Nature is unpredictable, and that’s never more true than with genetics. Sure, lots of people end up with a combination of traits from their parents and grandparents. But every so often, someone is born with a trait that comes out of nowhere. Sometimes, the recessive gene gets picked.
Here are 15 people who wound up with truly rare and unique traits. From uniquely proportioned hands and feet to striking colors and patterns, these people are basically superheroes. (via Bored Panda).
1. “My dad has six fingers on each hand. He uses two fingers to flip someone off.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
This is caused by a condition called “polydactyly“, which causes extra fingers and toes.
2. Son of Spock
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In medical circles it’s known as “Stahl’s Ear,” and it’s caused by misshapen cartilage. If it’s discovered within the first few weeks of birth, corrective ear molding can correct it.
3. “My son has symmetrical hair whorls which go in opposite directions. This allows him to grow a natural Mohawk.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
We’re all familiar with a single hair whorl, and double whorls are actually more common than you’d think. Triple hair whorls are also possible, but more rare. Researchers have even found a link between the direction a hair whorl curls and a person’s handedness.
4. “I have only four fingers on my left hand, and have and index finger instead of my thumb.”
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This is an example of symbrachydactyly, when a person is born with missing bones in their hands–or in this case, entire fingers altogether.
5. “I have tentacles under my tongue- apparently not everyone does?”
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These are “fimbriated folds,” which run along the underside of the mucous membrane of the tongue. Typically they are reabsorbed into the tongue during its development in the womb. This photo is such a great example of fimbriated tongue folds that it’s now being used on the Wikipedia page for the condition!
6. “My wife discovered that she and my sister both have syndactyly connected toes. They celebrated their similar trait with new tattoos.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
Syndactyly is a condition where two or more digits are fused together.
7. “I was born with a condition where my right thumb is unable to bend. As a result, it doesn’t have wrinkles.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
Trigger finger is a condition where the tendons in fingers, (usually the thumb in children), lock or catch when flexed and extended. It occurs in 3.3 out of 1,000 live births, and in 30% of cases the finger recovers on its own.
8. “My girlfriend was born without the nail on her left index finger. By popular demand, we put googly eyes on it.”
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Anonychia congenita is a congenital condition where someone is born without nails on their fingers or toes. In some cases, only part of the nail is missing, or only some fingers and toes are missing nails.
9. “I was born without a bridge in my nose.”
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The nasal bridge is the bony part of the top of your nose. A depressed nasal bridge can be caused by a variety of conditions.
10. “I was born with a scar on my eye.”
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This is called a “macular pucker,” and it’s caused when the vitreous detaches from the retina and damages it. Most of the time this happens with no side-effects.
11. “A friend of mine can grab things backwards.”
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This is caused by “hypermobility,” or “double jointedness.” It occurs in 5% to 10% of children, and usually goes away by adulthood.
12. “My boyfriend has freckles on only half his face. I think it’s cool.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
It might look like a unique freckle pattern, but these freckles are actually part of a birthmark. It’s caused by a condition called speckled lentiginous levus. This case is similar to one that was diagnosed on a 2015 episode of The Doctors.
13. “My left eye is about one-third gray.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
Heterochromia is when a person’s eyes are two different colors, but this is an example of “sectoral heterochromia,” when the same eye has different colors. It’s unknown how rare it is in humans.
14. “Half of the eyelashes on my right eye are white.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
This picture shows vitiligo, which causes the loss of color in the skin and hair.
15. “My dad’s index tip was cut off when he was 10, my index is shorter than my pinky.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
Since dad’s finger condition was caused by an accident and not genetics, he could not have passed it on to his daughter. The cause of her condition is likely an unrelated hand abnormality. Helluva coincidence!
h/t: Bored Panda