Just call me, Mole Man . . .

Cold blooded and impervious to pain.

From the AP . . .

As vulnerable as naked mole rats seem, researchers now find the hairless, bucktoothed rodents are invulnerable to the pain of acid and the sting of chili peppers. A better understanding of pain resistance in these sausage-like creatures could lead to new drugs for people with chronic pain, scientists added.

Wade Payne, AP

Despite their scary appearance, naked mole rats are sweet and gentle, according to one scientist who worked with the animals.

Naked mole rats live in cramped, oxygen-starved burrows some six feet underground in central East Africa. Unusually, they are cold-blooded — which, as far as anyone knows, is unique among mammals.