scienceOct 13, 20256:05pending

Naked Mole Rats: Longevity, Cancer, and the Subterranean Society

About this episode

We dive into the strange world of Heterocephalus glaber, the naked mole rat. Discover how a thermoconforming mammal survives extreme underground life, resists cancer with a turbocharged contact inhibition and oversized hyaluronan, and even fuels the brain with fructose under hypoxia. Then explore a colony-level life: a single queen, sterile workers, dispersers, and a social toolkit that looks more like insect society than a mammal group. Finally, we discuss what these radical traits mean for aging, health, and the future of biomedical research.

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Naked Mole Rats: Longevity, Cancer, and the Subterranean Society

About this episode

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