fatduck writes:
"This just in: turtles, left to their own devices, may live forever. Turtles are unique in the animal kingdom for their ability to stop aging altogether. A turtle's organs do not gradually break down over time, nor do they become less efficient. In fact, a 100-year old turtle's organs are virtually indistinguishable from a teenager's. In addition, a turtle's heart does not require constant neural stimulation to beat, and can be shut off for periods of time at will. Scientists are now looking at the turtle genome for potential longevity genes.
FTA:
"Turtles don't really die of old age," Dr. Raxworthy said. In fact, if turtles didn't get eaten, crushed by an automobile or fall prey to a disease, he said, they might just live indefinitely.
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