Aging | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/aging/RSS feed for AgingenTue, 18 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000Avoiding 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/For the First Time, an mRNA Flu Shot Will Be Available to Some People in the United States. Here's What You Should Knowhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-an-mrna-flu-shot-will-be-available-to-some-people-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-should-know-180989305/The Food and Drug Administration just approved the new type of flu vaccine for adults ages 50 and older. It relies on the same technology as many Covid-19 jabs. However, it’s unclear whether insurance companies will pay for the novel flu shotTue, 11 Aug 2026 15:41:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/for-the-first-time-an-mrna-flu-shot-will-be-available-to-some-people-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-should-know-180989305/Experimental Alzheimer's Drug That Fights a Tough-to-Target Protein Shows Promise at Slowing Cognitive Decline in a Clinical Trialhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experimental-alzheimers-drug-that-fights-a-tough-to-target-protein-shows-promise-at-slowing-cognitive-decline-in-a-clinical-trial-180989177/Recently FDA-approved treatments work to clear clumps of the protein amyloid beta in the brain. A drug that instead goes after tangles of the protein tau can yield similar cognitive outcomes, a new study suggestsThu, 23 Jul 2026 19:32:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experimental-alzheimers-drug-that-fights-a-tough-to-target-protein-shows-promise-at-slowing-cognitive-decline-in-a-clinical-trial-180989177/