A consequnce of the shrew being very near the intersection of in vivo and in vitro metabolic rates (the latter of which corresponds to the maximum metabloic rate of that particular kind of cell), is that shrews have cells that are pretty much working as hard as they possibly can. So it isn't all that amazing that shrews live such short lives.
Similarly, whales and the like have cells that are running sssllllooooooowwwwllly, and have life spans that are quite long.
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