The world’s oldest tortoise, Jonathan, is alive and well, despite a viral cryptocurrency scam that claimed the animal had died. An account on X/Twitter, JoeHollinsVet, impersonated the real-life caretaker for the tortoise, Jonathan Hollins, writing: “At an estimated 193+ years old, this gentle giant outlived empires, wars, and generations of humans.” The same account also had a verified blue checkmark, which anyone can easily buy, making it harder for users to tell which accounts are legit. The tweet was enough to dupe the BBC into writing an article, amplifying the claim that Jonathan had died. Wikipedia also updated its entry on the tortoise. But the claim was quickly debunked as officials on the island of Saint Helena, where the tortoise lives, reported that Jonathan was still kicking. The island’s government even published a statement, stating “the world’s oldest living land animal is very much alive and well.” The account JoeHollinsVet has since admitted they were merely pull...