The rational and unimpressive human almost always manages to find a scientifically correct explanation for a fact that might at first seem supernatural. It breaks the magic (and our childhood dreams) a bit when we are told the tricks of certain magician tricks, but that’s life. We explain a lot of things, but not everything. The proof, scientists have not yet understood how the people of this top could have developed superpowers. Real life Avengers. Too stylish!
1. Stephen Wiltshire, the photographic memory worthy of a SF film
Stephen Wiltshire has an impressive capacity for visual memorization. He is able, at a glance, to pick up all the mini-details of a large landscape, or anything visual. Known for the quality of his drawings, he often enjoys reproducing landscapes that he has only observed for a few minutes, with disconcerting precision. As an example, here is a video of what it is capable of producing just after flying over New York for about twenty minutes. Even the number of windows per building is correct. Needless to say, it must have been really practical for the exams! A quick look at the manual, and it’s a 20/20 assured. Hey there!
2. Wim Hof, the guy who REALLY doesn’t fear the cold
This Dutchman, also nicknamed “Iceman”, is able to bathe in particularly cold waters, the temperature of which goes briskly below the 0° mark (down to -20°c, in fact), and this, in just a bathing suit. A way to maintain his super power, he spends his free time in ice trays, in the waters of the pack ice, or in shorts, at the top of Mont Blanc. Finally a man happy to experience the energy crisis!
3. Thai Ngoc, the man who hasn’t slept since 1973
Almost 50 years without sleeping. A life. The now octogenarian Vietnamese farmer suffers from a case of extreme insomnia, triggered after a pass of high fevers when he was only 33 years old. As crazy as it sounds, he only suffers from minimal health issues, and he can go about his daily activities without any symptoms of sleep deprivation. It remains a mystery for modern medicine even if this kind of stories lack serious and reliable documentation (difficult to verify if it mytho). If in doubt, do not reproduce this at home.
4. Kevin Richardson, an animal’s best friend (even the creepiest ones)
Here is a great comforting ability that science is not able to explain. Kevin Richardson is an animal behaviorist, able to interact with ferocious animals in a gentle and friendly way. He is able to communicate with wild animals, to order hyenas or leopards to sit down, he can place his arm in the mouth of a lion without losing it,… His ability to communicate with all kinds of non-domesticated animals is impressive. Clearly, this is my favorite superpower of the whole top, so far.
5. Dean Karnazes, the marathon runner who knows no cramps
This guy has supernatural physical ability! He has already run 350 miles (about 563 km) without stopping. He also took on the challenge of running 50 marathons in 50 days, and completed a run in freezing weather at the South Pole. Keeping such distances is already impressive, but what amazes scientists the most is his body’s ability to recover quickly, and to eliminate lactic acid so quickly. Despite all the kilometers covered, the sportsman never had a single cramp. Yes, your little 20-minute jog in the Bois de Vincennes, on Saturday morning, nearby… It’s a warm-up for him.
6. Veronica Seider, Superhuman Vision
This German dentist is able to see over a range of 1.09 kilometers. It is enormous. Biologically, this is normally impossible. Veronica Seider is the exception that proves the rule. She passed several tests, supervised by scientists, before her ability to see was added to the Guinness World Records. If you go for a walk in her office, don’t try to hide a rotten tooth or a cavity: she will have noticed it for three streets.
7. Rathakrishnan Velu, the guy who pulls a train with his teeth
A 7-car train, hanging from a rope, made of steel, to be exact. This useless and inexplicable ability earned him a place in the Guinness World Records. At the same time… Who wants to challenge him? Personally, taking the risk of ruining my teeth to carry heavy things with my mouth, bah.. Bof, what.
8. Zhao Rui, the guy who never gets hurt (NEVER)
Shaolin monks train from an early age to control pain. They develop skills that are already far superior to ours, such as walking on hot coals, kicking without feeling pain and are capable of impressive displays of force. One of them, Zhao Rui, pushes his limits even further: his skin is simply impenetrable. He has already filmed himself with an electric drill on his temple for 10 seconds, without it managing to penetrate his epidermis (thank God, because we rarely recover from this kind of accident) (DO NOT TRY NEVER AT YOUR HOME. NOR ANYWHERE THAN YOUR HOME. NEVER DO THIS!!!). He is also able to bend an iron bar with his throat, lie on metal arrows, or smash stones with his head. How is this physically possible? Mystery. Or myth. Sometimes we have doubts.
9. Prahlad Jani, the man who doesn’t need to eat or drink
We make a whole story about Jesus who didn’t eat or drink for 40 days, but next to Prahlad Jani, in the end, it’s not much! Died in 2020, he claimed not to have eaten anything solid since 1940. To study his case, scientists observed him for ten days, without giving him food or drink. Just a little water to rinse your mouth out, and spit it out right after. At the end of this experiment (torture?), the man was in perfect health. On the other hand, the results have been decried by other scientists, judging that the protocols have not been sufficiently monitored and supervised. The Medical Council of India is convinced of a hoax, while the team that carried out the expertise is convinced of the supernatural capacity of the man. So good… Yes, if it’s true, it’s inexplicable. But maybe that’s also just a big myth. Distrust, therefore.