40 People With Unique Genes That Prove That Humans Are An Incredibly Diverse Species

We’re all different and unique people; that much we know for sure. In every little way, we make ourselves special and one of a kind. But some people have more visible signs of how unique they really are. And if you’re wondering how that’s possible, it’s because of their genes.

Genes are genetically encoded pieces of information that our parents received from their parents and passed on to us – and so on.

Now, we might be awesome specimens of nature, but we’re still organisms. Are you a redhead? Do you have green eyes? Is your skin a beautiful olive tone? Well, those are traits we get from our ancestors. However, those traits are not as unique as you probably thought.

There are a few people who have genes that truly make them stand out in a crowd. Here are 40 of these people and their amazing genes.

Legolas’ Ears

If Orlando Bloom had this nifty body feature when they were shooting for Lord of The Rings, he’d have saved quite a bit of time on his SFX Elven makeover because a neat trick of genetics has left this person with naturally-formed “elf” ears.

The actual cause for these unique ears is a genetic condition known as Stahl’s ear. There is an additional cartilage fold in the Scapha region of the ear, which is a Stahl’s ear malformation. The result of the malformation is the pointed ear.

Family With Poliosis

Here’s a family who’s carrying the entire X-Men Rogue cosplay thing seriously. On a more serious note, despite the fact that this pair’s appearance is due to a genetic condition known as Poliosis, they do pull off the look quite well. 

What is Poliosis, you ask? Well, when you have a white streak in your hair that contrasts with the color of your natural hair, you have poliosis, also known as polio circumscripta. Any region of your body with hair, including your brows and eyelashes, may be impacted by this gene!

No need for a manicure

What do you mean you’ve never had to suffer the frustration of cracked nail polish or the pain of a broken fingernail all your life? While others might think this genetic condition is unsettling, we’re just thinking of all the dirt that’s never gotten to this person’s fingers.

All jokes aside, this person has a condition that affects their fingers. Those who have this particular gene condition are born without their nails, be it on their hands or feet. Imagine all the money they’re able to save by not having to get a mani-pedi!

Lash game is amazing

The thing with beauty is that it’s a unique and relative concept. Having set beauty standards takes away from the uniqueness of the idea of beauty. It’s not just about celebrating the differences that exist; it’s also about seeing how everyone’s beautiful in their own right. After all, sameness can be pretty dull.

Our bodies hardly ever do our bidding, and that’s just how vitiligo is. We can’t control if our skin suddenly starts losing those pigment-producing cells. But a loss of pigment doesn’t translate into a loss of beauty. In fact, it’s something worth celebrating. In a way, it gives the skin more personality.

Raynaud’s Disease

Have you ever seen that one fantasy character troupe where the evil yet heartthrob-worthy villain has hands that are tinted jet black at the fingertips? The black paint is meant to represent their evilness. It turns out that this thing might not be just fiction.

Well, this is how the fantasy ideal would look like in real life – just in the opposite direction. This person’s genetic code is unique. They have a condition called Raynaud’s Disease, which turns their fingertips white instead of black. Does this mean they’re the epitome of a good person?

Extended Reach

Sports can be a tricky area to excel in. On the one hand, you can spend day and night grinding and practicing your craft until you’re the best. On the other hand, some people can have just the right mix of genetic and athletic attributes to excel naturally.

One of the sports where genetics matter the most is basketball. Now, we’re willing to bet anything that while this person’s genetic traits may make them think that they’ve been given the short end of the stick (pun unintended) with their long arms, they’ll be amazing at basketball.

Toe buddy

Have you ever looked at your body and thought, “Man, I wish my *insert body part here* had a friend. It looks lonely.”? Well, neither have we – but that’s never stopped genetics before, has it? The human body is a wonderful puzzle, and we’ve yet to collect all the pieces.

We’re certain that this person never asked themselves that question either, but the fact remains that their genetic code saw it appropriate to give one of their toes a “mini toe” as a friend. It’s one of the cutest genetic mutations we’ve seen so far.

Split Heterochromia

We were absolutely floored to find out that this gorgeous hunk of a man didn’t think he was handsome until he posted this photo. Unbelievable, right? Not only does he have beautiful hair and a jawline chiseled by the gods, but he also has soul-arresting eyes.

Genetics took its time with this one, folks. We’re just here to be consumed by jealousy and admiration. His split heterochromia gives him extra “beauty points” with their cerulean and hazel hues. We can only thank our stars that he was blessed with humility along with unfairly good looks.

Two Cowlicks?

Kids always tend to have unruly hair. They play and run around all day! If you have a child and you send them off to school or something, you just know that they’ll return home with dirty clothes and looking a mess.

But what if your child’s hair is genetically engineered, never to be anything other than unkempt? That’s a whole different nightmare for a parent. That’s probably what this kid’s parents go through on a daily because he has two cowlicks going in different directions.

A Shocker!

We’ve all had bad hair days. You know, times at which our unruly manes never seem to cooperate with us, and it seems like the most frustrating and annoying thing in the world? We should count our blessings because we’ve never been pushed to such an extreme as Shilah has.

This beautiful girl has a genetic condition known as “Uncombable Hair Syndrome,” which gives her unruly hair that one cannot comb at all. The hair stands out from the scalp and grows in different directions; therefore, it’s quite impossible to get it to behave. 

The…pear of her eyes?

Because of our genetic code, there are several ways that the congenital condition known as coloboma, a condition where the tissue of the eye doesn’t grow quite right and leaves gaps in places like the iris, pupil, or any part of the eye, can manifest itself.

In the case of this young woman, her coloboma decided to take the shape of a pear! Folks with this condition don’t usually report any problems with their sight. At least nothing their body hasn’t adjusted to, so her takeaway from life is this cool conversation starter.

More Skin Means More Piercings

When life gives you lemons, you…know the rest of the saying. We applaud the people who have lived by this mantra their whole lives. They’re just so wonderfully full of optimism and creativity. And genetics decided to throw a curveball at one of these optimistic people.

In this case, when life, or genetics, gave this man some extra skin on his ear, he seized the opportunity. When life gives you extra space, get a piercing! He just couldn’t miss the chance to get the extra skin pierced! We love how he didn’t let this condition keep him from staying in style.

Elven twin

Having twins is already such a special experience, but imagine that you’ve been blessed with twins and the possibility of an elf baby! Amazing. This new mother must have been thrilled to have found a way to tell her identical daughters apart so early on.

As we already mentioned, the actual name for this condition is Stahl’s ear, also known as “Spock’s or elf’s ear.” Babies that have the condition can easily have it fixed with a non-surgical procedure, but we think the kid looks so cute like this!

Unique Iris

The eyes are one of the human body’s most beautiful features, in our opinion. They can come in all kinds of hues. They range from the most vibrant and enchanting greens and blues to the deepest, most profound browns and blacks.

But did you know that the irises can also come in different shapes? We associate eyes with being circular because we see distinct circular irises and pupils every day. However, because of a genetic condition known as “persistent pupillary membrane,” they can be in unique shapes such as the one in the picture.

Eye “C” You…

Birthmarks can come in all shapes and forms, as we already know. We can go our entire lives not having discovered most of them since they’re usually in the hidden nooks and crannies of our bodies. But sometimes, they can be very visible.

In this instance, this person has a very evident birthmark in her eye, of all places. We’re sure this must be the cause for much alarm until the woman clears up the confusion and explains how it’s not a disease but a mere birthmark.

Goosebumps in denial

We’re not exactly sure what causes this patch of skin to be completely smooth, but it sure is interesting! It might be that there’s nerve damage on that particular section or that the goosebumps and hair follicles that should have been on that part of the leg do not exist.

However, in the Reddit thread where this user first shared their condition, they also said that sometimes it is this particular patch that gets goosebumps while the rest of the leg is fine. We think it’s probably a case where the patch of skin is of different sensitivity, but who knows?

A Probable “Thumb War” Champion

If this person put in the effort, we could be looking at one of the world’s “thumb war” champions. They have exceptionally long thumbs that can be amazingly useful in a variety of situations. For instance, they’ll never drop a cup, hitchhiking would be a breeze, and the list goes on.

And as we already stated, they would destroy anyone in a thumb war. Just look at those things! If you ever find yourself in a thumb war with them, you best believe you are losing immediately. If they ever trap your thumb under theirs, you’re getting it out of there!

On a Different Level

We all know about level-headed people. Most likely, there’s someone like that around you right now. But have you ever interacted with a level-shouldered person? We didn’t think so either. It’s such a random thing to think about – but this dude literally has level shoulders!

Whatever caused nature and genetics to decide that this man’s shoulders needed to be even enough for an architect with a leveling tool to cry tears of joy, we don’t know. But we’re certainly happy for him because that looks like a phenomenally comfortable way for him to sleep.

Extra tooth…on the roof…of the mouth…

Ouch, this image hurts to look at! More than the fact that there’s a literal tooth sticking out of the roof of this person’s mouth, it just seems terribly inconvenient. Thankfully, they shared that they have a dent in their tongue that the tooth fits in, so it’s quite comfy for them.

While that is reassuring, the actual cause for this phenomenon is a condition known as Hyperdontia, a disorder that causes the mouth to overgrow teeth. These extra teeth can develop at any location along the curving edges where your teeth join your jaw – also known as the roof of your mouth.

Ultra-Bendy Thumb

The human body is an amazing thing. We can achieve unimaginable feats with our minds and accomplish insanely challenging athletic milestones if we train hard enough. By applying ourselves, we can contort our bodies every way we want – but even the most flexible of people have physical limits.

That’s where genetics kick in. To some, this person with a condition known as Carpenter’s Thumb may look like they’re “strange,” but those people wouldn’t be able to do half the amazing things they can do with their thumbs. Not without a fracture or two!

Persistent Pupillary Membrane

This is simply a membrane that’s webbed over the pupil. Random, we know, but it’s simply the result of a genetic mutation. This common eye disorder is known as persistent pupillary membrane, and it’s caused by strands of tissue that span the pupil and are left over from the fetal membrane.

At least this person well and truly means it when they say their girlfriend’s eyes are one of a kind. And the most amazing thing about this condition is that while there is an obstruction across the pupil that doesn’t normally occur, it does not affect her sight at all. 

Mesmerizing but Painful…

We know we said Raynaud’s Disease is a condition that looks straight out of a fantasy troupe, but it is also important to remember that this is a real person that suffers from Raynaud’s and, by all accounts, endures quite a bit of pain. We applaud their strength.

You know that prickly, painful feeling you get once you warm up your fingers when it’s really cold out? Imagine that, but worse. The affected body parts, usually fingers and toes, might turn white or blue and feel cold and numb until blood flow improves, usually when you get warm.

Merman in Training

Looking at this picture, it’s like the universe wants us to know that mermaid-style webbed limbs could have been an option in our anatomy but aren’t. This person adds a refreshing layer of humor to their situation by making that exact joke.

As evident from the image, they have two conjoined toes on their feet. This can happen due to a number of genetic reasons. However, the cause for these conjoined toes is a genetic condition known as Syndactyly, when a baby is born with two or more fingers or toes joined or “webbed” together.

Genetic Snack Compartment

You call it the result of a genetic mutation; we call it extra space for food! How will your friends or siblings eat that final piece of a snack when it’s safely hidden inside your mouth? You’ll never lose a snack again!

We’re just saying there are some benefits that come with this condition. The actual reason for this gap under this person’s tongue is a condition known as Torus, a benign bone growth in the mouth; a torus is present on both the left and right sides of the oral cavity in almost all cases.

Distinguished Gentlewoman

This is another case of a body feature that a woman may not necessarily like because of the daily scrutiny she has to face. But the truth is that she looks all the better thanks to this unique trait that not a lot of women have.

Due to genetics, this lady has remarkably strong sideburns, which would help tremendously if she ever decides to take up cosplaying. She would make such a handsome Victorian lord that the other people wouldn’t be any competition to her because no fake sideburn can look that good!

Shoulder Dimples!

Dimples are just about the cutest and most desirable beauty features a person can have. Authors write their characters having a dimple all the time, and artists even make songs about them. We bet that it never occurred to you that shoulder dimples are a thing too.

We all know about back dimples, but shoulder dimples are decidedly rarer and are harder to find in people. They are a cute genetic quirk that is unique only to a handful of people, so we’re glad this father and kids shared their unique condition with the world!

It’s All in the Eyes

At first, we thought this person was just showing off their eyes, which are a pretty unique shade. Lots of people have dark eyes, but not a lot of people have eyes as dark as his. Doesn’t it look like this guy has a giant pupil?

But look closer, and you’ll see that, apart from unfathomably dark eyes, this person also has a dark patch around their cornea. It is simply the result of a birthmark in the eye and is hardly noticeable, but birthmarks can grow anywhere, and this is merely further proof of that.

Main Character Evolution

This person is an anime protagonist in the making. We can feel it. Much like the X-Men Rogue family we met earlier, this person also has Poliosis, a genetic condition that causes you to have a white streak in your hair, different from your natural hair color.

It is also commonly known as the White Forelock syndrome, as one of the common manifestations of Poliosis is a patch of white hair directly above the forehead. The patch of hair certainly adds a dramatic flair to this person’s appearance, and we hope they flaunt it!

Yes, We’re Jealous of Camels

Okay, so camels, are we right? We see you’re not following. We wish we had the thick and enchanting eyelashes that camels have. Of all species on the planet, they’re the ones to get this trait. We know that they kind of need them, but…come on, now.

This person’s genes decided that she should have a taste of the nice eyelash life, but just a taste. So now they have exactly one eyelash that’s outgrown the others and is significantly longer and of a different color than the rest of their lashes. 

The Ring Stays On

Well, that’s definitely a good way to ensure that you never lose your rings. While we’re not sure of the exact reason why this person’s fingers are so large. Considering that both hands their hands look like this, we’re assuming it is a genetic condition.

While the swollen or enlarged knuckles can be strange to adjust to, this person has had them on their hands for longer than they can remember, and we’re glad to know that the growth does not hurt them in any way.

We’re not alone

The amazing and beautiful thing about the internet is that no matter how alone you think you are in a situation, you rarely ever are. You can find camaraderie and the right circles with just a quick look around the world wide web. 

This is the case with this Reddit user, who thought his genetically long eyelash was something so uncommon he’d never meet anyone who looked like him. Within two minutes of posting, he’d already found someone who had the exact same condition!

No symmetry!

If they hadn’t had it checked, this person would have just thought they had stubby thumbs for no reason, and so would we. But science is magical and can give us all the answers, so we now know that this is actually a genetic condition known as Unilateral Brachydactyly Type D.

Sometimes known as “clubbed thumbs,” or more amusingly, “toe thumbs,” it is an inherited disorder in which all the fingers are usual, but the terminal bones of the thumbs are short. This shows that our bodies can tell us fascinating things about ourselves if we look hard enough!

Constant Temptation

We have no idea how this person manages not to give in to the urge to rip off that long strand of hair coming out of their forehead. The temptation we get from merely looking at the image is astronomical and powerful.

They obviously have a better handle on their intrusive thoughts than we do, but you have to admit: it’s a tough situation to be in. On the one hand, you have this neat little extra feature on your face. On the other hand, you want to pull on it all the time!

Matrix IRL

So this person posted their partner’s picture and jokingly said that they look like they’ve been unplugged from some machine because of a unique birthmark on the back of their head. Don’t be fooled, OP. This is evidence that your partner was in the Matrix.

All jokes aside, though, it really is an incredible coincidence that the birthmark happens to be on the back of the partner’s head. If you’ve watched enough sci-fi material, you know that that’s the exact spot where people plug their brains into crazy machines.

Plica Fimbriata

It’s a very fortunate thing to know that most of us grow into our bodies and don’t necessarily feel a difference when some part of our bodies is an outlier. If we did, we’d all be a little less comfortable with ourselves.

But this person had to go and ruin everyone’s day AND have them running to the mirror in one single post. The educational prank of the century! The plica fimbriata is part of the salivary gland system in your mouth, and sometimes, they can look a little unsettling, like in this case.

Sectoral Heterochromia

The eyes are one of the most interesting parts of the human body because they’re all so different and ever-changing. We rarely ever see two people with the same eyes, and when we throw heterochromia and all its variants into the mix, the world gets a lot more colorful.

This person’s already stunning hazel eyes are streaked through with a brown hue, the shade of autumn leaves. This is known as sectoral heterochromia, a rare genetic condition in the eye where part of one iris is a different color from its remainder.

One Crease To Move It All

Remember we said the human body is a marvel of engineering and science that can’t be replicated and shouldn’t technically work but somehow still does? Yeah, scratch that. We’re not sure about this one. Sometimes genetics can “mess” up too.

This one image is so confusing at first, and the original poster has unhelpfully decided not to post more – they left us to wallow in our own confusion. This person has two regular joints in their pinky finger but only one crease. How does it actually move? Who knows?

One Crease Too Many

Remember how we just showed you a person whose pinky finger only had one crease? Well, here’s the opposite of that situation. This person has an extra crease! The mysteries of the human body continue to grow and confound us.

Somehow, an extra crease in the pinky makes even less sense. Is it cosmetic? Is it functional? Did genetics decide to play a trick on this guy? Should we introduce this person to a palm reader and watch them lose their mind?

Perfectly Formed

It’s remarkable how precise and exact the human body can sometimes be. We see it all as a hodgepodge from a distance, but look closer, and you’ll see how carefully structured it all is. We see it in cell structures, nests of animals, nature’s bounties, and the human body.

We’re already a unique structure that cannot be easily replicated; a mass of bones, muscles, organs, and skin that shouldn’t work this perfectly but somehow still does. But genetics isn’t always perfect. Some people get symmetrical birthmarks that look like a drawing!

An Extra Nail?

Regardless of your gender, you should get your toenails once in a while. It’s not just a matter of aesthetics but a matter of hygiene. You definitely don’t want to be seen as an unhygienic person. But the problem with getting a mani-pedi is that you have to pay for it.

These are called “Petaloid Toenails.” Although it has only been mentioned three times before, a simple accessory or double nail on the little toe is not uncommon. Getting a mani-pedi becomes even pricier when you have one of these extra nails!