Meet the "Naked Mole Rat"... Unique in our world, they breathe (mostly) through their skin, feel NO pain...(acid doesn't burn them), they are the only animal that has a "hive mind" (they obey their queen like ants...) and they have extreme longevity - the reason being - they're IMMUNE to cancer...
That last point, about not getting cancer has intrigued scientists for a long, long time and scientists at the University of Rochester in New York have finally discovered why...
There are two different genes that act to prevent cancer. Humans have one of those genes, but these little guys have both... The "extra" gene they have (that we don't) stops cancer COMPLETELY...
Scientists are now working to find a way for us to have the "extra" gene - if they can do that - we can kiss cancer goodbye!!!
(all of a sudden these little guys aren't quite so ugly...)