FAUX*PAS.PROJECT: TWIN PICKS : MIRROR IMAGE

The Siamese Twins

Chang and Eng Bunker were two conjoined twins from Thailand (formerly known as Siam) that emigrated to the Southern United States. They became world-famous. Their condition and birthplace (Siam) gave rise to the term "Siamese Twins".

Despite being joined together, the original Siamese twins enjoyed successful lives. They became rich farmers, married (two non-identical sisters), had children. Incredibly, the Siamese twins were accepted as respected members of White pre-Civil War society and were even slave owners.

Their conjoined status created some oddities in their personal lives. When the twins first married they set up a communal household but their wives did not get along and so the twins set up separate homes, with the twins dividing their time between each home.

THE SIAMESE TWINS : CHANG & ENG BUNKER

FINGERPRINTS :

So, do identical twins have identical fingerprints? The basic answer is NO. Identical -- or monozygotic -- twins form when a single fertilized egg splits in two after conception. Because they form from a single zygote, the two individuals will have the same genetic makeup. Their DNA is virtually indistinguishable.

The ultimate shape of fingerprints are believed to be influenced by environmental factors during pregnancy, like nutrition, blood pressure, position in the womb and the growth rate of the fingers at the end of the first trimester. Thus, you will find similar patterns of whorls and ridges in the fingerprints of identical twins. But there will also be differences -- just as there are differences between the fingers on any individual's hands.

BOY & GIRL AS IDENTICAL:

No, BOY GIRL TWINS cannot be "identical"!

The terms identical and fraternal don't describe what the twins look like, but actually how they form. Identical (monozygotic) twins are always of the same gender because they form from a single zygote that contains either male (XY) or female (XX) sex chromosomes. Therefore, boy/girl twins are always fraternal or (dizygotic); they can only form from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm. Fraternal twins can be either two girls, two boys, or one of each.

BRANDON & RYAN TING

TWIN TELEPATHY:

Telepathy is the process of assessing thoughts or feelings without help from sensory input like sight, sound or touch. In the paranormal world, extrasensory perception (known as ESP) is an ability to acquire information without relying on physical senses or previous experience. I

One of the magical mysteries associated with multiples is that they share a special connection beyond that of ordinary siblings. While the twin bond is a special aspect of their unique relationship, sometimes it is endowed with extraordinary supernatural qualities.

Commonly, twins seem to share an inherent understanding of their co-twin's emotional state. Many report a sensation of "something being wrong" when their twin is in crisis.

Despite the lack of scientific proof, these personal experiences can't be denied. They hapen. It is generally accepted that such incidents are signs of a deep emotional connection, that produces an intense sense of empathy, strong enough to generate physical sensations, such as feeling pain when a co-twin is hurting. Twins also know each other so intimately, that they can often predict how their twin will speak or behave.

CARLSON TWIN

TWINS RUN IN FAMILIES:

Actually that's probably one of the most widely perpetuated myths about multiples. While some families do seem to have a preponderance of multiple births, it's often more than a coincidence than a connection.

Of the factors that influence multiple birth, there is only one that could be identified as genetic or explained by family history: hyper ovulation. Hyper ovulation is the tendency to release multiple eggs during ovulation, increasing the chances of conceiving dizygotic (or fraternal) twins. So, in families where the women have a gene for hyperovulation, genetics would sufficiently explain an increased presence of fraternal twins.

Fraternal twins "run in families" on the mother's side only, if she inherits the gene for hyper ovulation.

CARLSON TWINS

FACTS ABOUT TWINS:

1. 4.5 million twin individuals live in the United States today or about 2 percent of the general population.

2. An additional 90,000 sets (180,000 individuals) are born each year.

3. Twins (and other multiple births) are on the rise. There were 33 percent more in 1988 than in 1978.

4. Prematurity is a major reason multiples have a higher rate of birth defects and neonatal death.

5. Some thirty percent of multiples are born six weeks premature, or before 30 weeks of gestation. This figure is 10 times higher than their proportion in the population at large.

CARLSON TWINS

6. Twins perinatal mortality rate is 5 times greater than babies born singly.

7. Twins and other multiples represent nearly 20 percent of extremely low birth weight infants.

8. Nearly 25 percent of the twins born today are not expected until days or moments before their births.

9. For the second-born twin the mortality rate at birth and within the first month of life is twice that of the first born.

10. As a group twin individuals are at a higher than average risk for abuse (more than 9 times as often as the single child), neglect, physical disabilities, difficulties with speech and language development and social and emotional maladjustments.


11. Families who have multiple birth babies are themselves high psycho-social risk families. Coping with the stress of caring for them is one of the biggest challenges any family can face in the nineties. Divorce and abandonment of the mother and children is common. Other tragedies recently reported: two sets of twins died when their parents were unable to get them medical treatment in time. Worse yet, twice in the last year parents murdered their newborn twins, testifying they were overwhelmed by stress and sleep deprivation brought on by the care of the babies. 12. As American women put off their pregnancies until past their 30th birthday they are increasing their chances of having multiples. 13. A woman’s chances of having twins is approximately one in 90 in the United States. Of these, one third are identical, one third are same-sex fraternals and one third are opposite-sex fraternals.

14. Twin pregnancies in teenage mothers are extremely high risk due to maternal age and physiological development and their twins die approximately 20 percent of the time.

15. The use of fertility drugs, the increased use of in-vitro fertilization, and the use of contraceptive pills all influence the rise in the rate of multiple births.

16. More than 50 percent of the parents of multiples seeking help are low income or unemployed and 80 percent are members of racial and ethnic minorities.

17. Twins are invaluable for demonstrating genetic and environmental factors in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers, AIDS and more. Twin studies help all mankind!

Conjoined twins occur once every 200,000 live births.
Forty percent to 60 percent of conjoined twins arrive stillborn, and about 35 percent survive only one day.
The overall survival rate of conjoined twins is between 5 percent and 25 percent.
Approximately 70 percent of all conjoined twins are girls. Although more male twins conjoin in the womb than female twins, females are three times as likely to be born alive.
Conjoined twins are genetically identical and are, therefore, always the same sex. They develop from the same fertilized egg.
One of the earliest documented cases of conjoined twins were Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst. They were born in Biddenden , Kent , England , in the year 1100, and were joined at the hip.
Another set of famous conjoined twins was Eng and Chang Bunker, who were born in Thailand (then called Siam ) in 1811. The term Siamese twins was coined as a reference to Eng and Chang, who achieved international fame shortly after leaving Siam as teenagers. They were exhibited in circus shows around the world before settling in the United States , where they married two sisters and had nearly two dozen children. They were 63 years old when they died.
The term “Siamese twins” is no longer considered appropriate.
Conjoined twins aren't limited to any racial or ethnic group and have been born all over the world.

HARRIS TWINS

FIRST CONJOINED:

945 A.D.

The first recorded pair of conjoined twins is born in Armenia. The twin boys are connected from the waist to the abdomen. One of the boys dies during a surgical attempt to separate them. The surviving twin dies three days later.

JOCHEN & JORG PEROUTIKA

TRIPLETS:

Nearly 17 per cent of all-male triplets were born prematurely at less than 28 weeks. (A full-term pregnancy is 37 weeks.) If there were two males and one female in the triplets, less than 15 per cent were born before 28 weeks. And if the triplets consisted of all females or only one male, about 14 per cent were born before 28 weeks.

LOIS & OWEN TRAINOR

PATRIOTA TWINS

IDENTICAL TWINS :

The causes of monozygotic twinning are generally unknown and unidentified. No one really knows why an egg splits; technically it's a malfunction of the normal development process.

There's no hereditary trait that influences a predisposition to having identical twins. Identical twins do not run in families. Although there are families with a high incidence of identical twins, it is due to chance, coincidence or plain good luck.
Identical twins represent about a third of all twins. Dizygotic twins are twice as common as monozygotic.
Birth rate statistics for identical twinning have remained stable over the years, despite the overall increase in twins and multiples since the late 1980's. The odds of having identical twins is about 3 in 1,000, whereas the birthrate for all twins is about 32.2 in 1,000.
Identical twinning is not generally influenced by fertility-enhancing treatments like drugs or in vitro, although monozygotic twins have been produced in pregnancies that were the result of such treatments.
Birth rates for identical twins are consistent across populations; it is the same regardless of race, geography or maternal age.

PEROUTIKA TWINS

STENMARK TWINS

Famous Twins and Celebrity Twins

Alanis Morissette, singer - fraternal twin brother, Wade

Ashton Kutcher, actor - fraternal twin brother, Michael

Billy Dee Williams, actor - fraternal twin sister, Loretta

Jose and Ozzie Canseco, MLB players - identical twins

Joseph Fiennes, actor - fraternal twin brother, Jacob

Justin Timberlake, singer - fraternal twin sister, Laura Katherine

Kiefer Sutherland, actor - fraternal twin sister, Rachel

Mario Andretti, race car driver - fraternal twin brother, Aldo

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, actresses/singers - fraternal twins

Nicholas Brendon, actor - identical twin brother, Kelly Donovan

Ronde and Tiki Barber, NFL players, identical twins

Scarlett Johansson, actress - fraternal twin brother, Hunter

Vin Diesel (Mark Vincent), actor - fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent

CARLSON TWINS

The Weasley Twins

Fred and George Weasley are the brainchild of reknown author J.K. Rowling. The Weasley Twins are fictional characters in her "Harry Potter" series of books. Both boys are more interested in playing tricks and practical jokes than attending school and taking life seriously.

Oliver and James Phelps brought the roles of Fred and George Weasley to life when the "Harry Potter" books first hit the big screen in 2001. Born on February 25, 1986 in Birmingham, England, UK, the twins both acted in high school before they were chosen for the coveted rolls.

STENMARK TWINS

The Brothers Gibb (The Bee Gees)

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb are well-known for their successful singing group called the "Bee Gees." The latter two members of the group are twin brothers who were born December 22, 1949 in Douglas, Isle of Man, UK (imdb.com). Besides contributing their vocals to the group, Robin and Maurice have also written and co-written many hit songs as well.

Sadly, Maurice Gibb passed away on January 12, 2003, in Florida after he suffered a heart attack.

STENMARK TWINS

Remus and Romulus

There are many romantic Roman legends and myths, and twin brothers Remus and Romulus are the famous subjects of one of them. The story was originally written by a historian named "Titus Livy" in the first century B.C. It goes that these twins' father was Mars, the god of war. They were brought up by a she-wolf who found them.

When Remus and Romulus grew up, they decided to build a community where the she-wolf had happened upon them. Soon, though, the famous twins got involved in an argument. The altercation turned violent, and Remus ended up being killed.

Afterwards, the community was known as "Rome" in honor of Romulus.