A unique and rare photo of a mother and her newborn daughter sharing the same unique hairstyle with a white strip of hair on the front has caught the attention of thousands of users on social media, while at the same time sparking a debate about the power of genetics.

The shot, which managed to win tens of thousands of hearts on the web, shows the mother, who has a white lock of hair starting from her forehead, and next to her is her daughter, who seems to have inherited her unique appearance from her. The newborn has snuggled up next to its mother and smiled, as only a baby can do, and in front we notice the same white feather.

“I just gave birth to a doppelganger of myself,” the woman exclaimed in an Instagram post.

Comments quickly followed the photo – who was cuter:

“I just gave birth to a doppelganger of myself,” the woman exclaimed in an Instagram post.

Comments quickly followed the photo – who was cuter:

“So unique and beautiful. God bless her child!”, “Amazing!” and “At least she knows for sure that she’s the mother!”

“They call that genetics,” one Instagram user exclaimed. And while some might think it’s a random coincidence, science offers a plausible explanation.

This shared trait between mother and daughter may be due to a genetic condition called polio, in which melanin (the pigment responsible for hair color) is missing in certain areas of the hair.

Polio can be hereditary, meaning parents can pass this trait on to their children, as is the case with this touching mother-daughter pair.

Beyond being a wonderful visual connection between generations, these inherited traits often serve as a profound reminder of the role genetics plays in determining our appearance.

From eye color to freckles, these highlight the marvels of biology and genetics in humans.