Slow Aging Has Many Stories

Some species age slowly, but “negligible senescence” does not mean immortality. Studies of certain turtles and tortoises have found slow or negligible increases in mortality risk with age, especially under managed conditions. Red sea urchins and ocean quahog clams (*Arctica islandica*) are also known for long lives; one clam lived at least 507 years. Great Basin bristlecone pines can exceed 5,000 years, but they are plants, not animals. Findings vary by species and population. The illustration is AI-generated.