Some creatures can outlive humans by centuries. Readers will learn about these extreme examples of longevity in the animal kingdom, how aging happens, and what genes help animals to live so long.

Introduction : The whale that got away -- Slow, cold, and old : Bowhead whales -- Arctic ancients : Greenland sharks -- Near immortals : Hydra and Turritopsis -- Aged colonies : Glass sponges and stromatolites -- Reptile relics : Tuatara -- Persistent plants : King clone and Pando -- Inside DNA : searching for longevity genes.