When you stop to think about it, the human body is pretty amazing. It knows how to heal when we’re hurt, protect us from illness, and master complicated skills, whether that’s learning a new language or playing an instrument. Every day, it proves just how much it’s capable of.
But it’s not just what our bodies can do that makes them incredible, it’s also how different we all look. And some people are born with traits so rare or unusual that they stop you in your tracks. Many are fascinating to see, while others can be genuinely unsettling.
From striking eye colors to unusual genetic quirks, here are some of the most memorable examples.
#1 Kid From Nepal With Cat Eye Syndrome
Image credits: rataktaktaruken
#2 This Is Javier Botet, A Spanish Almost 6’9” Actor Who Has A Genetic Disorder Known As Marfan Syndrome
This makes him very lanky, bendy and perfect for creature roles in movies such as slender man.
Image credits: jbotet
#3 I Am Blind In My Left Eye. Here's What An Actual Pupil-Less Eye Looks Like
Image credits: -badgerbadgerbadger-
Traits like unusually tall height, purple or differently colored eyes, or even extreme flexibility have that effect on us. They catch our attention and make us stop for a second, simply because they’re not something we see every day.
They stand out against the ordinary, and that contrast is what makes them so fascinating.
#4 Here Are My Marfan's Syndrome Hands
Image credits: heyredditone
#5 There's An Old Woman's Face In My Belly Button
Image credits: taykaybo
#6 Did You Know: An X-Ray Of A Baby’s Hand Makes It Look Like Their Bones Are Just Kinda Floating Around In There
Our 11-month-old somehow hurt her hand/wrist, and in trying to figure out what was wrong we got some x-rays. Unfortunately nothing conclusive came from the scans, but I thought the x ray itself was mildly interesting. Baby girl is going to be fine, apparently infants have Wolverine-like regenerative powers.
Image credits: Hipple
But here’s the thing: our bodies, in the most “ordinary” sense of the word, are just as incredible.
We’re so used to what they do for us every day that we rarely stop to think about it. Yet when you break it down, it’s mind-blowing to realize everything going on while we’re simply existing and getting on with our lives.
#7 I Have Purple Eyes
Image credits: Sorranne
#8 Roy Lee (Rocky) Dennis With His Mother, Florence "Rusty" Tullis
Rocky had a rare disease called craniodiaphyseal dysplasia which caused his facial bone features to contort and grow at an abnormally fast rate. Rocky passed away aged 16 on this day in 1978.
Image credits: Knuckles
#9 Some Of You Requested A Video Of My Hand Cramp. Unfortunately, I Had The Opprotunity To Film It Last Night. Suffer With Me
Image credits: Totally_Fubar_666
Jeff Foster, Medical Director of the U.K.-based healthcare provider H3 Health, suggests many of us “take our bodies for granted.”
“It is only when we spend the time looking at what is really involved in what makes us human that we realize how amazing our bodies are,” he told Newsweek.
#10 Raynaud’s Syndrome (Phenomenon) On My Hand This Morning
Image credits: bifishologist
#11 A Teenager From Madhya Pradesh, India Has An Ultra Rare Condition Called 'Werewolf Syndrome' (Hypertrichosis)
This incurable condition is so rare that it is believed that only 50 people have had it since the Middle Ages.
Image credits: yourSAS
#12 X-Ray Of A Hand Dipped In Iodine. Iodine Absorbs X-Rays, Revealing The Skin Around The Bones
Image credits: TheToxicLogic
Take blinking, for example.
Did you know the fastest moving muscle in your body is the orbicularis oculi, the one that controls your eyelids? It can contract in less than a tenth of a second.
Those tiny, rapid movements are crucial for tracking objects, reading, and protecting your eyes. So when we say something happens ‘in the blink of an eye,’ it’s a spot-on way to describe just how quick it really is.
#13 The Human Eye Up Close Looks Like A Spooky Forest
Image credits: Stoltz3
#14 This Woman Has Proteus Syndrome And Is A Disorder That Causes Various Parts Of The Body To Grow Recklessly
Image credits: Stongey10
#15 My Son Was Born With Natural Elf Ears
Image credits: animaorion
And while people might look drastically different from one another, the truth is that humans are 99.9 percent identical in their genetic makeup.
“The visual differences or internal variations that occur in us are only due to a tiny variation in genetics,” Dr. Foster explained. “This is also why we are so similar to many other animals—from a genetic perspective.”
That remaining 0.1 percent, however, packs a punch. It determines everything from hair and eye color to height and even a person’s risk of developing certain diseases. All the diversity we see in humanity comes from that sliver of difference.
#16 I Was Born With 4 Toes On One Foot
Image credits: Itsabeautifulwar
#17 Case Of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
FOP is a congenital disorder of connective tissue characterized by congenital malformations of the big toe, and progressive heterotopic ossifications as shown here in this picture.
Image credits: HealerMD
#18 Mirror Foot Syndrome
Image credits: blveberrys
Fingerprints are the most famous way to tell people apart. Even identical twins don’t share them. But they’re far from the only marker of individuality.
Ears, for instance, are just as distinctive. Yes, ears.
The ridges and folds of your outer ear are unique to you. In fact, forensic scientists have been using ear prints since the 1950s to identify suspects. In 1998, researchers proved that computers could distinguish between ear images, paving the way for today’s advanced techniques.
#19 I Have Marfan Syndrome. This Is My Hand Compared To My Face
Image credits: HughJassJae
#20 My Wife Has Steven Johnson Syndrome. Which Means Her Fingernails Will Randomly Decide To Regrow Themselves
Image credits: puppet1987
#21 My Son (7m) Has A Front Whorl/Cowlick With Hairs That Grow Longer Than The Rest
Image credits: kryptofreak
Now, 3D scanning can create detailed ear models, while algorithms analyze geometric patterns like the distance between the lobe and upper edges. As a result, an ear can be recognized with 99.6% accuracy in just 0.02 milliseconds.
“As you grow older your ear doesn’t change—it just grows larger but the proportions remain the same,” Mark Nixon, a computer vision expert at the University of Southampton who has been one of the leading researchers in ear recognition, told BBC.
#22 Skull From A Person With Proteus Syndrome
Image credits: reddit.com
#23 Hyperdontia Is The Condition Of Having Supernumerary Teeth, Or Teeth That Appear In Addition To The Regular Number Of Teeth. They Can Appear In Any Area Of The Dental Arch
Image credits: Intelligent-Bottle22
#24 I Have Rare A Hereditary Disorder Called Multiple Hereditary Exostosis Which Causes Bone Growths On Various Body Parts
Normally these aren't very noticable, but the one on my forearm grew on my growth plate, causing the bone to grow in the opposite direction.
Image credits: Sk8thunder
And it doesn’t stop there. Another identifier is your scent.
Studies funded by the U.S. Army Research Office found it’s possible to tell people apart by analyzing the chemical “cloud” we leave behind as we move. Researchers at the University of Bristol discovered that a combination of 44 compounds secreted by the body creates a “thermal plume” that surrounds each person, like an invisible fingerprint of smell.
That’s the very trail search dogs follow. Scientists are now developing “electronic noses” to mimic the process, and even the UK’s Forensic Science Service has explored using scent traces in criminal investigations.
#25 I Was Born With Four Fingers (Missing The Middle Finger)
Image credits: kuparata
#26 Compartment Syndrome One Year Later After A Skin Graft
Image credits: gl0ryus
#27 Adam Rainer Was The Only Person In Recorded History To Have Been Both A Dwarf And A Giant. At 18 He Was 4'6", At 50 He Was 7'8"
This guy was believed to have acromegaly. It is a hormonal disorder that develops when your pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood. When this happens, your bones increase in size, including those of your hands, feet and face. Acromegaly usually affects middle-aged adults.
Image credits: Metalloid_Emon
So yes, bodies are unbelievably cool. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface that makes them just as amazing as those rare, eye-catching traits we notice on the outside. The next time you’re sitting around feeling bored, remember: your body definitely isn’t.
#28 Meet Matthias “Hellboy” Schlitte, The German Arm Wrestling Phenomenon With One Enormous Arm
Image credits: Manni999
#29 I Was Born With A Very Rare Disease Called Hereditary Progressive Arthro-Ophthalmodystrophy, Its A Connective Tissue Disorder That Literally Makes My Body Fall Apart
In addition to this, I also have very hypermobile joints that dislocate easily and a laundry list of other health problems.
Image credits: kwimbleton
#30 World's Longest Eyelash
Image credits: Guinness World Records
#31 My Grandpas Cool Eye
Image credits: arisweeknd
#32 There's A Patch On My Leg That Doesn't Get Goosebumps
Image credits: mcrfreak78
#33 None Of My Fingers (Or Toes) Have Middle Knuckles, And Its Hereditary
Image credits: Silence31603
#34 Was At A Water Park And Seen The "Hang Six" On The Wall It So Happens I Have 6 Toes On My Left Foot
Image credits: DomnLee
#35 Hyperhidrosis Sucks
Image credits: Inevitable_Turnip770
#36 This Happens To My Hands At Cold Temperatures
Image credits: Zealousideal_Talk479
#37 Customer Came In And Let Me Take A Picture Of Her Hands That Had 6 Fingers On Each
Image credits: reddit.com
#38 My Grandma And I Have Extra Lines On Our Pinkies
Image credits: bbystvr
#39 Waardenburg Syndrome Is A Rare, Genetic Condition Characterized By Congenital Hearing Loss And Abnormalities In Hair, Skin, And Eye Pigmentation
Image credits: Sydney S. Gellis and Murray Feingold
#40 I Have An Autoimmune Disorder That Has Made My Natural Hair Color Change Three Times The Last Month
Image credits: col0rlesslife
#41 I Have Tentacles Under My Tongue- Apparently Not Everyone Does?
Image credits: SligPants
#42 Corectopia, When Your Pupil Is Not In The Center Of Your Eye
I had a picture taken professionally. I see just as well with my normal eye, born like this. Second picture I took myself with my phone and a water bubble on the lens.
Image credits: krisztian111996
#43 Alice Elizabeth Doherty Was An American Woman Born With The Condition Hypertrichosis Lanuginosa
Image credits: Unknown author
#44 The Buton Tribe In Indonesia With Sparkling Blue Eyes Due To A Rare Genetic Disorder Called "Waardenburg Syndrome"
Image credits: Any_Sound_2863
#45 Woman With World's Longest Tongue
Image credits: uinness World Records
#46 Getting Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease As An Adult Is No Joke
Image credits: Windytrail
#47 My Son Was Born With A Black Spot Of Hair In His Blonde Hair. It Grows In Black, And There Is No Birth Mark Or Discoloration Under It
Image credits: maceparks
#48 The Same Baby Face (Twins) With And Without Down Syndrome
Image credits: reddit.com
#49 I Have A Medical Condition Which Unfortunately Has Caused Some Major Scarring Over My Whole Body
Image credits: reddit.com
#50 I Accidentally Bit My Lip 3 Times In One Day. My Body Is Punishing Me With 6 Mouth Ulcers In A Circle. Like A Crop Circle Of Pain
I used to get loads of them. Regularly had 8-10 at any given time, turned out I was really low on iron and vit D. Sorted out my supplements and don't get anywhere as many.
Image credits: agnesb
#51 My Amputated Finger Is Way Colder Than The Rest Of My Hand
Image credits: Brando_Fett
#52 Triphalangeal Thumb Syndrome
Image credits: whowantwhat
#53 What Lyme Disease Looks Like From A Tick Bite
Image credits: eyuphowsthee
#54 I Was Born Without A Bridge In My Nose
Image credits: fedorahitler
#55 I Was Born With Sectoral Heterochromia, Although It’s Rare
Image credits: prolelol
#56 My Bodies Overreaction To A Mosquito Bite (Skeeter Syndrome)
Image credits: wind_whistler
#57 I Went Outside To Check The Mail With Hyperhidrosis
Image credits: butterflybratgrl
#58 The Little Razor Sharp Nail Pieces Growing From My Amputated Finger Tip
Image credits: kemidawn
#59 My Daughter Was Born With Two Different Hair Colors
Image credits: alidripdrop
#60 I Was Born With 12 Fingers, It Was Removed Shortly Afterwards
Image credits: can_be_fermented
#61 I Recently Was Diagnosed With Dermatographia (“Skin Writing”) Where Scratching The Skin Causes A Rash To Show Up Within Minutes
Image credits: derpy_ninetales
#62 I Don't Have A Left Shoulder Muscle
Image credits: twomillionmerits
#63 My "Droopy" Pupil I've Had Since Birth
Image credits: BucksIn6ix9ine
#64 Hands Have Been Popular Lately, So Here Is One Of Mine! The Disorder Is Called Palmar Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis
Image credits: JakeyZeSnakey
#65 My Buddy's Skin Graft. His Calf Tattoo Is Now On His Foot
Image credits: birdaise
#66 My Eye Has A Very Obvious Dark Ring
Image credits: Mysticmiso
#67 I Was Diagnosed With Spondylolisthesis, A Condition Where A Vertebrae Moves Out Of Position. Managed To Run A 10k At 55mins While My Lower Back Looked Like This
Image credits: GaryGump
#68 Hydraulic Press vs. Tooth
Image credits: Proud_Bell_6879
#69 The Colour Difference Between My Hand And Leg
Image credits: Macadeemus
#70 Maci Currin, The 17 Year Old World Record Holder For The World's Longest Legs
According to the Guiness World Records: "The longest legs (female) belong to Maci Currin (USA) and measure 135.267 cm (53.255 in) for the left leg and 134.3 cm (52.874 in) for the right leg, as measured in Cedar Park, Texas, USA, on 21 February 2020.
Maci, a native of Austin, Texas, is 6 ft 10 in tall."
Image credits: Guinness World Records
#71 One Half Of My Teeth Are Much Whiter Than The Other Side
Image credits: ocdladybug92
#72 Scar That I Was “Born With” Looks Like A Tear Next To My Eye
Image credits: Rome_Vanhart
#73 Got From A Doctor And He Said That My Eyes Are Having A Rare Condition That Are Still Unknown For Him And Recommended Me To Go To The Specialist In One Of The Best Eye Center In My Country
One Thing doctor Told Me Is That My Only Solution Is Cornea Transplantion. I wear soft contacts and about a week ago my right eye went all red, watery, blurry, super sensitive to light, and it felt like something was stuck in there when i blinked. I also noticed this white/grayish spot on my cornea that you can literally see in the pictures. Now the redness and pain are mostly gone, but the cloudy gray spot is still there and my vision in that eye isn’t clear.
Image credits: MrHollywoodth
#74 This Is What Kissing In An Mri Scan Looks Like
Image credits: bendubberley_
