They are weird, bald, subterranean rodents that look like sausages with teeth, and they have just revealed a genetic secret to long life. Naked mole rats - which can live to 40 - are resistant to cancer, deterioration of the brain and spinal cord, and arthritis, so many scientists want to understand more about how their bodies work. When strands of DNA are damaged, a cell senses this and produces a protein called c-GAS. It interferes with and hampers the process by which DNA is knitted back together. Scientists think that this interference could promote cancer and shorten our lifespan. In naked mole rats though, researchers found that the exact same protein does the opposite. It helps the body mend strands of DNA and keeps the genetic code in each cell intact. Tap the link in BBCNews's bio to read more about the study. #Nakedmolerat #Science #BBCNews