This ugly little creature may hold the key to the fountain of youth

[Jazzy]

Why do humans live so long? The African naked mole rat might have the answer, reports Steve Jones.

http://i.telegraph.c...0_2328106b.jpg



Something is keeping us alive, and we do not know what it is. Now, a real Methuselah of the mammals is beginning to hint at what it takes to make a century.



The African naked mole rat, whose name describes its charming appearance, has a pair of fearsome front teeth. It lives in burrows in which one aggressive female prevents all the others from mating and forces them to look after her own offspring. The animal is about the same size as a mouse, but it lives eight times as long, with plenty getting to 30 or so.



Once past our own teenage years, we age faster and faster. The average chance of death in a particular period doubles every eight years. The figures are more favourable in the prime of life and are at their best at the age of 10. If that schoolboy rate of mortality were to persist throughout life, most children born in 2000 would survive until the year 3300, which gives an uncomfortable insight into the power of bodily decay.



The mole rat does much better, for it stays young, healthy and fully fertile for almost all its days (which for an elderly animal is equivalent to an 80-year-old woman having the biological make-up of someone 50 years younger). And its longevity hints at some of the fundamental causes of ageing.



There are plenty of ideas around. One is that we poison ourselves with the by-products of our own metabolism; it has often been suggested that a restricted diet will help, or eating vitamins, fruit or vegetables, but the effects for people of normal weight are marginal at best.

Full article



That sure is one ugly looking creature.

 

[Evil Eye]

So... if humans were tough as nails and could survive tons of toxins, we'd live longer... Yeah... I think I could've worked that one out myself

That sure is one ugly looking creature.

 

[Jazzy]

Nice image you found there EE!

 

[Evil Eye]

Makes 'em a lot more appealing, doesn't it?