Here is our list of the best fun facts of the day for work.
Fun facts of the day for work are unique tidbits and knowledge that team members find interesting. For example, sea lions can dance and the unicorn is the official animal of Scotland. The purpose of these activities is to educate teammates and break up routine meetings. These tidbits are also known as “fun facts to share.”
These facts are similar in utility to quotes of the day for work and icebreaker jokes.
This list includes:
- Fun fact of the day for adults
- Fun facts for work meetings
- Weird facts of the day for work
- Science fun facts of the day
- History fun facts of the day
- Pop culture fun fact of the day
- Interesting fun facts of the day
- Work from home fun facts of the day
- Short fun facts
Here we go!
Fun fact of the day for adults
- Cider is a favorite drink of kids and adults, with most adults performing the hard version. However, Cidermakers only make cider from apples. So if you have had pear “cider”, then you were actually drinking “perry.”
- Scientists have discovered that the Greenland Shark can live for to live up to 500 years. This means there is a shark swimming today that was potentially alive when pilgrims settled Jamestown.
- If you enjoy pumpkin-spice flavored foods, you likely appreciate cinnamon and nutmeg. Nutmeg adds a warm and spicy flavor to foods and drinks in small amounts. However, in larger amounts, it can cause hallucinations and ultimately be fatal.
- If you have children, you likely read them Dr. Seuss’s books. These favorites have been around for generations. But, you are likely saying the famed author’s name incorrectly. According to friends and family, the name rhymes with voice, not deuce.
- The Easter Island heads are more than just heads. During excavation, archaeologists unearthed bodies on these massive stones, some measuring as tall as 33 feet.
- Water sounds different depending on the temperature. Heat changes how thick water is, which affects the sounds water makes as it is running. Cold water makes a higher pitch than hot water.
Fun facts for work meetings
- If you have ever received a speeding ticket, it was likely a bit higher than 8 miles per hour, which was the first recorded speeding ticket in 1896.
- “E” is the most common letter in the English language, appearing in 11% of all words. “A” is next and appears in 8.5% of words, while “Q” is the rarest letter, only appearing in .2% of words.
- Throughout the world, people are familiar with animals in police service, particularly dogs and horses. But, there are regions in China that rely on the loud and disruptive nature of geese to help police the streets. Their commotion has deterred many criminals in recent years.
- Hail storms are common. But, some planets have diamond storms. On Saturn and Jupiter, lightning strikes carbon soot and hardens into graphite. Then, the material becomes pressurized during the storm and becomes a diamond. The result is diamond hail.
- Bill Gates is part of the Giving Pledge, which encourages those able to donate half of their wealth to those less fortunate. Gates has donated around $30 billion to non-profits. And, he has saved more than six million lives through vaccine and healthcare initiatives. To date, 231 philanthropists have signed this pledge.
- Scotland named the unicorn, though never seen in person, the national animal. The Scots opted for this mythical creature over the Loch Ness Monster for the role the unicorn played throughout their history.
Weird facts of the day for work
- According to many astronauts, space does indeed have a smell. Many Spacewalkers describe space as smelling like “seared steak” or “hot metal.”
- Humans are not the only species that can dance. Sea lions have the ability to move their bodies to the rhythm of an external beat. If you see a sea lion, then consider challenging it to a dance-off.
- There is a species on Earth considered to be immortal. The “Immortal Jellyfish” is aptly named as it can transform some of its cells into the childhood state. This reaction usually occurs when the animal feels threatened. The jellyfish also has a habit of hitchhiking on boats and scientists have found them throughout the world now.
- Newborn babies are incredibly different than what they will grow up to be. At birth, a baby’s head is approximately one-quarter of its body weight. The baby’s brain will also double in size in one year. Babies also have 300 bones while adults have 206.
- Dolphins are highly trainable creatures. During the Vietnam War, both America and the Soviet Union trained dolphins. These animals could detect mines, deliver needed equipment to divers, retrieve lost items, and protect submarines. Dolphins are very intelligent and emotional. The dolphin who portrayed Flipper chose not to return to the surface for air and died with her trainer, essentially committing suicide.
- The Earth has earthquakes and the Moon has moon quakes. Tidal distress caused by the distance between the Earth and Moon causes these tremors.
- Most parents feel like their babies grow fast, and those with teenagers often feel they cannot keep enough food for their growing kids. Yet, human children have nothing on Blue Whales. The offspring of these mammals can grow up to 200 pounds in a single day. This rapid growth rate can last an entire year.
Science fun facts of the day
- Sea slugs are almost invincible. If something severs the head of a sea slug from the body, a new body grows.
- Talking to your dog might not be crazy after all. Dogs are highly intelligent and can learn some English. Dogs can learn up to 165 words, particularly words with the hard “t” or “r.” This might explain why all dogs recognize the word “treat.”
- Dinosaurs lived on every planet on Earth, including Antarctica. The reason fossils are not prevalent everywhere is that conditions were not great to preserve remains or create fossils in many places. In fact, scientists think there were many species of dinosaurs we know nothing about because their bones were too small to fossilize.
- Trees have been in existence on Earth for approximately 350 million years. Yet, trees are not as old as sharks, which have been around for 400 million years.
- Due to scientific advancements and life today, more twins are being born now than ever before. In the early 1980s, there were 9 twin births per 1,000. Today, there are 12-14 twin births per 1,000. More and more families use fertility treatment which results in a higher chance of multiples. Many adults are also delaying childbearing to accommodate careers. Doctors also associate twins with older maternal age.
- The narwhal’s tusk, often compared to the unicorn’s horn, tells scientists how old the animal is and its living conditions each year. Similar to a tree, the tusk grows a ring each year.
History fun facts of the day
- Lincoln had a bodyguard on duty on the night of his assassination. John Frederick Parker had already arrived late for his shift. Then, he decided to take a break and get a drink at a nearby saloon during the show. During his absence, John Wilkes Booth entered Lincoln’s box and shot the President.
- Most people are aware that Beethoven was deaf. However, the musician figured out a way to hear even after losing the ability to hear sounds. If Beethoven bit into a metal pole that he connected to his piano, then he could hear through a process called bone conduction.
- The Nobel Prize is a highly coveted recognition in the scientific community. Most awardees spend so much of their time in one field to earn the prize. Marie Curie, however, is the only person to win the award in two different fields, Physics and Chemistry.
- During Prohibition, the United States government became so frustrated citizens still consumed alcohol, that leaders took drastic measures. Bootleggers often stole industrial alcohols, so the government poisoned these alcohols. By the end of Prohibition, scientists estimate nearly 10,000 people died from this tactic.
- Napoleon is one of the greatest generals in military history. Yet, he was almost bested by a large herd of rabbits. To celebrate a victory, friends organized a rabbit hunt. The group brought thousands of rabbits in to release for the hunt. Upon release, many turned on the celebrators, including Napoleon.
- Texas is the only state that chose to join the United States. The country added all other states by annexation. Texas willingly joined with a treaty and it was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845.
- There are many highly-decorated military animals throughout American history. During World War I, the First Infantry Division used Rags, a terrier mix, to transport messages between units. Chief was the last mount, or military horse, in the Army. The military gave both of these animals full military honors at their burials. In fact, leaders buried Chief in an upright position on Fort Riley.
Pop culture fun fact of the day
- M&Ms are one of the most beloved candies in the world. But, unknown to many, the Ms stand for Mars and Murrie, the two men that developed the candy. Rations given to soldiers during the Spanish American War inspired this candy. Traditional chocolate bars would melt before soldiers could eat them. The candy coating ensured soldiers could enjoy their chocolates in the field.
- Designers made the infamous Night’s Watch cloaks from Game of Thrones from $250 Ikea rugs. Costume designers for the show purchased these rugs, cut them, dyed them, and sewed them into the heavy cloaks viewers saw onscreen.
- Friends is a well-loved show that airs on many channels and is still branded on merchandise today. The cast still receives a percent of everything the show makes resulting in each of the main six cast members getting a check for around $20 million each year.
- The most expensive new car ever sold went for $13 million. This custom-built Rolls-Royce is one of a kind. However, the most expensive car ever purchased is a 1963 Ferrari GTO that recently sold for $70 million.
- One Japanese man, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, was in Hiroshima for a business trip on August 6, 1945. This just happens to be the day the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city. He somehow survived with burn injuries and went back home to Nagasaki. Then, on August 9, 1945, another atomic bomb hit that city. Yamaguchi and his family survived this attack, as well.
- If you have seen the movie Titanic, then you likely remember the charcoal sketch of a nude Kate Winslet. None other than director James Cameron himself drew the sketch.
- You may have heard redheads are going extinct. This is not true. The gene that results in red hair is recessive, so both parents must carry it to produce a red-headed child. However, this fact also means that redheads can pop up generations down the line.
Interesting fun facts of the day
- Airplane food might not be that bad. During flights, elevation causes dryness and reduces sensitivity. This fact limits the amount passengers can taste while flying.
- Bees not only sting humans, but they also sting other bees. Guard bees will protect the entrance of the hive. If a trespasser attempts to get into the hive, these guards will bite and sting the intruder.
- Pineapple is one of the best, natural meat tenderizers. This fruit contains bromelain, which breaks down the protein in chains. This enzyme is so powerful that people who work in pineapple factories have to wear protective gear so bromelain does not attack their skin.
- In 2017, Chau Smith decided to celebrate her 70th birthday by running seven marathons on all seven continents in seven days. Her amazing feat almost did not happen due to travel delays, however.
- The United States government once had to issue a statement confirming that mermaids are NOT real. Animal Planet released a “documentary” about mermaids claiming they were real. This mock-umentary tricked so many people, that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stepped in to clarify things.
- No one wants a tick bite as it can lead to a plethora of diseases. But a tick bite from the Lonestar Tick can lead to a meat allergy to red meat. This growing phenomenon leaves the tick bite sufferer unable to eat certain meats without allergy-like symptoms. For example, a runny nose, nausea, headaches, and sneezing.
- There are an estimated 8.7 million species of living things on Earth, and humans are only one of them. This number includes animals, plants, fungus, protozoa, and algae.
Work from home fun facts of the day
- If you are struggling to maintain focus, then consider grabbing a piece of gum. Scientists at the British Psychological Society have found gum increases concentration.
- If you are having trouble finding motivation or lacking creativity, then consider taking a shower. In scientific studies, directors asked participants to solve hard problems. The participants did better after a relaxing activity, like showering.
- If you are analytical, someone may have called you left-brained. Someone might call your more emotional friends right-brained. However, this theory is not based on fact. Both sides of your brain work together to create your personality.
- Working from home often involves balancing official duties with kids. Studies have found that kids can ask 300 questions a day on average. That is one question every 2.5 minutes!
- Different time zones can make work difficult in some countries. France technically encompasses the most time zones with 12 unique time zones. But, these zones are not in a row as France has territories throughout the world. Russia and the United States both span 11 time zones, but there are not people in all these time zones in America.
- The small dot over a lowercase i or j has a name, the tittle. In fact, the phrase “To a T” derives from this dot and was originally, “To a Tittle.”
- The longest veil in history worn at a wedding was in 2018. A woman from Cyrpus wore a veil that was 22,843 feet long or the equivalent of 63.5 football fields.
How to use fun facts of the day for work
There are many ways to utilize fun facts of the day for work. For example, you can include a fun fact at the beginning of emails or memos. These interesting facts grab the attention of the reader.
If you are running a longer meeting, then a fun fact is a great way to break up the length. These facts can give listeners a quick brain break and help them focus better throughout the meeting.
Finally, you can implement a day to dole out fun facts. For example, start Fun Fact Friday. You can then start the day with fun facts, or ask team members to bring their own interesting tidbits to the group.
Conclusion
Fun facts of the day for work can cure a bad case of the Mondays. Each of these facts is great as icebreakers, as a way to ease tension in meetings, just encourage a laugh among team members.
Next, check out our list of the best team building games and these improv games for work.