Warning: this article might inspire you to pursue a career in genetics or to become a scientist. The world of genetics is fascinating, to say the least. It can make you feel like you’re living in a sci-fi book, instead of on Planet Earth, and there are plenty of examples that make us go, “Wow, I can’t believe this is real!”

Our team here at Bored Panda has put together this fascinating list of people who were born different from the rest. From small and subtle differences to larger ones that everyone would notice passing you by on the street, here are some of the most unusual examples of genetics at work. As you’re scrolling down this list, upvote the photos that intrigued you the most. And if you’ve got any entrancing tales about genetics in your family to tell all the other Pandas, we invite you to do so in the comment section.

Intrigued by Mother Nature and in the mood for some more examples of unusual genetics? You’ll find them in Bored Panda’s previous two articles on the topic right here and here.

Even though the cases in this list are visually stunning and some might even be classified as ‘cool,’ unfortunately, genetics can also make it more likely that you develop diseases, including certain cancers. For example, 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are thought to be hereditary and caused by abnormal genes passed down from parent to child. Bored Panda reached out to experts in the field to tell us more about this.

#1 I Was Born Without Finger Or Toe Prints

Image credits: jedWanderMouse

#2 I Was Born With Only Four Fingers On My Left Hand

Image credits: Marrtyr11

#3 I Have A Hereditary Gap In My Eyebrow

Image credits: zoeck014

Bored Panda reached out to the team at the UK-based Breast Cancer Now charity to learn more about this disease, the symptoms, the reasons why someone might develop it, and how to reduce the risks.

“There are many different risk factors for developing breast cancer, some of which we can’t control, like being female, getting older, and for some people, a family history of the disease. There is never one single cause of breast cancer, but rather it results from a combination of our genes, the surrounding environment, and the way we live our lives,” a representative of Breast Cancer Now explained to Bored Panda.

#4 I Was Cursed With A Belly Button That Sticks Out Through My Shirts

Image credits: Swirlxx

#5 I (17M) Have Abnormally Long Arms 5’9 With A 6’6 Wingspan

Image credits: NupSuckle

#6 Taylor Muhl Has A Rare Genetic Condition Called, Chimerism. She Is “Her Own Twin”

I have two sets of DNA, two sets of blood and immune cells. The two colors of skin pigmentation on my torso is from my and my twin’s two different genetic makeups. My particular case of Chimerism is linked to autoimmune disease.

 

I went undiagnosed for more than half my life due to the rarity of my condition. I’m now an advocate for Chimerism, it’s link to autoimmune disease and body positivity. My hope is to prevent others from going undiagnosed how I did.

Image credits: taylormuhl

“There are things you can do to help to reduce your risk such as drinking less alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping physically active. Even the small changes like walking more or cutting down on processed foods can be a great start,” they said that there are lots of small lifestyle changes that can reduce the risks. Even though we can’t control everything, we can control some things.

Breast Cancer Now explained that breast cancer is the most common cancer in the United Kingdom. Around 55k women and 370 men get diagnosed with the disease each year. “1 in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and 8 out of 10 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women aged 50 and over,” the representative told Bored Panda.

#7 A Rare Genetic Disorder Known As Cat Eye Syndrome

“The boy happens to have cat eye syndrome, a genetic condition that often leads to other detrimental health defects. All that said it was a good lesson…despite his challenges he had the most curiosity, the most to give.”

Image credits: renan_ozturk

#8 My Hair And Eyelashes Are Naturally Split Into Blonde And Brunette

Image credits: curtaincup

#9 My Beard Grows 1/4 Orange And Is Split At Pretty Much The Middle Of My Chin (Even Extends Up To My Bottom Lip)

Image credits: dr_groove

“Everyone’s breasts are different and can change with age and at different times of the month. No one knows your body better than you, so it’s important to get to know how your breasts normally look and feel so it will be easier to spot if there are any unusual changes,” Breast Cancer Now said.

“Most breast changes won’t be cancer but it’s important to report anything different or new to your doctor as soon as possible and get it checked out. The sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the more effective treatment may be.”

#10 My Vitiligo Has Turned Half Of My Upper Eyelashes White

Image credits: TheRakishRaconteur

#11 My Sister Has Had Hair That’s Half Blonde Half Brunette Since She Was Born. 1989 vs. Today

Image credits: AgentShabu

#12 I Have Partial Heterochromia In Both Eyes

Image credits: laney-rene

According to Breast Cancer Now, checking your breasts for lumps or swellings is very simple and you can remember what to do by using the acronym TLC: Touch, Look, Check. 

“It could be when you get dressed, or when you’re in the bath or shower or putting on moisturizer—just as long as you do it regularly and remember to check the whole breast and the surrounding area, including the upper chest and armpits. Most cases of breast cancer are found by women noticing unusual changes, taking the initiative, and visiting their doctor.”

#13 I Have A Birthmark In My Eye

Image credits: JustSavi

#14 None Of My Fingers Have A Middle Joint

Image credits: JayFayad

#15 The Right Joint Of My Thumb Never Developed. I Can’t Bend It

Image credits: Jousan_

Here are some of the most common breast cancer signs and symptoms: 

-“A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest, or armpit. You might feel the lump, but not see it.

-Changes in the size or shape of the breast

-A change in skin texture i.e. puckering or dimpling of the skin

-A change in the color of the breast—the breast may look red or inflamed

-Rash, crusting, or changes to the nipple

-Any unusual discharge from either nipple.”

#16 The Amount Of Hair My Daughter Had At 2 Months Old

Image credits: eyeswideblue

#17 I Always Hid It, But Now I Want To Share With You My Birthmark In The Center Of My Forehead

Image credits: daewoot

#18 A Few People Have Actually Said Wtf When Looking At My Eyes

Image credits: smeisinger705

#19 I Was Born With Sectoral Heterochromia, Although It’s Rare

Image credits: prolelol

#20 Our Baby Came Out With Some Hair

Image credits: the_chosen_ginger

#21 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

#22 To All The People With Four Fingers. Kneel Before Me

Image credits: CrazyUser74

#23 Been Seeing A Lot Of 4 Finger Havers, Here’s Me! I Was Born With 3 Of Them

Image credits: Guy_Areddit

#24 Baby Chanco Was Born With A Lot Of Hair Which Kept Growing. This Is Her At 7 Months Age

Image credits: KebabChef

#25 This Hexagon Vein Structure On My Wrist

Image credits: shrekfan46

#26 My Coworker’s Hand Is A Little Small

Image credits: maileykaye

#27 Amina Ependieva Has Two Rare Genetic Conditions: Albinism And Heterochromia

The former is a condition that reduces the amount of melanin pigment in the skin, eyes, hair, while the latter is a difference in coloration of the iris. The two conditions together make this young girl extremely unique.

Image credits: aminaarsakova

#28 This Guy’s Super-Long Thumb

Image credits: jwpina

#29 I Have Hyperhidrosis, Which Means My Hands And Feet Sweat A Lot. This Is How My Hands Usually Look

Image credits: Najam99

#30 My Extra Finger

Image credits: doi11

#31 One Side Of My Facial Hair Turns Into A Swirl Near My Cheekbone

Image credits: LickMyToeJustOnce

#32 I’m Partially Blind In My Left Eye. It Doesn’t Show Any “Red Eye” In Photos

Image credits: Nightmareshella

#33 Loss Of Blood Flow To My Fingers Due To Raynaud’s Disease

Image credits: Ickplant

#34 My Newborn Son Covered Head To Toe In White “Fur”

Image credits: MrJusticle

#35 My Feet Are Totally Flat

Image credits: iWanttoKillaMan

#36 How My Vitiligo Changes From The Winter To The Summer

Image credits: inkyedges

#37 Mother And Her 1 Year-Old Son Have Very Uncommon Heterochromia Leaving Them With Beautiful And Mesmerizing Swirled Blue And Black Eyes

Image credits: hominoid_in_NGC4594

#38 One Of The Coolest Birthmarks I Have Ever Seen

Image credits: Philchil23

#39 My Iris Is Misshaped But No Known Eye Problems After 25 Years

Image credits: EmikaBrooke

#40 While The Veins On My Left Hand Say ‘Yo’, The Veins On My Right Hand Spell ‘Hi’

Image credits: apemodeman

#41 My Hair Is Half Blonde Half Brunette. Including Eyebrows

Image credits: Sunflowely

#42 My Left Hand Is Missing A Finger As It Was What Formed My Thumb

Image credits: howdoichooseafandom

#43 I Have A Pair Of Moles, That Look Like An Eyebrow Piercing

Image credits: szlfr

#44 Brazilian Family All Have 12 Fingers And Toes Due To Genetic Condition “Polydactyly”

Image credits: Vianey Bentes

#45 I Have Six Toes On Both Of My Feets

Image credits: Ballurw

#46 I Was Born With One Of The Rarest Forms Of Belly Buttons In The World

Image credits: Swirlxx

#47 My Son Inherited My Joined Together Toes

Image credits: Microwavehead

#48 8-Year-Old Carter Blanchard And Rowdy The Dog Both Have A Disorder Called Vitiligo

Image credits: white_eyed_rowdy

#49 The Freckles In My Eyes

Image credits: apueblas

#50 I Have A Skin Condition Called Dermatographia Which Causes My Skin To Raise From The Smallest Scratch And I Like To Draw Flowers On Myself Sometimes

Image credits: Last_Thursday

#51 I Have Cystic Fibrosis. One Of My Scars Looks Like A Second Bellybutton

Image credits: fabdancer95

#52 I’m 21 And Still Have 2 Baby Teeth

Image credits: imgur.com

#53 I Have A Rare Disorder Called Cleidocranial Dysotosis. Got My First Dental X-Ray Today And I Have A Lot Of Extra Teeth

Image credits: reddit.com

#54 I Am Allergic To The Cold

Image credits: Queen-of-nightmare

#55 My Son And I Have Matching Freckles In The Same Spot

Image credits: SarcasticNuances

#56 My Eyelashes On My Right Eye Started Growing White A Few Months Ago

Image credits: ThiccNibba4000

#57 My Girlfriend Has Freckles In Her Iris. They Look Like Marbles

Image credits: ollispitzisfire

#58 I Inherited This Small Gap Between My Middle And Ring Finger From My Dad. Both Hands Are Like This

Image credits: coldchili17

#59 Off-Center Pupil I’ve Had Since Birth

Image credits: Nintendeion

#60 Extra Finger

Image credits: squinboi

#61 I Was Born With Crooked Pinkies, Which Is Also Called Clinodactyly

Image credits: I_like_boxes

#62 A Boy With Heterochromia

Image credits: sagademaeuk

#63 I Have A Double Earlobe

Image credits: iamtwinswithmytwin

#64 I Have Rare A Hereditary Disorder Called Multiple Hereditary Exostosis Which Causes Bone Growths On Various Body Parts

Normally these aren’t very noticeable, but the one on my forearm grew on my growth plate, causing the bone to grow in the opposite direction.

Image credits: Sk8thunder

#65 My Sister Has A Missing Knuckle. Her Finger Still Works But It’s Just Short

Image credits: Wolfsaz

#66 This Is My Sister’s Eye. She Has A Condition Called “Coloboma”

Image credits: katiebug0313

#67 My Youngest Daughter Was Born This February With An Extra Finger On Each Hand

Image credits: cheesecake_in_denial

#68 I Don’t Have Fingerprints

Image credits: Jgmanfour

#69 My Friends Palms Only Have One Line Going Through Them

Image credits: applebuddahh

#70 My Natural Hair Is Brown With Blonde Patches

Image credits: me-want-death

#71 My Wife Just Gave Birth To Our Firstborn, And Me And My Son Both Have The Same Weird Genetic Abnormality Where We Have An Extra Large Space Between Our First And Second Toes

Image credits: undefined_reference

#72 I Was Born With 4 Toes On One Foot

Image credits: Itsabeautifulwar

#73 My Daughters Birthmark Is An Up Vote

Image credits: katsep44

#74 My Pointer Fingers Are Missing Their Topmost Joints. I Can Only Bend Them At A Right Angle

Image credits: IdleDreamsOnThe626

#75 My Thumb Is The Same Length As My Middle Finger

Image credits: Colorblindcrayons

#76 My Girlfriend’s Eyes Are Weird

Image credits: rioryan

#77 A Super Thick Tuft Of Hair On My Newborn Daughter’s Head

Image credits: AndrewY17

#78 I Have An Extra Crease On My Pinky Finger

Image credits: chillypeaches

#79 I Was Born With My Left Ear Missing The “Rolled Hem” That My Right Ear Has

Image credits: lily_hunts

#80 Her Birthmark Fits Perfectly With Heterochromia

Image credits: red.tonya

#81 I Have Fraternal Thumbs, 1 From Each Parent Due To A Genetic Mutation On My Dad’s Side (Unilateral Brachydactyly Type D)

Image credits: cholnic

#82 I Have A Rare Genetic Condition Called Distichiasis (A Double Row Of Eyelashes). Sometimes They Grow Into My Eyeball

Image credits: lipstickplant

#83 I Have Absolutely Ridiculously Flat, Wide And Ugly Middle Fingers And Thumbs Caused By Genetic Disorder Called Brachydactyly

Image credits: noticemelucifer

#84 I Have Pin-Sized Holes Either Side Of My Neck That Leak Sinus Fluid. I Believe They Are A Congenital Birth Defect Called Branchial Cleft Fistulae

Image credits: Amindoffyonder

#85 I Have A Small Amount Of Sectoral Heterochromia In My Right Eye, Plus A Kind Of Interesting Eye Pattern

Image credits: Almond_Roses

#86 My GF And My Nephew Have A Very Similar Birthmark Despite They Aren’t Related At All

Image credits: blaise-johnson

#87 Thanks, I Hate Long Index Fingers

Image credits: ArthasDelRey

#88 Mildly Interesting Photo Of My Eye That I Managed To Get In Focus, I Have Sectoral Heterochromia

Image credits: SquanchySquanchSause

#89 My Brother Has A Perfect Hexagon Of Moles When Sitting Like This

Image credits: Smiteside

#90 I Got Stung By A Jellyfish 20 Years Ago That’s Effected The Cells In My Skin Meaning It Can’t Change Colour Due To Temperature

Image credits: kmc020

#91 I Was Born With No Joints In The Middle Of My Fingers, I Cannot Make Fists

Image credits: caleboratemedia

#92 My Sons Nostrils Are Shaped Like Little Hearts

Image credits: alfreduncovered

#93 Love The ”Pattern” In My Wife’s Eyes

Image credits: snakepatay

#94 I Have A Heart Shaped Birthmark In My Eye

Image credits: Zayyded

#95 My Girlfriend Has Different Finger Structures

Image credits: Tomwarz87

#96 Heart Shaped Veins On My Eye

Image credits: lemniscate123

#97 I Have A Tear Drop Shaped Birthmark Perfectly Placed Under My Right Eye

Image credits: KindObject3

#98 My Daughter Has Different Color Eyelashes

Image credits: Ronppane

#99 My Ear Has A Sharp Bump. It’s Fun To Touch

Image credits: MisterVega

#100 I Was Born With One Normal Thumb And One Toe Thumb

Image credits: anwrootbeer17

#101 This Patch On My Skin Never Tans/Burns. I’ve Had It Since I Was Born

Image credits: xJacon

#102 I Was Born With A Heart On My Head (Birthmark)

Image credits: deceivinggaybear

#103 My Left Hand Pinky Finger Has An Extra Joint Crease But No Extra Joint

Image credits: SHoo98

#104 I Have Matching Triangle Freckles On My Arm And My Left Eye

Image credits: SatansSlutz

#105 I Was Born With Really Tiny Pinkies. Usually A Pinkie Goes Up To The Third Knuckle. Mine Barely Reaches The Second

Image credits: kbgbug

#106 I Was Born With Something Called The Sonic Hedgehog Gene Where I Had Three Thumbs Also My Pinkies Are Extremely Crooked

Image credits: trecool666

#107 I Saw Some Say That They Have Sectoral Heterochromia, And I Raise You To Central Heterochromia

Image credits: Astanner

#108 Met A New Cousin Yesterday With 6 Toes

Image credits: benbernards

#109 My Face Birthmark

Image credits: seemasamosa

#110 Poliosis Is The Localized Depigmentation Of Hair Follicles Resulting In A White Streak

It is also known as a Mallen streak or white forelock. It can be caused by genetic or environmental factors.

Image credits: jizzabeth

#111 Finally Learned That This “Extra” Bone In My Foot Is An Accessory Navicular Bone

Image credits: ginapsallidas

#112 My Thumb Has Another Thumb Sprouting Out Of It

Image credits: TheWeirdHolocaustGuy

Source: boredpanda.com