Real-Life Vampires Walked in Sunlight—But It Hurt Like Hell
Centuries before Twilight and Dracula, there were actual people who inspired vampire myths—because of a rare disorder called porphyria. This group of diseases affects how your body makes heme, a component of blood, and one type can cause symptoms that are eerily vampiric: severe sensitivity to sunlight, receding gums that make teeth appear fang-like, and pale, ghostly skin.
Back in the day, people didn’t know what a blood disorder was. They saw someone with those traits hiding from the sun, maybe even drinking animal blood (a possible folk remedy), and boom—vampire. Garlic intolerance and coffin naps not included.