Nature, Published online: 19 October 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-03339-xResearchers have found a link between a scientist’s experience and and whether their ideas have a lasting influence.
Is it difficult for scientists to conduct innovative research as they age? Research results have emerged that offer a new perspective on the conventional wisdom that young scientists are better at overturning existing theories while their innovativeness declines with experience. The findings suggest that while innovations that overturn existing knowledge may decrease with longer research careers, the impact of such achievements on the academic c…