Naked Mole Rat: The Odd, Long-Lived “Hive Mammal” of East Africa

Short take: The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a hairless, wrinkly, long-lived rodent from East Africa that lives like ants: one queen, a few breeders, and many workers in sprawling underground cities. It shrugs off low oxygen, feels little pain, and can live up to ~30 years—astonishing...