Peer Reviewed

Catalysts play a vital role in the chemical reactions used to produce fertilizers, fuels, pharmaceuticals, and hydrogen, to name a few. AI-driven catalyst discovery is revolutionizing the field of materials science. But AI is only as reliable as the data it learns from. Therefore, researchers from Tohoku University have introduced an AI-powered digital catalysis platform that serves as a one-stop source for experimental data, theoretical calculations, and scientific literature.

Rice grown on the Moon? No, this is not something out of science fiction, but a future possibility thanks to a plasma technology developed by Tohoku University and JAXA. The plasma technology synthesizes gas from atmospheric air and turns it into a nitrogen-based fertilizer. Researchers also tested the fertilizer on rice seedlings planted in a lunar soil simulant, finding that the fertilizer released critical minerals from the Moon's soil while suppressing harmful ones. The technology is portable and energy-efficient, meaning it can even be used here on Earth for a more sustainable form of rice farming.

A research team from National Taiwan University and University of Oslo analyzed data on more than 1.3 million children across two countries, finding that an earlier European safety signal weakens to non-significance once underlying disease and other confounders are accounted for.

The resilience of grassland ecosystems is dependent more on which species are lost and in what order, rather than the total number of species lost

A groundbreaking study reveals how fine particulate matter (PM2.5) fuels bladder cancer malignancy by triggering Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) via the ERK/WNT/beta-catenin pathways. These findings provide critical evidence of air pollution's destructive molecular reach far beyond the respiratory system, promoting tumor metastasis.

• Duke-NUS study finds the Nutri-Grade initiative, comprising labels that indicate how healthy drinks are, to be effective at creating behavioural change. • The study shows that households reduced purchases of sugar from pre-packaged beverages by 18%, while purchases of less healthy beverages dropped by 44 per cent. • In response, manufacturers reformulated their drinks and lowered sugar content by 21 per cent.

Researchers from the University of Osaka have demonstrated that mitochondrial hyperfusion, when induced by low levels of DRP1 or cellular stress, activates an immune response through the RIG-I–MAVS pathway. Dependent on the involvement of the BAX protein, the release of mitochondrial RNA into the cytosol enhanced natural killer cell cytotoxicity and reduced tumor growth in a xenograft model. The findings provide new possibilities for cancer research and treatment.

Each unit of cost invested in Helicobacter pylori screening can generate approximately a five-fold return in gastric cancer prevention benefits.

Location Optimization Plan associated with higher caseloads in small municipalities

Study suggests PM2.5 source apportionment may be significantly biased

Hiroshima University researchers use the previous 20 years of data to project what the currently implemented treatment and management strategy does for the HBV and HCV cases in 2050.

A new electrochemical system simultaneously converts plant-derived materials and nitrate pollutants into valuable industrial chemicals. Developed by Tohoku University researchers, the system provides a more sustainable way to manufacture chemicals while helping address wastewater pollution.

Hydrogen can store renewable energy, but then what stores the hydrogen? A new AI-powered, logic-based method provides probable materials for the job – and explains the reasoning behind its decision.

Researchers at the University of Osaka found that direct survey questions may overstate negative attitudes toward the news media in Japan. In two web-based randomized experiments, 45.1% of respondents agreed that “the mass media are harmful to society” when asked directly, compared with an indirect estimate of 29.7% from a list experiment. The findings suggest that, where media criticism is easy to express, direct questions may inflate anti-media sentiment.

New experimental evidence demonstrates that discrete space-time crystals can be realized in classical soft-matter systems, thereby moving beyond the traditional complexities of quantum mechanics.

The art of Japanese flower arrangement, known as Ikebana, is not only pleasing to the eye but pleasing to the mind. Studies have shown that it promotes creativity and mindfulness. However, ikebana is not a hobby for the faint-hearted. It takes many hours of apprenticeship with an experienced instructor. With instructor numbers on the decline as well, the mental benefits of ikebana seem more inaccessible than ever. However, a research group has developed a new augmented reality system called HanaARange that provides visual guidance whilst students practice on physical flowers.

Researchers in Taiwan have developed a cell-free extracellular matrix material from axolotl skin that helped mouse burn wounds close faster and showed signs of reduced fibrotic scarring. The findings suggest that one of nature’s most remarkable regenerators may inspire future strategies for burns, chronic wounds, and surgical injuries, but the approach is not yet a treatment for human wounds.

Janus 2D materials, named after the two-faced Roman god, boast bottom surfaces composing two different elements. This asymmetry gives them unique properties, and Janus two-dimensional semiconductors are becoming more common. While scientists have long known how to produce Janus 2D materials, they have yet to grasp the underlying physics behind the process. Now, researchers from Tohoku University have solved the mystery.

Researchers have developed an AI system that automatically figures out where an inspection photo was taken inside a building by matching it to the building's digital model, with no GPS or manual tagging required. The system achieved under two meters of location error and dramatically outperformed existing AI approaches.

Researchers have identified “DNA switches” that become active as honeybee larvae grow into worker bees, offering new insight into the development of these important pollinators and the ecosystems they support.

Nearly eight in 10 adults in Singapore living with anxiety or depression have not sought professional help. Yet, most are open to peer support, highlighting the potential of community-based mental health intervention.

A Hiroshima University-led study conducted with Rakuten Securities finds that practical digital skills, positive financial attitudes, and self-protection are more consistently associated with lower old-age anxiety than traditional financial knowledge alone.

A research team led by City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), in collaboration with the University of Zurich, has uncovered the first comprehensive map of how the anti‑ageing protein Klotho operates in distinct regions of the kidney, resolving long‑standing scientific uncertainties about its physiological roles.

Researchers find that neurons routinely sustain DNA breaks during cortex formation, but a rapid repair system corrects the damage before harm occurs.

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, carry out computer experiments to track how water nanodroplets wet surfaces

An international research team has discovered a method to precisely synthesize extremely small Iridium Nanoclusters that outperform conventional, commercially available iridium catalysts by 1.5 times in mass activity. This breakthrough could result in improved production of green hydrogen.

Using the color of light to strengthen or weaken an artificial synapse's memory

Kanazawa University-led researchers developed a one-step recycling method that recovers toxic lead (Pb) and valuable metals including gold (Au) and indium (In) from flexible perovskite solar cells, supporting sustainable solar energy technologies.

Cells have surface receptors that couple to proteins and other molecules to initiate or inhibit certain behaviors. Researchers have found that one of these receptors helps set developing cells on the path to becoming neurons much earlier than previously thought.

Researchers from National Taiwan University (NTU) and National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) have identified a promising way to reinvigorate the body's cancer-fighting immune cells by rewiring their metabolism, revealing a potential new strategy for cancer immunotherapy.