Every now and then, one is forced to interact with new people, be it at work or perhaps in a classroom. Most humans, even if pretty sociable, tend to struggle at making conversations immediately. Fortunately, humanity has put together a somewhat helpful method to end the awkwardness, the dramatically-named ice breaker.
Someone asked “What’s the ‘fun fact’ you use during ice breakers?” and people share their go-to piece of information. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote and perhaps save your favorite facts and be sure to add your own thoughts and examples in the comments section below.
#1
I was stationed at South Pole in December of 2015. At station midnight on Dec 31st, I went out to the geographic pole marker alone. Because of this, I like to tell people I was the first person to reach the South Pole in 2016….
Image source: lakewoodhiker, NOAA / unsplahs (not the actual photo)
#2
Whenever my daughter has to tell a “fun fact” on the first day of school she says she was named after Thomas Jefferson. He was named a long time ago and she was named after him.
Image source: careerpathlost, Rembrandt Peale / wikipedia
#3
Over 99% of German Shepards are dogs.
Image source: OldERnurse1964, Dustin Bowdige / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#4
Platpuses are not only mammals that lay eggs and have venom, but they also make milk without having nipples. They sweat the milk out of their belly and make a bowl shape for their babies to lap it up.
Image source: Idmaybefuckaplatypus, Michael Jerrard / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#5
Baby elephants suck their trunks.
Image source: linedashline, David Clode / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#6
the papal conclave (the vote thingy to decide who’s pope) in 1294 took so long that some hermit dude named Pietro sent a letter telling the cardinals to hurry the f**k up or God is gonna smite their holy a**es. The cardinals (who were also lowkey fed up of fighting between themselves) were like ‘ok then, you should be Pope. We shall now call you Celestine the Fifth.’ And Pietro was like ‘oh s**t’. He ran away. The other cardinals were like ‘no, Celestine, don’t do that,’ and crowned him. Pietro spent a few months then made a decree saying ‘popes can resign, also stop calling me Celestine for f***s sake’ then ran away. then the cardinals threw him in prison and he died. Poor bastard.
Image source: therocketandstones, Ajayjoseph Fdo / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#7
This is a limerick.
(12+144+20+3×√4)/7 + 5×11 = 9² + 0
If you’re having trouble, it can also be written in English.
“A dozen, a gross, and a score
Plus three times the square root of four
Divided by seven
Plus five times eleven
Is nine squared, and not a bit more.”
And yes, it does actually work out correctly.
Image source: ezekielraiden
#8
The inventor of match.com’s wife left him for someone she met on match.com.
Image source: GreyFoxNinjaFan, Anete Lusina / pexels (not the actual photo)
#9
More of a rhetorical question:
Who’s the evil bastard who put an “s” in the word LISP?
Image source: CobraChuck83
#10
Due to the shape of the North American elk’s esophagus, even if it could speak, it could not pronounce the word lasagna.
Image source: tupperwarebowl, Livin4wheel / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#11
Virtually all honey found in stores has been diluted with corn syrup, and is one of the biggest agricultural scams of all time. And all the “big brand” honey comes from India, and average 10% corn syrup.
It’s been that way for years, but it’s only recently gotten enough traction for the US govt. to start investigating.
Always buy your honey from a guy with a bee suit.
Image source: headhunterofhell2, Amelia Bartlett / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#12
Wholesome fact: Male mantises mate for life.
Image source: SirNedKingOfGila
#13
I was a witness on an episode of Judge Judy. I had some pretty awful neighbors and a very kind landlord, so I came along to be a witness to their property destruction and d**g use.
They ended up cutting the few things I said, so I got the full experience and none of the notoriety. Judy is a lot shorter than she looks on TV btw.
Edit: It’s season 22, episode 198 for anyone who wants to check it out. “Hazmat Clean-Up, D**g Use, and the Police?!”. I’m the nervous looking white guy sitting behind the old white guy landlord.
Image source: GrandWyatt
#14
Your chances of getting struck by lighting on the way to get a lotto ticket are better than you winning the lotto.
Image source: Neo1331
#15
One time I plugged a USB cable in correctly on the first try.
Edit: I am 100% lying. This never happened but it’s my go to fact to get a laugh. Then I say I like dogs or something like that.
Image source: PeterVanNostrand, Adam Birkett / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#16
The government is hiding a billion pounds of cheese in a cave in Missouri.
Image source: Falcononeniner, Katrin Leinfellner / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#17
The average cloud weighs a million pounds.
Image source: HonnyBrown, Alex Machado / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#18
Chances of getting dismembered and devoured by a total stranger are rare, so why not come over to my place and let me show you my trophy collection.
Image source: AffectionateAioli309, Mathias Reding / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#19
I have 120+ first cousins.
Answering a couple questions…
These are direct first cousins.
The older siblings had 10-14 kids each. The younger seem to have figured out either birth control or self control.
My mom and her siblings all had the same mom and dad.
My dad and his siblings all had the same mom and dad.
Image source: AnnieJack, Jacob Bentzinger / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#20
The Eiffel Tower can grow six inches in the summer sun.
Image source: SenselessSpectacle, Mirko Bellabarba / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#21
I start talking about sleep apnea, then I call my cpap mask a strap on.
Image source: Brindlehair, myupchar / wikimedia (not the actual photo)
#22
The world’s largest tire manufacturer is Lego.
Image source: ZarquonsFlatTire
#23
So if you are at dinner, and there is a bottle of A1 sauce on the table. Look at the label, on the front it states “Est. 1862.” 1862 was the bloodiest year of the American Civil War. Somebody out there in the middle of the war was like you know what we need right now? Some STEAK SAUCE!
*this is from a comedian but I can’t remember who. so props to that guy for noticing because it’s hilarious.
Image source: McNasty420, Mike Mozart / wikipedia (not the actual photo)
#24
Dragonflies are the most successful hunters in the animal kingdom by far. They are the only animals, other than humans, that will plot an intercept course to catch their prey, rather than just chase them down.
Image source: LanceKing2200, Hacı Elmas / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#25
Cold coffee and warm beer have the same temperature.
Image source: Schifty, Pradeep Javedar / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#26
Due to the Migratory Bird Act, it is generally more illegal to own bird bones than it is to own human bones.
Image source: AllegroFox, Andy Bridge / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#27
7 years ago I became an ordained minister for the sole purpose of having a “fun fact”. I’ve not used my ordination once.
In 3 weeks I’m the officiant for my sister’s wedding.
Image source: boredman_getslaid
#28
Lawrence Sperry – the man who invented autopilot for the airplane – also invented the mile high club.
Image source: _pounders_, Jason Rosewell / unsplash (not the actual photo)
#29
The Dutch once did a genocide so they’d have a nutmeg monopoly. It used to be worth more than gold. Now every household has some that’s often forgotten somewhere in our spice cabinet.
Image source: ElNakedo, Yoann Lechaux / pexels (not the actual photo)
#30
Gary Numan is a couple of weeks older than Gary Oldman.
Also Ryan Adams and Bryan Adams share the same birthday.
Image source: starkeffect
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