9 “superheroes” from the real world and their unique abilities (10 photos + 1 video)

The heroes of this collection seem to have stepped out of the pages of a comic book about the Xavier Institute and the X-Men. It would seem that they are ordinary people - but at the same time they are capable of feats that most of us do not even dream of. And all thanks to unique talents and abilities that even science cannot always explain.





1. Stephen Wiltshire, "Rain Man" in real life



In 2013, British artist Stephen Wiltshire made headlines after using a single 20-minute helicopter flight to create a detailed six-meter drawing of the New York City skyline covering an area of about 800 square meters. km. He certainly has some kind of superhuman memory - it’s no joke, he can remember a landscape down to the smallest detail from one viewing. Now Stephen Wiltshire is 49 years old, his abilities are being actively studied by neurologists, and he himself has received many awards. He is currently a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his artistic achievements.

2. Daniel Kish: More Batman than Bruce Wayne





Daniel Kish had his eyes removed due to cancer at just 13 months old. However, that hasn't stopped the California native from enjoying activities like wilderness mountain biking and hiking in Iceland. How? Kish flicks his tongue to sense his surroundings, similar to how bats use echolocation, a skill he calls “perceptual mobility.” He even founded the organization World Access for the Blind, which aims to teach blind children to use echolocation to navigate their environment.

3. Marilu Henner, straight out of X-Men



Marilu Henner, a 71-year-old woman from Illinois, has a rare ability so superhuman that it has been recorded less than 100 times in human history. In particular, she has autobiographical memory - Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, or HSAM, which scientists believe may be due to enlarged temporal lobes. Thanks to this superpower, Henner remembers almost every detail of his life, down to the date and time. Henner has been an actress since 1971 and received five Golden Globe nominations for her role as Elaine O'Connor in the sitcom Taxi. Something tells us she's never had trouble remembering her lines.

4. Dean Karnazes, Man of Steel



Most people consider a marathon an incredible feat of endurance, but for Dean Karnazes it's just a warm-up. Starting as a long-distance runner in kindergarten, the 61-year-old is now known for his ultramarathon achievements, including running 560km in 80 hours and 44 minutes without sleep, running a marathon across all 50 US states in 50 days and running a 5,000km run from Disneyland to New York City. -York in just 75 days. Karnazes' mental toughness and training ethic can't be discounted, but scientists have discovered that his body has a seemingly limitless lactate threshold. This is the threshold of anaerobic metabolism - the load level at which lactic acid is produced faster than it can be utilized. At this point, lactate begins to rise rapidly. As a result, Karnazes' muscles never get tired.

5. Wim Hof, The Iceman



Wim Hof is a Dutch extreme athlete whose “superpower” rivals that of the comic book villain Mr. Freeze. Hof has an increased tolerance to cold, which has led him to set records such as swimming 58 meters under ice, 44 minutes in full body contact with ice, and the fastest barefoot half marathon on snow (2:16:34). The athlete claims that his abilities are due to a unique training regimen called the Wim Hof Method, but scientists are not convinced. Moreover, Hof has repeatedly become the target of controversy after several people died trying his methods. Scientists theorize that Hof's ability to withstand cold temperatures that are lethal to most people is due to an innate genetic trait: he generates more heat than others. Why do they think so?

Hof has a twin brother who, despite his normal lifestyle, can also endure extreme cold.

6. Javier Botet, osgone Slenderman



Due to a condition known as Marfan syndrome, the 46-year-old Spanish actor has an exaggeratedly slender physique with long, thin limbs and fingers. With a height of 201 cm, he weighs only 56 kg. Result? Botet has made a successful career playing unique monster characters on screen and stage, from Slender Man to Frankenstein's Monster. He also played an alien in the Star Trek series and a ghoul in Game of Thrones.

7. Daniel Browning Smith, Rubber Boy



Elastigirl might not be so special after all. Daniel Browning Smith, a 44-year-old Mississippi resident, is truly fantastic. Titled "The Most Flexible Man in History," Smith held seven world records, including the fastest time to climb into a tied straitjacket: two minutes, eight seconds.