Along with its odd appearance, there is one other feature of the naked mole rat that makes it truly fascinating: it’s unable to grow old. Scientists believe they may know why naked mole rats and other animals evade aging, but trying to replicate these traits in humans would not exactly have the same results.

According to a recent video by Minute Earth, the naked mole rat, along with a few other organisms, including lobsters, rock fish, and bristlecone pine trees, do not lose strength, fertility, or become more susceptible to disease the longer they are alive. Instead, they seem to stay “forever middle-aged” once they reach adulthood. Although, the exact reason for this eternal youth is not completely understood, scientists believe that it has something to with these species' ability to replace the tips of their chromosomes.

Each time our cells divide to replace lost or damaged cells we lose a bit of DNA at the ends of our chromosome tips. Eventually these tips, known as telomeres, cannot afford to lose anymore DNA and we stop replacing cells — a process that contributes to aging. A recent investigation into the blood of the world’s once oldest woman, Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, who died at the age of 115, revealed that by the end of her life, her telomeres were completely worn down.

If humans could gain the ability to replace their telomeres like the naked mole rat, the result wouldn’t be nearly as pleasant. Unlimited amounts of cell division would make more opportunities for cell mutations, and more cell mutations would put us at greater risk for developing cancer — something that naked mole rats and other animals seem impervious to.

Other non-aging animals, such as the tiny turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish can not only permanently pause its aging process, but it can also revert to earlier stages of development. However, if humans found a way to revert back to the stages of their early development, we could become thoughtless beings and lose all memories.

But, there’s no reason to be too jealous of these youthful animals. While they are immune to aging, they aren’t immune to death, because if old age doesn’t kill, sooner or later something else will.