Twin studies?

[GTRS Fiero]

I have an uncle who is an identical twin.  For the last 4 years or so, he and his twin have been part of a twin studies program.  Has anyone else heard of this?

[Fierofool]

Ray has an identical twin, but due to illness, their body type is a bit different, or should I say their posture and some personal habits make them look a little different.  In some respects, they are totally opposite.  But yes, I've heard of studies on twins.  Even as far back as maybe the 70's or 80's. 

[GTRS Fiero]

I wonder what they'll find.  That they came from the same, um, contribution from one or the other?

There was a telepathy test they did a while back.  I don't recall the results.

[Fierofool]

Identical twins come from a single fertilized egg from the same, um, contributor.  I think they're called Maternal Twins. 

Fraternal twins are the result of two separately fertilized eggs of the same pregnancy.  When you see twins that are of different sex, they would be fraternal.

[GTRS Fiero]

Right.  Do you think they'll learn this, in their studies?

The latest report showed that they had the same parents.  This was rather surprising news, since we already knew this, without whatever tests they ran.  Really, when babies are born from the same mother, from the same pregnancy, and appear identical, what would you expect?

They also determined that they picked up something in Vietnam, that they are susceptible to the same health issues (deafness, myopia, and certain joint issues).  These were also not news.

For the aging tests, it shows that they're the same age.  Very surprising.  Twins are the same age.  I'd never have known, without these tests.

The report continued to state that the twins would likely have the same hair and eye color.  Check, check.  4 days of tests, this round, and that's all they found?  I can look at them, and tell you this, without any tests.

My favorite was the personality tests, which haven't been done yet, but under this heading, it shows "None".

[Fierofool]

Right.  Do you think they'll learn this, in their studies?

The latest report showed that they had the same parents.  This was rather surprising news, since we already knew this, without whatever tests they ran.  Really, when babies are born from the same mother, from the same pregnancy, and appear identical, what would you expect?

Since it's possible for twins to be born of two eggs and two sperm, I suppose it's possible for a pregnancy to occur, say if there's a situation where there's one partner immediately following another partner, such as sometimes happens at drunken college parties or gang rapes, where there would be multiple eggs fertilized by two different male partners. 

[GTRS Fiero]

True, or it could be in vitro fertilization.  In your case, identical twins would seem to be impossible--even visually.  I think in vitro fertilization hasn't been around for 70+ years, but I could be wrong.

The form has info for age on first twin on the left.  On the right, it has age of second twin.  Immediately below, birth of first twin, and birth of second twin.  They also have birth hospital and doctor for each twin.  Really?  Is there time to change hospitals between births?  Then it moves on to delivering physician for each.  Further down the form, it has age difference, which shows 0 for both.  There are checkboxes for "still living" and "deceased" "if there is a significant age difference".  What the heck is a "significant age difference" between twins?  5 minutes?  20 minutes?

I told my uncle, next time he goes for these tests, to ask them how many identical twins have different parents, and see if that'll count toward his personality test.  I told my uncle's brother basically the same thing, except about hospitals.

The report also states that "identical twins share many similar features".  It's good to know that these doctors have enough education to figure this out.  If they share features, aren't the features similar, by definition?

My uncle's parents are dead, but I wouldn't be surprised if these doctors wanted to test the parents, to see if they did in fact have children.

[Fierofool]

My brothers could have been born on different days and in different years.  They were born just a few minutes before midnight, December 31.  The doctor actually asked Mom and Dad if they wanted tax deductions for that year, or for the next.  I guess he was going to delay delivery.  (C Section)  They also could have had different doctors, since there were only two doctors at the small hospital where all of us were born. 

I've also heard of twins being born weeks, or maybe months apart when one was born prematurely.  Hence, significant age difference. 

[GTRS Fiero]

Hmmm.  Imagine you're a twin in the womb together for 8 months, then your twin is born, and you're alone for a month.  I've never hears of twins being born separately (months apart), but I guess it's possible.

[Fierofool]

I did a quick search and found this.  One of the returns also listed twins being born 11 months apart.  Now that, I don't know how.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/identical-twin-infants-born-months-article-1.2397740

[TopNotch]

NASA sent astronaut Scott Kelly to spend a year on the space station, while his identical twin brother Mark stayed on earth. Here are some results of the study.

[GTRS Fiero]

I did a quick search and found this.  One of the returns also listed twins being born 11 months apart.  Now that, I don't know how.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/identical-twin-infants-born-months-article-1.2397740

I don't believe it's possible for human twins to be born 11 months apart.  Human gestation is 9 months.