Hideous Rodent May Provide Cure For Cancer

**Oneironaut Zero** · 10-28-2009 08:56 PM

Article

So...let me get this straight:

Mole rats are the only mammals with a hive mind; they feel no pain; they're immune to cancer; they can massively slow down their metabolism; they have extreme longevity; they breathe through their skin; and acid doesn't burn them...

Wtf?? Move over, Mighty Mouse.

**Invader** · 10-28-2009 10:59 PM

This could only be implemented in human beings through supersplicing (a
technology we do not yet possess) or by genetically engineering new humans
before birth. Unfortunately, we can't just tack on genes we think are awesome.

What gets me more than the cancer issue is that they said naked mole rats have a hive mind...
Is it true, is it true, I wonder.

**Noogah** · 10-29-2009 09:34 PM

Bleck. I don't like mole rats. I don't like the name "mole rat", and I don't like the name "hive mind".

Plus, they're so ugly.

**grasshoppa** · 10-29-2009 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Noogah

Bleck. I don't like mole rats. I don't like the name "mole rat", and I don't like the name "hive mind".

Plus, they're so ugly.

Sigh...

I never knew anything about mole rats before this. Pretty amazing that they can't be burned by acid. Is it because of their skin or some other genetic attribute? Also, evolving not to feel pain seems more like a danger to the species than something that would help it.

**DrunkenArse** · 10-30-2009 01:26 AM

Does eusocial mean hive-mind? If so, the Damaraland Mole Rat has a hive mind too.

**Noogah** · 10-30-2009 06:51 AM

Can someone link to an article about "hive minds"?

Wikipedia doesn't have anything on it.

**Invader** · 10-30-2009 07:43 AM

The meaning for hive-mind I originally got was from reading Ender's Game way
back when. I figured it applied to a large group of organisms that quite literally
had to 'share' the same mind. Whether or not it actually exists doesn't concern
me. If it's applicable to bees and ants, the way P.S. brought up, then so be it.

**Oneironaut Zero** · 10-30-2009 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Also, evolving not to feel pain seems more like a danger to the species than something that would help it.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. But, dangerous or not, just imagine what it must be like.

Maybe they have some other sort of sense, which alerts them to physical contact, but doesn't quite fall into the category of "pain." That would be interesting.

**tkdyo** · 10-30-2009 03:01 PM

I dont think hive mind has to mean all sharing the same mind...when it comes to ants and bees, it seems to mean all of the colony being able to work in tandum without any signals or communication, as if they did in fact share one mind. Its pretty amazing stuff.

**SnakeCharmer** · 10-30-2009 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by tkdyo

I dont think hive mind has to mean all sharing the same mind...when it comes to ants and bees, it seems to mean all of the colony being able to work in tandum without any signals or communication, as if they did in fact share one mind. Its pretty amazing stuff.

All social insects communicate extensively through chemical signals.

**tkdyo** · 10-30-2009 06:25 PM

I realize this, Im talking about a litteral hive mind though.

**SnakeCharmer** · 10-30-2009 07:19 PM

"Hive mind" might be a misnomer. Maybe superorganism is a better term.

**khh** · 10-31-2009 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Oneironaut

Yeah, I thought the same thing. But, dangerous or not, just imagine what it must be like.

There are humans who are unable to feel pain. It's a disorder called CIPA.

Originally Posted by Oneironaut

Maybe they have some other sort of sense, which alerts them to physical contact, but doesn't quite fall into the category of "pain." That would be interesting.

We also feel physical contact without it being pain. Like patting a dog.

**The Cusp** · 11-09-2009 06:21 PM

I thing their ability to not feel pain comes from the group mind. Like in dreams and with small children, you only feel pain if you stop to focus on in. With a group mind directing attention elsewhere, it would be impossible to feel pain.

**Xaqaria** · 11-12-2009 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by SnakeCharmer

All social insects communicate extensively through chemical signals.

Just like brains.

Originally Posted by Noogah

Can someone link to an article about "hive minds"?

Wikipedia doesn't have anything on it.

Its pretty self explanatory. All creatures that live in a hive have hive minds. Bees, ants, termites, etc. They have a queen and the entire community acts in the best interest of the queen (and the children).

Also, you didn't look very hard. Hive Mind disambiguation. Although I can see that none of those are exactly what you are looking for, so read this one;Eusociality.