The naked mole rat almost never gets cancer. It lives 10x longer than other rodents its size. Scientists have known this for years – but now they did something about it. Researchers at the University of Rochester extracted the gene responsible for the mole rat’s cancer resistance and transferred it into ordinary mice. The mice produced higher levels of a compound called high molecular weight hyaluronic acid – HMW-HA – and the effects were striking. Stronger resistance to tumors. Less chronic inflammation. Healthier guts. A measurable increase in lifespan. This is not a tweak. This is proof of concept that longevity traits evolved in one species can be transplanted into another. The study was published in Nature. The implications go well beyond mice. HMW-HA influences the immune system at a deep level. Chronic inflammation is one of the primary biological engines of aging. If you can dial that down – not with a drug that suppresses the immune system, but with a molecule the body alr...