For some, genetics is not a science but something bordering on fantasy and speculation. Could it really be that the entire blueprint for who we become as adults is encoded within us, starting from a chubby-cheeked baby? It’s hard to deny that newborns can often look strikingly alike. And if we dig a little deeper, we find that each of us started out as nothing more than a couple of cells! But look at how differently we’ve all turned out…

What happens when you combine half photos of a mother and her daughter?

Wow, they’re both fiery! Here’s another mother and daughter duo, with the daughter proudly wearing a voluminous mane inherited from her mom.

Just look at how many features they share.

Here’s the granddaughter, a worthy continuation of her grandmother’s legacy.

Mother and daughter.

The grandson turned out to be a perfect copy of his grandmother.

On the right, a relative—it’s obvious. But what’s astonishing is how far the family traits carry: this is a great-great-great-grandmother!