Holidays are here again , and thruway across the country willsoon be filledwith people manoeuvre home to see syndicate and friends over the festive time of year .

But get ’s be honest – we all know how hard it can be to make conversation with people you have n’t learn for yonks . There ’s only so many times you could harmonize that , yes , you have gotten taller since you were a child , and sure , Aunt Doris does look nice in her horrid festive jump shot . And let ’s not even meet onpolitics .

What you take is some small talk . Some trifle that can get you through the   holiday reunion and convince your family you ’re more interesting than you feel mid - food coma .

Well , you ’re in fate . Writer Nicole Cliffe film to social medium yesterday to ask people for their “ fav uncanny fact ” , and the hive mind of Twitter did not let down .

The responses poured in . There were pot of beast facts :

It ’s true   – woodpeckers slam their face into Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunk at speeds of up to 7 meters per second   – that ’s 15 miles per minute   – and brook a retardation of 1,000 yard in the process . Butthanks to their long , freaky tonguesthat split in two and wrap around their learning ability , they are protect from traumatic brain harm   – something known to specialists   as " slosh mitigation " ( really ) .

If birds are n’t your matter , how about cats ?

True . Astudylast year came to the conclusion that CT started hanging around humans about 8,000 years ago . In true feline form , they were judge tosneak some collation .

Yes , just like your fuzzy felid at home , cougars purr   and even miaow . hold back it out for yourself .

The power to purr or roar comes down to a cat’svocal chord anatomy . lion , World Tamil Association , leopards , and jaguars all have a flexible ligament in their vocalism box , and can bellow . Every other species   – includingcheetahs , servals , and of courseTiddles at dwelling – can only purr .

This one is n’t technically rightful   –   it’snot sweat . What citizenry call a Hippopotamus amphibius ’s " roue sweat " is in reality a mystic tincture that behave as a cutis moisturizer , water repellent , and antibiotic .

But if animals are n’t your thing , there ’s the ever - democratic genre of " people screw up beyond inclusion thanks to being dumb " .

Yup . On April 14 , 1945 , the   Nazi submarine U-1206 start flooding . Water got into the batteries , cause them to leak out Cl gaseous state , and the boat was pressure   to come to the control surface , where it was pronto bombed by British patrols . The case of the flooding was traced back tomisuse of the toilet . So whoever pass on the gang thatextra shot of coffeethat morning , the free world thanks you .

There were medical fact :

straight . Yes , like an amorous daimon in a musicalBuffyepisode , St Vitus ’s Dancing Plagueforced people to curve and jive , medieval panache , until they collapsed from exhaustion .

And it seems our ancient predecessor were just as keen onno - strings - attach sexy timesas we aretoday .

And ( if you forget your genus Silphium ) you could always buy your children toys from theworld ’s large tire maker .

A few multitude whip in with some linguistic factoids .

Even the dictionary got involved .

And many more , from pop culture to pineapples .

Some are just bonkers .

Fact check : true .

Fact check : rightful , true , maybetrue . And just in case you were wondering -

More exemplar can be found at theoriginal tweet , but if that is n’t enough for you , you may clickhereto discover out the science facts that actual scientists want you to know , orherefor fact even experts think are bonkers . Or if you just live for drama , clickhere , orhere , orhereto obtain out " fact " that are just plain wrong . Go on . bug out a fight over the turkey this year . For science .