Ever wonder why you look like your mom or dad?
Or why your eyes are a certain color?
Well, it’s all about your genes.
Genes contain de-oxy-ri-bonucleic acid, commonly referred to as DNA, and DNA is the hereditary
material found in the nucleus of our cells.
It contains our individual cellular signature and determines skin color, gender, and hair
color as well as whether or not we have certain genetic diseases.
More than 99% of our genetic information is exactly the same as every other person, but
it’s the 1% in which we all differ where things get very interesting.
Welcome to this episode of The Infographics Show: 10 Genetic Mutations that Turned People
into Superheroes.
We’ve all heard about The X-Men, a mutant subspecies of humans who are born with superhuman
abilities activated by the X Gene.
These mutations give them superpowers, that include everything from superhuman strength,
agility, and endurance, to the ability to absorb the memories, personality, and skills
of another person.
Ok, so that’s Hollywood and those mutations are pretty awesome.
What about real life genetic mutations?
Today we bring you our list of 10 real life mutations that make people superhuman.
10.
Supertaster - Yes, some people out there have a super tongue for super tasting.
There are non-tasters, average tasters, and about a quarter of the population tastes food
way more intensely than the rest of us.
If you have more than 30 taste buds in a space the size of a hole punch on your tongue, then
you are a supertaster.
Women are more than twice as likely to be supertasters than men.
A supertaster is more likely to put milk and sugar in bitter coffee, or avoid fatty foods.
Scientists say the reason for these super-tasting tongues is due to genes, specifically one
called TAS2R38, the bitter-taste receptor gene.
Supertasters tend to dislike strong, bitter foods like raw broccoli, grapefruit juice,
coffee and dark chocolate- so go and do a taste test with your friends and find out
which of you are supertasters.
9.
Super-sleeper - Many of us think winning the genetic lottery is eating as many doughnuts
as you want and still fitting into those skinny jeans, but what if I told you there are people
who only need to sleep a few hours every night and will still wake up bright eyed and alert?
There is a rare genetic mutation that does just that, as it allows those with the gene
to function at their best with a sub-standard amount of sleep.
Dr. Mehdi Tafti, a professor at the Center for Integrative Genomics, estimates that only
1% of people who routinely sleep fewer hours have the genetic mutation.
Short-sleeping habits may run in the family, and scientists hope to learn how to harness
this ability so it can be used to help people switch up their sleeping routines, resulting
in increased mental well being.
8.
Super Sprint – It's well known that Olympic sprint podiums have long been dominated by
athletes of West African descent, and the explanation is likely part genetic, relating
to a gene known as the ACTN3 gene.
David Epstein, author of the New York Times bestselling book The Sports Gene: Inside the
Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance, outlines how the vast majority of world-class
sprinters trace their ancestry to the same region in West Africa, an area where the ACTN3
gene is far more prevalent.
Certain variants of this gene help our bodies make a special protein called alpha-actinin-3,
which controls how fast muscle tensing and flexing occurs.
Where this gene is more dominant, the muscles can operate at a higher flexing rate which
generates explosive power, a crucial component of speed.
The influence of the ACTN3 gene was discovered in 2008 when geneticists were studying elite
sprinters and power athletes.
7.
The malaria-protecting variant – In October 2015, British journal Nature published data
from a study they had carried out where genes identified in some African children reduce
their risk of contracting severe malaria by up to 40%, an incredible find seeing as nearly
half of the world's population is at risk of malaria.
In 2015 there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 malaria deaths.
This genetic discovery allows scientists to carry out risk assessments of individuals
and the wider population.
Though blood disorders are not necessarily considered in the super zone, the information
that the medical community can learn from these protected people can help to influence
more innovative malaria treatments down the road, and save thousands of people.
6.
The painless family – No one likes to feel pain, but it serves an important function
by telling us that something is wrong.
Yet there’s a strange case of an Italian family that feels almost no pain at all due
to a genetic mutation.
The Marsili family is afflicted with a type of rare condition known as congenital analgesia
or congenital insensitivity to pain.
This means they don't feel things the same way normal people do.
Sounds great, right?
Well actually it can be a huge problem.
You need to feel pain when you’re growing up so you learn not to touch that hot stove,
or to recognize when you have an illness such as appendicitis which is recognized through
severe abdominal pain.
A research team lead by scientists at University College London (UCL) have conducted a genetic
study into the Marsili family to determine the genetic root of the condition, with the
hope that their findings can be used to develop a new treatment for chronic pain.
5.
Low-cholesterol mutation – This is the one that everybody wants!
A genetic mutation that lowers cholesterol levels regardless of the number of greasy
chips you consume.
Mutations in a gene responsible for producing a protein called cholesteryl ester transfer
protein or CETP, result in a deficiency of that protein.
A person who has CETP deficiency often has higher levels of good cholesterol, which helps
carry cholesterol to the liver so it can be removed from the body, resulting in lower
cholesterol levels...which means?
Yep, you guessed it…more fatty foods and less chance of heart disease.
But wait a minute; maybe it’s not so simple.
We found that a genetic study of 150,000 Chinese adults published in the journal JAMA Cardiology
concluded that raising so-called good cholesterol by blocking a key protein does not protect
against heart disease or stroke.
So even if you are a super cholesterol burner, you still need to keep an eye on your diet.
4.
Super coffee consumer - There are at least six genes associated with how your body processes
caffeine so not everyone gets the same buzz from their morning cup.
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham Women’s Hospital conducted
analysis of more than 120,000 coffee drinkers.
They found that genetic variants that applied to caffeine metabolism impact how caffeine
triggers the body’s sense of reward.
“Our findings may allow us to identify subgroups of people most likely to benefit from increasing
or decreasing coffee consumption for optimal health,” commented Marilyn Cornelis, a nutrition
research associate at Harvard University.
This may explain why some people are able to fall asleep at night after a daytime coffee
while others have to cut out the habit altogether to get a good night's sleep.
3.
Tetrachromacy – That’s quite a mouthful!
And this rare condition certainly sounds like the trait of a superhero.
Most of us have three types of cone cells in our eye with which to view the colors of
the world.
But researchers suspect that some people see even more as they have a fourth type.
A person with four types of cones might experience a range of colors invisible to the rest of
us.
It’s possible these so-called tetrachromats see a hundred million colors, with hundreds
of subtle shades that we do not even have names for.
And because perceiving color is a personal experience, they would have no way of knowing
they see far beyond what we consider the limits of human vision.
Tetrachromacy certainly sounds like a proper super mutation.
2.
Super lungs – Thousands of Tibetans live at altitudes of over 11,000 ft (3500 meters),
and some in the Chantong-Qingnan area even as high as 15,000 ft (4500 meters).
At this height, there’s 40% less oxygen which can be fatal for most people, but the
locals here go about their day as if they are living at sea level.
This is due to genetic evolution that has come about over generations.
An international team of researchers compared the DNA of 50 Tibetans with that of 40 Han
Chinese and found 34 mutations that have become more common in Tibetans in the 2,750 years
since the populations split.
A gene that controls red blood cell production enables these Tibetans to tolerate high altitudes,
providing them with their super lung capacity.
1.
Unbreakable mutation - Imagine being able to fall from a bike or off a ladder, get up,
brush the dust off, and carry on your way.
It sounds like the lifestyle of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator character.
But believe it or not, there are some people born with a rare genetic mutation which makes
their bones several times denser than the average human.
In theory, people with the unbreakable bone mutation could walk away from car accidents
unscathed.
It sounds like a blessing, eh?
Well maybe not, as this condition, known as sclerosteosis, results in excessive bone growth,
and can cause pressure on cranial nerves, sometimes even leading to hearing loss.
The good news is that doctors are trying to use this mutation to find a cure for osteoporosis
and other diseases that cause brittle bones.
So, that’s our list of 10 super mutations.
Do you know of any other mutations that make everyday people superhuman?
Let us know in the comments!
Also be sure to check out our other video about real superheroes, called Batman vs.
Superman - Who Would Win?
Thanks for watching, and, as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.
See you next time!