Editing Guinness World Records (section)

===Evolution===
[[File:Lucky Diamond Rich face.jpg|left|upright|thumb|[[Lucky Diamond Rich]] is "the world's most tattooed person", and has tattoos covering his entire body. He holds the Guinness World Records title {{As of|2006|lc=y}}.]]
Recent editions have focused on record feats by individuals. Competitions range from obvious ones such as [[Olympic weightlifting]] to the longest [[egg tossing]] distances, or for longest time spent playing ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' or the largest number of [[hot dog]]s consumed in three minutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Hot Dogs Eaten in 3 Minutes |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/24214-most-hot-dogs-eaten-in-3-minutes |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119160744/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/24214-most-hot-dogs-eaten-in-3-minutes |archive-date=19 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref> Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts such as the heaviest tumour,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 1991 |title=Largest Tumour – Removed Intact |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67567-largest-tumour-removed-intact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120161133/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67567-largest-tumour-removed-intact |archive-date=20 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref> the most [[Mushroom poisoning|poisonous fungus]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Poisonous Fungus |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/66477-most-poisonous-fungus |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824012923/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/66477-most-poisonous-fungus |archive-date=24 August 2018 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref> the longest-running soap opera<ref>{{Cite news |title=Longest-Running TV Soap Opera |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-running-tv-soap-opera |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123185453/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-running-tv-soap-opera |archive-date=23 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019 |work=Guinness World Records}}</ref> and the most valuable life-insurance policy,<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 March 2014 |title=Mystery Billionaire Takes Out Historic $201 Million Life Insurance Policy |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2014/3/mystery-billionaire-takes-out-historic-$201-million-life-insurance-policy-56096 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112152038/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2014/3/mystery-billionaire-takes-out-historic-$201-million-life-insurance-policy-56096 |archive-date=12 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref> among others. Many records also relate to the youngest people to have achieved something, such as the youngest person to visit all nations of the world, currently held by [[Maurizio Giuliano]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Guinness Book of World Records |year=2006 |edition=UK |page=126}}</ref>

Each edition contains a selection of the records from the Guinness World Records database, as well as select new records, with the criteria for inclusion changing from year to year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Glenday |first=Craig |date=18 December 2014 |title=r/IAmA – I Am Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief at Guinness World Records – the World's Best-Selling Annual Book – AMA! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2ppbdz/i_am_craig_glenday_editorinchief_at_guinness/cmywf2e |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807182909/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2ppbdz/i_am_craig_glenday_editorinchief_at_guinness/cmywf2e/ |archive-date=7 August 2021 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=reddit}}</ref> The latest edition is the 70th, published on 15 September 2023. It is the fourth and last installment featuring Rod Hunt's illustrations on the cover with the topic of 'The ocean and the water'.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guinness World Records Archive |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/products/books/history-of-the-book/book-cover-archive |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref>

The retirement of Norris McWhirter from his consulting role in 1995 and the subsequent decision by Diageo Plc to sell ''The Guinness Book of Records'' brand have shifted the focus of the books from text-oriented to illustrated reference. A selection of records are curated for the book from the full archive but all existing Guinness World Records titles can be accessed by creating a login on the company's website. Applications made by individuals for existing record categories are free of charge. There is an administration fee of £5 (or $5) to propose a new record title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Application Process |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/the-application-process/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109082310/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/the-application-process/ |archive-date=9 January 2019 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref>

[[File:Can you see the surfer? (33988985575).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The North Beach ([[Nazaré, Portugal|Nazaré]], Portugal), listed on the Guinness World Records for the biggest waves ever surfed]]
A number of spin-off books<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guinness Record Book Collecting |url=https://guinness.book-of-records.info/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227142638/http://book-of-records.info/ |archive-date=27 December 2018 |access-date=12 January 2019 |website=guinness.book-of-records.info}}</ref> and television series have also been produced. ''Guinness World Records'' bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on [[Ashrita Furman]] of Queens, New York, in April 2009; at that time, he held 100 records.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guinness World Records Honors One Man's Historic Milestone – 100 Records Broken! – Guinness World Records Blog Post |url=http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Guinness-World-Records-honors-one-mans-historic-milestone-100-Records-Broken/blog/241933/7691.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612221225/http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Guinness-World-Records-honors-one-mans-historic-milestone-100-Records-Broken/blog/241933/7691.html |archive-date=12 June 2009 |access-date=29 December 2009 |publisher=community.guinnessworldrecords.com}}</ref>

In 2005, Guinness designated 9 November as ''International Guinness World Records Day'' to encourage breaking of world records.<ref name="Guinness2006">{{Cite web |title=Records Shatter Across the Globe in Honor of Guinness World Records Day 2006 |url=http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061106005761&newsLang=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718032729/http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061106005761&newsLang=en |archive-date=18 July 2012 |access-date=29 April 2007}}</ref> In 2006, an estimated 100,000 people participated in over 10 countries. Guinness reported 2,244 new records in 12 months, which was a 173% increase over the previous year.<ref name="Guinness2006" /> In February 2008, [[NBC]] aired ''The Top 100 Guinness World Records of All Time'' and Guinness World Records made the complete list available on their website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guinness World Records Live: Top 100 |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2008/01/080128.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610215601/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2008/01/080128.aspx |archive-date=10 June 2015 |access-date=6 November 2008 |website=Guinness World Records}}</ref>

The popularity of the franchise has resulted in ''Guinness World Records'' becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Midlands World Record Breakers |url=https://www.itv.com/news/central/2012-09-13/midlands-world-record-breakers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015212647/https://www.itv.com/news/central/2012-09-13/midlands-world-record-breakers |archive-date=15 October 2022 |access-date=15 October 2022 |publisher=ITV News |quote=The Guinness World Records, the global authority on record breaking achievements}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Metallica Earns Spot in 'Guinness World Records' 2015 Edition |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-earns-spot-in-guinness-world-records-2015-edition |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015212646/https://blabbermouth.net/news/metallica-earns-spot-in-guinness-world-records-2015-edition |archive-date=15 October 2022 |access-date=15 October 2022 |work=Blabbermouth |quote=Guinness World Records (GWR) is the universally recognized global authority on record-breaking achievement.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Lewandowski Enters Guinness World Record Books |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/noblmd14-lewandowski-enters-guinness-world-record-books.jsp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923040826/https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/noblmd14-lewandowski-enters-guinness-world-record-books.jsp |archive-date=23 September 2020 |access-date=5 August 2020 |publisher=Bundesliga |quote=Guinness World Records is the world's authority on record-breaking achievements.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Guinness World Records: How the Irish Brewer Became an Authority on Firsts, Feats and Pub Trivia |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/guinness-world-records-new-edition-history-origins-brewer-ireland-a8523941.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818203722/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/guinness-world-records-new-edition-history-origins-brewer-ireland-a8523941.html |archive-date=18 August 2020 |access-date=5 August 2020 |work=The Independent |quote=The book recounting record-breaking achievements from all manner of disciplines across the world is now in its 63rd edition and continues to be a bestseller, the place to go for anyone interested in finding out who is the world's most tattooed man or who built the fastest jet-powered go-kart.}}</ref>