Secrets of the World’s Longest-Lived Animals

Episode 404

Jonathan the tortoise was born in the year 1832, on a beach in the Seychelles. 194 years later and Jonathan is still alive, celebrating his birthday. How exactly has he managed to survive for so long?

Jonathan is a giant tortoise and the world’s oldest known land animal. His genome has now been sequenced, revealing intriguing hints about longevity. And it seems the key to a long life is all down to mitochondrial function.

From Greenland Sharks to the enigmatic quahog, this also seems to be the case for Earth’s other longest-lived creatures - one of which survived for 507 years. 

Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss what these animals tell us about the science of healthy aging, whether there are any takeaways for us humans - and they celebrate the amazing life of Jonathan.

To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices