(ORDO NEWS) — Genetics is a strict thing, but sometimes it allows itself to relax. Each of us is unique in its own way: a dimple on one cheek, a sweet mole, expressive eyes … all this is great, but there are people who are lucky (and sometimes vice versa) to be one in a million or even to be among several tens of all of humanity. Here are 10 scientifically confirmed anomalies of the human body, which often practically do not affect the quality of life, but they definitely make their owner unique.
Distichiasis
Just one mistake in the transcription of the sixteenth chromosome, and you are the owner of such an unusual diagnosis. Didn’t understand anything? This is how distichiasis, the “superstar gene” is described in a scientific way, and in a simple way – a mutation in the form of a double row of eyelashes behind normally growing ones. Queen of Hollywood Elizabeth Taylor was the owner of this mutation: stunningly expressive eyes with thick eyelashes without a gram of makeup – the dream of any girl. True, sometimes distichiasis also causes discomfort. As a rule, an additional row of eyelashes originates from the channels of the meibomian glands at the edge of the eyelid, but can also affect other parts of the eyelids, then this becomes a problem.
Fringed Tongue Syndrome
No, this is not photoshop. No, not aliens. In Latin, such an anomaly is called plica Fimbriata, in Russian – fringed folds of the tongue. These, as they say, are the remains of the embryonic past, normal residual tissue that was not completely absorbed by the body during the development and growth of the tongue. Horned triangular flaps are located on each side of the frenum (a piece of tissue connecting the lower part of the tongue to the inside of the mouth) under the tongue and run parallel to two different veins.
Parotid fistula
5% of people have a completely harmless anomaly of the body, which we inherited from our ancestors. Or even from “great-great-ancestors.” In general, from those who were still with the gills. This atavism is found both on one and both ears at once, it is a narrow winding channel that opens at the beginning of the auricle curl. It does not cause any discomfort, but if desired, it can still be removed surgically.
Polydactyly
What unites Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Anne of England Boleyn and Slipknot member Sid Wilson? All of these celebrities had one diagnosis – polydactyly, an anatomical deviation characterized by a larger than normal number of fingers on the hands or feet. The real record holder among carriers of polydactyly is the Indian boy Akshat Saksen. The guy has 34 (!) Fingers: 7 fingers on each hand and 10 fingers on each foot. Can you imagine what solos can be played on a guitar or piano with such a mutation? However, as a rule, the extra finger is a small piece of soft tissue that can be removed. Sometimes it’s just bone without joints, very rarely the extra finger is full.
Waardenburg Syndrome
Changes in various genes can ultimately lead to Waardenburg syndrome: a telecant (lateral displacement of the inner corners of the eyes, while the interpupillary distance is normal), heterochromia of the iris, gray hair and often congenital hearing loss. A similar anomaly occurs in one of 42,000 people. Often the owners of such a feature earn their wild popularity in social networks with its help.
Ulnar dimelia
Here is a truly rare anomaly – there are no more than a hundred confirmed cases of such deformation on the whole Earth. The ulna is duplicated, there is no thumb at all, but there are two or three additional ones. Syndrome of a specular arm (the second name of ulnar dimelia) does not cause discomfort in ordinary life, from it there are generally pluses. Even the most slippery glass will not fall out of such a hand, plus you can hold onto the handrails in public transport with a dead grip.
Heterochromia
Damn expressive look can make not only distichiasis. There is at least one completely harmless anomaly – a different color of the iris of the right and left eye or different colors of different parts of the iris of one eye. All this is the result of a relative excess or lack of melanin. The eye affected by heterochromia can be hyperpigmented or hypopigmented.
Tetrachromatic
The human eye contains three types of cones (ocular photoreceptors), which differ in photosensitive pigment. S-type cones are sensitive in violet-blue, M-type in green-yellow and L-type in yellow-red parts of the spectrum. But sometimes a genetic malfunction happens, and a person gets an additional fourth fully working type of cone. Thus, the ability to distinguish a huge number of shades in the yellow-green part of the spectrum arises. Such even on a gloomy autumn day will find bright colors without the help of opiates.
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