Contact inhibition is among the most studied topics in biology due to its significance in cancer formation, aging, dermatology, etc. Scientists are always on th

Contact inhibition is among the most studied topics in biology due to its significance in cancer formation, aging, dermatology, etc. Scientists are always on the look out for species with interesting adaptations. The general process goes: naturalists, zoologists, etc gather data on a species. Oncology/aging/whatever researcher notices a peculiar data point - in this case the naked mole rats' extreme longevity compared to other rodents - and investigates. The peculiar data points (lifespan, rate of cancer, etc.) percolate until someone stumbles on a plausible mechanism [1]. Rodents reproduce like crazy so it wouldn't take long to notice. [1] https://www.pnas.org/content/106/46/19352 https://www.pnas.org/content/106/46/19352