- A teenager from Naperville built the world's tallest toothpick tower at 5.28 meters
- The tower was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and balanced height with structural strength
- Eric Cable previously held a popsicle stick record and chose toothpicks for a challenge
A teenager from Naperville in Illinois, United States, has turned his love for engineering into a record-breaking achievement. According to Guinness World Records, after months of hard work, he built a 17-feet-tall tower using only toothpicks and glue.
The structure reached a height of 5.28 meters (17.32 feet), making it the world's tallest building made entirely of toothpicks. Its design was inspired by the famous Eiffel Tower. It featured a slender upper structure and a sturdy lower base, ensuring its stability.
Despite being made from delicate and tiny toothpicks, the tower was designed to maintain a perfect balance between height and strength.
The tower was built by Eric Cable, a high school student with a keen interest in engineering and STEM. He previously held the record for the tallest structure made from popsicle sticks in 2020. Recently, he decided to challenge himself again.
He explained that setting a record at a young age was a thrilling experience, so he wanted to do it again. This time, he decided to choose a more difficult material. He realised that toothpicks were smaller and not as strong as popsicle sticks, making the task more difficult.
Therefore, he practiced by building smaller structures before starting work on the larger tower to gain a better understanding of the material.
Step-By-Step Construction
Eric explained that he initially created long rows of toothpicks by joining them with glue. These rows later became the main parts of the tower.
He also explained that the four lower legs of the tower were each eight feet long. As the height increased, he repeated this process and added new parts. This patience and careful work allowed him to successfully create such a tall structure.
The tower was built in separate sections inside his home. Later, all these sections were taken outside and assembled during a public event in Naperville.
Through dedication, proper planning and creative thinking, this teenager built a record-breaking toothpick tower, reflecting his deep passion for engineering.
