Lifestyle
Meet Jonathan: The 194-Year-Old Tortoise Teaching Us How to Live Longer
Scientists have studied the DNA of the world’s oldest land animal to find out how he stays so healthy after nearly two centuries.
A close-up shot of Jonathan, the giant tortoise, standing on grass on the island of Saint Helena.
By John Doe
Reporting from Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 
Oct. 7, 2026, 11:23 p.m. - an hour ago
There is a giant tortoise named Jonathan living on a small island called Saint Helena. He is 194 years old. That makes him the oldest land animal in the world.
Because Jonathan has lived for so long, scientists are very interested in him. They recently looked at his DNA to see how his body works. DNA is the set of instructions inside every living thing that tells your body how to grow and stay healthy.
The researchers wanted to know why he has lived so much longer than other animals. They found some interesting things about how his cells repair themselves. His body seems to be very good at fixing damage over time.
Scientists hope that studying Jonathan will help them learn more about how humans age. They want to find out if there are ways to help people stay healthy as they get older, too.
Jonathan has been alive since 1830. He has seen a lot of history happen while he slowly wanders around his home. Now, this very old tortoise is helping experts understand the secrets of a long life.
Source: The New York Times
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