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There are five people in the world who have 'real-life superpowers' that not even scientists can explain

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Updated 10:43 31 Jan 2025 GMTPublished 16:16 30 Jan 2025 GMT

There are five people in the world who have 'real-life superpowers' that not even scientists can explain

This lot can do things you might've dreamed of

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

X-ray vision, flying without wings, teleportation, becoming invisible – some of those many superpowers we dream about having as kids.

Well, still do dream about, let’s be honest; I know I wish I could teleport to the office rather than do the commute.

But obviously, it’s all the stuff of superheroes in films and sci-fi inventions.

Except there are five people in the world with ‘real-life superpowers’, and their names aren’t Thor or Batman. And even scientists can’t explain the abilities of this lot, with one woman claiming she can see right inside of your body.

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So, from ‘The Rubberboy’ to the bloke that challenged celebrities with Holly Willoughby, here’s the five people with unique ‘powers’.

Daniel Browning Smith

That can't be comfortable. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
That can't be comfortable. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

This 45-year-old American contortionist has been described as 'the most flexible person in history’ and is also known as 'The Rubberboy'.

His incredible flexibility means he's got seven Guinness World Records under his belt, including the fastest time to enter a locked straitjacket, and he's performed stunts such as passing his whole body through an unstrung tennis racket.

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OK, so for this one, scientists do know why Daniel has been able to do what he does, as he has a condition called hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome.

It gives him loose joints and stretchy skin that helps him with his incredible feats, though it did mean he had to quit performing as the condition can cause pain and means his limbs can easily dislocate.

Natasha Demkina

Does she have x-ray eyes or is she a really lucky guesser? (Facebook/Natasha Demkina - the girl with X-RAY EYES)
Does she have x-ray eyes or is she a really lucky guesser? (Facebook/Natasha Demkina - the girl with X-RAY EYES)

This 38-year-old Russian woman claims she can see inside people's bodies, essentially having Superman's x-ray vision.

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Experts are naturally sceptical of someone claiming they've got x-ray vision, but in tests, she has correctly identified medical conditions in strangers.

Appearing on British TV show This Morning in 2004, she identified host Fern Britton had a sore ankle, and a year later, when under scrutiny by the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), she got four out of seven people's medical diagnoses correct.

However, not all of her predictions are correct, so maybe she's just a really good guesser.

Ngoc Thai

He claims he hasn't slept for decades, which may be more of a curse than a power. (YouTube/Cuộc Sống Miền Trung)
He claims he hasn't slept for decades, which may be more of a curse than a power. (YouTube/Cuộc Sống Miền Trung)

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If you thought insomnia was bad, imagine not sleeping for decades - at least, that's what this elderly Vietnamese farmer claims.

His family, friends, and neighbours have claimed they've never seen him sleep, and the man himself claimed he hasn't really slept since 1962, instead getting his energy from 'green tea and rice wine'.

In a meeting with YouTuber Drew Binksy, the man said he did want to sleep but couldn't, so this 'superpower' really isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Yes, you could get so much more done, but a good night's sleep can't be underestimated.

For basically everyone else, going even a couple of days without sleep would be placing us in serious medical danger, so don't try and see whether you have this supposed superpower.

Stephen Wiltshire

Stephen Wiltshire has an incredible memory (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Stephen Wiltshire has an incredible memory (John Lamparski/Getty Images)

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The man with possibly the greatest memory in the world, Stephen is able to look at a landscape just once before being able to perfectly recreate it in his art.

An incredibly talented artist, the 50-year-old has been able to recreate the skylines and buildings of major cities around the world after just one look.

Top Gear fans might remember Stephen as the man who helped out Clarkson, Hammond, and May with their art exhibition by drawing a car in front of New York City's Brooklyn Bridge, with him creating the scenery entirely from memory.

Wim Hof

Wim Hof is next level. (Tristar Media/Getty Images)
Wim Hof is next level. (Tristar Media/Getty Images)

The Iceman set Guinness World Records for the farthest swim beneath ice and the longest time in full body contact with ice.

The 65-year-old claims cold exposure and breathing exercises are the secret to his incredible feats and can improve your health, but scientists are divided on how true this is.

While remarkable, Hof's records have since been broken by others who have displayed similar capacity to withstand dreadfully cold temperatures.

However, this one comes with a massive 'don't try this at home' warning, as there have been people who have died attempting to demonstrate they can take the cold temperatures.

Featured Image Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Topics: Science, Weird

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

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@jessbattison_

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