HISTORICAL FACTS: Interesting human body abnormalities - Caught on Camera

Growing up, I never appreciated my unique features. I was the only kid in class with red hair. I hated how often people would comment on my freckles, and it didn’t help that I had a unique name too. My mom still recalls me coming home from school and saying that I wished that my name was Sarah and that I had straight, blonde hair.

As an adult, however, I’ve come to appreciate my special features. Sure, they certainly aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But it’s cool to stand out, and I’ve learned to appreciate my unique traits. My features are absolutely nothing compared to some of the incredible physical traits that some people have, though. And while they may not all be things that these individuals want to brag about, we believe that every body deserves to be celebrated! 

When it comes to rare physical traits, well, you probably don’t see them every day; otherwise, they wouldn’t be uncommon. But Sciencing compiled a list of some that you might actually have yourself. First, they note that some people have the genetic ability to require less sleep. While most adults need between 7 and 9 hours a night for optimum health, apparently, some can function just fine on a mere four to six hours per night.

Another rare trait is having double eyelashes. This condition is known as distichiasis, and it essentially means that both eyelids have an additional row of eyelashes. They might be shorter or thinner than the first set, but regardless, this is a dream of many who get eyelash extensions.  

One rare feature that you would never know someone had unless they told you is supertaster taste buds. Apparently, about a quarter of people have some variety of the supertaster trait, but that doesn’t mean that the taste of everything is amplified. 

Typically, this impacts bitter flavors the most, meaning that foods like citrus fruits or spinach might taste extremely strong. But there are benefits to being a supertaster, as that person may not feel the need to indulge in excessively fatty or sweet foods. They also might not enjoy substances like tobacco and alcohol.  

Healthline notes that heterochromia is another example of a very unique physical feature, but this one is very beautiful as well. This is when a person (or animal) has two different colored eyes. And it can happen from birth, or it can develop later on in life due to a health condition.

One trait that’s invisible, until you see it happen, that is, is sunlight sneezing. Some people have a condition called ACHOO syndrome, or photic sneezing, which means that they start sneezing every time they walk into direct sunlight.

When it comes to having body parts that you don’t exactly need, eyelashes aren’t the only things you can have extras of. Some people actually have an extra rib, called a cervical rib, which forms in the neck area. But unfortunately, this trait isn’t simply a fun fact to share at parties. It can lead to discomfort, pain, numbness, and weakness in the affected shoulder and arm. Luckily, if the rib is causing health issues, it can safely be removed. 

If you’re curious about how rare your body is, Dr. Sermed Mezher shared a video on social media pointing out some of the rarest physical features that you just might have. First, he mentioned that the Cupid's bow lip type is actually the least common lip shape. Meanwhile, if you have the ability to voluntarily focus and unfocus your eyes, that’s also pretty special!