Rh-null blood is extremely rare, with only about 40 people worldwide known to have it. This rarest of blood types lacks all 61 antigens in the Rh system. The first successful human blood transfusion happened in 1818, but even after that, many transfusion patients suffered sudden unexplained deaths. It wasn’t until 1909 that Austrian physician Karl Landsteiner figures out the basics of blood groups and cataloged the A, B, AB and O blood types, which are caused by proteins called antigens.
Key Takeaways:
- What makes the Rh-null type important to science and dangerous for those who live with it.
- Blood is considered Rh-null if it lacks all of the 61 possible antigens in the Rh system.
- It’s very dangerous to live with this blood type, as so few people have it.
“Golden blood sounds like the latest in medical quackery. As in, get a golden blood transfusion to balance your tantric midichlorians and receive a free charcoal ice cream cleanse. Don’t let the New-Agey moniker throw you. Golden blood is actually the nickname for Rh-null, the world’s rarest blood type.”
Read more: https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/rarest-blood-type-world
