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Are naked mole rats the strangest mammals? - Thomas Park

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What mammal has the social life of an insect, the cold-bloodedness of a reptile, and the metabolism of a plant? Bald and buck-toothed, naked mole rats may not be pretty, but they are extraordinary. Thomas Park explains how mole rats' peculiar traits have evolved over millions of years to make them uniquely suited to survive harsh conditions - especially long periods without oxygen.

Naked mole rats can go into suspended animation to save energy when oxygen is low. Are there situations other than heart attacks when it would be beneficial for a human to go into suspended animation?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Thomas Park
  • Director Chintis Lundgren
  • Script Editor Elizabeth Cox
  • Animator Chintis Lundgren, Lea Kralj Jager
  • Designer Chintis Lundgren
  • Producer Draško Ivezić
  • Composer Jure Buljević
  • Sound Designer Jure Buljević
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott, Elizabeth Cox
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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