Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Sleep Paralysis: How Many People Wake Up Unable to Move
Discover what sleep paralysis is and how many people experience it. Explore the statistics, causes, and what happens during episodes.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
30 articles
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Trypophobia: Why Clusters of Holes Bother Some People
Learn why clusters of holes trigger a disgust response in many people, the science behind the aversion, and how common it really is.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Amber Eyes and "Wolf Eyes" Explained
What makes amber eyes golden, how they differ from hazel, how rare they are, and why people call them wolf eyes.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Can Two Parents Have a Child With a Different Blood Type?
Yes, and it's common. How ABO and Rh types pass from parents to kids, every parent combination, and the rare exceptions.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Blood Type by Country: Where Each Type Is Most Common
Where O, A, B and AB blood are most common, with country percentages and where Rh-negative blood is common and where it almost never shows up.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
The Cilantro-Tastes-Like-Soap Gene
Why cilantro tastes like soap to some people: the OR6A2 smell gene, how many people it affects, and why genes explain only part of it.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Can Your Eye Color Change as an Adult?
Baby eyes change color, but what about adult eyes? Here's when a change is just lighting, what can really change eye color later in life, and when to see an eye doctor.
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Photic Sneeze: Why Sunlight Makes Some People Sneeze
Step into bright sun and sneeze? You're one of roughly 18 to 35% of people with the photic sneeze reflex, nicknamed ACHOO syndrome. Here's what's going on, from Aristotle to the gene…
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Supertasters: Why Some People Hate Broccoli
About 1 in 4 people are supertasters: bitter foods taste much stronger to them. Here's where the idea came from, the gene involved, the blue food dye test, and what it means…
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Dimples: Genetics, Rarity, and Why They Charm
Cheek dimples are often called a dominant trait, but the science is shakier than the textbooks say. What causes them, how common they are, why some kids lose them, and why people…
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Gray Eyes vs. Blue Eyes: What Makes the Difference
Gray and blue eyes both have very little pigment. The difference is in how the front of the iris scatters light. Here's the science, how rare gray eyes are, and why they…
Rare & Remarkable Human Traits
Freckles: What They Are and Who Gets Them
Freckles come from genes and sunshine together. Why some people get them and others don't, why they fade in winter, how they differ from sun spots and moles, and when to get…