superposable twins are formed when a fertilized egg in the uterus stock split in two , meaning that the twin have exactly thesame genetic code . Being an identical twin is in itself remarkable , but to then go on and achieve fame for amazing athletic prowess , astounding brain - power , byplay discernment , or just by being the meanest twins in Ithiel Town lift some indistinguishable twins to a whole new degree .
1. ASTRONAUTS SCOTT AND MARK KELLY
In March 2015 astronaut Scott Kelly ( pictured above with his twin ) blasted into space to spend a yr at the International Space Station — the long time an American has spend in blank space . During the foreign mission , his monovular twin crony Mark , a retired astronaut , remained on Earth as part of a twin study to do as a mastery . The idea of the experiment is to study how a long period of time in place impact homo , with the thought that results will be useful in cookery for a potential future mission to Mars . Because identical twins are genetically the same , the effects of a prolonged period of time in space can be studied by comparing Scott ’s mental and strong-arm precondition with that of his sibling back on Earth . Scott retrovert from space in March 2016 and has already set about to reveal thephysical effects of his marathon blank mission , designate that adjust back to living on Earth has been no mean feat .
2. CHANG AND ENG BUNKER, THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS CONJOINED TWINS
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Chang and Eng Bunker were conjoined twins carry in Thailand ( then known as Siam ) in 1811 , and it is from them that we get the term “ Siamese twins . ” Joined at the centre , these singular twins did not let their disability go for them back . In the 1820s they met an English monger call Robert Hunter , who asked them to unite him for a tour of Europe and America , for which he paid their mother$500 for a 30 - month trip . They were an immediate whiz and the great unwashed flocked to see the sidekick execute gymnastics and feats of durability . Chang and Eng spent many years touring the world , exhibiting their awing bodies and cannily setting aside money so that they were able to withdraw in 1839 and purchase a plantation . Soon after they got married to a pair of baby , Sarah Ann and Adelaide Yates , and between them had 21 child . In 1874 , Chang died from pneumonia and Eng , seemingly unable to live without his chum and refusing an emergency operation to differentiate him from his beat twin , died just a few hour subsequently .
3. JACK YUFE AND OSKAR STOHR, NAZI AND JEW
The story of Jack Yufe and Oskar Stohr has fascinated psychologist studying the upshot of genetics and environment on reference traits . This is becausethese monovular twins were separated at just six months honest-to-god , Jack raise as a Jew in Trinidad and Oskar moving to Germany with his female parent , where he grew up under the Nazi regime and became a fellow member of the Hitler Youth . When the brothers were first reunited in Germany at 21 years old they did not get along , afterwards citing the fact that they were so similar , so they did not meet up again until 25 years subsequently , when they were sway to take part in theMinnesota Twin Study . When they showed up for the study they realized they had dressed in exactly the same fashion and soon found many otherbizarre similarities — such as the fact that they both sneezed forte in elevator and scour toilet both before and after using them . The twin took part in the twin study over many days and their lives were written about in a number of book , adding a great deal to our understanding of the mightiness of genetics on our character .
4. CHRIS AND XAND VAN TULLEKEN, HUMAN GUINEA PIGS
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British indistinguishable twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken are both doctors who have made a number of documentaries using themselves as human guinea pigs in the name of science . The brothers made a docudrama aboutbinge drinking , where one brother drank a purportedly “ safe ” amount of alcoholic beverage ( 3 units ) every night for a calendar month , while the other had to binge all 21 units in one session once a calendar week for a calendar month . The experimentation showed that boozing every day was almost as bad for your liver as binge boozing . The intrepid twins then made a docudrama where one twinate almost no saccharide and the other almost no fatfor a month . They concluded that both fad diet were harmful but that the downcast - carb dieting was especially so : despite lose a lot of weight , the twin on this dieting saw his wellness suffer , was slower both mentally and physically than his buddy on the depleted - fat diet , and was at risk of get diabetes .
5. MIKE AND BOB BRYAN, MOST SUCCESSFUL TENNIS DOUBLES PLAYERS OF ALL TIME
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Identical twins Mike and Bob Bryan are the mostsuccessful tennis doubles yoke of all clock time , having won Olympic gold medal , all four Grand Slams numerous times and withstand a 23 - 4 Davis Cup record . One of the secrets of their success is that they are “ mirror Twin , ” meaning Mike is right - handed and Bob is left - handed , throw them extra court coverage and a Brobdingnagian vantage . The Bryan brothers gain theirfirst lawn tennis tournamentwhen they were just 6 years old ( it was an under - tens deed ) . Since then they have played all over the man , single-foot up championship and perform their noted celebratory chest bump .
6. ROSS AND NORRIS MCWHIRTER, FOUNDERS OF THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS
The McWhirter twins circa 1953.Getty Images
British identical twins Ross and Norris McWhirter created the Guinness Book of Records in the fifties . The best - selling bookhas betray over 100 million copiesworldwide and has been translated into 37 dissimilar spoken communication . Norris represent as timekeeper in 1954 for his keen supporter Roger Bannister when he became the first somebody to break the four - minute mile , and his love of both sports and small beer inspired him and his brother to make their illustrious phonograph record Koran . Both brothers were actively political and in 1975 Ross wasmurdered by the IRAafter offering a reward for any utilitarian information on the terrorist .
7. LECH AND JAROSLAW KACZYNSKI, POLISH POLITICIANS
Polish identical twins Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski find renown at a young geezerhood , seem in the 1962 Polish filmThose Two Who Would Steal the Moon . But it was n’t their playacting that would establish their lasting reputation . In 2005 Lech was electedPresident of Poland , and name his matching brother as Prime Minister . This achievement crown years of work in the political world , where the brothers had served as phallus of fantan and Lech had been mayor of Warsaw . In 2010 , while Lech was serving as President of Poland , he and a phone number of other high up - ranking Polish pol were tragicallykilled in a airplane crashin Russia .
8. THE KRAYS, CRIMINAL BROTHERS
carry in 1933 , the Kray Gemini , Ronnie and Reggie , rose from modest starting time to ensure large swathes of underworld London with their beastly aegis rackets . Petty outlaw from a young years , the brothers were kicked out of the USA for repeatedly belong AWOL , and became two of the last felon to be imprisoned in the Tower of London . In the 1950s , they adjust up their East Endprotection racket , and after move into the glamorous world of nightclub in the 1960s they soon chafe shoulder with stars such as Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland . Behind the glamor , however , was a peaked , violent world , and soon both twins werejailed for brutal execution . The Krays ' level caught the public imagery , and legion books and film have been made about the infamous pair , although in the United States they might be best love as the inspiration behind Monty Python ’s Piranha Brothers .
