Science Times: Will we ever understand dementia?
Plus: The first nuclear clocks begin to tick
Science Times
October 13, 2026
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Prisma Archivo/Alamy

Who Were the Vikings? 21 Graves Weave a Tale of Hunters, Nomads and Sorceresses.

“The Sea-King and the Sorceress” examines the lives and deaths of the diverse people who called themselves Vikings.

By Franz Lidz

An illustration features a person lying down as dollar bills and leaves fall around him.

Simon Bailly

How to Cash In on Autumn’s Fallen Leaves

To homeowners, fallen leaves look like work. To nature, they’re an investment, with tremendous value on the secondary market as invertebrate real estate.

By Alan Burdick

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Vivian Dehning; photographs by Annie Flanagan for The New York Times

For Two Sisters, a ‘Biological Age Test’ Became a Ledger of Their Past

They thought it might explain why their health had diverged. Instead, it stirred up feelings that weren’t so easily quantified.

By Emily Baumgaertner Nunn and Annie Flanagan

A person working on an extremely complex piece of scientific machinery with a pinkish light emanating from one portion of its gleaming components.

TU Thorsten Schumm/TU Wien

In Vienna and Beijing, the First Nuclear Clocks Begin to Tick

By measuring the squishing and unsquishing of thorium-229 nuclei, two teams created a new type of clock that could someday beat the precision of atomic clocks.

By Dan Garisto

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Two women in colorful garments roast plantains on the ground in a village.

Michael Gurven

Was the Human Gut Healthier in Ancient Times?

The microbiome isn’t what it used to be in many parts of the world. The shift may be affecting the well-being of people in industrialized countries.

By Carl Zimmer

Two biomedical researchers in a lab setting in protective gear working with shiny, complex equipment.

Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg

Cancer Vaccines Are the N.I.H.’s Next ‘Big Bet’

New details have emerged about an initiative that starts in December to fast-track the vaccines, similar to the successful push for the Covid-19 vaccine.

By Gina Kolata

A patient wearing a cap with several electrodes attached as a technician uses a syringe to administer a conductive gel to enhance the connection between the electrode's and the patient's scalp.

Francesca Jones for The New York Times

U.N. Warns Against Technology Used to Read Citizens’ Minds

A report by the secretary general warned that new technologies could be used to access and criminalize people’s innermost thoughts.

By Jonathan Moens

CLIMATE CHANGE

An overhead view of wooden artifacts on a white background. Each has a small adjacent label reading “Fer 26” with a number.

A 2,500-Year-Old Ski? The Melting Alps Release Ancient Secrets.

Archaeologists are scouring mountain passes as artifacts from a bygone world all but tumble out of Switzerland’s shrinking ice.

By Raymond Zhong, Giacomo d’Orlando and Mira Rojanasakul

A nuclear power plant sits on the edge of a body of water.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

A New Trend in Nuclear Energy: Squeezing More Power Out of Old Plants

It takes a long time to build new nuclear plants. So, some U.S. companies are looking to get more electricity out of reactors that already exist.

By Brad Plumer and Rebecca F. Elliott

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HEALTH

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Eiko Ojala

It’s the Most Common Cancer in Women. How Much Do You Know About It?

Test your knowledge of breast cancer with our quiz.

By Nina Agrawal

A close-up view of a dose of ketamine being prepared by a doctor.

Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times

Why Ketamine Immobilizes Some Users

Potent powders can produce a nearly catatonic state, particularly in those who have not tried the drug before.

By Andrew Jacobs

A view over the shoulder of a person seated at a wooden dining room table and using a laptop to query a chatbot.

Kaoly Gutierrez for The New York Times

Clinical Trial Indicates A.I. Chatbots Could Aid Urgent Care

Nearly 100 patients discussed their maladies with a Google bot, called AMIE, before meeting with physicians.

By Cade Metz

A hand leans down to grab a 10 lb hand weight up from a wooden floor.

Sasha Arutyunova for The New York Times

Why Weight Lifting Is Good for Your Heart

Strength training isn’t just for muscle and bone health — it’s also surprisingly good cardio.

By Hilary Achauer

Kennedy Plans Federal Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts

Vaccine safety experts say more research into the side effects would be welcome yet question whether the health secretary’s effort will be grounded in science.

By Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Millions Lose Private Medicare Plans and Face Rising Costs

As enrollment for Medicare Advantage begins this month, older Americans are confronting fewer options because insurers are discontinuing coverage in many areas.

By Christopher Rowland and Reed Abelson

C.D.C. Offers States $100 Million in Measles Support as Cases Climb

States said the cash infusion will help bolster efforts to increase vaccinations and identify cases.

By Apoorva Mandavilli and Dani Blum

A blue and white sign reading "CDC" is seen outside the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against a blue sky.

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