The origin
Participants filmed a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, then nominated others, to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
How it spread
It moved through celebrities and ordinary users through summer 2014 and raised very large sums for ALS research.
What it means
The rare meme with a measurable outcome. Its nomination mechanic is why it spread, and why it was criticised as social pressure.
Follow the source
Short editorial summary written by Random Access Memes from the sources above; the wording is ours, not theirs. Every link was checked for a live response on September 13, 2026.
