Our genes do more than just determine our characteristics. They also influence other unbelievable things like our lifestyles, spending habits, eating preferences, and smelly armpits. That sounds weird, but it’s true.

This is the result of the way that evolution works. People with the most favorable genes survive, while people with unfavorable genes die off. Nevertheless, our genes seem to have given us the perfect excuse for some unruly behaviors.

10 Fats And Sugar

We will have a hard time stopping obesity because our so-called “thrifty genes” are wired to make us eat more fatty and sugary foods. When humans were hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago, eating three square meals wasn’t assured. Most people did not even know when they would get their next meal—if they ever managed to do so.

Humans soon realized that fatty and sugary foods provided them with energy that lasted over longer periods. This is because fat contains more calories than other classes of food. It is also less weighty on the body, meaning we expend less energy to store fats. Sugar provides long-lasting energy because it is easily converted to fat.

Early humans with thrifty genes survived because they were the likeliest to survive foodless days and famines. Most people without the genes died off. However, a minority of them survived and their genes are still around. But for the rest of us, our ancestors had thrifty genes and so do we. Little wonder that most humans have a sweet tooth.^[1]

9 Spending And Investment

Researchers Stephan Siegel and Henrik Cronqvist have discovered that our genes determine our spending, saving, and investment habits. During an analysis of the genes and lifestyle habits of 15,000 sets of twins, the researchers found that twins had similar spending habits even when they did not live together.

According to Siegel and Cronqvist, our parents and experiences often determine our spending and saving habits until around age 25. By age 40, our genes have kicked in and influence how we spend and save.

The researchers discovered that our genes affect how willing we are to take risks in business as well as how we invest in equities. Apparently, the study’s authors believe that a genetic component contributed to whether these twins diversified their stock portfolios enough.

If you invest in only a few stocks at any one time—and they’re losers—that could spell financial disaster. But it can also be lucrative if you pick the right ones. Nevertheless, many financial advisers recommend diversifying your portfolio among many types of stocks or other investments to reduce your risk of loss.

According to the researchers, our genes also make us likelier to invest in stocks that were previously successful. However, prior success is not a guarantee that a stock will continue to be a good holding.

Other researchers like Hersh Shefrin have concluded that our genes also make some of us thrifty spenders. Only 25 percent of people have the gene that makes them spend less. The rest of us have genes that make us spend more.^[2]

8 Fear Of Snakes And Spiders

Humans have an innate fear of crawling creatures, especially snakes and spiders. Even babies are wary of these creatures. In two studies, several six-month-old babies appeared stressed when they were shown images of snakes and spiders. They did not show the same reaction when they looked at pictures of fish and flowers.

In another study by Joshua New and Tamsin German of Columbia University, 252 people were quick to spot the spider when shown several images. This happened even when the pictures were distorted. We have an innate fear of crawling creatures because snakes and spiders often killed early humans.

Although many spiders are harmless today, most were highly venomous and could kill with a single bite millions of years ago. Spiders that did not kill could make a person sick or paralyzed. This is obviously bad when you’re in a jungle filled with thousands of animals that are actively trying to eat you.

Humans soon had genes to easily detect snakes and spiders. The people who lacked those genes died off because they were often bitten. However, other researchers like Jon May of Plymouth University disagree that we detest spiders due to our genes. He says that we hate spiders because their hairy legs and weird movements make them scary.^[3]

7 Sleep

The average human needs about seven hours of sleep a night. Anything below six hours usually causes fatigue, which quickly leads to other problems. Fatigued people are physically and mentally weaker and unable to concentrate or think properly. They may also become depressed.

However, there is a distinct group of individuals who only need a few hours of sleep a night. They have p. Tyr362HIS, which is called the “Thatcher gene.” This is named after former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who was known for sleeping only a few hours a night.

Researchers discovered the relationship between the p. Tyr362HIS gene and sleep during a study involving 100 sets of twins. They found that participants with the gene had perfect brain power even though they did not get enough sleep. Meanwhile, participants without the gene had weaker brain power because they lacked enough sleep.^[4]

6 Shopping

“Shopping” is synonymous with “women.” But according to Geoffrey Miller of University College London, men are actually the ones who are genetically wired to shop. Men love shopping because they want women to think they are rich and attractive. Owning expensive items also means that a man is rich enough to take care of a woman.

Thousands of years ago, long before clothing lines and fashion stores became a thing, men wore animal skins and painted their bodies to attract women. As technology came along, men hopped to clothes, cars, and other status symbols, including expensive dinners.

Today, most men stop taking their women to dinners and buying flowers and other luxuries after having sex with the women. At that point, the man no longer needs to show off because he already got his prize. It now becomes the responsibility of the woman to look good to keep the man. This is why women appear to shop more than men.^[5]

5 Infidelity

In 2010, researchers led by Justin Garcia of Binghamton University revealed that men with a certain type of DRD4 gene were the likeliest to cheat. The team reached the conclusion after questioning 181 men about their sex habits.

Researchers asked the men to fill out some questionnaires about their sexual health after which they collected DNA samples. They discovered that men who had a particular kind of DRD4 gene were the likeliest to cheat. Interestingly, the men had no tangible reasons for cheating. They only did it for the thrill.

Garcia says that this occurs because the gene is linked to dopamine, a compound released in the brain when we engage in pleasurable activities. The DRD4 gene suppresses the action of dopamine, causing affected men to release more dopamine to reach the same level as regular people.

However, some researchers like Robert Weiss say that the research is inconclusive because it involved a small study group. Weiss also believes that other factors like environment, life experience, and personal decisions affect whether a person will cheat.^[6]

4 Relationships

Researchers from Peking University have discovered that our genes could determine whether we want to be in a relationship or remain single. Specifically, they fingered C-1019G, a form of the 5-HT1A gene, for causing people to remain single.

The researchers reached the conclusion after studying 579 ethnic Chinese students. They discovered that only 40 percent of the students who had the gene were in a relationship. Researchers believe this is so because the gene makes people moody, gloomy, and anxious, so they are less likely to be in relationships.

Other researchers have traced singleness to the gene that controls oxytocin levels in the body. Oxytocin makes us friendlier and more social. However, it could have the opposite effect in reduced quantities.^[7]

3 Music

Researchers have often speculated that people exposed to music at an earlier age are better at singing and analyzing music. However, they have discovered that these abilities could actually be the result of genetics.

They reached this conclusion after analyzing 568 female British twins. Researchers added a few wrong notes to snippets of 26 tunes including “God Save the Queen,” “Yankee Doodle,” and “Happy Birthday.” The twins were asked to spot the errors.

One in four twins could not detect the mistakes. Interestingly, an identical twin was likely to detect an error found by the other twin. However, half of the fraternal twins could not recognize a mistake pinpointed by the other twin.^[8]

2 Victory Sign

The “V” sign we make with our fingers when we are victorious is innate. So are other habits like tilting our heads backward, raising our arms, and making our chests bigger. Losers will often make their shoulders fall, compress their chests, and hide their faces. Like the winners, their actions are also innate.

Prior to this study, researchers used to think that these winning and losing habits were learned. However, they discovered that these actions had something to do with our genes when they realized that blind athletes also made the “V” sign when they won.^[9]

If that was not enough, they also let their shoulders fall when they lost. This included athletes who were blind from birth. There was no way that they would have seen another person do it.

The study group involved blind athletes at the 2004 Paralympic Games. Researchers watched their behaviors after the participants won or lost and discovered that they behaved the same way as the people who could see. Researchers believe that the habits got impressed in our genes because they were used by our apelike ancestors.

1 Smelly Armpits

The armpits of 98 percent of humans smell when they get sweaty. However, the other 2 percent do not stink because they have the ABCC11 gene. The discovery was made by researchers from the University of Bristol. They studied 6,495 women and found that only 117 (2 percent) had the ABCC11 gene.

Interestingly, scientists have always known about the gene. However, they focused their research on its effect on earwax. People with the gene always have dry earwax. In fact, dry earwax is one method of detecting the presence of the gene in the body, which is most common among East Asians.

Researchers believe that the ABCC11 gene makes our sweaty armpits odorless because it makes us produce less amino acids than normal. This equates to less bacteria and less odor because bacteria makes our armpits smell. Interestingly, a lot of people with the ABCC11 gene still use deodorant.^[10]

Genes determine almost all of our physical and nonphysical features. We inherit all of our genes from our parents, but they’re not always for the better. Some are bad, and we would have been better off without them.

People have ended up with severe and life-threatening conditions simply due to inheriting the wrong genes. We’re not talking about ailments like Down syndrome; we mean unbelievable conditions you would have never imagined could be linked to your genes.

10 Violence Genes

Variants of the MAOA gene and the cadherin 13 (CDH13) gene are referred to as “warrior genes” because they are linked with violent behavior. A 2014 study by Finnish researchers revealed that criminals with the genes were responsible for between five and ten percent of all crimes committed in Finland.

If that wasn’t scary enough, people with these warrior genes are 13 times more likely to become repeat offenders than those without the genes. The 900 convicts involved in the study were responsible for a total of 1,154 murders, attempted murders, manslaughters, and violent assaults.

However, having the warrior genes by no means guarantees that one will become violent. In fact, researchers noted that most of the people with the genes will never take to crime. They also added that the effects of the genes can be suppressed with proper upbringing. Some researchers think the MAOA and CDH13 genes cannot be blamed for violent acts committed by people, since half of the Finnish population probably has them.^[1]

9 Suicide Gene

Scientists have discovered a link between depression, suicide, and the RGS2 gene. A 2011 study led by John Mann of the New York State Psychiatric Institute revealed that one variant of the RGS2 gene could cause depression, while another variant could make people more prone to suicide.

Researchers believe the RGS2 gene could explain why generations of the same family sometimes commit suicide. There are suspicions that the suicide variant could be present in the family of famous writer Ernest Hemingway (pictured center above with his family), who committed suicide in 1961 after attempting suicide earlier the same year. Hemingway’s father also committed suicide in 1928, and so did Hemingway’s granddaughter and two of his siblings.

The study involved 412 people suffering from serious depression. Of that group, 154 had attempted suicide sometime in the past. The study revealed that 43 percent of the 154 people had aggressively suicidal variants of the RGS2, while one fifth had copies of a less suicidal variant.

While Mann agreed that detection of the gene could be used an in indicator of someone’s risk of suicide, he added that the study was inconclusive and mentioned that further research was required to reach a definite conclusion.^[2]

8 Trauma Gene

Researchers have discovered that parents could transfer the effects of traumatic experiences they’ve suffered to their offspring through their genes. This has been observed in descendants of slaves, survivors of the Holocaust, and veterans of the Vietnam War, who have genetically transferred post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to their offspring.

The research was led by Dr. Rachel Yehuda of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan. Dr. Yehuda explained that when people experience a deeply traumatic event, it can actually alter their genes. These changes are passed down to descendants.

A Jew herself, Dr. Yehuda sampled several Jewish neighbors who were descendants of the Holocaust survivors as part of the study. She discovered their hormones closely resembled those of PTSD-afflicted veterans of the Vietnam war. Also, the amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for processing emotions—was overly active like those of Vietnam veterans.

Descendants of black slaves also suffer from similar problems. In fact, sociologist Dr. Joy DeGruy even coined the term “Post Traumatic Slave Disorder” to refer to the effects of slavery in the genes of the descendants of black slaves.^[3]

7 Infidelity Gene

The DRD4 gene is responsible for regulating the dopamine levels in our bodies. Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain and is associated with things like motivation and sexual satisfaction. Our bodies consider it a sort of reward, which is why it is usually released when we engage in fun behaviors like gambling, drinking, and sex.

A 2010 study led by Justin Garcia of Binghamton University, New York, has revealed that a variant of the DRD4 gene could actually make people more prone to cheating on their partners. Garcia and his team reached this conclusion after studying 181 young people. The researchers discovered that people with the gene were more likely to engage in infidelity and one-night stands.

However, Garcia says that unfaithful partners should not consider the presence of the gene variant an excuse for their philandering behavior. He also added that having this variant of the DRD4 gene does not guarantee that a person will cheat.^[4]

6 Death Genes

Series of studies on both humans and animals indicate that females live longer than males. In humans, the life expectancy of men and women differs by five to six years on average, with the women lasting longer. Research has revealed that this is caused by genes referred to as the “Mother’s Curse.”

The Mother’s Curse is called such it is in the mitochondrial DNA, which comes from the mother. Both sexes actually inherit the genes, but they are unfavorable to males, since they make them age faster and die earlier than women. However, the genes have no effects on females, who will pass them to their own offspring.^[5]

5 Back Pain Genes

In 2018, researchers revealed the discovery of three genes linked to chronic back pain after a study involving 29,000 suffering from the condition. The group was part of a larger set of 158,000 Europeans involved in the study.

One is the SOX5 gene, which is the most dominant of the three genes. It is actively involved in our embryonic development. Interestingly, lab rats involved in an earlier study were left with skeletal defects after the gene was deactivated in their bodies.

As for the two other genes, one is involved in the development of our spinal cord, while the other is linked to intervertebral disc herniation (aka “slipped disc”), a medical condition that can cause back pain.^[6] The intervertebral discs are the principal joints between the vertebrae of the spinal column.

4 Pessimistic Gene

A team of researchers led by Rebecca M. Todd of the University of British Columbia have discovered that being pessimistic or just having negative thoughts could all be in the genes. The gene responsible is the ADRA2B gene, which is one of the many genes responsible for our emotions.

However, the ADRA2B gene must be missing some amino acids to cause the pessimistic behavior. People with the missing amino acids are more likely to notice negative events more readily than they observe positive or neutral events. For instance, they will notice the criminal-like character in a street faster than they notice a group of playful children.

The pessimistic ADRA2B gene was discovered during a study involving 200 people. The group were shown two words in quick succession and asked to pay attention to the second word. Most people saw the first word but often had problems recognizing the second word.^[7]

However, people with the pessimistic ADRA2B gene often recognized the second word whenever it was a more emotion-evoking word, like “rape” or “orgasm.” Some researchers, like Ahmad R. Hariri of Duke University, believe the existence of a pessimistic gene is a fallacy. He says pessimistic behavior is not linked to a single gene but several.

3 The Lung Problem Gene

The Vikings suffered from severe intestinal worm infestations. This is evident in poop samples recovered from ancient Viking latrines in modern Denmark. The worms often secreted dangerous enzymes called proteases, which can damage crucial internal organs, including the liver and lungs.

The immune systems of the Vikings prevented any damage due to a mutation in the alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) gene. The regular A1AT gene protects our organs from proteases produced by our immune system. However, the mutated version also protects the Vikings from proteases secreted by the worms.

Without the regular or mutated A1AT genes, proteases would damage the lungs, causing health conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. However, researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine have observed that many Viking descendants—who number over 300 million today—suffer from lung problems like emphysema.

Research revealed that the descendants of the Vikings are at a higher risk of lung problems because the mutated A1AT genes they inherited from their ancestors do not offer the same amount of protection against the proteases created by the immune system. Of course, the risk of a Viking descendant developing lung problems becomes higher if the person is a smoker.^[8]

2 Sleeplessness Genes

A study involving 113,006 people revealed the existence of seven genes that could cause insomnia. Interestingly, some of these genes were already known to cause other unfavorable conditions, like depression, anxiety disorders, and restless legs syndrome (RLS), which can all lead to insomnia. It’s little wonder that people with insomnia often suffer from one or more of these conditions at the same time.

One of the genes is the MEIS1 gene, which is also associated with RLS and periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS). RLS sufferers often have the urge to move their legs, leading to sleeplessness and fatigue. PLMS is similar, except that sufferers move their limbs in their sleep without waking. However, they are often left tired the next day.^[9]

1 Talking Gene

It is commonly held that women talk more than men. This claim is backed by research, which shows that women say around 20,000 words per day, while men say just 7,000. Women also pick up languages faster than men and learn to speak and read younger.

A study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine indicates that this could all be in the genes. The researchers pinpointed the FOXP2 gene, which is one of the many genes responsible for speech in humans. The FOXP2 gene secretes a special protein in the brain. Researchers have linked that protein to the generally more talkative nature of women.

The study involved a small sample group of just ten children: five male and five female. A check on their brains revealed girls had 30 percent more of the protein made by the gene than boys. However, while the researchers agree that their study is a good start, they consider it inconclusive since it involved a small sample group.^[10]

For many of us, we are born and we live “normal”—that is, without any genetic deformities or conditions that would render us different. But as we all know, some people are born with genetic defects or develop conditions that make them different from the rest of the world. Here are 10 villages in which those differences are sometimes the norm.

10 Araras
The Brazilian Village That Can’t Handle The Sun

Brazil is known for its sun-loving, beach party–going people. But in one remote, midwestern Brazilian village known as Araras, a large group of the population suffers from a condition that causes their skin to melt away when touched by the sun.

At an incidence rate of 1 in 40 people developing the disease known as xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) (as compared to 1 in 1 million in the US), Araras has 20 out of 800 residents who have XP, making it the largest population of XP sufferers in the world at a statistically improbable rate.

Experts claim that the exorbitantly high incidence rate is caused by the fact that the settling families of Araras all possessed the defective gene that caused this disease. But it only became clearer as those families intermarried and interbred.

The worst part is that Araras is a farming community. With such a high rate of residents unable to continue farming because of their skin developing blisters, tumors, and boils when exposed to sunlight, there has been a heavy toll on farming production. Many residents have been left struggling to find a new form of livelihood.

9 Kalachi and Krasnogorsk
The Kazakhstani Villages Where Everyone Passes Out

In March 2013, almost one-quarter of the residents of two Kazakhstani villages, Kalachi and Krasnogorsk, started falling asleep out of the blue. In this pair of small, dusty settlements on the outskirts of the Kazakh Steppe, some residents were reported to pass into unconsciousness for upwards of several days at a time.

They’d pass out in the middle of the day while walking or working and wake up to headaches, memory loss, fatigue, and overall weakness—all the downsides of a hangover without the pleasure of overdrinking the night before. All demographics in the villages were affected, from children to senior citizens to cats and dogs. Some children claimed that they had nightmares of winged horses and snakes and worms eating their hands.

For nearly two years, doctors had no idea what was causing the phenomenon. Some attributed the effects to the consumption of counterfeit vodka—because what else could it be in a town full of Russian ancestry? One somnologist claimed that they were experiencing mass psychosis similar to the Bin Ladin itch.

But finally in 2015, after analyzing the medical results of all residents, researchers found that the random bouts of sleep were caused by high levels of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons floating in the air. They came from the hastily closed Soviet uranium mines nearby, leading to lower levels of oxygen in the air.

8 Wewelsfleth
The German Cancer Village

In the small village of Wewelsfleth in northwestern Germany, a tiny population of 1,500 Germans calls it home. But one thing makes this average village stand out: In almost every single household lives a cancer victim. Statistically, residents of Wewelsfleth have a 50 percent greater chance of developing cancer than everyone else—for reasons that no one can figure out.

Some residents put the blame on the three nearby nuclear power plants, with one of them standing in the direction that the wind blows. Unfortunately, when the nearby University of Lubeck conducted a study on it—including other possible causes such as the toxic spray paints once used at the neighboring shipyard, asbestos, and pesticides used in farming—they found no evidence that could lead to a certain single cause.

It’s also possible that the residents of Wewelsfleth are suffering from the “screening effect”: Since they are more afraid of developing cancer, they are more likely to all get themselves tested for it, thus explaining why so many of them have found they have cancer. Either way, when around 142 cancer cases exist in a village of 1,500 residents, it doesn’t take a genius to see that something’s different.

7 Hogewey
Dementia Village

Instead of throwing their dementia-afflicted elderly in a nursing home that feels more like a living-person cemetery, a group of health-care workers in Amsterdam decided to create an entire village where dementia patients could live out the rest of their lives in normal conditions.

Meet Hogewey, the village where everyone is either a dementia patient but doesn’t know it or a health-care worker acting out a village role by working at the village salon, grocery store, restaurant, or movie theater.

Family members and friends of the patients are free to visit as often as they like. With less hands-on care and more freedom for the patients, it actually costs less for them to send their dementia-afflicted grandfather or grandmother to the village than to send them to a regular care facility.

A wall surrounds the village (Shutter Island, anyone?), and if anyone accidentally starts wandering toward one of the doors, a staff member comes and suggests that they try another route.

6 Yangsi
Village Of The Dwarfs

Yangsi, a remote village in China’s Sichuan Province, has earned the unusual moniker of “Dwarf Village.” Over the last century, Yangsi has had a highly disproportionate number of residents affected by stunted growth, with about 40 percent of its population (36 of its 80 residents) standing shorter than 120 centimeters (4′). Reports of this strange phenomenon date back to 1911, with an English scientist in 1947 claiming that he had seen hundreds of dwarfs living in the remote valley of Yangsi.

Usually, a person only has a 1 in 20,000 chance of having stunted growth, meaning that the number of dwarfs in Yangsi is almost statistically impossible. Though no one knows why this is, several theories have been brought up and debunked.

One suggested a high concentration of mercury in the soil, which hasn’t been proven. Another theory claims that it’s the bad feng shui of evil spirits in the area for not having buried their ancestors properly.

Yet another theory—better described as a legend—is that one day, a long time ago, a man named Wang found a black turtle with strange feet. When everyone else suggested that he let it go, he decided to cook it and eat it, thus cursing the village forever. Thankfully, the youngest generation of Yangsi doesn’t seem to fall under this supposed curse.

5 Ikaria
The Island Where Everyone Lives Long

In the US, the average American lives to age 79. But on the Greek island of Ikaria, one in three residents lives to age 90, with others reaching their centenarian years. Named after the boy who flew too close to the Sun, Ikaria can probably thank the lesson of Icarus as one of the reasons for their unusually long lives: Residents of Ikaria are disconnected from the rest of the world and find solace in afternoon naps and emphasizing the concept of happiness over sadness and stress. (Is it a surprise that they’re Greek?)

Another possible reason for their long lives is their diet. Still almost entirely removed from the Westernized world, their diet has stayed consistent in a world of refined sugars and fast-food joints, with a focus on beans, local vegetables that contain 10 times more antioxidants than red wine, potatoes, goat’s milk, and not too much meat or sugar.

Ikaria is known as one of the world’s “Blue Zones,” areas where people live longer than the rest of the world. And not only do they live longer, but they live healthier, with most of their deaths happening naturally rather than through abrupt illnesses or outside diseases.

4 Velikaya Kopanya
‘Land Of The Twins’

In Western Ukraine, the village of Velikaya Kopanya has earned itself the name “Land of the Twins” for the record-breaking percentage of twins in its population, with 61 pairs of twins out of 4,000 residents. And it’s not a new phenomenon. The common occurrence of twins in the village has been happening for at least three generations, as birth records earlier than that no longer exist.

While no one knows exactly what’s causing the unusually high number of twins, it’s been found that not only is it occurring in humans but also in cows, with cows giving birth to twin calves at an unusually high rate as well. Many speculate that it’s the local well giving them their twin-birthing powers.

One local story tells of a woman who lived in a town over 160 kilometers (100 mi) away who couldn’t give birth. When she traveled to Velikaya Kopanya to drink from their well, she got pregnant within a few months and gave birth to a set of twins.

With two or three sets of twins being born every year, locals from other towns have come in and started courting their girls, hoping to catch some of the magic twin gene.

3 Bengkala
The Village Where Everyone Speaks Sign Language

In the US, around 2 or 3 out of every 1,000 births will be a deaf or partly deaf child. In Bengkala, a small village in northern Indonesia, 42 of its 3,000 residents have been deaf since birth. This unusually high rate of deafness (5 times higher than the rest of the world) is attributed to a geographically centric recessive gene called DFNB3, which the village has had for over seven generations.

Deafness is so common in Bengkala that, unlike in the rest of the world, it’s no longer seen as a detriment. Instead, the deaf, or kolok, are treated the same as everyone else. Kolok children learn in school beside hearing children, and everyone knows the ancient local sign language known as kato kolok.

Recessive gene aside, locals believe that deafness is a curse from a certain legend in which two people with magical powers cursed each other with deafness and that the name of their village, Bengkala, means “a place for someone to hide.” Kolok also form their own community in the village, and residents think of the kolok as physically strong, more resilient, honest, and loyal.

Kolok guards are also known for coming to work earlier than hearing guards, and kolok guards are stricter than their hearing counterparts, beating criminals for longer and harder because they can’t hear the screams.

2 Salinas
The Town Of The Late Penises

When most of us are born, the doctor can tell right away whether we’re a boy or a girl by looking between our legs. But in the small, remote village of Salinas in the Dominican Republic, some boys don’t grow their penises until they reach puberty, with their families believing them to be and raising them as girls until their sudden genital sprouting.

The condition is a rare genetic disorder caused by a missing enzyme. It results in a late surge of testosterone that only comes at the age of puberty, which forms their penis at the same time as the deepening of their voice.

In Salinas, these boys are known as guevedoces, translated as “penis at 12.” They happen as regularly as every 1 out of 90 boys, with them growing up with less facial hair and smaller prostate glands.

They were only “medically discovered” in 1970, but in Salinas, it’s been happening for as long as anyone can remember. Now they’re medically referred to as pseudohermaphrodites, which is thankfully not as bad as today’s resurgence among youth of pseudophilosophicals.

1 Antioquia
The Village Where The Elderly Care For Their Children’s Alzheimer’s

In most of the world, it’s the children who take care of their parents when their minds sadly begin to regress into diseases like Alzheimer’s. But in one mountainous village in northwestern Colombia, people do the opposite.

In the small village of Antioquia, over 5,000 people are afflicted with early-onset Alzheimer’s, making it the world’s largest population of Alzheimer’s sufferers. This is due to many centuries of inbreeding in the village, resulting in the consistent passing down of a defective gene that causes what is known as the “paisa” mutation. The mutation is aptly named after the residents of that area who are known as Paisas.

This congregation of Alzheimer’s sufferers has led to multiple cases where elderly parents in their seventies and eighties are forced to take care of their children, who are in their forties, fifties, and sixties. The children developed Alzheimer’s at a young age, almost the reverse of every other place in the world.

Researchers in the area use the village as a testing ground for Alzheimer’s. One researcher studied brains at his local “brain bank,” where families donate the brains of their late Alzheimer’s-afflicted relatives to aid in the research of this disease. Unfortunately, no headway other than preventative treatment has been made.

At some point, everyone has fantasized about being a superhero. Sure, the tights may be snug in some awkward places, but that’s a small price to pay to wield amazing powers against the forces of evil. Well, luckily, those dreams may be close to becoming reality. Geneticists are tracking down specific mutations responsible for some truly incredible abilities. From immunity to electricity to Hulk-like strength, these tremendous talents may soon be as normal as eating and breathing.

10Unbreakable Bones

A broken bone is a fantastic way to ruin your entire day (your entire several months, really). Despite being the hardest substance in the human body, bone is definitely not invulnerable. Unless you find yourself with an extremely rare mutation of the LRP5 gene, that is.

LRP5 is responsible for the density of your bones. Researchers have known for a while that mutations in this gene can lead to lower bone density, or osteoporosis. However, it has recently been found that they can lead to the opposite effect as well. One Connecticut family has been discovered to have LRP5 mutations that give their bones such incredible density that they are nearly unbreakable. Not one of them has ever suffered a broken bone. Focused on the spine, skull, and pelvis, this increased strength gives members of the family the strongest known skeletons on Earth.

Researchers believe this mutation causes too many “bone-growth signals” to be sent, leading to beefier bones and a potential superhero. It is hoped that one day, a controlled form of the mutant gene could be used to end bone disease.

9Super Speed

We all have the natural ability to run, if not always the will. Yet some people seem naturally better at this incredibly basic skill. Sure, it could be down to training or steroids, but geneticists believe the answer is nowhere near that.

It turns out naturally gifted runners may be more fit for the X-Men than the Olympics. The gene ACTN3 is present within every human body, but a small percentage of them mutate to help us produce a very special substance. This protein, alpha-actinin-3, is responsible for controlling the fast-twitch muscle fibers that allow us to run. Increased amounts lead to more explosive bursts of muscle power, which translate into better performance in all kinds of sports, especially sprinting.

Interestingly, there are two versions of this mutant gene, and athletes with both have been found to perform consistently better than their conventionally chromosomed counterparts. We may be on the brink of a new age of performance enhancement.

8Poison Immunity

When it comes to poison, the human body gets very fragile very quickly; a single drop of something like cyanide or ricin, and it’s all over. Whether accidentally ingested or snuck into our food, these sinister substances are hard to defend against.

But for millennia, the villagers of San Antonio de los Cobres in Argentina have been sipping mountain water laced with 80 times the safe level of arsenic. And, surprisingly, there are still villagers in San Antonio de los Cobres. Despite extreme daily exposure to the deadly metal, residents carry on completely unaffected. This is all down to a mutant gene that has been honed by thousands of years of natural selection.

AS3MT is the name of this South American savior. It allows the body to process arsenic rather than let it build to dangerous levels, so owners of these microscopic mutants can chow down on as much of the stuff as they want. It is estimated that a total of 6,000 people now possess this gene.

7Short-Sleeping

The life of a superhero is not an easy one. Working your mundane cover job during the day and prowling the rooftops by night doesn’t leave a lot of time for sleep. But if you’re lucky, your host of mutant abilities includes short-sleeping.

The genes involved in the process of sleep are many and incredibly complex. One, however, stands out to researchers. DEC2 is responsible for regulating the amount of sleep we need each night to properly function. For most of us it demands a full eight hours or more, but about 5 percent of the population enjoy a slightly different mutant version.

Tests on a mother-daughter pair with the mutation have revealed an ability to sleep just 4–6 hours each night. Mere mortals would begin to experience negative effects after just a few days of this, but these mutants function completely normally. Researchers are hopefully working to replicate this mutation to allow crime fighters and the exceptionally busy to waste less time unconscious.

6Shock-Proof Skin

Electricity is one of the most dangerous things we encounter each day. We tend not to think much about it because we’re so used to it, but we are almost always surrounded by more than enough power to kill us in an instant. That’s never bothered Serbian man Slavisa Pajkic, though, whose unique genetic makeup makes him largely immune to electricity.

The typical human is covered with millions of sweat glands, which normally give electric shocks a nice wet path directly into our skin. Pajkic, on the other hand, has no sweat or salivary glands due to a rare genetic condition. This means electricity has no way of penetrating his body, so it skims harmlessly over his skin into whatever he happens to be holding.

This unique talent has earned Pajkic the title of “Battery Man.” Able to cook food, boil water, and even set things on fire by passing electricity over his body, he has set a handful of records and appeared on several TV shows. He also uses his gift to treat (or at least claim to treat them) various ailments like migraines and back pain in his native Serbia.

5Super Partying

The lifestyle of rich and famous musicians is notorious for being pretty hard on the body. Countless lives have been snuffed out prematurely due to the stresses of constant drug and alcohol use. But bizarrely, one of the men associated most strongly with this life of dangerous excess has been going strong for decades.

Rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s ironically long life may be due to more than simple luck. Researchers analyzing the legendary musician’s genetic code have recently discovered a staggering number of mutant genes. Most of them have to do with the way the body breaks down alcohol and various other chemicals. For instance, a mutation of the ADH4 gene gives him increased amounts of proteins that remove alcohol from the body. Genetic variations like this help explain Osbourne’s continued existence despite the “swimming pools of booze . . . cocaine, morphine, sleeping pills, cough syrup, LSD, Rohypnol” he has admitted to indulging in over the years.

4Metal Munching

There comes a moment in every superhero’s career when defeat looks certain. The villain’s doomsday device is ticking away, and all hope seems lost. But luckily, the hero still has a genetic variation or two up his sleeve. He grabs it, adds a dash of salt, and crams it down his mighty throat. The day is saved.

But only if his name is Michel Lotito. This phenomenal French showman spent his life chowing down on absolutely everything as the amazing Monsieur Mangetout—Mr. Eats-All. Televisions, shopping carts, beds, and even an entire airplane made their way through his super-powered stomach. Swallowing shards of glass and twisted scraps of metal would of course kill most people, but Lotito survived his deadly eating habits for decades.

It is believed that Lotito’s stomach-turning talent was the result of a very specific genetic defect. Born with bizarrely thick lining in his stomach and intestines, his system was durable enough to avoid the inevitable shredding most people would experience. A few gulps of lubricating mineral oil were the only safety precaution he required.

3Super Flexibility

Inhuman flexibility has been a comic book staple for years. This is mostly because the ability to warp the body into bizarre and amazing shapes is dramatic and visually stunning. But its pop culture popularity may lead some to think of this talent as mere fiction. It isn’t.

For those born with the genetic condition known as Marfan Syndrome, tendons and ligaments may as well be rubber bands. Mutations in the gene responsible for producing the protein fibrillin-1 cause the body to create connective tissues with superhuman flexibility. Selectively dislocating joints to twist the body into shapes worthy of Mr. Fantastic is nothing for the typical Marfan sufferer.

Of course, this gift comes with a price. Sufferers may develop unnaturally long limbs and facial disfigurements. Problems with the skeleton, nervous system, and even the heart can also arise from the genetic defect, some of which can be fatal.

2Super Strength

Super strength is the quintessential super power; it has been the go-to ability for comic book writers since Superman first flew onto the scene. The raw power it represents is fascinating, leaving many yearning for rippling muscles and brute strength with absolutely no effort. Well good news: It’s possible. Bad news: You have to be born with it.

For a lucky few born with mutations of the gene responsible for producing the protein myostatin, the dream of effortless abs is a reality. Myostatin tells the body to stop producing muscle when enough has been created, but defective genes keep it from being made. This means muscles automatically grow to twice the average size, while fat deposits are halved.

A handful of people around the world have this condition, and scientists are trying to harness its power. It is believed that by studying these mutant genes, we may one day be able to cure muscle conditions like muscular dystrophy.

1Immunity To Pain

Pain. Whether by banging your toe on the corner of your bed, cutting yourself shaving, or walking into a door, we all experience this annoying sensation almost daily. Pharmaceutical companies make billions offering us ways to avoid it, but the secret to true painlessness may be hidden in the garbled genes of a very rare few.

The SCN11A gene determines the amount of sodium in the body’s cells. This might not sound terribly impressive, until you realize that nerve cells use sodium to decide when to send a pain signal. With the mutant gene lowering sodium levels, nerve cells never have enough to send those signals, rendering the body completely immune to pain.

Bizarrely, however, people with this seemingly enviable condition are prone to broken bones and accidental self-mutilation. Without pain to tell them not to do something, they have a tendency to injure themselves, especially as infants. Still, their mutant genes are incredibly rare and valuable, as they may be the key to revolutionary new pain medications.

Genetic diversity is essential to the survival of a species. We all inherit a mix of genes from our parents, some of them passed down along several generations. Along the way, these genes are often mutated – for example, a single base in our DNA may be randomly swapped for another during replication, or a whole segment can be mistakenly deleted or multiplied. Many of these DNA mutations are silent and can only be detected on a molecular scale by a geneticist in a lab. However, there also exist some pretty strange mutations that can have some very noticeable effects on their carriers.

See Also: 10 Foods That Have Been Genetically Modified Beyond Recognition

8Double eyelashes

Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her gorgeous eyes, but it turns out that the dark lining around her eyelids wasn’t simply a trick of make-up. Rather, the actress benefited from a genetic mutation known as distichiasis. Due to a mutation in the FOXC gene, a gene responsible for embryo tissue development, Elizabeth Taylor and other carriers of this mutated gene have double eyelashes. While these extra eyelashes may have enhanced Taylor’s beauty, this is not always the case with distichiasis – many carriers have eyelashes that grow inwards, potentially damaging their corneas. This mutation has also been linked with the development of lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome, which can sometimes be associated with congenital heart disease and other health complications.

7 Satiety

While excessive weight gain or weight loss can certainly be influenced by outside factors, genetics can have a strong influence on eating habits as well. In particular, the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MCR4) can be mutated to either increase or decrease feelings of hunger in affected individuals. The MCR4 protein plays an important role in establishing a feeling of satiety – it essentially tells your brain when you are full. When this gene is mutated in a person, there exists a possibility that they will never experience the feeling of satiety, leading to overeating and obesity. However, the opposite may be true as well. Certain mutations in this gene can actually make a person feel constantly full and never hungry, thereby protecting them against obesity.

6 Alcohol Flush

We all have that friend, or perhaps are that friend ourselves, who turns as red as a tomato whenever drinks are served. While facial flushing is often associated with alcoholics, some people simply have a genetic mutation that renders them incredibly sensitive to even small amounts of alcohol.

When we drink alcohol, the ethanol content must be broken down in order to be flushed out of the body. One of the products of alcohol metabolism is called acetaldehyde, and it is extremely toxic. The enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, coded for by the ALDH2 gene, plays an important role in breaking down the acetaldehyde before it begins to build up in the body, but for about 8% of the population, the ALDH2 gene is mutated. The mutated ALDH2 enzyme cannot efficiently break down acetaldehyde, which builds up very quickly as alcohol is metabolized. This causes the blood vessels in a person’s face to dilate, causing a red flush soon after imbibing in alcohol. The facial flushing does not pose a direct danger to the affected person, but symptoms such as nausea may accompany the redness, making drinking alcohol an uncomfortable experience. Some research also suggests that this mutation may be associated with increased risk of high blood pressure development.

5 Painlessness

A woman in Scotland baffled scientists when it was discovered that she did not feel pain or anxiety and had gone about 60 years into her life before realizing that this was not normal. After an operation on her hand that would typically cause discomfort caused her no pain, her doctors became aware of her seemingly pain-free life and referred her to a geneticist. The woman, named Jo Cameron, reported that she did not realize she was burning herself on a stove until she could smell the scent of burned flesh, and had actually found childbirth enjoyable. Analyzing her DNA revealed that her FAAH gene was suppressed and her FAAH-OUT pseudogene was missing information. The FAAH gene codes for a protein, fatty acid amide hydrolase, that normally breaks down anandamide in the body, a chemical that buffers pain and anxiety. For Jo Cameron, this anandamide is not broken down because she does not produce the FAAH protein, meaning she feels no pain, never worries, and never gets anxious.

4 Addictions

For the most part, addictions like alcoholism have not been exclusively linked to a specific gene mutation, but they may be linked to gene expression. Epigenetics is an interesting field of study that is concerned with external modifications to genes. Rather than an error in the DNA code itself, epigenetics suggests that outside influences can alter how our cellular machinery is able to read a gene in order to build proteins and other chemicals. For example, DNA methylation is the addition of methyl groups to part of a DNA sequence, and the presence of methyl groups on DNA can block the genes on that DNA segment from being expressed. Therefore, even though the gene itself has no errors or mutations, this methylation can interfere with the function of the gene. Studies suggest that alcohol exposure can alter gene expression associated with the neuronal circuits in the amygdala and other regions of the brain, such as those involved with behaviors like dependence and tolerance. There have also been studies linking epigenetic changes and their pattern of inheritance in offspring. Essentially, if a parent is an alcoholic and experiences epigenetic changes to their gene expression as an effect of ethanol exposure, it is possible for those epigenetic changes to be passed down to their offspring. As a result, the children of addicts may be predisposed to their parent’s addictions.

3Mountaineering

When climbing a mountain like Everest, it is often recommended to bring along a Sherpa as a guide, and for good reason. Sherpas, or members of the ethnic group native to the mountainous regions of Nepal and the Himalayas, are often genetically predisposed to function far better than the rest of us at high altitudes. Hypoxia, a fall in tissue oxygen levels, is a very serious concern when mountain climbing due to the lower levels of oxygen as you ascend higher, and it can lead to nausea, delusion and death. Although not completely immune to the effects of high altitude on the body, Sherpas have historically lived at higher altitudes and have adapted to the low-oxygen environment in some pretty incredible ways. There are numerous genetic variants commonly found in the Sherpa population that help them to thrive better than us ordinary sea level folk do way up in the mountains. One of these variants is found in the EPAS1 gene.

The EPAS1 gene regulates hemoglobin production in low oxygen environments. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues and carbon dioxide away from tissues. The mutated EPAS1 gene found in Sherpas regulates their body’s response to high altitude by allowing them to maintain the same hemoglobin levels at high altitude as they would have at sea level. In contrast, a non-mutated EPAS1 gene at high altitude would lead to the excessive production of red blood cells. While having more red blood cells does increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, it also leads to thicker blood and slower blood flow, which can result in serious mountain sickness, excessive strain on the heart, and hypoxia.

2 Pungent Smell

Trimethylamine is a very odorous chemical that has been described as smelling like rotting fish and garbage among other unpleasant things. The FMO3 gene codes for an enzyme that breaks down compounds like trimethylamine present in our diets to eliminate the strong smell, but for an unlucky few, this gene is mutated so that the enzyme is either completely missing or limited in activity. The result of this mutation is a disorder called trimethylaminuria, which is characterized by a very strong odor released in the sweat, urine or breath of an affected person. This odor comes from the build up of trimethylamine in the body due to the missing enzyme, and it can be an incredibly isolating disorder. Depression and social isolation are possible side effects of this unlucky mutation, often referred to as stale fish syndrome.

1 Female Infidelity

Men cheating on their partners has sometimes been blamed on a biological need to “spread their seed,” so to speak – in other words, having multiple partners makes it more likely that they will have many offspring, which is important for the survival and evolution of a species. In women, however, cheating is less of a biological necessity, as women are typically limited by their own capacity to carry a certain number of children rather than by a lack of multiple partners. Now, clearly this is a very narrow, scientific explanation of cheating behavior; it does not consider the fact that male partners may be infertile, and disregards everything other than the biological urge to reproduce (such as emotional intimacy or commitment). However, the basic concept is simply that women do not have a strong biological need to cheat on their partners – so why do they?

Well, clearly there are many reasons why, but what you may not have considered is that some women are actually predisposed to cheat because of mutated genes. Specifically, a large study on human mating behaviors found that mutations in the vasopressin receptor AVPR1A gene seem to be associated with infidelity in women, but not in men. Vasopressin is a hormone that plays an important role in bonding between partners, as well as in sexual motivation, or the desire to engage in sexual acts. Essentially, mutations in this gene may affect how a female responds to vasopressin, and therefore, how they connect emotionally with their partners, and how drawn they are to look for sex outside of their relationship. As this is a genetic mutation, it may also be passed down to a cheater’s offspring, giving them the same predisposition as their parent. More research needs to be done to confirm these findings (or potentially disprove them), but these results are promising in that they provide a biological reason why some women may be attracted to the idea of infidelity – it’s simply in their genes.

The world of genes is as endless and enigmatic as outer space. Only this frontier exists within and rules more behaviors and human history than most are aware of (scientists included).

Recent finds have discovered that genes hold our emotions closely and some are way too friendly with viruses. Sometimes, they are viruses. They allow dreams and addictions and drag trauma through the generations. Besides also causing a few mysteries, genes get dramatic—fighting the final moment of death with a tenacity that gets downright weird.

10 Neanderthal-Shaped Brains

Around 40,000 years ago, Neanderthals bowed out of existence. Thanks to interbreeding, many of their genes live on in people today. In the past, studies found Neanderthal influences in human hair color, immunity, and sleeping behavior.

In 2018, scientists wondered about brains. There is a suspicion that Neanderthals had elongated brains. Their brain cases were football-shaped as opposed to the basketball-shaped heads of Homo sapiens.

As a fossilized Neanderthal brain has never been found, it could have been any shape. The closest anyone came to reverse engineering the extinct organ was to study living Neanderthal DNA carriers.

The team scanned the heads of over 4,500 people with European ancestry and seven Neanderthal skulls. It showed that carriers often had slightly longer brains. Two genes also showed up with the longer heads. UBR4 and PHLPP1 are both linked to brain cells and appear in important parts of the brain responsible for language, planning, motor movement, and memory.^[1]

Despite the similarities, it is believed that this pair evolved to work differently and perhaps even mark major behavioral distinctions between the two species.

9 Genetic Happiness

In 2014, a study took a serious look at happy countries. When it comes to fluffy feelings and smiles, Scandinavian countries, especially Denmark, top the list. Many nongenetic factors influence happiness, including quality of sleep, relationships, and personal achievements.

However, researchers were curious about how entire countries could hold so many happy people. The study considered proximity and genes from over 100 countries to see how similar their DNA was to the perky Danes.

Incredibly, the closer a nation was to Denmark, the happier its rank. Countries far away, like Madagascar and Ghana, ranked more in the sad department. One reason could be the mutation of a gene dealing with serotonin, the “happiness chemical.”^[2]

A controversial group of studies found that people with the mutation were more prone to report unhappiness. The 2014 study revisited this angle and tested individuals from 30 countries for the gene. Interestingly, Denmark and the nearby Netherlands had the fewest number of the mutated gene. Italy, which had the highest, held the bottom slot (the unhappiest of the 30 countries).

8 Autism’s Lines Just Blurred

In 2016, a study found that the same genes that predispose individuals to autism appear to run social skills in the general population. Mainly, it suggested that there is no clear cutoff point where the autistic population ends and the general population begins.

Excelling in empathy, charm, and making friends is largely judged by how well somebody was raised and how much social practice they have had. However, it would appear that these traits are also affected by how many variants of autism risk genes a person has.

This does not mean that everyone is a little autistic. It means that the factors that used to be entirely associated with autism also powerfully influence social communication—and it blurs the line where one can say whether a person is affected or unaffected.^[3]

Everyone carries risk because 30 percent of the genome (the entire genetic code) is shared between genetic influences for the spectrum and social communication.

7 The Biobank Find

The UK Biobank is a geneticist’s dream. It contains the health information—including saliva, blood, and urine samples—of 500,000 people. In 2018, researchers turned to the Biobank to investigate a gene called FGF21. This bad guy is linked to the desire to consume more sugar and alcohol.

Although the bank provided enough genetic material to get real answers about how FGF21 works, it actually made things more confusing. Surprising even the experts, it soon became clear that FGF21 also played a role in lower body fat despite its habit of encouraging snacks.

At the same time, the gene revealed another nasty side. Certain variations cause high blood pressure, a bigger risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and, ironically a bigger waistline. The FGF21 gene is a perfect example of how complex and contradictory gene studies can be.^[4]

At least there is a silver lining. The discovery of the lower body fat link could help develop a new gene-linked line of obesity drugs.

6 The Blue Genes

The UK Biobank has a lonely corner, too. In 2018, researchers drew on 487,647 patients’ genes to search for sadness. Indeed, the results showed that genetics influence how often people feel like socializing and how lonely they feel. In fact, the study uncovered 15 gene regions capable of giving someone feelings of isolation and the blues.

Understanding loneliness is not a whimsical hobby for scientists. The condition has been linked to premature death and the 15 regions to obesity. If the latter affects a lonely person, the results suggested that weight might become more manageable when loneliness is also addressed. Of course, sadness could also be caused by environmental factors, such as bereavement, going through a tough time, or not having friends.

But the 2018 study made a strong case that up to 5 percent of loneliness might be an unwelcome genetic inheritance. Such genes could also explain why some people are champion hermits who love a solitary life. They seem to be less affected by a genetic need for socializing.^[5]

5 The Virus Usher

The human body is home to a two-faced gene. Called ADAR1, it has a very important job. ADAR1 protects against autoimmune disorders, which happen when the body attacks itself.

In 2018, a study found that this valuable gene also moonlights as a virus usher. Normally, it behaves like a virus cop and stops large amounts of viruses. But the moment a small number creep closer, ADAR1 does something disturbing. It secretly ushers in the intruders but underneath the radar of the body’s immune system.

When scientists ran some tests, they found that the quirk was thankfully only so strong. Using measles, they infected designer tissue. Cells designed to lack the gene very quickly betrayed the virus’s presence to the immune system. Cells with ADAR1 could sneak 1,000 pieces of double-stranded viral RNA into the body. But any more and the immune system attacks.^[6]

It might appear that the landscape is safer without the gene. But without it, the body becomes vulnerable to terrible autoimmune disorders.

4 The HK2 Addiction Legacy

About 5–10 percent of the global population carries an ancient virus. Thousands of years ago, a retrovirus entered the human gene pool and left traces of itself in our DNA. Those who have the HK2 virus face a special risk of addictive behavior.

In 2018, scientists did a wide study involving several countries and patients with HIV or hepatitis C. Interestingly, those who contracted HIV through shared needles were 2.5 times more likely to have HK2 than patients who became HIV-positive through other means, like having unprotected sex. Those who contracted hepatitis C through needles were 3.6 times more likely to carry HK2 than those who were infected in a manner unrelated to drug use.

Previous to this study, it was discovered that the viral traces sat on a gene called RASGRF2. Unfortunately, this booger is crucial in releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter deeply wired into the brain’s pleasure circuit. HK2 seems to milk the dopamine gene, prompting people to repeat pleasurable and addictive behaviors.^[7]

3 The Dream Genes

During sleep, most mammals experience different phases. People and mice undergo a stage called rapid eye movement (REM) during which they dream. In 2018, researchers played around with genes to see which were essential to REM and, by extension, for dreams.

It was already known that a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine helps flip the brain from non-REM to REM sleep. The brain has 16 types of cellular receptors to which this neurotransmitter can bind.

To find out which ones were responsible for triggering REM once the acetylcholine connected, researchers removed the genes for each. One by one, they plucked them from the brains of mice and watched what happened.

Some receptors had nothing to do with REM. When they were removed, the mice slept well and had great dreams. Things got interesting when the genes for receptors Chrm1 and Chrm3 were snipped.

The loss of one resulted in shortened sleep and broken REM time. When both were removed, the mice could not enter REM. Interestingly, past belief dictated that a REM-free brain was a fatal condition. The dreamless mice survived.^[8]

2 Inherited Trauma

Epigenetics allows chemical tags to appear and disappear from DNA, modifying the genetic code as the environment changes. This makes DNA flexible without permanently altering it. Oddly, it also appears to hand down a man’s trauma to his sons and grandsons.

A good example involved soldiers who survived the Confederate prisoner-of-war camps during the US Civil War. Near the end of the war in 1864, camp conditions were harsh. Any children the prisoners had before the war showed no unusual statistics in relation to the children born to non-prisoners. Any daughters the POWs had before or after the war showed no detrimental effects, either.

However, even though they never suffered like their fathers, sons born after the war to POWs had an 11 percent higher death rate. Specifically, they suffered higher rates of brain hemorrhage and cancer. Clearly, there are some epigenetic changes to the male Y chromosome, but nobody understands the exact process of trauma inheritance.^[9]

It is a surprise, really. When a mammal embryo forms, it rapidly loses certain paternal DNA, including the sites relevant to epigenetic-related trauma.

1 Death-Activated Genes

In 2016, one of the most bizarre genetic discoveries came to light. Intrigued by previous studies suggesting that some genes temporarily stayed alive in humans after death, scientists performed an in-depth study. The results were jaw-dropping.

They found over 1,000 living genes in carcasses. Surprisingly, their activity increased once death occurred. For now, the tests were only done on mice and zebrafish, but the outcome was still noteworthy. Over 500 mouse genes worked at full capacity for a full day after death. In zebrafish, 548 genes fully functioned for up to four days.^[10]

A closer look revealed something weird. All the genes belonged to a group that kicks things up a notch during an emergency. In other words, during a person’s or animal’s life, the genes would recognize stress and infection as emergencies. Even stranger, some exist purely to build an embryo.

It could be the body’s last attempt to survive, fighting death as an infection and attempting to regenerate itself with the embryo genes. This last stand is flawed. In addition to the fact that death cannot be reversed, the darkest genes of the cluster are known to promote cancer.