This article was originally published on ScientistPlus
Everyone knows our DNA makes us who we are, but some people are born with features that seriously stand out compared to others. These people are living proof that the power of genetics is amazing -- and that some of us might have simply won (or lost) the genetic lottery. So keep scrolling to learn about these unique conditions and bizarre physical traits that teach us the true strength of our heredity.
Blessed Twice: Bright Orange Hair and Multi Colored Eyes
This woman was born with two physical traits that are both known to be extremely rare today. The first is bright orange hair, a color that isn't precisely as numerically common in society as having brown or blonde hair. Having two different eye colors is an increasingly uncommon genetic condition called Heterochromia. It's safe to say that these two combinations create an appearance that is possibly as rare as it gets.
The significant contrasts in the colors and blazing orange hair guarantee that this woman's genetics can be considered more than exceptional. It's not often that people look this extraordinary.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
This mother seems to have passed down a marking to her daughter, where both girls have the same white patch running through the top and front portions of their brown hair. The bright white matching marks are unique and result from an incredibly rare and special genetic trait. These patches are an effect of DNA that creates a decreased production of melanin, which is responsible for determining our hair color.
This rare condition is Poliosis, a syndrome that results in marking called a "Mallen Streak," or large white patches, throughout some regions of hair follicles.
He Got the Best of Both (freckle) Worlds
This guy has a visibly fine line between being freckled and not, and it's running down the center of his face. It's a feature you'd have to be up close to see, but this pattern, which is likely a birthmark, is remarkable nonetheless. Nowadays, it's a trend to draw on freckles because they're not so common in general, but this isn't something this guy will want to do anytime soon because he has plenty.
Most of us are born with freckles throughout our bodies or maybe with just a few here and there. But the universe gave this guy a rare freckle pattern. Or, more likely, it was the science of genetics.
A Mom With Super Genes
Pictured here is a large family of 6, and everyone looks pretty much the same, except for the dad. This mother has passed on super genetics to her children, where bright orange hair stands at the forefront of those genes. The father with dark brown hair is undoubtedly the only one who will stand out in every family photo, occasion, and gathering. Of course, they all happen to have mom's smile too.
Forget the father because this mother might have the world's most potent genetics since every one of her children looks just like her - and they happen to all be girls.
Double the Fun
Hair gel isn't precisely something this man will need to keep in the bathroom cabinet because he was born with two symmetrical hair swirls that permanently make the hair on the back of his head stand up straight. The patches are circular with a structured middle point and almost create what looks like a mini mohawk, not an everyday sight unless a barber did it. Just a reminder that genetics are incredible.
This guy will forever have the ultimate hairstyle without even trying, or maybe just a permanent bed head. Either way, it's pretty cool; there is no way to deny that.
A Woman With Two Entirely Different Pupils
This blonde-haired and blue-eyed woman has a mesmerizing condition where her dark black pupils are two different sizes- and the contrast is astonishing. This uncommon genetic condition was likely passed down to her by her relatives, who also may have lived with one pupil being more prominent than the other. It's not very probable that you'll come across a person with such different pupils like these in your basic day-to-day life, indeed a genetic miracle.
This woman's condition is called Anisocoria, which results in two different sized pupils. Often, Anisocoria also appears to change the color of the affected eyes, but this is just an illusion.
A Man and His Father Both Become Dads at Age 29
Okay, this might not be a mutation, but it sure proves the power of genes. Genetics are running strong in both images, and if there weren't a quality difference, it would be hard to tell these photographs apart. This man has entirely walked in his father's footsteps and had a son at age 29, just like dad. They also have the same characteristics, like light blonde hair and a full beard. The photos, side by side, have made two entirely separate lifetimes come together as one.
There is just so much that is similar in both images. They are wearing the same Mickey Mouse shirt, and the man's son looks just like he did when he was a kid- two young fathers with adorable children.
He's Never Lost a Thumb Battle
This image might unsurprisingly be one of the world's most extended thumbs, and there are likely no thumb battle losses predicted in this person's future. These genetics are undoubtedly different, and if you were second-guessing or had any suspicions, this image is 100% genuine. This person has probably had their fair share of struggles, but it's always grand to be different; they deserve a thumbs up for these unique genetics.
It wouldn't be weird if you were taken aback by this image. A thumb this large isn't a sight you'll often encounter, and genetically, this person might be a medical mystery. We think it just adds to humanity's beauty.
A Young Boy With a Rare Condition
Alongside blue eyes, this boy was born with a genetic condition that creates markings and discoloration throughout the body. In his case, these markings run down the center of his face and throughout his hands. His bright eyes are almost otherworldly and closely resemble a brilliant blue ocean or the cloudless sky above. This unique disposition led this kid to become internet famous, and it's not hard to understand why.
This condition is called Waardenburg Syndrome and can present in various ways, such as variations in eye color, skin color, and mild to severe hearing loss. This little guy is certainly still as cute as ever.
A Nose Without a Bridge
This kid won't ever have to worry about breaking his nose because he was born without a bridge. This genetic disposition allows him to press his nose until it's completely flat because of the absence of cartilage and bone that is usually there. It doesn't affect his ability to smell or any other functions, but this trait must undoubtedly be a cool party trick to show off on any occasion.
We're all born with various nose shapes; no two people's noses are precisely the same - some are flat, some are not. But, not many of us inherit a bridgeless nose like this one.
Caution: Things Are Not as They Seem
At first, you may think that this illusion is a photograph of a single person. But, in reality, it's an edited side-by-side photo of a grandmother and granddaughter. This photo might cause initial confusion because both eyes are the same, and the lips are symmetrical- even though there is a vast difference in their ages. In a few decades, the granddaughter will likely become a replica of her grandmother, all thanks to genetics.
This image shows how closely and genetically related we are to our grandparents. Even though we live entirely different lives, our looks often happen to be just the same or similar to theirs.
A Dog and Woman With Matching Genetic Conditions
In general, having two different eye colors is unique in itself. That goes for both dogs and humans, of course. But, this woman and her dog miraculously both have the same variety of different colored eyes. Human connections with dogs have always been extraordinary, but it's definitely safe to say that these two might be soulmates. They both have brown left eyes and bright white right eyes, which is incredible.
Heterochromia is known to result in a variety of different eye shades. Some have vast differences in colors, while others have different shades of the same color. This dog and owner together are one of a kind.
A Giant Little Finger
Most of our little fingers are, in fact, tiny. This truth is considerably not the case for this person, who has an enormous contrast between his smaller finger and the rest of the ones on his hand. You likely didn't think this was possible, but these unique genetics prove it is. This finger just happened to outgrow all of the rest, a hand formation that isn't typical, but it makes for an incredible image. Though, it must be challenging to find comfortably fitting gloves in the Winter.
This person will likely guarantee that this isn't an optical illusion. It's authentic - this person's fingers just grew slightly different from the rest of us; how incredibly cool.
Two Totally Different Twins
This photo perfectly shows how unexpected genetics can be between family members and siblings. Some twins are truly identical, some aren't, but by looking at this picture, it's hard to find any resemblances between the two boys who are twin brothers. They don't share the same hair shades or skin color, and their smiles are different. These guys definitely don't even look like close cousins; maybe just best friends.
Twins often look alike, or at least have some fundamental similarities- but these brothers don't exactly fit the stereotypical example of twins; in fact, even their clothing styles are different.
About 1% of the World's Population Has This Mysterious Marking
This person is extraordinary because this genetic trait, called "single traverse palmar crease," only occurs in one hand for about 1.5% of our population. There is a clear divide between the top and bottom half of the hand, creating a distinct and unique-looking feature that isn't necessarily so common. It's not often that you'll come across a person with this, and since it's just a marking, hand function isn't affected, but coolness is.
Many of us are born with birthmarks or unique markings, but this person wins the competition for most unusual. Psychics claim that hand lines can predict the future- go ahead and wonder what this one means.
Did You Know She Had a Double Set of Eyelashes?
At first glance, you may think that actress, Elizabeth Taylor, has thick and long beautiful eyelashes. Or that she is wearing a few coats of very dark mascara and eyeliner. But, believe it or not, she actually and unbelievably has a double set of eyelashes. The thick dark lashes don't only make her tinted blue eyes stand out; they also define her face in a way that isn't always often seen.
Having a double set of eyelashes like these is known as Distichiasis. Distichiasis is a rare genetic condition primarily present in only women at birth and sometimes develops through time.
Her Eyes Look Like Galaxies
This woman looks like she has an entire galaxy in her eyes. Her bright green and blue iris composition creates an even greater contrast with the dark brown spots. There is a massive difference between the two colors, making her undoubtedly stand out in every room she enters. The dark black mascara and eyeliner create an even deeper distinction; making eye contact with this woman is likely an exceptional experience.
This woman has an unusually different case of heterochromia. Not often does it result in irises that are spotted with brown patches instead of two different eye colors —an incredibly unique and rare genetic disposition.
A Model With Albinism
Light purple eyes and captivatingly luminous white hair make this model stand out with more magnificence than ever. This ever so prominent appearance is a particularly rare genetic make-up that is not often a look commonly presented in the modern modeling world. She depicts the beauty and uniqueness that powerful genetics created for her. Her condition is known as Albinism which makes the unique features presented in her physical traits.
The NOA (National Organization for Albinism) claims that the odds of developing the makeup is 1 in 18,000. This statistic means that this beautiful disposition is rare and uncommonly different.
These Sisters Look Nothing Alike
In the image, these two biological sisters are a genetic shock because they look absolutely and completely different. There are hardly any similarities to compare, so it might be easier to acknowledge what is different. First of all, they were both born with two very different shades of melanin and pretty much seem as if they hail from separate countries. Their hair colors are on two opposite ends of the spectrum, too.
In this family, one parent is Irish and the other- Italian. The unusual genetic result just happened to be two daughters who look nothing alike at all. There is seriously 0 resemblance.
A Son and His Father
These shortened fingers result from rare genetics combined with a random accident. The son's pointer finger on his left hand was short from birth, but the father's finger, on the right, is a result of a wound - a random yet incredible shared coincidence. These two men have pointer fingers that are now precisely the same size. They didn't plan this event, but it's resulted in a similarity these boys can bond over together.
Although this father suffered a freak injury, his son was born with a highly unusual feature- so maybe it was destiny. These are another pair of hands that will likely need custom-made winter gloves- perhaps they can share.
Born With A Scar in the Eye
Usually, scars result from injury or accidents that commonly occur in life. But, this person was born with this irregular imperfection. This scarring could be a condition called Coloboma, which causes a deformity in eye structure or an unevenly shaped pupil, but thankfully, it doesn't typically affect the quality of vision. Altered or irregular genetic patterns can manifest in many different ways; this result is undoubtedly a pleasure to view.
The longer you look, the more this seems like a painting instead of an actual Iris. The scarring creates a unique look, but this person's eye color is remarkable in itself.
A Baby Born With Elf Ears
You will see sharply pointed ears like these in fiction or fantasy movies, but this is one for you to view in real life. These elf-like ears are entirely all-natural and aren't a part of any folklore tale. Of course, they are also very adorable, if you couldn't tell. If you didn't think babies could get any cuter, this image would have to prove you wrong. These are some rare characteristics.
Babies are already one of the cutest things on the planet, but these tiny pointy ears will raise this little one's cuteness levels off the charts. Maybe he'll outgrow them, perhaps not. But for now, it's adorable.
A Very Curly Mother-Daughter Combo
Curls aren't necessarily so common, and neither is red hair, so this combined combination between mother and daughter is unique. This surreal resemblance makes them look more like identical twin sisters, but that's not the case—just another beautiful, ageless mom with an exact copy for a daughter. It's hard to believe that dad exists because these genetics are 100% mom. Standing side by side in similar sweatshirts, they look way too similar.
You probably can't figure out which one is the mother and which is the daughter in this photo. To be honest, they both look around the same age, or more like twins.
Unrelated Look-Alikes
Genetics isn't only similar between twins or family; sometimes, they are entirely random. These fine young men hardly have any differences, and they aren't long-lost cousins- even though they look like it. They are strangers who have the same taste in everything; even their beards and mustaches grow the same way. Their hats are replicas of each other, and they both have long and lusciously straight, dark brown hair. They're definitely at least meant to be best friends.
Imagine running into a copy of yourself on the street; it doesn't happen often. It might even be shocking to find out that you're not necessarily one of a kind, but it is astonishing.
Two Brothers, One Image
This blue-eyed and brown bearded guy isn't one, but two men. These guys are brothers but seem to look more like twins. Like the rest of these guys' faces, their crystal light blue eyes match up perfectly and don't look like they belong to two separate people. They have to be sharing an almost identical close-set of genetics because everything from the beard style to the nose perfectly matches up.
Although these two men both have very different hairlines and hair textures, this side-by-side image is tough to differentiate. If you see any differences, you probably have supervision.
The Result of Identical Genetics
Usually, identical twins enter this world looking very alike, and this continues with age, but they do not always share the same type of taste in jewelry and makeup. Sometimes, preferences between a pair of twins may be complete opposites, but this isn't the case for these sisters. Not many of us know what it's like to live with and look at a copy of ourselves, but these girls certainly do.
Sometimes, genetics are unpredictable, and other times, they might meet your expectations. These twins are a perfect example of incredible identicality, from physical features to their bright pink taste in clothing.
Another Rare Red Headed Family
Having red-colored hair is generally rare, but an entire family with the same hair color isn't exactly an ordinary sight. Not only that, but they are also wearing the same style of plaid clothing. The matching outfits and hair make it evident that they are a family that can color coordinate like no other—even the orange trees in the background and the hidden dog in the forefront match in red.
Scientifically, having red hair is known as a recessive gene. The more generations pass on red hair, the less common it becomes. This photo proves how intense this hair color is in this family's genetics.
Surprisingly, This Isn't the Same Photo
Okay, somehow, this isn't the same photo where one is colored and the other is in black and white. Daughters commonly look like their mothers, but this likeless runs deep. It's more than the facial resemblance that stands out within this family's genes; the general attitude of the daughter as a toddler is the same as her mother's when she was about the exact age. The resemblance is truly incredible.
Whether or not the mother planned the second photo of her daughter, everything is down to exact replication from the hand placement to eye-roll; genuinely unique, this daughter is a copy of her mother.
A Mother and Daughter Who Look More Like Twins
Most of us will be born with at least some features that resemble one or both of our parents. But not frequently do we grow up looking almost identical to one or both of them. It might be hard to wrap your mind around the idea that this pair of women are not twins because they're mother and daughter. Likely, they are often mistaken for sisters because the resemblance is just uncanny.
Their clothing is the same, but their features are identical. It's hard to tell which one is the daughter or the mother from the hair color and style, the smile, and face shape.
Some Competition From These Two Men
They might be wearing the same shirt, but that isn't the only similarity they share. These facial expressions are identical, and their baldness is genetic, likely something that dad passed on to his son. It doesn't look as if he got any of his mom's physical traits, either, because this guy is a replica of his father. They would look like twins, even if they were wearing two different shirts.
It's safe to say that they look like the same person, also the same age. There is absolutely no way to tell that they are father and son in real life- unless you're looking for wrinkles- but you're probably not.
Sisters, Side By Side
This photo may seem to be a single photo of a woman with two different eyes, but actually, it's two images of a pair of sisters put together. Besides the distinctive facial expression, it's pretty hard to find any differences between them. It wouldn't exactly be surprising if they ended up being twins in reality. Take a minute to stare at this photo; they even have exactly matching eyebrow shapes.
The eyes may not exactly match up, but everything is exact, from the hair type and color to every aspect of their faces. These two women share some potent genes.
A Mother and Daughter at 25 Years Old
When we are born, it is almost definite that we will inherit a handful of similarities and traits from our parents, but this woman, aged 25, nearly looks like an identical twin of her mother. Comparing these two photos, both of the same age also seem to be the same person. Both women have the very same clothing style, and there is no denying that these two smiles are very alike.
From the same sweater to the glasses, the smile, and much more, this mother-daughter duo is a perfect example of how we may often follow in our parents' exact footsteps.
These Two Men Are Not Related
These two boys are not related; they just met each other entirely randomly. Having orange-colored hair is a rarity of its own- but finding someone with the same hair color who looks like you in every other way is simply magical. Imagine the surprise; it's almost like staring into a mirror- only to have an unknown stranger with your physical features staring right back at you. That must be strange.
These boys come from two separate families that have never crossed paths. Two sets of genetics can be vastly different but might present precisely the same; that's what's happening here.
A Portrait of Two Brothers
One big beard, one almost symmetrical face, but two people. The truth might be hard to believe until you look closely at the two different colored eyes- and it's not because of heterochromia. Surprisingly, this is a single portrait photo of two brothers merged. This image looks like a single person with half of a shaved head from a distance, and there doesn't seem to be any contrast of facial features.
You can likely thank the power of genetics for this illusion. Whether these guys dressed for the photoshoot or just genetic preference, these two brothers have the same relaxed clothing style.
A Mother and Daughter Who Are More Than Matching
The long dark hair, the oval framed glasses, the matching black jumpsuits, even the hands in their pockets- literally every aspect of this photo make it even more confusing. You may think that these pair are twin sisters, but, believe it or not, one happens to be the mother and the other a daughter. And not just any mother-daughter: it's Demi Moore and her kid. Rumer.
They likely coordinated this look, but it's also possible that this pair may have the same style in general. It doesn't look like dad passed on too many of his genetics, either.
This Son Is a Clone of His Father
This guy's father passed away when he was just four years old, but he carries his spirit everywhere he goes- all he has to do is look in the mirror. This son inherited many traits from his father, and they both give off similar energies in their photographs. You might even have thought that this was the same person at first glance, but they simply share some extremely solid genetics.
This man might be a reincarnation of his late father- although different decades, a lot matches in both photographs from the exact collared shirt, the sweater, posture, and everything in between.
It's Hard To Believe These Girls Aren't Triplets
These three girls look strikingly alike, and you might think they are triplets or even sisters. But, believe it or not, the woman with the bun is the mother. She must be ageless because it is difficult to differentiate between the three who seem to be the same age. The mom may have eternal youth in her genes and has undoubtedly passed that down to her two daughters to look this flawless.
You can call her lucky because the likelihood of developing zero wrinkles after having and raising two children who also look like your twin is pretty much slim to none.
This Woman Looks Exactly Like Her Grandma's Sister
The resemblance is undeniable, but it's not often that you end up looking like a twin of your grandma's sister. After skipping a few generations, these strong genetics might have been copied and pasted. Their smiles and even choice of lipstick are precisely the same; it's almost as if this might be the same person who jumped to a different decade. Genetics are somewhat unpredictable and show up in various ways.
According to this woman, her grandma repeatedly mentioned that she looks exactly like her sister- and it's pretty apparent as to why. There's no denying that these two women are blood-related.
Similar Sisters
Compared to other side-by-side images, this might be the hardest to wrap your mind around. These two sisters are so alike that there are hardly any differences to count in the picture; their freckled faces seem to be 100% symmetrical. Although in different positions, they also have a matching chin freckle that sits opposite each other. Their shared genetics is also the cause of what made these two girls have the same preference in hairstyle, type, and texture.
These two similar sisters must often get mistaken every day because they look like the same person in this image, no matter which angles you try to look at it.
An Aunt in 1972 and Her Niece, Today
You might have to glance at these photos twice alongside some self-convincing because these two girls are nearly identical—the girl on the right looks like an exact copy of her young aunt in 1972, pictured on the left. It's not unusual to look like our relatives, especially our blood-related ones. They might be in two completely different decades, but their similarities are as strong as ever, just like those genetics.
Not only are the pigtails matching, but the smiles and expressions in both photos also seem to be the same ones- and they both have a similar taste in fashion.