Jonathan the giant tortoise has been alive for nearly two centuriesSt. Helena Government, Communication Hub The world’s oldest known land animal – Jonathan the giant tortoise – has had his genome probed for the first time. This has revealed that parts of his genome to do with mitochondrial function are as efficient as those of a 5-year-old member of his species. Efficient mitochondria may give his DNA repair systems more energy to fight off the effects of ageing, enabling him to live to an estimated age of 194. What’s more, some of his genetic changes seem similar to those of supercentenarians. “This study adds to the body of evidence that the mechanisms of ageing may be conserved across spe...