WorldPing logo WorldPing← All news

Jonathan the tortoise lived to 194 years old — now scientists think they know why

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Live Science
Jonathan the tortoise lived to 194 years old — now scientists think they know whyWorldPing
Image via Live Science.

What happened

DNA samples from Jonathan the 194-year-old tortoise reveal gene variants and epigenetic changes that could contribute to his remarkable lifespan.

Key facts

  • DNA samples from Jonathan the 194-year-old tortoise reveal gene variants and epigenetic changes that could contribute to his remarkable lifespan.
  • Reported by Live Science and published Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:05:40 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Jonathan the tortoise lived to 194 years old — now scientists think they know why

  2. Stanford scientists turn a cancer driver into a kill switch

  3. 'The wood is alive': Ranger retires after 38 years

Sources

The original report was published by Live Science. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Live Science

Related WorldPing coverage

ScienceDaily
WorldPing
ScienceDaily

Stanford scientists turn a cancer driver into a kill switch

A Stanford-designed molecule turns a major lymphoma-promoting protein against cancer cells, activating their own self-destruct machinery instead of simply blocking tumor growth.

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by ScienceDaily