- Hey, did you know that some people
are completely impervious to pain?
Ow, that's tender.
Okay, clearly I'm not one of those people
but some people in this world
have genetic mutations
that give them abilities
that make them superhuman
that the rest of us kinda wish we had.
Here are 10 genetic mutations
that make people superhuman.
Number 10 are unbreakable bones.
As it turns out, that movie Unbreakable
starring Bruce Willis isn't just a sci-fi fairy tale.
It's a real thing for some people.
The superhuman condition is called sclerosteosis.
It's caused by a missing protein
that controls how thick bones are.
Because of a genetic mutation in the LRP5 gene.
It was only recently discovered in the year 2,000
after doctors compared notes
on two American men who had super strong bones.
The first man was unharmed after a car accident
due to his bones being eight times stronger
than the average adult.
The second man kept having failed hip replacements
because his bones were too strong to drill into.
These guys are like walking diamonds.
As of today there's still no cure for sclerosteosis
which can cause pressure on the cranial nerves and brain
and lead to permanent hearing loss.
Many people want to study the gene
looking for a way to cure it,
but so far they've been unsuccessful.
Anybody who has this should go immediately into boxing
'cause you'll be the heavyweight champ.
I didn't even feel that.
You wanna punch this again?
Come on, I'll eat your family.
Number nine are supertasters.
Nearly a quarter of the population
have super sensitive taste buds
meaning that they taste food to the extreme.
Now this would be great for some sweet and savory foods,
but not so great for bitter things
like sprouts, coffee, or even beer.
The tongue has a bunch of taste and touch receptors
and it's believed that a genetic mutation
in the TASR38 receptor gene,
which detects bitterness,
may be the reason behind the supertasting abilities.
The receptors also line the sinuses
and nasal cavity,
which led researchers to find links
between having supertasters,
and having a stronger immunity to fight off bugs.
Because the receptors are heightened,
they can detect and fight off bacteria
and potential infections
earlier than the rest of us.
But unfortunately, the gene goes the other way, too.
And about a quarter of people can barely
taste anything at all.
None of this applies to the percentage
of the population that as a child,
shoved Kraft dinner macaroni up their nose
and permanently damaged their smell.
Those are special cases.
Number eight are super lungs.
At four kilometers above sea level,
there is 40% less oxygen,
which can be fatal to mountain climbers.
But Tibetans have lived at these altitudes
for thousands of years.
Their bodies have adapted, thanks to a mutation
in the EPAS1 gene.
See, normally, the gene creates more red blood cells
when there's less oxygen.
But in Tibetans, it creates fewer,
which allows their lungs to function in thinner air.
The effects of the mutation are even crazier
in the Kalenjin people
of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya,
which is about two kilometers above sea level.
Instead of underproducing red blood cells,
their bodies overproduce them,
so they metabolize oxygen faster.
At sea level, their endurance levels are incredible,
and consistently earn runners like Wilson Kipsang
the top spots in major marathons
and Olympic long distance races.
Well then I must have been born below sea level,
'cause I got (wheezes) no stamina.
Number seven is super strength.
For some people, being strong isn't from working out,
but could be caused by a mutation
that lets their muscles keep growing.
Muscle cells normally release the proteins
myostatin and activin A
to regulate how big muscles grow.
But for people due with myostatin related
muscle hypertrophy, this doesn't happen.
The condition causes muscle tissue to overgrow,
leading to reduced body fat,
and way more muscle mass, bulk, and strength.
And all of it without dangerous steroids
or extreme weightlifting.
Well, good for those people.
It must be nice to eat whatever you want,
'cause I would turn into a cow.
Those with the condition don't seem
to have any negative side effects,
but it could be dangerous for babies and toddlers
who need body fat to help with the development
of the brain and central nervous system.
Researchers are currently studying the condition
for new treatments for muscular dystrophy
and osteoporosis.
I just picture a little baby being like,
"Mama, give me me juice!"
(baby sounds)
Number six is tetrachromacy.
Most humans only have three types of receptors
in their retinas to process color,
each responding to a different hue.
Red, green, or blue.
But some people have four receptors,
a condition called tetrachromacy,
which allows them to see 100 million
different colors.
100 times more than the average person.
Some animals, like goldfish and mantis shrimp
are tetrachromatic.
In humans, it's believed to be more common in women
because the genes responsible for the extra cone
needs two X chromosomes,
and men only have one.
This could also explain why more men are colorblind.
In 2012, the California-based Australian artist
Concetta Antico was confirmed by researchers
to have the condition.
She's using her art to show all the colors she sees,
like blue, gold, and even pink, in mowed grass.
Yeah, that all sounds cool and whatnot,
but I would not wanna walk outside
and see like, purple grass.
I feel like I would just have a freak out.
Number five is Marfan Syndrome.
Marfan Syndrome effects the body's connective tissue.
A mutation in the gene that helps make tissue protein,
Fibrillin 1, causes an increase
of the transforming growth factor beta protein.
People with this condition have incredibly flexible joints
and are usually tall and thin,
with especially long arms, fingers, and toes.
Kinda like Slenderman.
(hisses)
Approximately one in 5,000 people have Marfan Syndrome,
with three-quarters inheriting it from a parent.
Spanish actor Javier Botet
has made his career out his super flexibility.
At 1.88 meters, and only 54.4 kilograms,
his flexibility has landed him roles
as some of the scariest creatures in movies,
like Crimson Peak and Mama.
Unfortunately, symptoms can get much worse over time,
and since connective tissue is throughout the body,
it can lead to scoliosis,
heart valve prolapse, and eye problems.
So it sounds cool to be able to do all this
until your eyeball pops out of your face.
Number four is Fish Odor Syndrome.
People with trimethylaminuria,
more commonly known as Fish Odor Syndrome,
suffer from having body odor
that can smell like rotting fish, feces, or garbage.
Oh God, guys, here comes John, A.K.A. Fish Garbage!
It tends to be more common in women
and is caused by a mutation in the FMO3 gene
that's responsible for breaking down
nitrogen compounds in food.
The mutation causes a malfunction in breaking down
the super-smelly trimethylamine compound
that's caused by intestine bacteria when digesting foods
like egg, liver, fish, and legumes.
Instead of becoming an odorless molecule,
the compound builds up in the gut
and ends up being released
through breath, sweat, and urine.
The only treatment for it is literally
just avoiding foods with lots of trimethylamine in it
and taking vitamin B2 to help boost FMO3 activity.
Water and bread.
Just water and bread for them
or stay single for the rest of your life.
Number three is Tree Man Illness.
Tree Man Illness, formally known
as epidermal dysplasia verruciformis
is a genetic condition that can lead to a skin disorder
caused by a mutation in the EVER1 and EVER2 genes.
It makes sufferers more prone to skin tumors
and infections caused by HPV,
which turn into wart-like lesions
that become thick and look like tree branches.
Most often on the hands and feet,
they make it almost impossible to do simple things.
There's no cure,
but doctors have tried different methods to treat them.
In 2008, Dede Koswara from Indonesia
had 95% of his warts removed from his hands, feet, and face.
But the warts came back and he died from complications
in January of 2016.
However, in 2017, after 16 surgeries,
Abul Bajandar from Bangladesh
became the first to have all of his warts,
weighing 5 kilograms,
successfully removed.
Okay, this one isn't exactly a superpower,
but I just thought it'd be cool
to be able to walk around looking like a tree ent
form Lord of the Rings.
Or one of the stone men from Game of Thrones!
But I guess not.
I do feel bad for these people.
God bless.
Number two is congenital analgesia.
Nearly one million people have
congenital insensitivity to pain,
or congenital analgesia.
It's a mutation of different genes
like SCN9A, which control the transmission
of signals to the nerves.
In 2015, researchers discovered the PRDM12 gene,
which could be the key to understanding why
the nerve cells aren't forming properly.
It's believed that a mutation in both parents
who don't have any symptoms,
have passed it to their child
and turns their pain sensors off.
Well this all sounds well and good.
I could just grab a hot stove,
and it wouldn't hurt me at all.
Well, that all sounds well and good,
but the truth is, injuries and early death
tend to be high, since sufferers have no internal
warning signs that they're in danger.
Here's an example.
As a baby, Steven Pete from Washington state
chewed off part of his tongue while teething,
and as an adult, has gone days without realizing
he had broken bones.
He's taken part in pharmaceutical studies
looking to create better pain treatments and medications.
So before you go wanting to be a Bond super villain
that can't feel nothin'
remember that it could definitely lead to your death.
And number one is Werewolf Syndrome.
(wolf howls)
Who hasn't wanted to be a werewolf?
(howls)
Congenital Hypertrichosis is a rare genetic disorder
which causes excessive hair growth all over the body,
including the face and eyelids,
that's thicker and longer than normal.
It's caused by a mutation in a section
of the X-chromosome.
Researchers believe that because the mutation
is near the SOX3 gene, which is linked to hair growth,
it's causing the gene to kick hair production
into high gear.
Jesus Aceves, from Laredo, Mexico,
was known as the Wolf Man
and started traveling in the circus
when he was only 13.
He's one of 30 members of his family
over five generations that all have the condition.
And it has not been fun.
His family has had pets killed,
and have been shunned by locals
who think that they're satanic beasts.
As of today, there's no cure for the condition,
but research is being done to see
if it could unlock a cure for baldness.
Well, let's hope that goes well.
So, that's 10 genetic mutations
that made people superhuman.
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