This Indian Village Has 400 Pairs Of Twins And Geneticists Have No Idea Why

Published 22 July 2026 · local

This Indian Village Has 400 Pairs Of Twins And Geneticists Have No Idea Why Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 10:55 IST Even crazier?

This Indian Village Has 400 Pairs Of Twins And Geneticists Have No Idea Why Published By, Last Updated: July 22, 2026, 10:55 IST Even crazier? The phenomenon is getting faster. In 2008, the village recorded around 280 pairs. By recent counts, that number surpassed 400. Kodinhi is home to over 400 pairs of twins- a mind-bending statistical anomaly. (Representational) Tucked away in the quiet, coconut-palm-lined backwaters of Malappuram district in Kerala lies Kodinhi, a remote village of around 2,000 families. On the surface, it looks like any other peaceful South Indian settlement. But if you step outside, you’ll start seeing double. Literally. Kodinhi is home to over 400 pairs of twins- a mind-bending statistical anomaly that is roughly six times higher than the global average and almost ten times higher than the national average in India. How Kodinhi’s Numbers Defy Biology? To understand how bizarre Kodinhi is, you have to look at global birth statistics Global Average: ~6 to 9 twin births per 1,000 births.

India’s Average: ~4 to 9 twin births per 1,000 births (one of the lowest twin rates in the world). Kodinhi’s Rate: An astounding 45 to 50 twin births per 1,000 births. Even crazier? The phenomenon is getting faster. In 2008, the village recorded around 280 pairs. By recent counts, that number surpassed 400. In a village where roughly 30 to 40 children are born each year, an astonishing number of those pregnancies result in multiples. 3 Bizarre Details From Kodinhi That Stump Researchers International geneticists, epidemiologists and medical researchers from Germany, London, and CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Hyderabad have collected DNA, water and soil samples from Kodinhi. Yet, every standard scientific theory has hit a wall 1. It Isn’t Inbreeding Or Genetic Endogamy: Normally, isolated pockets of high twin rates occur due to endogamy (marrying within a small genetic pool). But local women who marry men from outside Kodinhi and move miles away still end up giving birth to twins.

Conversely, women from outside who marry into Kodinhi and move to the village also start giving birth to twins. 2. It Started Recently: Elderly villagers recall that three generations ago, twins were a rarity. The surge reportedly began around three to four decades ago (roughly around 1960–1970) when a pair of twin sisters born in the village noticed an unusual number of identical babies suddenly popping up in neighboring households. 3. The “Water & Diet" Mystery: Scientists tested the local groundwater for chemicals, pesticides or heavy metals that might act as natural hyper-ovulation stimulants. They tested the local diet- rice, cassava, coconut, fish- comparing it to neighboring villages just 3 kilometers away. The result? The soil, water and diet are identical to the rest of Kerala, yet neighboring villages have normal twin rates. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered What new theories are scientists exploring for Kodinhi's twins?