Now, researchers are using the iconic tortoise’s genetic material along with DNA from another long-lived turtle, the Aldabra giant tortoise, to better understand what it takes to live a long life.

Question

Which sentence from later in the text best helps develop the idea expressed in paragraph 2?

By targeting more than 3,000 genes of interest, the researchers could tease out the variations between humans and tortoises.

Lonesome George was a conservation icon, Caccone said, but a conservation icon that can also provide insights into human health and aging.

Thanks to this analysis, the researchers were able to narrow down their original list of 3,000 genes to 43 specific sequences that might have contributed to Lonesome George’s long, disease-free life.

Their long, slow existence “has been key to their survival — from a time of overexploitation to a time of greater enlightenment and conservation,” she wrote in an email.

Answer 1

The sentence that best helps develop the idea expressed in paragraph 2 is:

"Thanks to this analysis, the researchers were able to narrow down their original list of 3,000 genes to 43 specific sequences that might have contributed to Lonesome George’s long, disease-free life."

This sentence provides a specific example of how the researchers' work with the genetic material of tortoises is directly contributing to the understanding of longevity, which aligns with the idea of studying these long-lived creatures to gain insights into what contributes to a long life.