Jonathan the 194-Year-Old Tortoise Has Gene Switches That Look as Young as a 5-Year-Old’s, Researchers Say
Nature World News | 10.10.2026 00:00
Jonathan, the giant tortoise believed to be 194 years old, carries gene switches that look strikingly young for an animal born around 1832, according to a study published Oct. 7 in Science Advances. The researchers report that switches controlling genes tied to energy production in Jonathan's cells resemble those of a 5-year-old tortoise, and that he carries 287 unique gene variants linked to DNA repair, inflammation, insulin regulation and cancer suppression, according to a University of Cambridge release.
