Year in World Records - January: David Bowie, flying drones and Google tech hit the headlines

With a year packed full of amazing world record achievements drawing to a close, Guinness World Records is taking a month-by-month look back over the most impressive, exciting and game-changing accomplishments that have happened in 2016.

 

We begin on New Year’s Eve, when Iglesia Ni Cristo hosted the world’s Largest fireworks display in the Philippines, lighting the sky up with a spectacular 810,904 individual rockets.

 

Around 100,000 people attended the festivities at the Philippine Arena in Ciudad de Victoria Bocaue Bulacan, Manila.

 

Read more: Iglesia Ni Cristo New Year's event in the Philippines confirmed as largest firework display ever

 

A spectacular display of drone technology by Intel Corporation (USA) involving 100 small aircrafts being launched skywards in formation has earned a new world record title for the Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously.

 

The record was set in collaboration with Ars Electronica Futurelab to push the limits of the UAV industry and to show what UAVs can be used for.

 

Read more: Intel stuns during CES keynote with record for most drones airborne simultaneously

 

Intel recently bettered their record with a breath-taking 500 drones.

 

The world went into shock when British music legend David Bowie died on January 10.

 

Fans flocked to video-hosting platform VEVO to listen to his tracks, with his recordings attracting a record-breaking 51 million views in just 24 hours.

 

Bowie smashed Adele’s record for the Most views for an act on VEVO in 24 hours.

 

Read more: David Bowie 1947-2016 - A record-breaking look back at the music icon’s incredible life

 

In January we kicked off a new weekly video series on YouTube – Guinness World Records Italian Show. The clips feature the most jaw-dropping record attempts that took place on Lo Show Dei Record in Italy.

 

The first episode featured Game of Thrones’ star Thor Björnsson and the video has now clocked up over 2.3 million views on YouTube.

 

Read more: Game of Thrones star Thor Björnsson smashes fastest fridge haul record - Guinness World Records Italian Show

 

You can watch more from the Italian Show on this playlist.

 

Everyone was talking about Google’s new miniscule Street View cameras when they were revealed in January.

 

We saw them explore the Largest model train set and Largest model airport with impressive 360 degree imagery.

 

Read more: Google’s mini Street View tech explores record-breaking model village Miniatur Wunderland

 

Over in India we saw a spectacular mass participation attempt at the Largest Bollywood dance.

 

Thousands of young dancers aged between 7 and 18 took part in a hypnotising routine, led by the Pankaj and Preeti Dance Academy.

 

Read more: Watch as 8,726 people perform the world's largest Bollywood dance ever in India