The uniqueness of different colored eyes in the same person explained.

Photo: Xavier Nájera

One of the many fascinating variations that exist among humans (and other animals) is heterochromia iridis, or heterochromia iridum – terms used to describe different colored eyes in the same person. Caused by an excess or lack of melanin, heterochromia can occur as a result of genetics, disease or injury. Yet, whatever its underlying cause, heterochromia is almost always eye-catching!

Warning: the following shocking, graphic images make H1N1 look like a case of the sniffles. These are truly the 10 most gruesome and gory things that can happen to the human body. Bonus points if you make it past picture #5 without puking at least a little bit.

Elephantitis

Actually, it's spelled Elephantiasis.
Caused by a parasitic infection from round worms, the lymphatic system is virtually shut down, thereby making it impossible for tissue to shed fluid.

Junkaroo Festival, Bahamas

The colourful Junkanoo festival in the Bahamas takes place every year on 26 December. The carnival includes music and dancing and an enormous parade in Nassau that runs from 2am to 8am! And better yet, they repeat the whole thing again on New Year's Eve.

Are you on the hunt for other unique escapes this festive season? Read on...

The past year has borne witness to an array of bizarre events from the antics of an American vying to be the world's fattest woman ever to an Italian man who survived a gunshot wound to the head only to sneeze out the bullet through his nostril.

1. 52st mother eats 20,000 calories per day in quest to become world's fattest woman ever

Susanne Eman claims she stays active by doing simple exercises and having regular health checks

In August, American Susanne Eman stunned readers by declaring her ambition to become the world's fattest woman ever. Already tipping the scales at 52st, the mother-of-two said she hoped to hit the 115st mark by her forties by consuming enough food each week to fill six supermarket trolleys.

Being stabbed with a 15cm knife is not necessarily a death sentence. Meet 8 people who survived the impossible.

The teenager who survived accidental sword stabbing

Zhang Bin, a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed in the head with a large sword, has miraculously survived. The teenager had invited school friends to his house, but one guest brought the dangerous weapon. Measuring 50cm, it's not known exactly how the sword penetrated 5cm deep into Zhang's forehead. However, he was lucky to be alive after doctors at a local hospital refused to operate – citing inexperience. ‘Three classmates came to visit me at home and one of them brought a sword. He stood 7-9 feet away from me,' explained Zhang as he recovered in bed. ‘I don't know how the sword could fly to me and stab into my head. ‘I felt sharp pains and a large amount of blood streamed down.' After being turned away by local doctors, the boy was then faced with a four-hour drive the nearest hospital in Changsha where surgeons delicately removed the object. (Link | Via)

Celebrating your 18th birthday is a momentous occasion for anyone, but for tiny Jyoti Amge the milestone is even bigger news.

The 2ft teenager is already a mini celebrity in her hometown of Nagpur, India, but is now set for a huge record when she is officially declared the world's smallest woman.

And despite her miniature stature, 61.95cm-tall Jyoti hopes to celebrate being crowned the world's shortest woman by launching a Bollywood movie career.

Weird and wonderful seasonal practices from across the globe.

EPS | Rex Features

Despite all the growing similarities in the ways different countries celebrate Christmas, there are still all manner of quirky ways individual nations and regions mark the big day around the globe.

Perhaps the children in your family quake in fear at the thought of Santa's monstrous Austrian sidekick, or maybe you own one of Catalonia's many pooping Christmas ornaments.

In pics: the best sporting images from around the globe.

Home turf: Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg protects his goal during his side's game with Juventus

1. Catwalk fall

What's better than one model falling on the catwalk? Seeing 3 models falling at the same event. Naomi Campbell's charity fashion show in Cannes doesn't go exactly to plan for some of the models.

This is supposed to be Santa's busy season, but from the looks of it, he gets around.

Whether he's posing with gun lovers in Arizona, swimming with whale sharks in Japan or being a zombie in Mexico City, Santa has been spotted in some strange places this year -- like the optometrist's office?

No word on when he goes back to the North Pole, but if the reindeer see those pictures of him hanging around sheep in South Korea, they might be a little jealous.

When you go to the market to pick up a case of beer, you’re usually thinking about the taste you like and the price you’re willing to pay for it. In some instances however, these considerations are extended to which beer will get you drunk quickest, and which specialty beer has the weirdest ingredients. Today we take a look at these strongest and weirdest beers from around the world. Remember to indulge in moderation.

(Link)

Image Credit Flickr User Tanya.Guettersberger

The song lyrics have never been truer.  Oh You better watch out,  You better not cry,  You better not pout, I'm telling you why.  Yet it isn’t Santa Claus that you have to watch out for – it is his sinister sidekick – Krampus. He has a whip – and he is going to use it.

The annual Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain ended just a few weeks ago. A raucous gathering where tourists and locals alike flock to the streets all in the hopes of having a chance to run away from a beast that would enjoy killing them, the Running of the Bulls makes for some of the best viral videos one could hope to ever see.

Actually, if you put a bull pretty much anywhere that a large number of people are gathered and turn your video camera on, it’s a pretty safe bet something ugly will happen if you wait long enough.

Facebook has posted a Most Shared Articles on Facebook in 2011 Page that links more often to parenting-related topics, human interest pieces and odd trivia stories than it does to the major news stories of the year.

The story type that appears most often on the list of 40 articles is parenting advice and parenting-related stories reported by CNN, The Washington Post, Yahoo News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post. Another popular theme is the change in zodiac sings, which first gained media traction in late 2010 before spilling over into early 2011. A slightly less popular theme is the late Steve Jobs — but given that it’s a more recent development in the year, it comes as no surprise that people had less time to circulate the story through Facebook.

The number one most-shared story, however, was a top news item — a New York Times photo gallery of Japan before and after the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Several other quake news stories and human interest stories about the tragedy also appear on the list.

Facebook itself also gets a bit of attention at No.7 with a CNN story on Timeline, announced at f8.

Stories are shared on Facebook both directly from the story source itself, with the aid of a Facebook button, and from within Facebook’s News Feed and user Walls where a “Share” option will appear if the user posting the link to the story has the option enabled in their privacy settings.

Here’s the full list: