Scientists look to 194-year-old tortoise for clues about healthy aging

The key to this mystery is Jonathan, a giant tortoise believed to be 194 years old who lives on a tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Zoom in: Vanderbilt Health scientists helped sequence DNA from inside Jonathan's cheek. They found signs that some of the controls on how his cells produce energy were unusually orderly. Energy production can become less reliable as organisms age.

• In a study published Wednesday, they suggest it could be possible to protect cell energy production and help people extend their healthy lifespans.

Reality check: It will take a long time to determine if that is possible.

• Stephen Clark, a neuro-oncologist and former Vanderbilt University faculty member who led the study into Jonathan's DNA, leads a Nashville-based nonprofit that hopes to fund more longevity research moving forward.
• Part of that work, he said, could include testing generic drugs that have shown promise in animal studies.

What he's saying: "We want to do clinical trials that no drug company wants to do," Clark said in a statement from Vanderbilt. With sufficient funding, he said, "we could start next year."