What’s the most interesting part of your body? Is it your ability to raise a single eyebrow — or perhaps you can move both your ears?
That’s cool but not as impressive as the extremely rare features a teeny-tiny portion of the human population is born with.
Bones of Steel
First up, let me tell you about a man who had bones eight times thicker and harder to break compared to a normal human being. They were so tough that he didn’t have any severe injuries after a car crash in 1994. The answer? Apparently, he and his family had a very rare gene mutation called LRP5, which leads to considerable changes in bone mass.
Although it can also mutate to create very weak bones, he was lucky to be blessed with extremely hard ones.
Darwin’s Tubercle
If you see a protruding part in your ear that slightly makes you look like an elf, then you’ve got this congenital ear condition called Darwin’s tubercle.
This rare feature in humans proves humankind’s ancestry with primates who also had these ears. And for some reason, 10% of the Spanish adult population have this feature.
Preauricular Sinus
Another rare feature in humans found on the ear is this tiny little hole known as a preauricular sinus.
Less than 1% of the western population has this inherited birth defect, but it’s more common elsewhere around the world as 4-10% of Asians and Africans have it.
Hitchhiker’s Thumb
If you ever get lost and need to get a lift from a stranger, you should have what’s called the Hitchhiker’s thumb. This condition allows you to bend your upper thumb up to 90 degrees in the opposite direction.
It is great if you want drivers to see just how desperate you are for that free ride.
Missing Long Palmar Muscle
There are also rare features in humans characterized by the absence of a normal body part. For example, some people don’t have the long palmar muscle, which is the tendon that appears in the midline of the wrist when you tense your hand, fingers, and wrist.
About 14% of people do not have this body part.
Single Transverse Palmar Crease
Here’s a quick fact: Did you know that palmar refers to the palm of your hand? Now, look at your palmar. If you see just a single crease across your palm — you’re in luck!
Only 1.5% of people have single transverse palmar crease in at least one hand. Men are twice as likely to develop this, and it’s hereditary.
Fingerprint Pattern
Everyone has a unique fingerprint — it’s why devices now have fingerprint scanners for added security. But some patterns are rarer than others! 65% of people have a loop pattern.
30% have whorls.
So, what about the remaining 5%? They have an arch or tented arch fingerprint, how cool is that!?
Golden Blood
You’ve heard of royal blood, but what about golden blood? This actually exists, and it’s formally known as Rhnull.
It doesn’t actually appear gold, but it got its name just due to its rarity. It’s the rarest blood type in the world, which is so special because it functions as universal blood for people with rare blood types. There are a million variations in blood types, but golden blood? Only 43 people are known to have it — and there are only 9 active donors.
