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Show HN: Bodily Oddities

read original get Adam Zeman "The Shape of Things Unseen → more articles
Why This Matters

This Show HN project is a simple reference catalog of human bodily variations \u2014 things like aphantasia, extra forearm tendons, and odd reflexes \u2014 with plain-language explanations and prevalence estimates. Its appeal is the same curiosity-driven, browsable-explainer format that tends to do well on Hacker News, and it quietly makes a point about how much normal human variation goes unnoticed. For consumers, it's a reminder that many 'weird' traits are common and benign, though prevalence figures here vary widely between studies.

Key Takeaways
Worth a Look

Adam Zeman "The Shape of Things Unseen — Written by the neurologist who coined the term aphantasia, this book dives into how imagination works and why some minds picture nothing at all. It's a perfect deep-dive for anyone who got hooked by the mental-imagery entry in this list of bodily oddities.

See Adam Zeman "The Shape of Things Unseen on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.

Brain Perception Aphantasia Most people see a picture in their mind when they think of a friend's face. People with aphantasia see only a faint image or none. About 4 in 100 people are like this, and about 1 in 100 see nothing at all. A few people have images almost as vivid as real sight. About 1% have no mental images. About 4% have faint or none.

Bones Variation Camptodactyly A finger that stays bent forward at its middle joint and cannot fully straighten, usually the little finger. Under 1% of people have it. Mild cases rarely cause trouble, but the bend can get worse while a child grows. Under 1% of people

Muscle Variation Linburg–Comstock variation An extra tendon link in the forearm that ties the thumb to the index finger. When the thumb bends into the palm, the index fingertip bends with it. Roughly 1 in 5 people have it, but counts vary widely. About 1 in 5 people. Studies range from 5% to 60%.

Heart Reflex Oculocardiac reflex Pressure on the eyeball, or a pull on an eye muscle, makes the heart slow down. It matters most during eye surgery, especially in children. It is not a safe way to slow your own heart. Everyone has the reflex. Its strength varies a lot.

Muscle Involuntary Proctalgia fugax A sudden, cramping pain deep in the rectum that lasts seconds to minutes and then goes away completely. It has no known cause, and it is harmless. About 7% of adults. Studies range from 4% to 18%.