How tuatara live so long and can withstand cool weather

Scientists have finally deciphered the rare reptile's genome, or genetic instruction book

tuatara

The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), a reptile whose ancestry stretches back to before the dinosaurs, is more closely related to snakes and lizards than to turtles and crocodiles, suggests the first-ever in-depth genetic analysis.

Sid Mosdell/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

A tuatara may look like your average lizard, but it’s not.