There's seven humans who have 'real life superpowers' scientists can't explain
While I think we'd all like to have some kind of superpower, there are seven humans on Earth that have 'real life superpowers' that scientists just can't explain.
Yeah, the stuff of Superman and Iron Man belong in films, but there are some folks out there that have abilities that are really hard to explain.
In particular, there are seven people who have some rather strange but also remarkable capabilities in a variety of different ways.
The thing that stumps scientists is the fact they have no idea how these people got their abilities - whether that be through genetics, practice, force of will, or a combination of all three.
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But what we do know is that they have some pretty remarkable skills.
Prahlad Jani
Prahlad Jani, also known as Mataji and Chunriwala Majaji, was a breatharian monk from India who lived between 1929 and 2020.
Prahlad claimed to be able to live without food or water, saying that the Hindu goddess Amba sustained him.
Two tests carried out on the monk, one in 2003 for 10 days and another in 2010 for 15 days, found that he did not consume any food or water or go to the bathroom during the test periods.
Nonetheless, some doctors expressed scepticism about the tests, pointing out there is a big difference between not eating for days and not eating for years.
Wim Hof
Wim Hof - or 'The Iceman' as he is better known - can withstand freezing temperatures for a very long time.
In 2000 Hof set a Guinness World Record for the farthest swim under ice, as well as one for the longest time to have full body contact with ice.
This was for an extraordinary 44 minutes, while many of us run screaming at even a cold shower.
Not only can he withstand the cold, but Hof can also avoid getting sick after being exposed to the cold for such long periods.
In 2011 Dr Peter Pickkers wrote that 'through his meditation technique' Hof's inflammatory cells have 'been suppressed more than 1/3 to a half compared to normal subjects'.
Natasha Demkina
Natasha Demkina has a rather different ability to withstanding hunger or cold.
Instead, the 37-year-old claims to be able to see inside people's bodies - meaning she can allegedly find any problems with organs or tissues in someone.
The unusual claim led to Natasha being given the moniker the 'girl with X-ray eyes'.
There were of course tests to see if she could actually do what she claimed, and in January 2004 she identified the source of a sore ankle on UK daytime TV show This Morning.
The same year, she found four out of seven medical diagnoses when researchers investigated her.
But the four out of seven score led some scientists to think that she didn't actually have abilities, as that's low enough to be from blind luck.
There were also some issues then she misidentified alleged health problems with This Morning's Chris Steele including kidney, pancreas, and stomach issues.
David Browning Smith
David Smith has been called 'the most flexible man on the planet' and 'Rubberboy'.
His contortion abilities have earned him no fewer than seven Guinness World Records for his remarkable feats.
In the case of David, his 'superpower' has been explained by doctors, who diagnosed him with a genetic condition hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
This can result in increased joint mobility as the condition affects connective tissue.
However, while in David's case it provided hypermobility, it can also cause severe chronic joint pain, thin stretchy skin, and problems with internal organs.
Wiltshire, who was diagnosed with autism aged three, is said to have 'savant syndrome', which is when someone who is neurodivergent or who has a disability becomes incredibly proficient at a specific skill.
Stephen Wiltshire
Architectural artist from Britain Stephen Wiltshire has an incredibly accurate photographic memory.
This means that he can recreate an entire building or even cityscape near perfectly after being able to see it just once.
Ben Underwood
As a young boy Underwood was diagnosed with a form of cancer called retinoblastoma cancer, meaning that he had to have his eyes removed.
When he was seven years old he claimed that by clicking his tongue he could 'see' the world like a dolphin.
It is theoretically possible for humans to learn echolocation, but Underwood was considered to be particularly good at it.
Tragically however, Underwood died aged just 16 when his cancer came back.
Thai Ngoc
Vietnamese farmer Thai Ngoc claims that he hasn't slept at all since 1973.
The farmer reported that he just felt a bit 'grumpy' after going for decades without getting any sleep whatsoever, Giao Duc Thoi Dai reports.
Some people have a condition where they are incapable of sleeping, and die as a result, but Thai claims to have survived for years.
That said, the case has not been thoroughly studied, so who knows how he manages to stay awake without even so much as a power nap.
Topics: Science, World News
Callum Jones