Naked Mole-Rat – Nature's Weirdest Superhero

Nature & Wildlife, Science 52' 2018 HD

The naked mole-rat may not be the most beautiful little mammal, but it for sure is one of the most fascinating: the almost hairless, wrinkled ‘sand puppies’ are a true scientific wonder! They are cold-blooded mammals that do not get cancer, do not feel pain and their bone structure never degrades; even 30-year-old queens have the bones of a newborn. But how do they do it?

The documentary goes on a journey to unravel the secrets of the naked mole-rat, as we follow their traces from the African savannah into the laboratories of the world. We meet them in their natural habitat; explore the tunnels of their ‘hive’ and the worship of their queen, while scientists connect their lifestyle to physiological adaptations and show how acidic tissues defeat tumors, how pain is conquered and how MRI scanners and ultrasound examinations shed light on bones that do not age. This investigative journey may pave the way to our own immortality, as we unravel findings that have major impacts on medicine.