Everyone has a unique talent, but did you know some people can do strange with their bodies that most people can’t do?  Here’s the list of the 10 most surprising things most people can’t do. See if you can do them. It is fun to try!

Here Are the Ten Things Most People Cannot Do

“Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

1. Touch your tongue to your nose

If you can touch your tongue to your nose, you are part of a small majority of people. Around 10% of the general population can do this. This ability to do this is called Gorlin’s sign, which means you may have a connective tissue disorder,  Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, or EDS. This disorder affects your joints, skin, and sometimes your blood vessels. Your joints may have too much flexibility, so they get dislocated easily.

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Other symptoms include:

  • Translucent or glassy-like skin
  • Elastic skin
  • Your bruise easily
  • Dilation of blood vessels
  • Prone to rupture of blood vessels if not careful

Treatment includes medication and physical therapy or occasionally surgery.

2. Wiggle your ears

Being able to wiggle your ears is unusual. Only 10 to 20% of the population can do it.  Because the muscles that control your eye movements affect your ear movements, your ears withdraw a bit when you look left or right. When you swallow, it also affects your ear muscle area. But don’t worry. You can teach yourself how to wiggle your ears! It would help to concentrate on moving your ears without making your eyes go up and down. Practice wiggling your ears using other muscles in your face.

3. Raise one eyebrow

Approximately 30-40% of the population can raise one lone eyebrow. According to research, only one muscle controls both eye movements. It’s thought that people with this ability may have one side of the muscle disconnected, so it’s easier for them to raise one eyebrow. Some people suggest that they really aren’t raising one eyebrow but keeping one eyebrow lower while raising both eyebrows simultaneously, which makes it look like they are raising one eyebrow. If you want, you can train yourself to do this.

4. Fold your tongue in half

Studies show that the ability to fold your tongue in half or twist your tongue is affected by your ability to speak certain languages. These unique tongue movements are also related to your genes. Besides folding your tongue in half, try these other cool tongue-folding ideas

  • A cloverleaf shape
  • Double folded tongue
  • Roll it lengthwise
  • Twist it upside down

5. Bend your thumb backward

Bending your thumb backward or Hitchhiker’s thumb is hyperextensibility of your thumb. It’s an inherited condition passed down through a gene appropriately named the “Bendy thumb gene.” If you have this condition, your thumb will form a 90 angle across your palm when you rest your hand. Fortunately, Hitchhiker’s thumb doesn’t hurt, and you can still use your thumb without any problems, but you may want to show off your cool-looking thumb to impress your friends.

6. Sneeze with your eyes open

Sneezing with your eyes open is possible, but it takes effort. Sneezing with your eyes closed is an involuntary reflex your body does to keep microbes and dirt from getting in your eyes when you sneeze.

Sneezing is your body’s way of eliminating pollen, dirt, dust, and pet hair in the air. You also sneeze when you have a cold because your nasal cavity gets swollen and more sensitive, triggering a sneeze. One old wife’s tale about sneezing with your eyes open claims that you keep your eyes closed because your eyeballs will fall out if you leave your eyes open. Sneezing with your eyes open is okay, but it may not be healthy since all the stuff you’re sneezing out will get into your eyes.

7. Wiggle your nose

Sorry to burst your bubble. It’s not possible to wiggle your nose. The nose won’t wiggle, but moving your lips back and forth gives the impression of your nose twitching. You can teach yourself to wiggle your nose by looking in the mirror and moving your mouth back and forth quickly. Some people puff out their cheeks from side to side, giving the illusion of nose wiggling. Give it a try!

people can't do
8. Touch your elbow with your tongue

Only a very few people can touch their tongues to their elbows. Why they want to do, it isn’t important. It seems fun, especially since many people can’t do it.  You need to have a smaller forearm and a long tongue to do this trick. But, even with these unique features, you’ll still need flexibility and an extreme desire to show off your unique ability.

9. Perfect pitch

The amazing talent of perfect pitch is scarce. This means that every time you open your mouth to sing, you hit every note correctly.  Only 14% of Americans can hit every note perfectly. Interestingly enough, speaking Mandarin can help you have perfect pitch because it has many different tones that train your ear to hear musical notes better. Of course, the downside to having a perfect pitch is that you notice every wrong note someone hits when they sing or play an instrument.

10. Gleek

Gleeking is the ability to shoot water out of your mouth using your tongue. Gleek doesn’t serve a great purpose unless you are a middle-school-age boy who wants to impress your friends. You may accidentally gleek if you have a lot of saliva in your mouth when you sneeze.

Other strange facts about your body that you may not know

The human body is amazing. It can do all kinds of things. Here are some really cool facts about your body you may not know.

You have enough acid in your stomach to dissolve a razor blade:

Your stomach acid is pretty powerful. It has a pH level of 1 or 2, which is really high compared to your blood, 7. 4. Amazingly, your stomach’s lining isn’t bothered by this high acidic level. Just don’t try the razor blade trick to see if they dissolve.

As you age, you become more ambidextrous:

As you age, you become more able to use both hands. One study found that when people are young, they typically have a dominant hand they use, but once they hit 70, they can use either hand. This is primarily because your dominant hand grows weaker as you age, becoming your weaker hand.

 Sleep deprivation is more dangerous than not eating:

Did you know that you can last longer not eating than you could not sleep? Going without sleep for a week can make you not totally dysfunctional, while not eating for a week makes you feel tired and weak, but you can still function. You could survive eight or nine weeks without eating if needed, but it’s not recommended.

Fear makes you stronger physically.

When lifting heavy things, you typically only use about 65% of your strength. But if you’re afraid, your body blocks your pain and gives you an adrenaline rush to suddenly lift huge amounts of weight. The stories of mothers lifting a car off of their kids may be a stretch, but there are many amazing stories of how people saved someone’s life by lifting a heavy object off them.

A baby has over 300 bones, but adults only have 206:

So, what happened to all your bones when you grew up? As you grew, many extra bones fused to form single bones. A baby’s head is one example of this. They have a soft spot on their head. This spot eventually goes away around the age of one. The eight small bone segments in the baby’s head fuse.

Your mouth makes enough spit in your lifetime to fill two swimming pools:

Your body averages making  25,000 quarts of salvia in your lifetime. Salvia helps you eat your food, prevents tooth decay, and helps you swallow.

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Final Thoughts on Trying These Things That Most People Can’t Do

Can you perform the tricks that most people can’t do? The human body is so amazing.

Some people seem to be able to do strange things with their bodies that others cannot master. Whether you can do some of these ten surprising things or not may be due to your genes. Or you may be able to do them because you’ve practiced them enough to know how to do them. Have some fun and see if you can learn to raise your eyebrow or wiggle your nose just for fun. Who knows, knowing how to do these things could come in handy.