Editing Openai/6924402f-3b58-8006-a1bd-56b1245e20a2 (section)

=== Assistant: Good question. ===
Good question. I couldn’t find any very recent (2024–2025) peer-reviewed journal articles specifically about Jonathan himself (i.e., that single tortoise on Saint Helena). Most of the scientific work is on his species (or very close relatives). Here’s a summary of relevant recent / recent-ish science, plus some notes on what isn’t being done:

==== 1. Chromosome-level Genome Assembly - A high-quality, chromosome-level genome has been published for the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea). OUP Academic<ref>{{cite web|title=OUP Academic|url=https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/gigascience/giac090/6756429|publisher=OUP Academic|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - This genome (2.37 Gbp, resolved into 26 chromosomes) enables studies into genetic health, diversity, and also the genetic basis of traits like longevity. OUP Academic<ref>{{cite web|title=OUP Academic|url=https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/gigascience/giac090/6756429|publisher=OUP Academic|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - The paper explicitly states that having this genome “will inform comparative genomics studies focused on the genetic underpinnings of aging and gigantism.” OUP Academic<ref>{{cite web|title=OUP Academic|url=https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/gigascience/giac090/6756429|publisher=OUP Academic|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> ====
# Cancer Resistance in Turtles - A 2025 study (led by researchers at University of Nottingham / Birmingham) found that cancer is very rare in turtles, including large, long-lived species. University of Birmingham<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Birmingham|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/cancer-is-extremely-rare-in-turtles-offering-hope-for-future-human-prevention|publisher=University of Birmingham|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - They suggest this low cancer rate could be due to: good defences against cell damage, slow metabolism, and “unique genes that protect against cancer.” University of Birmingham<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Birmingham|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/cancer-is-extremely-rare-in-turtles-offering-hope-for-future-human-prevention|publisher=University of Birmingham|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - This is very relevant to tortoises like Jonathan because it helps explain how such a long-lived animal might avoid cancer even with so many cells and many years.
# Conservation & Reproduction - In 2025, scientists at the University of Sheffield successfully hatched Aldabra giant tortoise eggs using artificial incubation. University of Sheffield<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Sheffield|url=https://sheffield.ac.uk/news/successful-hatching-endangered-giant-tortoises-artificial-incubation|publisher=University of Sheffield|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - Their research found that many undeveloped eggs were actually fertilised — but the embryos died early, suggesting environmental factors (not infertility) are a major issue in wild egg failure. University of Sheffield<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Sheffield|url=https://sheffield.ac.uk/news/successful-hatching-endangered-giant-tortoises-artificial-incubation|publisher=University of Sheffield|access-date=2025-11-25}}</ref> - This has big implications for conservation: by understanding what’s going wrong in the wild, they can improve hatching success.

==== - No Jonathan-specific genomics: There’s no publicly available genome-sequencing (or similar) research that is just on Jonathan. He hasn’t (as far as I could find) been the subject of a dedicated genetic study in a peer-reviewed journal — likely because individual wild / long-lived captive tortoises are harder to sample without invasive work. ====
* Limited health / physiology longitudinal studies: While there’s research on how tortoises age, how their cancer resistance works, and species-level genetics, I didn’t find recent papers tracking Jonathan’s individual health markers (e.g. bloodwork over decades), at least in the peer-reviewed literature.
* Ecology studies: Many ecological studies focus on wild populations (e.g., on Aldabra), but not on tortoises living on Saint Helena like Jonathan, so ecological insights might not apply directly to his particular environment.

===== - There is strong and recent scientific research on Aldabra giant tortoises, which is highly relevant to Jonathan (since he’s the same species), especially in genomics, cancer resistance, and conservation. =====
* However, Jonathan himself hasn’t been the subject of a new peer-reviewed genetic or physiological study (in the latest 2024–2025 literature) that is publicly documented.

If you like, I can dig into older but still very relevant scientific literature (e.g. from 2010–2023) that discusses tortoise longevity, aging mechanisms, and more — do you want me to do that?