If you want to find new ways of fighting cancer, giant animals may give you some clues. Capybaras are the world’s largest living rodent, sixty times heavier than their closest modern relative. Relax, you probably will not bump into one of them, unless you live in South America. And even if you did, don’t worry as capybaras are the friendliest animals, at the point that it is not rare to see other creatures hanging with (or on) them. Not only are they cute, but also scientifically relevant, as they have evolved a unique strategy to escape cancer…and the immune system may be involved.

Traveling is good, even for the immune system. Small migratory birds know it very well, as they could boast immune defenses even better than ours and those of other mammals. The reason? As they travel long distances and stop in places that are always different, they come into contact with a broad spectrum of pathogens: they must then develop adequate defenses if they want to survive.