

Florida: The American Dream car

Image: Richard R

Florida holds the record for the longest car in the world. Measuring a jaw-dropping 100 feet and 1.5 inches, this beast of a limousine stretches longer than a basketball court. Michael Dezer made it official at Dezerland Action Park in Orlando on March 1, 2022. It was rebuilt using parts from the original record-holding car. Wanna take a ride in it?

2

California: A dog on wheels—and on fire

Image: Ben Hanson

California isn’t just home to movie stars; it’s also where a dog named Tillman made record-breaking history. In 2009, Tillman flew across 330 feet on a skateboard in just 19.67 seconds. No, that’s not a typo; it took him less than 20 seconds. No motor, just pure doggy determination.

3

California: Pedaling across America at 67

Image: Tom Dillon

Lynnea C. Salvo, a retired teacher, didn’t let age slow her down. At the age of 66, she hopped on a bicycle and rode all the way, completing the first transcontinental bike ride. That’s 3,163 miles of grit, sunburn, and serious calf muscles. She wrapped up her journey on October 18, 2021, landing her a spot in the record books and in our article.

4

West Virginia: Flamingos, flamingos everywhere

Image: Vicko Mozara

If you’ve ever thought you liked flamingos, prepare to be humbled. Deborah Buscher Leck of Kearneysville, West Virginia, owns 2,595 flamingo-related items, making her the proud record-holder for the largest flamingo collection on Earth. It's pink, it's proud, and totally amazing!

5

Georgia: So many tiny chairs, so little time

Image: Haneen Alqatanani

Barbara Hartsfield of Ellenwood, Georgia, has a thing for chairs, but only the miniature kind. She’s collected 3,000 of them, each unique and meticulously displayed. It took her more than a decade to round them up. Her collection might be tiny in size, but it’s huge in charm. Who knew a chair that fits in your hand could still have so much to give you?

6

Idaho: Hula-hooping like a champ—in the pool

Image: Thomas Park

David Rush of Boise doesn’t just swim—he balances a hula hoop on his head while swimming. And not just for a few seconds. He kept that hoop steady for 16 minutes and 13 seconds, setting a Guinness World Record in 2017. If multitasking were an Olympic sport, David would be bringing home the gold, you know?

7

Iowa: The beard that wouldn't quit

Image: Multi Awesome Studio

Hans N. Langseth's beard was so legendary that it got its own posthumous world record. When he passed away in Kensett, Iowa, in 1927, his beard measured a whopping 17 feet and 6 inches long. That’s longer than most cars. His epic facial hair now lives on at the Smithsonian, preserved for curious beard fans and history buffs alike.

8

Kansas: Earsplitting basketball fans

Image: Marius Christensen

On February 13, 2017, the University of Kansas basketball fans did something no other crowd had managed before: They screamed their heads off to hit 130.4 decibels. That’s louder than a jackhammer. That way, the Jayhawks turned Allen Fieldhouse into the loudest indoor sports arena ever recorded.

9

Kentucky: The tape ball to end all tape balls

Image: Markus Spiske

Over in Louisville, the Portland Promise Center didn’t just toss out their tape; they rolled with it. They created a monstrous tape ball weighing 2,000 pounds and stretching 12 feet 9 inches around. It’s made of duct tape, packing tape, masking tape… You name it. Just don’t get too close, who knows what could happen?

10

Maryland: Crab cake heaven

Image: Andrey Stakhovskiy

Maryland takes its crab cakes seriously. How serious? Well, on September 1, 2012, Handy International in Timonium whipped up a 300-pound crab cake. That’s the size of a vending machine, but way tastier. It’s safe to say no one left that event hungry.

11

Minnesota: The fluffiest tail in town

Image: Daniel Zopf

Mr. Pugsley Addams, a silver Maine Coon from Mound, has a tail that stole the show—and the record. Measuring 18.5 inches, his tail was officially the longest on a domestic cat. That’s one unforgettable feline, don’t you think?

12

Mississippi: Cowbells ringing in unison

Image: Jamie Street

On September 10, 2015, the Mississippi State University Student Association gathered 5,748 people to ring cowbells at the same time. The result? A thunderous clanging that set a world record and probably made a few ears ring for days.

13

Alaska: Cabbage the size of a small car

Image: Arnaldo Aldana

Up in Alaska, where summer days seem to last forever, the vegetables grow big. Like, really big. Scott A. Robb set a jaw-dropping record at the Alaska State Fair with a cabbage that tipped the scales at 138.25 pounds. Scott’s no stranger to giant greens; he’s also grown record-holding turnips. There must be something in that Alaskan soil (or perhaps just a lot of fertilizer).

1

Clue #1

Image: Hybrid Storytellers

A nationwide ban on alcohol gave rise to speakeasies and bootlegging . Dance halls were alive with new rhythms, and women in shorter skirts shocked traditional society. Cities buzzed with fresh art, literature, and music. Affordable cars began filling the streets, changing how people lived and traveled.

2

Clue #2

Image: Tim Mossholder

The sound of distorted guitars and flannel shirts became the uniform of youth culture. At the same time, toy shops were filled with collectible plush animals and tiny digital pets. Computers were shrinking, and the world was just learning what "online" really meant. Sitcoms about groups of friends or quirky families topped the TV charts, while early cell phones were starting to appear in everyday life.

3

Clue #3

Image: Dominik Mecko

This period glittered with light-up dance floors and pulsing rhythms. Movie theaters drew crowds to see epic space battles and summer blockbusters . Fads like mood rings and quirky pet rocks had their moment in the spotlight. On the flip side, fuel shortages tested patience, and quick-service burger joints began appearing on more street corners.

4

Clue #4

Image: Cesira Alvarado

Families grew larger, and shiny new suburbs began to sprawl outside cities. Teenagers tuned in to a fresh sound that worried parents but captivated youth. Cars rolled into drive-ins for movies or burgers, while living rooms glowed with the latest entertainment gadget: the television set.

5

Clue #5

Image: Mitchell Orr

Television expanded with channels devoted to sports and 24-hour news. Music fans were glued to screens watching flashy new music videos . Young professionals embraced big paychecks, bold fashion, and an appetite for luxury. Arcades buzzed with electronic sounds, and living rooms welcomed the first home gaming systems.

6

Answer #1: The 1920s

Image: Marvin Meyer

Known as the Roaring Twenties, this decade was defined by Prohibition, flappers, and the Harlem Renaissance . Jazz poured out of clubs, while the Model T made road trips possible for everyday families. It was a time of innovation, rebellion, and cultural change.

7

Answer #2: The 1990s

Image: Dasha Zhytanska

The internet emerged, fueling the dot-com boom. Grunge bands from Seattle reshaped the music scene, while sitcoms like Friends and Seinfeld ruled TV. Kids collected Beanie Babies and fed Tamagotchis, while cell phones gradually became a part of daily life.

8

Answer #3: The 1970s

Image: Matthew LeJune

Disco fever ruled the nightclubs, and blockbusters like Star Wars rewrote movie history. Quirky fads, such as Pet Rocks, had short but memorable lifespans. Rising gas prices caused long lines at fuel stations, while fast food giants spread across the country.

9

Answer #4: The 1950s

Image: Elizabeth Smith

Suburbs such as Levittown expanded rapidly as families grew during the Baby Boom. Rock ‘n’ roll stars like Elvis lit up radios . TV ownership soared, transforming family routines, while drive-ins and diners became favorite hangouts for teenagers.

10

Answer #5: The 1980s

Image: National Cancer Institute

The launch of MTV sparked the music video explosion , while arcades buzzed with hits like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong . Yuppies pursued ambitious careers and embraced neon fashion. Cable television expanded viewing options, and home consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System brought gaming into millions of households.

1

Smuggled sandwich

Image: Gennady Zakharin

During the Gemini 3 mission, astronaut John Young secretly brought a corned beef sandwich into space . He and fellow astronaut Gus Grissom took a few bites while in orbit.

Needless to say, Mission Control wasn’t amused—there were serious concerns about crumbs floating around and interfering with the spacecraft’s systems.

2

A gorilla in the ISS

Image: Amy Reed

Astronaut Scott Kelly pulled off a wild prank during his year in space by dressing in a gorilla suit and chasing fellow astronaut Tim Peake around the International Space Station.

The costume had been secretly sent by Scott’s twin brother, Mark Kelly, as a surprise birthday gift during the mission.

3

Lunar picnic

Image: Lucie Capkova

In 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history as the first humans to walk on the Moon. But they didn’t stop there.

To mark the occasion, they also shared the first meal on the lunar surface . The menu included bacon squares, peaches, sugar cookie cubes, a pineapple-grapefruit drink, and coffee.

And unlike the smuggled corned beef sandwich incident, this meal was entirely mission-approved.

4

Fined by Mars "owners"

Image: Planet Volumes

In 1997, NASA was sued by three men from Yemen who claimed that Mars had been passed down to them by their ancestors.

They accused NASA of trespassing when the Pathfinder rover landed—and even began selling plots of Martian land for $2 per square meter. Of course, the case was never taken seriously.

5

Metric vs. Imperial

Image: Bozhin Karaivanov

Back in 1999, NASA lost a Mars orbiter due to a mix-up between metric and imperial units. One team used the metric system, while another used imperial units to track thruster force.

The error caused the spacecraft to veer off course and burn up in the Martian atmosphere. It had been intended to be the first satellite to study Mars's climate and weather in detail.

6

Another fine—for littering

Image: Attila Lisinszky

In 1979, NASA’s Skylab space station re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and broke apart, scattering debris across Western Australia, about 482 kilometers east of Perth.

In response, the Shire of Esperance , a local government body in Western Australia, jokingly fined NASA $400 for littering.

7

A building with its own weather

Image: reza shayestehpour

NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Kennedy Space Center is one of the largest buildings in the world by volume, enclosing over 3.7 million cubic meters of space. It was originally built to assemble the massive Saturn V rockets used in the Apollo missions.

But its immense size—combined with Florida’s high humidity—once led to clouds forming inside . To prevent this, NASA installed a 10,000-ton air conditioning system to control moisture and protect delicate spacecraft.

8

Bathroom issues

Image: Jan Antonin Kolar

Early space missions didn’t have modern toilets—just plastic bags taped in place. During Apollo 10, this led to an awkward moment when a piece of human waste was spotted floating through the cabin .

Commander Tom Stafford asked for a napkin to grab it, but no one claimed responsibility. Minutes later, another one appeared. The crew laughed it off, but to this day, the mystery remains unsolved.

9

Mutiny in space

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

In 1974, the Skylab 4 crew spent 84 days in space—the longest mission at the time. Overworked and stressed, the astronauts staged the first space mutiny by taking a surprise day off and cutting communication with NASA.

They relaxed and enjoyed the view of Earth before resuming contact the next day. NASA wasn’t thrilled but learned a valuable lesson: space missions must care for astronauts’ mental health, not just their physical well-being.

10

Paid to stay in bed

Image: Kinga Howard

NASA once paid volunteers $15,000 to lie in bed for 90 days to simulate the effects of zero gravity on the human body.

It sounds like a dream job (pun intended)—until you realize they weren’t allowed to get up at all, not even for a second.

11

No insurance

Image: Vlad Deep

Before Apollo 11 launched, the crew couldn’t get life insurance due to the mission’s high risks . So Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins came up with a clever backup plan.

They signed envelopes and postcards, which friends postmarked during the mission. If the astronauts didn’t return, their families could sell them to collectors for financial support.