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Odd 2023: The 10 oddest Guinness World Records of the year

Chico the cockatoo rode his miniature scooter into the Guinness Book of World Records, becoming one of the oddest record-breakers of 2023. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records
Chico the cockatoo rode his miniature scooter into the Guinness Book of World Records, becoming one of the oddest record-breakers of 2023. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records

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Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Guinness World Records maintains a database of more than 40,000 records, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that the titles can veer quite a bit further into the realm of the odd than the world's largest grilled cheese sandwich.

In keeping with a tradition stretching all the way back to 2022, we have scoured the UPI Odd News headlines to bring you the 10 oddest Guinness World Records of 2023.

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Most skips by a cat in one minute

A talented tabby hailing from Missouri vaulted over a jump rope nine times in one minute to break the record for most skips by a cat in one minute.

Owner Trisha Seifried said she and 13-year-old Kit Kat have been practicing jump rope routines since the cat was only 6 months old, and the skill has led to appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a social media ad campaign for Friskies.

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Loudest burp (female)

Maryland woman Kimberly "Kimycola" Winter belted out a belch that was measured at 107 decibels -- about as loud as a motorcycle at full throttle.

Winter told Guinness World Records she had coffee and beer with her breakfast on the day of the attempt to ensure maximum volume for her gargantuan gas, which was just short of the 112.7-decibel male version of the record.

Longest distance full body burn run without oxygen

French firefighter Jonathan Vero, 39, donned a protective suit and was set ablaze on a track in Haubourdin for 893-foot run that earned him the record for the longest distance full body burn run without oxygen.

Vero completed the first 328 feet in a time of 17 seconds, which earned him a second title for the fastest full body burn 100 meter sprint without oxygen.

Longest tongue on a living dog

Rocky, a 9-year-old boxer from Bloomington, Ill., had his tongue measured at 5.46 inches from the tip of his snout to the tip of his tongue.

The canine's lengthy mouth muscle took the record for longest tongue on a living dog from Zoey, a Labrador/German shepherd mix whose 5-inch tongue had earned her the title earlier in the same month.

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Most spoons balanced on the body

Abolfazl Saber Mokhtari of Iran bested his own previous title when he managed to balance 88 spoons in various locations around his body.

Mokhtari, who previously set the record at 85 spoons, told GWR officials he first started sticking objects to his skin when he was a child, and he has now developed the skill to where he can use his natural adhesive properties to lift an entire adult person off the ground.

Most magic tricks underwater in three minutes

Avery Emerson Fisher, 13, combined her interests of scuba and stage magic to perform 38 tricks in one minute while submerged in a tank at the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco.

Fisher, who holds 12 scuba diving certificates and has been on more than 30 ocean dives, said she hopes her record will inspire others to take up scuba diving and raise awareness of ocean conservation.

Most people eating a single piece of spaghetti simultaneously

German restaurant group Vapiano gathered 465 couples at the Tempelhof airport hangar in Berlin to perform a simultaneous "Italian kiss," which involves two people sharing a single strand of spaghetti and locking lips when they meet in the middle.

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The restaurant group initially set the Lady and the Tramp-inspired record in 2020, and decided to take it back when they were bested by a group of 433 couples.

Fastest time to assemble Mr. Potato Head (blindfolded)

Andre Ortolf, a serial world record-breaker with more than 100 titles to his name, donned a blindfold and started with a fully disassembled Mr. Potato Head toy.

Ortolf added the feet, arms, face and hat to the plastic spud in 12.11 seconds, earning the record for the fastest time to assemble Mr. Potato Head (blindfolded).

Longest mustache on a living person (male)

Paul Slosar of Summerville, S.C., had the length of his 2-foot, 1-inch whiskers officially verified at the National Beard and Mustache Championships in Casper, Wyo., earning him the GWR title.

Slosar sports an English-style mustache, defined by the World Beard and Mustache Championships as: "Slender, beginning from the middle of the upper lip with the hairs extremely long and pulled to the side. Tips may be lifted slightly."

Fastest 5 meters on a scooter by a parrot

A speed demon cockatoo named Chico made an appearance on Italian TV show Lo Show dei Record and rode his bird-sized scooter a distance of 16.4 feet in 14.58 seconds to break his own previous record of 17.79 seconds, which was set just days earlier.

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Bulgarian man Kaloyan Yavashev, a professional parrot breeder and trainer, said he has had Chico since the avian was only 3 months old, and the bird showed an early aptitude for learning tricks and performing them for crowds.

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