Why naked mole rats don't get cancer

The naked mole rat is not the world's most attractive animal, it's true. But these humble and fascinating creatures are pretty awesome. And that's before you learn that they do not get cancer!

Researchers believe they have unlocked the secret of the naked mole rat's cancer-fighitng abilities. It all comes down to a particular kind of sugar which prevents the animals' cells from clumping together into tumors. No word yet on how or if this will be useful to humans. But it does give us one more reason to admire these bizarre critters.

Image courtesy Flickr/MissTessmacher