The pursuit of knowledge is the driving force of human progress. Without our insatiable urge for ever-newer, ever-juicier facts and information to shove into our thought-pouches, we would still be staring up into the starry abyss wondering if that twig-snap we heard was under the foot of leopard or just a generic forest sound.

Instead, we get to grow fat and complain about what that guy from high school said on Facebook while munching on calorically dense foods that should never have existed. Here are some interesting facts that you'll probably never need but might save your butt when you ram head-on into your next awkward silence.