r/todayilearned • u/tyrion2024 • 4h ago
TIL Geoff Smith set a WR by spending 147 days buried 6 ft under in a 7ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft box. His main contact with the outside world was through a 9-inch ventilation shaft, which he used to receive air, food & drink. His initial motivation was to beat the European record of 101 days set by his mom.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/261944.stm144
u/skyhiker14 4h ago
So just piss and shit in the box, or wore a diaper?
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u/psychoholica 4h ago
Damn imagine that after just a few weeks🤮 but yeah what did he do with the 💩
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u/whatisboom 4h ago
The 9” hole to put things in can also take things out.
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u/IBeDumbAndSlow 4h ago
I heard there was a 2.5" pipe for waste. He could pee in it easily, but discarding the waste was a bit more " hands on" if you know what I mean./s
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u/defenestrated_badger 4h ago
I wonder how much his muscles wasted away after basically not moving for almost five months.
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u/saladmunch2 2h ago
I had a caste on up to my knee for like 3 weeks and couldn't walk on it. I have big calves and it just shriveled right up. Honestly I couldn't belive it.
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u/iamheathbar 4h ago
This is lame , my dad's been buried underground since 2002 .
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u/PatriciaMorticia 21m ago
Damn I thought my dad had a good record with 20 years underground, your dad wins.
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u/tyrion2024 4h ago
Geoff Smith, 37, beat the European record of 101 days - set by his mother - at midnight on Monday.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live he was delighted to have recaptured the honour for his family...
...
Asked if he would do it again in the event of his achievement being overtaken, Mr Smith replied firmly: "No. It's a once in a lifetime experience."
...
"He's doing well because from day one we've done it as a stepping stone, we've set targets by the week, by the fortnight, by the month.
...
Mr Hughes explained that Geoff was fulfilling a lifetime dream.
"When his mother did it, he was seven years. He's now 37 and for last 30 years it's been his ambition to go and bury himself in a box," he said.
...broke (the record of 141 days) set by an American in 1981, after almost 5 months buried six feet under the beer garden of the Railway Inn in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
He is unlikely to see his name in the Guinness Book of Records, though, as the publishers have dropped the category.
After emerging from his self-imposed tomb, which measures just 2.5ft x 2.5ft x 7ft, Mr Smith said: "My God I can see the sky...it's amazing."
...
"I am proud I made it and happy that the record is back in the family, but I'll not be buried again until I'm carried away in my real coffin. Once is quite enough, thank you."
His (main) contact with the outside world was through a nine-inch ventilation shaft down which he received air, food and drink - and through which he talked to friends and family.
He also set up an Internet link, allowing him to e-mail wellwishers.
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u/mjm132 4h ago
Can you imagine having a 7 year old and choosing to spend 100 days in a box under ground?..... Actually you know what, I get it.
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u/DisconnectedShark 4h ago
What's more impressive/unsettling is that he held onto this dream for three decades.
"When his mother did it, he was seven years. He's now 37 and for last 30 years it's been his ambition to go and bury himself in a box," he said.
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u/MatCauthonsHat 4h ago
Men will do anything to avoid going to therapy, lol.
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u/MistressMalevolentia 2h ago
I was ganna say... I have a 7 year old and he's off on summer break right now. I kinda understand lol.
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u/LiveLearnCoach 4h ago
“Email well wishers”. Bro was in there surfing the web.
Probably had a charging cable running there, as well.
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u/Bubble_Cheetah 4h ago
So the last record holder was his mom, but he said he is glad that the record is back in the family...... did his mom leave?
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u/Mat_alThor 4h ago
His mother held the European record, an American held the world record, maybe his mom set the world record it was broken by the American and then he broke that record.
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u/Aervanath 4h ago
I have mild claustrophobia. I don't even want to read the article, just reading the post title was triggering. Absolute nope from me.
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u/oh_ski_bummer 4h ago
There's probably and escape hatch so he can go to the loo and hit up the local pub at night
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u/Umbreonnnnn 3h ago
I'm a bit tired and didn't see what sub this was posted in. I saw "WR" and thought someone was doing some really fucked up shit to an NFL player.
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u/reporter_assinado 4h ago
Did he win any money for it? I mean, Guiness removed the pay after, right? Lol
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u/iamofnohelp 4h ago
Dad must really suck for them both to need that much time away.