Learning from Animals

It seems like the key to curing diseases such as cancer may be closer than we think – maybe even in our own backyard.

Over the past few decades, many of life’s complex problems have been solved using biomimetics (also known as biomimicry); the process of using the properties of nature to develop new technologies or to even cure diseases. Examples of such technologies include Velcro, where the inspiration for the system came from the burr plant and its tiny hooks; or the Japanese Shinkansen “bullet train,” which was aerodynamically altered to mimic a type of diving bird so that it would not cause loud sonic booms when entering tunnels.

Researching animal behaviours could potentially solve the world’s biggest problems, such as climate change or finding a cure for cancer.

While it is true that cows make a significant contribution to climate change with their methane “emissions,” research done on the digestive tracts of cows has determined that there are more efficient cows that can produce about 30 percent less methane than their more wasteful counterparts. Selectively breeding the more efficient cows would help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which would be beneficial considering animal agriculture is responsible for more pollution than the transportation industry.

Kangaroos are also among methane-producing animals, and until recently, were thought to possess a special gut microbe that allows them to expel virtually no methane at all. Unfortunately, this has been proved false, but ongoing research may reveal more secrets about animal digestion in order to help curb the effects of climate change.

More recently, scientists have been researching naked mole rats as they have a very high pain tolerance – even being able to withstand pain from acid burns. Figuring out what exactly causes this might unlock the door to understanding more about pain, and maybe how to stop it entirely. Scientists have determined that this ability is caused by a pain receptor called TrkA, which we possess as well. Does this mean we can have superhuman pain resistance as well? Not exactly. This receptor works differently in the naked mole rat compared to the human version – probably due to how the naked mole rat evolved. This rodent expels CO₂ when it breathes, like us, however this carbon dioxide reacts with water from the rat’s mucus membranes to produce carbonic acid. Since naked mole rats spend their days in small underground tunnels, being resistant to this acid is crucial to their survival.

These ugly little creatures have also been found to be highly resilient to cancer, offering scientists a method to find out how to better treat it, or prevent it altogether. The most promising research so far has come from a team at Rochester University, who found that naked mole rats produce an abundance of special “goo” which inhibits tumour growth by making cancerous cells self-destruct. This mysterious goo is known as hyaluronan, which all mammals possess between individual cells. The good news? Hyaluronan can be grown in labs, so scientists may soon be able to introduce this substance into mice, and further down the line, humans, to potentially eliminate cancerous cells and tumour growth.

Thanks to research done using biomimetics, humankind’s problems may be eliminated, with help from our animal friends.