Jonathan, a Seychelles tortoise, was 5 years old when Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1838. Now 190 years old, this bisexual male is living happy days on the island of Saint Helena. “He often hangs out with his congeners Fred, Emma and David, and even mates regularly with the first two”, laughs the British daily the The Times.
This ability to stay in shape without really aging would be specific to shelled reptiles, according to two unpublished studies published in the journal Science, June 23. Some turtle species seem able to combat senescence, which is the process of cell weakening over time.
This quality is for the moment not transferable to humans, immediately specifies Fernando Colchero, of the University of Southern Denmark. “We will never be immortal […]. What we