Whether we care to acknowledge it or not, our DNA plays a fundamental role in our lives, determining not only much of our appearance but also part of our personality and tendencies. And though our genes are all drastically different, with no two people having the exact same DNA, some people turn out to be shockingly similar, while others certainly stand out from the crowd. These are some cases in which the astonishing power of genes is too strong to go unnoticed.
AN INCREDIBLY WHOLESOME REDHEADED FAMILY
Red hair isn’t such a common sight. Given that it’s a recessive gene, it’s also getting rarer. That’s why this photo of an incredibly photogenic family of redheads is so darn cool. Also, either they all matched their outfits and colour-coded before taking this photograph, or they all sense a sense of fashion, too.
THE RARE PATTERNS OF AN ALBINO ZEBRA
Albinism isn’t reserved only for humans; animals can have it too. This albino zebra exhibits a rare trait: Instead of the usual black and white patterns which have pretty much become synonymous with zebras, the discolouration caused by albinism has turned his black stripes into a chocolatey light-brown.
“MY MOTHER AND I, BOTH AT AGE 25“
It’s incredible how much effort we put in to not become our parents, only to have their habits and mannerisms sneak up on us from behind. These women, however, have taken genetic inheritance to another level: It really is incredibly difficult to believe that they aren’t the same person.
“I HAVE A SINGLE LINE ACROSS MY PALM”
Though subtle, this rare genetic trait is certainly visually appealing. Like a permanent fingerless glove, it seemingly carves a divide between the palm’s top and bottom halves. Apparently, this condition is called “single transverse palmar crease” and is found in 1.5% of the general population in at least on hand. This means that many of us may know someone with this extraordinary trait.
THIS ELEGANT MODEL HAS ALBINISM – A CONDITION THAT CAUSES DISCOLORATION
Albinism is an extremely rare condition that causes the skin, hair, and in some cases even the eyes to have little or no color. The odds of developing albinism is, according to the National Organization for Albinism, approximately 1 in 18,000. This woman wears her unique genetic disposition as a badge of honor, unapologetically being herself. For that, we commend her.
THE CHILD WITH THE MYSTICAL EYES: THIS BOY HAS WAARDENBURG SYNDROME
Waardenburg syndrome is a term for a set of incredibly rare genetic conditions that include some degree of hearing loss and variations in eye and skin color. The internet went absolutely crazy over this handsome young man and his singular looks, which are characteristic of Waardenburg syndrome.
WINNING THE GENETIC LOTTERY: GINGER HAIR AND HETEROCHROMIA
Heterochromia is rare enough, but heterochromia combined with the increasingly scarce ginger hair? Yeah, that’s definitely as rare as rare gets. This woman’s appearance is not only beautiful but also, almost literally, one of a kind. Definitely a case of standing out for the better.
“MY FATHER PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS 4, BUT PEOPLE ALWAYS TOLD ME I LOOKED LIKE HIM”
The tragic story of these two young men is made even more bittersweet when their similarities are so painstakingly obvious. Many people do inherit their looks from their parents, but this is surely an extreme case of that. They also both share another incredibly rare genetic trait: An immaculate hairstyle.
“YODA THE CAT WAS BORN WITH FOUR EARS. HE’S ADORABLE”
The cat also has two other notable characteristics that make him even more irresistible cute: inaudible purrs and an obsession with bread. Yoda’s genetic makeup is so unique that it is almost unprecedented. Thankfully, his condition deals him no harm whatsoever: It isn’t dangerous, and his hearing is in proper working order.
“MY BOYFRIEND HAS FRECKLES ON ONLY HALF HIS FACE, I THINK IT’S COOL”
This man’s rare freckle pattern is definitely a case of incredibly rare genetics. An explanation to this phenomenon may be found we change the way we look at it: This one-sided freckle pattern may be more of a rare birthmark than an actual freckle pattern, which explains how just one-half of this man’s face is freckled.
THE FEARSOME ROAR OF A GREAT ALBINO LION
No, this lion was not raised in the North Pole, he just has albinism. Although his snowy fur is truly a sight behold, and while he admittedly looks terribly adorable, he’s still the king of the jungle, which means that he shouldn’t be taken lightly. On the other hand, look at him yawning, he’s so cute!
“I WAS BORN WITH A SCAR ON MY EYE”
This extraordinary eye is quite the sight to behold. Fortunately, the irregular scarring does not affect vision, despite the uneven pupil size between this person’s two eyes. The eye may be a case of coloboma, a hole in the structure of the eye (such as the iris, retina, choroid, or optic disc), however, there is no firm evidence supporting this theory.
DISTICHIASIS – A RARE CONDITION CAUSING DOUBLE EYELASHES
Two layers of eyelashes are the common symptoms of a condition called distichiasis. The condition is twice as likely to develop for females and may be acquired not only at birth but also in mid-life.
“I WAS BORN WITHOUT A BRIDGE IN MY NOSE”
This person’s unique genetic disposition somehow led him to have a bridgeless nose. As he’s previously stated, the condition has caused him no harm and has been the source of quite a bit of amusement for him and his surroundings. Many people on the internet have also encouraged the young man to pick up boxing!
PULI DOGS HAVE “DREADLOCKS”
Puli dogs are best known for their thick, long coats which bear an amusing resemblance to dreadlocks and mops. The rare breed is also quite energetic and lively, which means that they require lots of exercise to use up their natural energy reserves. This makes them unsuitable for lazy, urban life.
“SYMMETRICAL HAIR WHORLS CREATE A NATURAL MOHAWK HAIRSTYLE”
Hair whorls are patches of hair growing in a circular direction around a center point. Every head of hair has one, but this extraordinary man actually has two, whose specific structure makes his hair grow into a natural mohawk-like hairstyle. In other words, this person was born to be punk.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WITH POLIOSIS – A CONDITION CAUSING WHITE PATCHES ON HAIR
This extremely rare genetic trait was actually inherited from mother to daughter, resulting in them sharing an incredibly unique and endearing hair dew. Poliosis is caused by a decreased amount of melanin in a given area, in this case, the hair, and is also often known as a “Mallen Streak”.
“MY LITTLE FINGER IS MY BIGGEST FINGER”
Each and every person’s body is built a bit differently. This man’s unique genetics caused his pinky to outgrow the rest of his fingers, which is obviously extraordinary. We’re sure glad that this man got to share his singular hand formation with us through the internet.
THESE TWO AREN’T RELATED, WHICH GOES TO SHOW HOW GENETICALLY SIMILAR HUMANS ARE
99% of human beings’ DNA is universally made up of the exact same material known as bases. What differs between people is the order of this material. A great analogy would be the alphabet: Just as the same letters can make up different words, different DNA structures make for different people. Once in a while, however, things get eerily similar.
BORN WITH NATURAL ELF EARS
This newborn child was born with a genetic trait as cute as it is air: little, adorable, elf-like, pointy ears. Pointy ears are characteristic of some folklorish creatures as old as the days of Ancient Greece and medieval Europe and can be often founded in the fantasy genre on both sides of an elf’s head.
UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL: BOTH WOMAN AND HER PET DOG HAVE HETEROCHROMIA
Heterochromia is a rare genetic condition in which a person’s coloration is varied. The term is most often in cases in which a person has different colored irises, but can also be used to describe differences in the colors of hair and skin. The unique appearance produced by the condition is considered by many to be extraordinarily beautiful and endearing.
