The dismal lot of the naked mole-rat just got worse.
About as ugly as a mammal comes and confined underground with little oxygen to breath, the buck-toothed, hairless creatures had one thing going for them: they felt no pain from acids that irritate the skin of other mammals.
University of Illinois scientists weren’t having it. They’ve figured out a way to “rescue” the mole rats’ sense of pain by inserting the gene for the neurotransmitter, Substance P, into their DNA.
Read more at The Baltimore Sun blog Science Matters.
If you found this reporting useful, please consider supporting our work with a small donation. Your contribution lets us continue to bring you accurate, thought-provoking science and medical news that you can trust. Independent reporting takes time, effort, and resources, and your support makes it possible for us to keep exploring the stories that matter to you. Together, we can ensure that important discoveries and developments reach the people who need them most!