Overview

Let's see what humans can do.

What world record are you capable of setting? We believe every person on earth has potential to be the world's best 'something'. URDB's mission is to become the database where all such achievements will live.

What record categories are acceptable?

The general guidelines are simple: every record in the database must be a) quantifiable, b) breakable and c) include indisputable media evidence. If you want to set a record for, say, "Fastest Time Eating a Banana While Standing On The Great Wall of China and Wearing A Purple T-Shirt", go for it. Creativity is highly encouraged.

While not mandatory, achievements that positively impact mankind are encouraged. For example, think "Most Soda Cans Recycled in 24 Hours" instead of "Most Oil Spilled Into a Lake". Let's build a site we'll all feel good about.

Who judges the submissions?

Ultimately, you will. This means witnessing/documenting your friends' records, contributing to the wiki-based URDB Rulebook and Glossary, voting on unverified records and possibly becoming a Senior Judge in your specialized area of expertise. If you'd like to get involved, please contact us.

History

How did this site come to life?

URDB is an evolution of a Burning Man theme camp created in the summer of 2004. A group of friends, including URDB co-founder Dan Rollman, sat down in San Francisco to brainstorm theme ideas for their camp. Eager for a concept that allowed community participation, Dan suggested a Burning Man Book of Records, in large part due to his lifelong Guinness Book obsession.

They called themselves the Playa Book of Records (PBR), an homage to the book they’d been inspired by. They bought yellow suit jackets as a nod to Wide World of Sports, drew up documentation forms, made hand-painted signs and took off for the desert, unsure of what was to come.

After just a few days documenting records, they sensed they were onto something. Camp visitors were dreaming up and setting unique, creative and spectacular records. They were taking great pride in their feats. Competition was fierce, with record setters returning daily to make sure their achievements hadn’t been topped.

The Playa Book of Records has returned to Burning Man every year since, growing larger and more established each time. They’ve evolved from wristwatches to stopwatches, single witnesses to multiple, and photo documentation to video. The PBR database now holds over 250 unique records, most of which are included on this site.

In 2006 Rollman met Corey Henderson through his then girlfriend (now wife) Emily Wilson. Over beers during a Ratatat concert in San Francisco, Rollman pitched PBR to Henderson and explained his dream of evolving it online. Henderson saw the vision, and the two spent the night brainstorming on how to make it happen.

Fast forward to 2008. Rollman and Henderson, both now living in New York City, have spent many months and countless hours figuring out this site and bringing it to life. They’ve turned to friends and family countless times for invaluable assistance, and are excited to finally see this site live.

Team

Dan Rollman, Founder and President

Dan is a lifelong world record fanatic. He attempted to set a Guinness Record for ravioli eating in college, but failed miserably. Rollman’s previous career was in advertising, where his achievements included two Super Bowl commercials, an Emmy Award, and a billboard that enraged the province of Saskatchewan.

Corey Henderson, Founder and Head of Technology

Corey is equally passionate about world records, having read the Guinness Book voraciously throughout his youth. A competitive marathoner who hails from a family of entrepreneurs, Henderson’s been at the leading edge of web development since 1997.

Favorite Record: Fastest Time To Solve A Rubik's Cube While Riding A Unicycle

Marc , Partner and Head of Operations

A graduate of NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, Marc has worked in the technology industry for over ten years His background includes operations, finance and management. Marc has also consulted for a broad range of companies ranging from startups to non-profits.

Advisory Board

Chris Sacca

An accomplished venture investor, private equity principal, company advisor, entrepreneur, and public speaker, Chris manages a portfolio of over two dozen consumer web, mobile, and wireless technology start-ups as well as an array of mature enterprises through his holding company, Lowercase Capital. He also holds the URDB World Record for Most Consecutive Push-Ups On Top Of The Continental Divide.

Favorite Record: Most Giraffe Tattoos On A Shoulder

Craig Kanarick

Hailed as an influential thought leader throughout the field of digital technology, Craig is best known as the co-founder of the pioneering internet services firm, Razorfish. His design work is part of the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Craig and his family live in New York City.

Favorite Record: Fastest Time To Play 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' On A Baby Piano While Holding A Pomelo In One Hand

Cindy Gallop

A former chairman of BBH with deep experience working with blue-chip brands such as Johnnie Walker and Levi's, Cindy left advertising in 2005 to become an entrepreneur and brand consultant. Cindy launched makelovenotporn.com at TED in February 2009 and just launched IfWeRanTheWorld.com, which enables individuals, companies and non-profits to partner to help change the world one microaction at a time.

Favorite Record: Fastest Time To Register A Private Limited Company Via The Internet

Principles

URDB was founded on the belief that every person on earth is capable of being the world's best "something". That said, encouraging humanity to push its limits is fraught with challenges. When you participate in the record-breaking community, please keep the following ideals in mind.

1. Honesty and accuracy are pretty much everything.

For URDB to succeed, we have to rely on the integrity of mankind. Whether you're setting a record, judging a record or voting on a record, please be as honest and accurate as possible.

2. Don't hurt yourself. Don't hurt others. Don't hurt the planet.

URDB exists to bring out the best in people, not harm lives or the environment. If you have the slightest concern about a record you're considering, please contact us first or discuss it with the most responsible person you know.

3. Waste sucks.

If you're going to set a record for, say, "World's Largest Banana Cheesecake" or "Largest Collection of V-Neck Sweaters", don't let your creation go to waste. Get a food bank or charitable group involved so you can help out others while achieving your feat.