Can Identical Twins Really Feel Each Other’s Pain?

Can twins really feel each other’s pain?

A famous American pop-culture belief says that identical twins can feel each other’s physical pain, even when they are far apart. The idea shows up in American movies, sitcoms, and YouTube videos, and many twins themselves swear it’s real. But scientists who have studied twins, including the team led by Lynn Cherkas at King’s College London, find no real evidence beyond shared empathy. Twins often feel close because they grew up together and know each other’s bodies and reactions, not because of any special connection.

In this clip, a YouTube channel tests the belief by giving small pains to one twin while the other tries to feel them: a feather, ice, a rubber band, a boxing glove. The results are mixed, like all such tests.