A Michigan man, Claude Moore, has set a world record by creating a giant rubber band ball weighing more than five tons, infohub.kz reports.
Guinness World Records officials certified the feat in Detroit. The unusual structure weighed in at exactly 5,251.69 kilograms — comparable to the mass of an adult elephant. Moore thus surpassed the previous world record, which had stood since 2008, when a similar ball weighed 4,097 kilograms.
Moore has been making rubber band balls since his school years. He spent a lot of time in hospitals because of hemophilia, and the pastime helped distract him during procedures. He began building his record-breaking ball in 2015. Over time, the structure outgrew his garage and had to be moved to a special warehouse.
Dozens of volunteers helped the enthusiast build the giant ball. According to the record holder, the official status of the achievement is only the first step toward a larger life goal — drawing attention to the fight against world hunger. The unique ball is now set to be put up for sale.