Aging | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/aging/RSS feed for AgingenTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000This Tiny Sardinian Village Might Be a New 'Blue Zone'—and Could Hold the Secrets to Female Longevityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/In Bolotana, a town on the Italian island with about 2,300 residents, women who reach the age of 70 are about three times as likely to live to 100 than women in the United States, according to a new studyTue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-sardinian-village-might-be-a-new-blue-zone-and-could-hold-the-secrets-to-female-longevity-180989660/Scientists Took a Cheek Swab From the World's Oldest Tortoise. His DNA Could Reveal Hints to Longevityhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-took-a-cheek-swab-from-the-worlds-oldest-tortoise-his-dna-could-reveal-hints-to-longevity-180989663/Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is about 194 years old and the oldest land animal alive today. Discoveries about his genetics could provide clues to extending lifespan in humansFri, 09 Oct 2026 17:28:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-took-a-cheek-swab-from-the-worlds-oldest-tortoise-his-dna-could-reveal-hints-to-longevity-180989663/MRI Scans Might Reveal Signs of Alzheimer's Disease Seven Years Before a Telltale Marker Appears in the Brainhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mri-scans-might-reveal-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-seven-years-before-a-telltale-marker-appears-in-the-brain-180989570/Not all researchers are convinced that the brain changes detected via MRI are robust enough to become a diagnostic tool. But the findings could help researchers better understand the mechanisms that drive the neurodegenerative diseaseTue, 29 Sep 2026 20:33:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mri-scans-might-reveal-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-seven-years-before-a-telltale-marker-appears-in-the-brain-180989570/The Brain Shrinks as We Age and During Major Transitions. But Surprisingly, It Seems to Take a Break From Rewiring During Menopausehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brain-shrinks-as-we-age-and-during-major-transitions-but-surprisingly-it-seems-to-take-a-break-from-rewiring-during-menopause-180989527/Puberty, pregnancy and menopause are the three major hormonal transitions for the female brain. Researchers already knew that during the first two, the organ fine-tunes itself in response to hormonal shifts, but they haven't been sure about the thirdMon, 21 Sep 2026 18:51:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-brain-shrinks-as-we-age-and-during-major-transitions-but-surprisingly-it-seems-to-take-a-break-from-rewiring-during-menopause-180989527/Some Fish in the Great Lakes Might Be More Than 400 Years Old, a Study Suggests, Outliving Around 15 Generations of Humanshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/some-fish-in-the-great-lakes-might-be-more-than-400-years-old-a-study-suggests-outliving-around-15-generations-of-humans-180989500/Lake sturgeon may be among the longest-living vertebrates, second only to Greenland sharks, according to recent research. However, scientists note that follow-up work is necessary to clarify the species’ life spanWed, 16 Sep 2026 13:43:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/some-fish-in-the-great-lakes-might-be-more-than-400-years-old-a-study-suggests-outliving-around-15-generations-of-humans-180989500/GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Can Slow Aging and Extend Life Span, Mouse Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/Older female mice—equivalent in age to 60-year-old women—given daily injections of the active ingredient in Ozempic lived about 12 percent longer than animals that didn't receive the drugFri, 04 Sep 2026 15:16:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/GLP-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-slow-aging-and-extend-lifespan-mouse-study-suggests-180989452/World War II Sugar Rationing Data Hints That Limiting Intake of the Sweet Stuff Early in Life Lowers the Risk of Dementia and Cancerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/For roughly a decade leading up to September 1953, the United Kingdom limited sugar purchases. Scientists studied health outcomes in people born during the ration and right afterWed, 02 Sep 2026 15:48:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-ii-sugar-rationing-data-hints-that-limiting-intake-of-the-sweet-stuff-early-in-life-lowers-the-risk-of-dementia-and-cancer-180989431/This 91-Year-Old Man Fell 71 Times While Hiking the Appalachian Trail. He Just Became the Oldest Person to Complete the 2,190-Mile Trekhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-91-year-old-man-fell-71-times-while-hiking-appalachian-trail-he-just-became-oldest-person-complete-2190-mile-trek-180989428/Dale Sanders finished the hike in just under a year. Nicknamed "Grey Beard," he's no stranger to age-defying feats of enduranceTue, 01 Sep 2026 18:24:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-91-year-old-man-fell-71-times-while-hiking-appalachian-trail-he-just-became-oldest-person-complete-2190-mile-trek-180989428/Avoiding These Three Vascular Health Risk Factors in Midlife Can Help You Delay Dementia for About 13 Years, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoiding-these-three-vascular-health-risk-factors-in-midlife-can-help-you-delay-dementia-for-about-13-years-study-suggests-180989354/High blood pressure, diabetes and smoking are three major modifiable risk factors of dementia. New research tracked more than 12,000 participants to quantify how many years of healthy cognitive function you can gain by evading some or all of them during middle ageTue, 18 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/avoiding-these-three-vascular-health-risk-factors-in-midlife-can-help-you-delay-dementia-for-about-13-years-study-suggests-180989354/