Goldfish Drives 40 Feet in Custom Car for World Record

A tiny goldfish just proved that anyone can be a driver, no license required.

Blub the goldfish swam his way into the record books by traveling 40 feet and 3.46 inches in a custom motion-sensing vehicle in just 60 seconds. The achievement earned him the Guinness World Record for greatest distance covered in a motion-sensing vehicle by a goldfish in one minute.

Dutch computer engineer Thomas de Wolf designed the special car with a water tank on top. When Blub swims in any direction, sensors detect his movement and steer the wheels accordingly. The goldfish literally drives by just being himself.

De Wolf brought his invention and Blub to the Italian TV show Lo Show dei Record to attempt the record in front of cameras and an official adjudicator. They only needed to travel about 16 feet to claim the title, but Blub more than doubled that distance.

"Normally, my job is quite monotonous, so I wanted to create something that would entertain people," de Wolf said after the win. He wanted to turn his serious engineering work into something fun that could capture people's imagination.

The adjudicator measured the attempt by tracking colored marks on the wheels as they rotated. Blub was allowed to move forward, backward, and in any direction, making the measurement more complex but also showing the sophistication of the technology.

Why This Inspires

What started as a playful experiment with a pet goldfish could have real-world applications. When asked about the implications of his motion-sensing invention, de Wolf shared his bigger dream: "I would love to maybe one day be able to help people with mobility issues."

The same technology that lets a goldfish navigate a room could eventually help people with disabilities control wheelchairs or other mobility devices through natural movement. Sometimes the most joyful projects lead to the most meaningful innovations.

After receiving their official certificate and medal, de Wolf joked about the surreal moment: "How am I going to explain to Blub now that he has a world record title?"