Polycephaly – Are Two Heads Better Than One?
Google “two-headed” and you’ll likely come up with a barrage of internet articles that cover the same two-headed creatures. There’s that turtle, the two-headed gecko, a two-headed fish caught in Lake Athabasca, and so on. That two-headed calf will likely be included, and there will be a bunch of comments that run the gamut between “dear God KILL IT” and “all God’s creatures are beautiful.” You tell me:
This little guy was born January 15, 2007, right before the beginning of The Year of the Pig. Since he was born in China, and in China the pig is a sign of fertility (sort that one out, why don’t you?) he was considered to be a harbinger of good things to come. Since I can’t find any reports on whether he died or not, I imagine he’s been happily living a two-headed life these last almost 4 years. Unlike this little guy:
Aw! Double cuteness, right? Gemini was born in Perth, Australia and only lived about a week before it died peacefully. We know this because there were a slew of news reports: “Two Headed Cat Born in Australia” and then “Two Headed Cat Dies.” No such news on the piggy, so we’re hoping he’s still alive.
What causes something to be born with two heads? Usually it’s a case of cojoined twins. Each head has its own brain, and the brains work together to control the limbs and organs. The survival rate isn’t good. Humans, actually, have had a surprisingly successful survival rate. For instance, Abigail and Brittany Hensel have 2 heads, 2 spinal cords, 2 arms, 2 hearts, 2 stomachs, 2 legs, 1 liver, and 3 kidneys. Their parents looked into getting them separated, but it wasn’t likely that both sisters would survive the operation. The girls ended up coping and developing just fine – learning to walk, run, ride a bike, and live like normal girls, just ones who share a body.
The girls graduated from high school in 2008 and started college soon after. Abby and Britty, as they prefer to be called, have completely different taste in clothes, food, and boys. They get along great (which is a blessing, right?) and expect to live great and full lives. Which, with their brains and determination, we are sure they will do.
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