The human body is a fascinating, complex, ever-evolving, and often gross feat of engineering. We’re all unique entities, but honestly, some are a little bit more unique than others.
Fingers for days.
This x-ray, and accompanying photo, does a good job of displaying a hand with the aptly-named Mirror Hand Syndrome. No one knows what causes it, and fewer than a hundred cases have ever been identified.
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Sore eyes.
Your eyes can get pretty red when you’ve been crying or if you’re tired. This highly detailed image shows just what’s going on when you get those red eyes.
Just stay on land.
There are many different kinds of jellyfish in the world, with stings ranging from mild to deadly. This person’s going to be okay, but their legs carry the mark of their run-in with an angry jellyfish.
Fly eyes.
This person has recently undergone keratoprosthesis, which replaces a diseased cornea with an artificial one. Does this procedure also give people 360-degree housefly vision? It kind of looks like that.
The void.
This brain scan shows a brain after a tumor was removed. Things will normalize in time, but in the meantime it’s pretty odd to see such a large void in someone’s brain.
Asymmetrical.
Nothing to see here, just a guy with a weirdly-shaped head. I hope he lives a long and happy life, but he should really donate his skull to science when he does check out.
Get vaccinated.
This old-school pic shows the difference between a boy who was exposed to smallpox and vaccinated, and one who was exposed to smallpox and went unvaccinated. You can probably figure out which is which.
Flowing locks.
The Bocksten man, found in a bog in Sweden, died about 700 years ago. His soft tissues are long gone, leaving a skeleton — but his full head of luscious hair is weirdly intact.
Halved.
These exhibits are a little bit freaky to look at, but they give us a great idea of just how complex our bodies are.
Can they hear from it yet?
This patient had a bout with ear cancer and needed a new ear. Because medical science is endlessly innovative, doctors managed to grow a new ear right on their arm.
There’s a lot going on.
We’d be lost without the use of our hands and our dextrous digits. This cutaway diagram shows what’s going on under the surface to allow us to pick things up.
“My eye has been stuck like this for three days now.”
This is actually an interesting one. The first comment asked if they had recently started using Qbrexza wipes, which are proscribed for excessive underarm sweating.
It turns out that not all dermatologists are good at explaining why it is so important to wash your hands thoroughly after using the wipes. Turns out, the medication on the wipes can cause pupil dilation. So don’t rub your eyes with any still lingering on your fingers.
A-peeling.
Apparently, this is the result of using a product called Baby Foot . I am both disgusted and totally get how satisfying it would be to peel away that old skin.
All connected.
This brain and spinal cord specimen shows how things line up in our bodies. It also helps explain why spinal cord injuries can be so devastating to a person.
List Item #23
Redditpr Nira_kawaii said , “Sometimes people stop in the middle of a conversation to stare at my eye. Wonder why.”
Coloboma looks weird, but besides some issues with light, otherwise doesn’t affect vision.
“Feet.”
I’m not a fan of feet.
And I am really NOT a fan of these feet.
Like a transit map.
Two medical students took over 1,500 hours to painstakingly dissect a human nervous system, the results of which can be seen here. It would have taken a ton of precise scalpel work.
Skull pelvis.
The person that shared this was very focused on the creepy skull in the center, but I can’t help but cringe at the clearly awful accident that required the x-ray in the first place.
Pushing the chemo out.
This cancer patient can see how far they’ve come by the growth of their fingernails. Chemotherapy inhibited their growth, but the nails are growing again, pushing the chemo marks right out.
Get that blood flowing.
This shows the full cardiovascular system of someone’s torso. It kind of helps explain the heart-pumping, blood-flowing rush that comes with a good workout or run.
Unblinking.
This indigenous tribesman from Papua New Guinea has painted his face to look like an undead spirit. There’s something about his steady gaze that’s truly captivating.
Googly eyes.
This person has something called Iridodonesis , which can happen if the lens of the eye is partially dislocated.
The iris wobbles or dances when the eye is moved.
Big toe(s).
You know what? Good on this person for not letting their weird feet keep them from painting their toenails and wearing sandals.
Though the blood (or random drippy liquid?) kind of makes the case against sandals.
Striking.
This boy in Zimbabwe has about the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. Anyone who has blue eyes, including this kid, can thank a genetic mutation in a single common ancestor.
Aquaman?
But can this person speak to fish or breathe under water?
Either way, +10 to swimming speed.
Torus palatinus.
This is described as “a benign bony protrusion of the palate.”
I’m grown-up enough to admit that I giggled.
Kill it with fire.
As a bearded guy, this photo of a different bearded guy with hair growing on the inside of his mouth seriously grosses me out. Is it severely ingrown hairs or something else?
“Today I had a connective tissue skin graft to repair genetic gum recession.”
Excuse me while I go brush and floss again.
I know that this particular case is genetic and not bad oral hygiene, but uuuuugh.
Allergic reaction.
Like this person, I am allergic to adhesives. Strangely, the only time I have ever been asked first and offered an option for sensitive skin was after getting a tattoo. No medical professional has ever bothered.
Zoom and enhance.
This is a freckle at 40x magnification.
UV light fail.
This person accidentally sliced the end of their finger off and had it reattached, but ever since, the patch doesn’t glow under uv light.
Switcharoo.
The woman on the top has heterochromia, a condition that causes each eye to be a different color. It’s not particularly uncommon, but it’s certainly fascinating when you do notice it.
Alien eye.
Yes, this person has two pupils. It’s called polycoria and is super rare. It is bad for one’s eyesight, so surgery is usually performed to cut the “bridge” between the two pupils to combine them into one.
Got something in your eye?
This close-up of an eye shows an iris growing over a pupil. I don’t know what the long-term implications of that could be, but it’s certainly a tad unsettling.
