Largest human letter

Berkeley, California, USA – August 29, 2017 – 7,196 incoming first-year and transfer Cal students got together and formed a giant human letter as a part of Bear Affair, one of the many events of the new weeklong orientation program, Golden Bear Orientation, thus setting the new world record for the Largest human letter.

Photo: UC Berkeley students broke the Guinness Book of world records in forming the “largest human letter.” The official count of students was 7,196, of which the overwhelming majority were new, incoming freshman and transfer students, joining in the fun during their orientation week before fall classes start.

The Guinness World Records world record for the largest human number consisted of 7,511 participants and was achieved by the Government of Orel Region and the Youth Organisation Volunteers of Victory (both Russia), in Orel, Russia, on 7 May 2016.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest human smiley; it was achieved by 8,018 people during an event organized by Alliance In Motion Global Inc. (Philippines) at Burnham Green, Quirino Grandstand, Luneta Park, Manila, Philippines on 30 May 2015.

The previous world record for largest human letter had been held by the University of Tennessee, with 4,223 participants.

Bear Affair was designed as a part of an effort for students to take a class photo, which the campus has been wanting to actualize for years.

Other World Records set at Berkeley include:
# Smallest radio receiver, 2007
# Oldest known sample of weapons-grade plutonium, 1941
# Longest career as a professor (Joel Hildebrand), 1981
# Oldest remains of modern humans (Tim White discovery), June 2003
# Slowest-flowering plant (Puya raimondii, UC Botanical Garden, planted 1958 and bloomed 1986).