Everyone is born different with unique characteristics, but sometimes, genes take things to a whole new level. Unlikely gene combinations can create some of the most intriguing and out-of-the-ordinary human body features. We compiled some of the most interesting photos that capture the incredible power of genetics. Scroll down to find your favorite genetic trait.
These twin brothers have opposite genes thanks to an Irish dad and Italian mother
We would have never guessed these two were brothers, let alone twins! It’s incredible what twins can teach us about how different genes can be. When you have two parents that are of different nationalities, there’s always the possibility that your kids will look different from one another, and this photo is proof of that.
This rare mutation called Polycoria is when there is more than one pupil in an eye
Yes, this is really possible. Polycoria is extremely rare to find in one’s eye and its cause is unknown. It can happen in both eyes or just one eye. Each pupil has its own sphincter muscles, meaning they can work independently of each other.
The purple birthmark in his eye is almost hypnotizing
A birthmark in an eye is not something you see very often, especially a purple birthmark. This unique birthmark definitely falls under the category of interesting genes. While you may not see another birthmark like this in anyone else, we think it makes him look pretty cool, plus, it makes him totally unique.
This woman has a rare mutation that affects less than 1% of babies
This is a type of mole that can be found in less than 1 percent of newborns. These moles are caused by a change in pigment cells and it is not heredity. Some keep their mole while others decide to have it removed. These moles are considered giant if they reach more than 20cm by adulthood.
“My hand mirrors itself”
This extremely rare syndrome is known as mirror hand syndrome. This one hand has eight fingers and no thumbs. This rare syndrome doesn’t only affect the hand but can happen to other limbs as well. As of 2015, there have only been about 70 recorded cases.
This labrador with vitiligo looks like a masked superhero
This is Rowdy and he’s extremely adorable. He has a condition known as vitiligo which is when there’s a loss of pigmentation in the skin due to a lack of melanin. Rowdy worked with kids who also had vitiligo to help raise awareness of the skin condition. The patches on his eyes make him look like a real-life superhero.
This strong cat has a rare condition that causes incredible muscle growth
This cat has a rare condition known as Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy which causes extreme muscle growth. We’ve never seen such a strong cat like this in our lives. This condition causes lower body fat and increases skeletal muscle size. This doesn’t only affect animals, but humans as well.
These biracial twins are often mistaken for best friends
While it may not seem like it, these two girls, Millie and Marcia, are in fact twins. One girl inherited her mom’s complexion, while the other inherited her father’s complexion. They even have different hair colors. Both girls inherited different genes from each parent.
“I have extremely loose joints thanks to a rare syndrome”
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a rare genetic condition caused by a defect in collagen which is a protein responsible for flexibility and strength within the connective tissues. People with this syndrome usually have hypermobility, meaning their joints or flexible. Others have stretchy skin and stretchy ligaments.
Cat-eye syndrome elongates the pupil which closely resembles a cat’s eye
Cat-eye syndrome, also known as Schmid-Fraccaro syndrome, is a rare condition in the chromosome and it’s named after the scary resemblance to a cat’s eye. It’s a reaction to a genetic defect in chromosome 22 and can be apparent in both males and females.
an incredibly wholesome redheaded family
Red hair isn’t such a common sight. It’s a recessive gene and continues to become rarer. That’s why this photo of an incredibly photogenic family of redheads is so darn cool. Seeing a group of redheads isn’t something you see everyday.
The patterns of an albino zebra stand out from the crowd
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 zebras have , the discoloration caused by albinism has turned his black stripes into a chocolatey light-brown.
“My mother and I, both at age 25“
Via Imgur
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. This women, however, has taken her mother’s genes to the next level: It really is incredibly difficult to believe that they aren’t the same person.
“I have a single line across my palm”
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. This contion is found in 1.5% of the general population on at least on hand. This means that many of us may know someone with this extraordinary trait.
this model has albinism, a condition that affects the color of the skin
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 is embracing her albinism and we commend her for that.
This child’s rare condition gave him striking blue eyes and white patches on his skin
Waardenburg syndrome refers to a group of incredibly rare genetic conditions that include some degree of hearing loss and variations in the 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 different colored eyes
Heterochromia, having two different colored eyes, is rare enough, but heterochromia combined with 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 acquire 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 has two other unique characteristics that make him even more irresistibly cute: inaudible purrs and an obsession with bread. Yoda’s genetic makeup is so unique, that we’ve never seen anything similar. 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”
Have you ever seen someone with freckles on only one half of their face? This man’s rare freckle pattern is definitely a case of incredibly rare genetics. How can one explain this? Perhaps this is more of a rare birthmark as opposed to one-sided freckles. This can explain why only 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!
uniquely large thumb
Via Imgur
In August of 2019, a similar case of a person with an enlarged thumb went viral on the widely popular TikTok app. In the video, the twenty-year-old Jacob Pina showcased his lengthy thumb explaining that “yes, it’s real.” He also stated that he had “never lost a thumb battle” and that “it’s always great to be different and embrace your own essence”. Truer words have never been spoken.
“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.
SISTERS? More like mother and daughter
We’re actually not sure we can tell which one of them is the mother and which one’s the daughter. Another case of people’s looks not only standing the test of time but completely acing it, too. We’re also pretty sure that the daughter’s happy to have inherited her mother’s eternally young genes.
Segmental heterochromia – IRIS SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT COLORS
This person has a condition known as segmental heterochromia in the form of two different patches of color in her eye. The condition is a specific type of heterochromia in which an iris is split into two segments of color, as opposed to heterochromia iridium, in which two irises bear different colors.
“On the left, my aunt in 1972.
on the right, me”
The resemblance is uncanny. The original poster of this image also stated that “as a kid, I was truly convinced that it was me in the photo, but I had no memory of the event.” Who could even blame her for recognizing herself in the image of her incredibly similar aunt? Not us, that’s for sure.
“right: dad’s index finger was cut.
left: my index finger’s shorter than my pinky”
This a case of a rare genetic trait supplemented by an even rarer historical coincidence, making the whole story thoroughly bizarre. While the dad had suffered an injury to his index finger, resulting in its short length; the son was naturally born with a short index finger, somehow matching his dad.
The toothy smile of Snowflake, the World’s only albino gorilla
Snowflake is the world’s only known albino gorilla. Born in 1964, he was kept in the Barcelona Zoo in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Of all six of Snowflake’s surviving offspring, none of them inherited his albinism, although they do carry the recessive albino gene, meaning that there’s a small chance of them birthing another albino gorilla.
the DNA game is strong: mom’s genetics are overwhelming
Despite being a recessive trait, all the children in this family had somehow inherited their mother’s ginger hair. Their stunning red hair serves as a permanent reminder of their bond as a family. Though we do feel for the dad, who looks slightly left out, there’s always bound to be a loser in the game of genetics. Besides, we’re sure the next generation will take after him.
this woman has “Anisocoria” which causes unequal pupil size
Anisocoria is a condition in which both the eyes’ pupils are of a different size. This difference in size also sometimes causes the pupils to appear to be colored differently, but this is mostly an optical illusion.
father and son: The apple didn’t fall far from the tree
It definitely does not. The only giveaway that these two people aren’t actually clones manufactured in a secret factory is the visible difference in facial wrinkles. Other than that, these two peas in the pod are genetically engineered masterpieces in our book.
“People think my mother is my sister. she’s the one with the bun”
Some lucky people, for the life of them, seemingly do not age. That is exactly the case with these three sisters right here. Oops, did we say sisters? One of them, the one with hair styled in a bun, is actually the mother of the other two ladies. So basically, while we’re stuck here gathering wrinkles, she’s somehow found the key to eternal youth. Nice for her. No, you’re jealous.
the deadly dOUBLE FANGED KITTEN
Sometimes nature just messes around and gives you an extra fang; all the better to eat canned tuna with, you know? This cat is one feline you wouldn’t want to mess with. Anybody who owns a cat will tell you that their bites really hurt sometimes. Add an extra fang to the equation and you’re dealing with a serious threat to your day.
“Today I learned my eye’s birthmark is heart-shaped”
Birthmarks come in all shapes and sizes, most of them, however, bear no particular significance to us at all. So a heart-shaped birthmark is rare enough. But having a heart-shaped birthmark on the sclera (the white part of the eye)? That isn’t just rare. That’s incredibly cool, too.
The incredible resemblance of a mother and her daughter
Familial ties run deep. Real deep. People don’t usually think that mother nature rolls this way, but she really does. This mother must have been absolutely astonished to see herself in the image of her toddler daughter. You know what they say, the apple never falls far from the tree.
“I Can grab things backwards”
This person may or may not be the chosen one. We’re not sure how this particular trick is of any use to its holder, other than being an incredible ice-breaker, of course, but we’re sure glad that he chose to share his extraordinary talent on the internet. This makes us feel just a tiny bit less unique than we’d like to be.
“My Dad Painting My Daughter’s Toenails, They Look Nothing Alike But The Love Is The Same”
There’s no doubt that there’s no bond quite like a grandparent with their grandchild, as can be seen in this picture. Despite these two family members looking nothing like each other, the unmistakable bond of genetics and blood that ties a family together is just as strong regardless of appearances.
Both are 29 with a 2-week-old son
Like father, like son. These two young gentlemen not only look incredibly alike while rocking that timeless Mickey Mouse T-shirt, but they also had a similar lifestyle, seeing as they both came to father a child at the age of twenty-nine. This twofold coincidence is actually quite incredible.
Just an albino penguin
He is absolutely adorable. Not only that, but his camouflage is probably superior to all his other black-coated brethren. Going by his satisfied expression, it seems as though his uniquely singular looks haven’t caused his brothers to shun him, which is not only heartwarming but also inspiring.
“My grandma keeps saying I look like her sister when she was my age”
The resemblance is uncanny, which is why we can’t blame grandma for pushing just a bit too hard with the whole “you look just like my sister” thing. We’re sure this granddaughter understands, too. By the way, what do you call your grandma’s sister? A grandaunt? Huh, weird.
THESE TWO ARE ACTUALLY TOTALLY UNRELATED
These two doppelgangers are actually unrelated. Yeah, we’re not sure how that works either, given that everybody’s genes are totally different. Anyway, it must be pretty nice to meet your doppelganger. Unless he’s much better than you. That would probably be really depressing.
Women from the apatani tribe wear huge nose plugs to “cover” their beauty
The large nose plugs worn by these women really stand out. In addition to the tradition of these nose plugs, women of this tribe also tattoo their faces. In the past, these women were captured by neighboring tribesmen. To prevent this, women began putting these nose plugs to look less attractive.
poliosis runs in this family- a rare genetic condition in which parts of the skin are white from a lack of melanin
Talk about winning the genetic lottery. This mom and her son share the same unique streak of white hair. Poliosis, also known as white forelock, happens when hair either lacks or has a very small amount of pigment in the affected area.
Father and son both enlisted at age nineteen
The only noticeable difference between the two images is the quality of the camera, which is absolutely incredible. It’s also noteworthy to mention that both these men chose to enlist, which is definitely a commendable decision. It’s as they say, like father, like son. Isn’t that right?
the incredibly rare spiky chicken
Not all chickens look the same. This fabulous spiky chicken is a mix between a few breeds of chicken, resulting in its incredibly singular and unique looks: His spiky-yet-fluffy feathers, his narrow eyes, and strikingly red beak, they’re all undoubtedly his own. And boy are they atypical.
The difference 10 months of HRT can make
We don’t really think about it much, but hormones are pretty powerful. HRT stands for hormone replacement therapy that consists of female hormones. There is a massive difference here between the photo on the left and the one on the right, but you only need a few weeks to see the benefits of HRT.
Thumbs from each parent
Let’s break this down: On the far left is the mom’s short thumb, while the father’s on the opposite end of the spectrum, to the far right. In the middle is the person who somehow got both his parents’ short thumbs, resulting in not one but two short thumbs. A fantastically rare genetic coincidence.
Mother and daughter’s senior portrait, side-by-side
The resemblance between this mother-daughter combination on their senior year of high school is just uncanny. It looks as though they were both rocking the exact same hairstyle, too.
BLUE EYES GO GREEN WITH CENTRAL HETEROCHROMIA
This person’s exquisite eye composition is not only stunning but incredibly extraordinary too. The color of one’s eye is determined by the result of melanin deposits in the iris, the part of the eye responsible for the movements of the pupil. Blue eyes don’t have much melanin, while brown have plenty.
When the father’s DNA doesn’t register
Yeah, the dad’s DNA definitely didn’t kick in this time. This one’s got “mom” written all over her. They even wore matching outfits just to make us all a tiny bit more confused, which is definitely commendable. To that we say: Cudos to you mother and daughter, you definitely got us this time.
This man has Waardenburg syndrome
Waardenburg syndrome isn’t just one condition but a group of genetic traits that can damage one’s hearing (although this is quite rare) and change the pigmentation of one’s hair, skin, and eyes. There are four recognized types of Waardenburg’s that are distinguished by physical traits and genetic causes.
“My grandpa and I holding our kid”
Picking up their kid? More like “My grandpa and I making the mothers of our children worried sick”. We’re absolutely sure that the kids are all right, but darn it that pose is definitely stress-inducing. Just let the baby down gently, okay? We’ll meet all your demands, whatever you need.
Adorable cat with heterochromia
Heterochromia isn’t limited to gender, race, hair type, the size of one’s body, or even species: Even cats can have heterochromia. In fact, the condition is actually more common in animals than it is in humans. Odd-eyed cats sometimes even appear in some cultures’ traditional tales and folklore.
this is an edited picture of two sisters side by side
This edited portrait of two sisters standing side by side looks more like a picture of one woman making an incredibly unusual facial expression. That’s how identical these two sisters are to each other.
dark skin in comparison to light skin
Human diversity is pretty incredible. The two models photographed in this picture certainly have dramatically different skin tones. These two men, Papis Loveday and Shaun Ross are believed to be the darkest and the lightest men in the world.
1, in 10,000 white killer whale
It’s hard to figure out just how rare something is. That isn’t the case with this white killer whale: For every standard, dark killer whale, there’s 0.0001 white killer whale, which means that there’s one white killer whale for every ten thousand dark killer whales. Wow, this accidentally turned into a lecture in basic arithmetic.
an incredibly nervous Albino Hedgehog
Yeah, hedgehogs are prone to albinism too. Don’t pay mind to his beamy red eyes, this guy is no demonic creature; he’s as cute and harmless as they get. Well, as harmless as hedgehogs can be – their spikes are sure to pack a punch if you get a tiny bit too close to them.
“My dad holding me when I was a baby vs me now with my mom”
This is pretty cool. Genes play such a significant role when it comes to us humans. If there’s one thing we love more than genes, it’s a loving family. While we don’t know exactly how many years are between these pictures, it’s adorable nonetheless.
“I only have one joint in my pinky”
This is a condition which is unusual as it is interesting. Definitely one of those high-school party tricks that would gather up a sizable crowd. It’s nice to have a cool trick on hand such as this one right here to impress random people.
These two guys are twins
Not all twins are identical. Not all twins even look alike. Some twins barely resemble each other at all, actually. That’s exactly the case with these two twins right here: Between the different hair colors and pigmentation, probably nobody would’ve been able to guess that they’re twins.
AN ALBINO TURTLE JUST SWIMMING
This albino turtle is just chilling. Chilling and swimming. Albinism can sometimes express itself a bit differently in reptiles such as turtles, as they tend to keep some sort of pigment, often appearing yellow or red. This isn’t the case with this albino turtle here, however, who’s completely snow white.
edited portrait of two brothers
These two brothers don’t only share similar visual traits, but they’re also impeccably styled. Look at those chains! They definitely dressed up for this photoshoot. It’s also interesting to note that one brother’s hair is receding, while the other is rocking a full head of hair. It’s strange, the way we inherit (or don’t inherit) our parents’ traits.
an albino peacock seems counter-intuitive
Very counter-intuitive, given the fact that a peacock’s multicolored, eye-resembling feathers are meant to scare away predators by giving them the impression that something other than a harmless, defenseless bird is standing before them. But although it isn’t very practical, this peacock’s albinism is definitely cool.
A coincidence too good to be true
As if it weren’t rare enough to have one person or pet with heterochromia, this family was graced with both a boy and a kitten. The seven-year-old boy is called Maden, and he and his family in Oklahoma found their partner in crime in a shelter for cats. The story is nothing less than magical.
Father and son 35 years apart
They look exactly the same. Some families’ DNA game is just too strong, we guess. It seems as though they’re both versed in the art of waiting tables, which is definitely a skill that’s determined in part by genetics. One of the only glaring differences between them is the redness of their hair.
THIS ALBINO SQUIRREL IS ABSOLUTELY CHILLING
Via Imgur
He’s probably nuts for nuts too. It’s not every day that you get to see an albino squirrel, so let’s all savor this special moment we’re sharing. Also if somebody has an acorn or maybe even a pecan, now would definitely be the time to break them out and feed our beloved albino squirrel.
These twins look so similar, yet so different
This beautiful portrait of twins Joe and Duke was captured by the talented Peter Zelewski. It is part of the photographer’s “Alike But Not Alike” project which highlights the subtle differences between identical twins.
Sectoral heterochromia
Via Imgur
Heterochromia doesn’t always mean a huge patch of color difference between the eyes. Sometimes it can even be just a few spots. That’s exactly the case with this woman right here, who has beautiful patches of brown in her bright green eyes. Truly a beautiful genetic disposition.
this curly mother-daughter combo is astonishing
The resemblance is surreal! These two peas in a pod are way too alike for us to just pass on by unphased. As they say, like father like son. But instead of a father, we have a mother. So let us reiterate, like mother like daughter!
Anne-SOPHIE (AGE 19) AND PASCALE (AGE 16)
There is absolutely no indication whatsoever that this isn’t just a plain photograph of a single woman. Well, maybe, on closer inspection, the freckled left side is a bit of a giveaway, but other than that, absolutely nothing. We wonder if these two sisters get mixed up often. That must be pretty cool.
These Identical twins decided to transition from female to male at the same time
Getty Images/Barcoft Media/Barcoft Media
You wouldn’t have guessed it by looking at these identical brothers, but Angel and Fabian Griffin were both born female but transitioned to males in their early twenties. They knew at the age of 10 they were in the wrong bodies and have been at each other’s sides every step of the way since.
SIDE BY SIDE: ERIC AND DANY, BROTHERS
So the only giveaway that this isn’t just a picture of one guy is pretty much the way each of them styles his beard and head-hair. Also, we don’t know how they got those crystal-blue eyes, but nice going, guys.
AN ADORABLE ALBINO LADYBUG
There are pretty much two things ladybugs are known for: Their distinct color scheme and unique polka-dotted patterns. Well, this cute bugger’s got one of those going for him, while the other, his color, has completely given way to a white-black contrast, which is totally unique and beautiful.
These two are sisters. no, none of them Are adopted
These two sisters of opposing genes are quite the genetic wonder. One parent is Irish, while the other is Italian. The result? Well, two completely distinct people. So distinct, in fact, that we can just barely believe that they’re actually related.
Alopecia is a condition that affects the scalp.
Alopecia is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles. It usually affects the scalp, where round patches of hair loss appear over a few weeks – but thankfully, most people who experience alopecia find that their hair grows back within a year.
The incredible power of identical twins
Imagine having two of yourself. Accidently double-booked yourself into an introvert’s worst nightmare? No problem, just send your twin to one place while you go to the other. We need to thank our lucky stars that identical twins don’t use their incredible powers to mess with us. And to those of them who do – well, who can blame them?