The Bizarre Survival Trick of One of Nature’s Strangest Mammals

Naked mole rats possess a remarkable ability to survive up to 18 minutes without oxygen, a feat unheard of in most mammals. This survival is attributed to a unique metabolic shift, allowing them to utilize fructose instead of glucose for energy. This adaptation, likely honed by their subterranean environment, offers potential insights for treating oxygen deprivation injuries in humans.