What in the World
What in the World
Naked mole rats prove pretty privilege is overrated
Up next
13 October 2025
9 minutes
Available for over a year
What’s small, sausage-shaped, wrinkly and pink? No… not that… Get your mind out of the gutter.
It’s a naked mole rat!!!
A new study of the odd-looking rodent shows that they’ve evolved a DNA repair mechanism that could explain why they live for so long. They have a max life span of nearly 40 years.
Victoria Gill, our Science Correspondent and strange animal expert, explains why they live so long and what human science can learn from these quite wonderful critters.
Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Iqra Farooq
Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde
