Nomen Nominandum | This animal doesn't age. @NomenNominandum | Uploaded April 2019 | Updated October 2024, 9 hours ago.
Source:
sciencefriday.com/segments/the-naked-mole-rat-defies-the-laws-of-aging
Study:
elifesciences.org/articles/31157
--------- A BIT OF THE MATH OF DYING ----------
Gompertz-Makeham survival function:
N(t) = N(0)*exp(-a*t + b*(1-exp(c*t)))
In humans, the first term (Makeham term) dominates at a young age. We die mainly due to external causes (accidents). Beyond the age of 40, the second term dominates. We die mainly due to intrinsic causes (aging). In this case
N(t) = N(0)*exp(b*(1-exp(c*t)))
The fact that survival is a nested exponential function explains why aging is so brutal and merciless. (c is such, that the chance of dying doubles every 8 years).
This is not so for the naked mole rat (NR). In this case c=0 !!! Hence, the survival function for these animals is
N(t) = N(0)*exp(-a*t)
i.e. a population of NRs dies away just the way a bunch of radioactive atoms decay. In fact, a= 1/10.000 days. E.g. for a population of 1.000 NRs one would expect one survivor after 200 years!
So, if you want to stay young, you have to "hack" the c parameter. Yet, nobody has ever (really) succeeded in doing that. But, maybe we can learn from our African naked undergound friends how to do just that :-)
Source:
sciencefriday.com/segments/the-naked-mole-rat-defies-the-laws-of-aging
Study:
elifesciences.org/articles/31157
--------- A BIT OF THE MATH OF DYING ----------
Gompertz-Makeham survival function:
N(t) = N(0)*exp(-a*t + b*(1-exp(c*t)))
In humans, the first term (Makeham term) dominates at a young age. We die mainly due to external causes (accidents). Beyond the age of 40, the second term dominates. We die mainly due to intrinsic causes (aging). In this case
N(t) = N(0)*exp(b*(1-exp(c*t)))
The fact that survival is a nested exponential function explains why aging is so brutal and merciless. (c is such, that the chance of dying doubles every 8 years).
This is not so for the naked mole rat (NR). In this case c=0 !!! Hence, the survival function for these animals is
N(t) = N(0)*exp(-a*t)
i.e. a population of NRs dies away just the way a bunch of radioactive atoms decay. In fact, a= 1/10.000 days. E.g. for a population of 1.000 NRs one would expect one survivor after 200 years!
So, if you want to stay young, you have to "hack" the c parameter. Yet, nobody has ever (really) succeeded in doing that. But, maybe we can learn from our African naked undergound friends how to do just that :-)
