“Secrets of World’s Oldest Tortoise Unveiled”

A 194-year-old tortoise named Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise, holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest land animal known. Researchers led by Dr. Stephen Clark, a neuro-oncologist and chief scientist at the longevity nonprofit Kallel, delved into Jonathan’s genome to uncover the secrets behind his remarkable longevity. The study revealed that certain parts of Jonathan’s genome, responsible for gene regulation, were comparable to those of five-year-old tortoises. These findings, published in the journal Science Advances, shed light on the mechanisms that may contribute to Jonathan’s exceptional lifespan.