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Naked mole rats defy the biological law of aging
In the world of animal models, naked mole rats are the supermodels. They rarely get cancer, are resistant to some types of pain, and can survive up to 18 minutes without oxygen. But perhaps their greatest feat, a new paper suggests, is that they don't age.
The first study to analyze the life histories of thousands of naked mole rats has found that their risk of death doesn't go up as they grow older, as it does for every other known mammalian species. Although some scientists caution against any sweeping conclusions, many say the new data are important and striking.
"This is remarkably low mortality," says Caleb Finch, a biogerontologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles who was not involved in the new study. "At advanced ages, their mortality rate remains lower than any other mammal that has been documented."
Scientists have long noted that naked mole rats—burrowing rodents with wrinkled, pink skin and large protruding teeth that live in large, subterranean colonies—show few signs of aging and far surpass the life span expected of a rodent this size. Mice in captivity live at most 4 years; based on their size, naked mole rats would not be expected to live past 6 years. Instead, some live beyond 30 years, and even at that age breeding females stay fertile.
The scientists behind the research work at Calico, Google's biotechnology and anti-aging subsidiary.
Naked mole-rat mortality rates defy Gompertzian laws by not increasing with age (open, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.31157.001) (DX)
Related: Silicon Valley's Quest to Extend Life 'Well Beyond 120'
Google is Super Secretive About its Anti-Aging Research
(Score: 3, Interesting) by captain normal on Wednesday January 31 2018, @01:02AM (2 children)
According to the cats and a couple of small dogs I've had, they are very tasty. Enough so that I've often thought of looking into raising them and regular moles as they could make a super cat and dog food.
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Wednesday January 31 2018, @01:29AM
So you live in Africa, do you?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naked_mole-rat#Distribution_and_habitat [wikipedia.org]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 31 2018, @12:58PM
I've heard rats are very easy and cost-efficient. Breed and grow quickly, good parenting, easy containment, not fussy about food and suitable to wide range of climates.