April 20, 2017 - See why naked mole rats are called naked! Additionally, naked mole rats have the ability to survive up to 18 minutes without oxygen. They live most of their life underground in colony sizes of up to 280 members, and sleep in piles, and as a result CO
2 levels in their burrows can reach seven to ten percent, higher than in surface air. Researchers have discovered that their bodies adapted to use fructose to fuel vital organs such as the heart and brain when oxygen is not available. The research might have human applications as well: scientists want to study and see if the process can be recreated in humans to treat heart disease & stroke.
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