Japan

New research uncovers the mechanics behind the skillful movement of the shelled amoeba Arcella.

Findings connect Fusobacterium nucleatum with multiple sclerosis disease severity

Study suggests tooth loss, not low-protein intake, drives memory decline in aging mice, hinting that reduced chewing may influence brain health.

A research team led by Tohoku University revealed the details of a calcium-driven mechanism that could provide insight into how to prevent Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that common arguments used to encourage COVID-19 vaccination increase compliance but also intensify negative attitudes toward people with opposing views. The study highlights the need for public health communication strategies that promote vaccination while reducing social polarization.

Professor Keisuke Fujii, a leading researcher in quantum science at The University of Osaka, has been named among the Quantum 100, a major global initiative celebrating the centennial of the development of quantum mechanics in 2025, proclaimed by the United Nations and led by UNESCO.

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University developed models that classify X-ray images into specific body regions and simultaneously determine the imaging method and image orientation. Using these models, they successfully classified almost all data for use in deep-learning models.

Carbon-based batteries could become safer, more durable, and more powerful by following this new method that fundamentally redesigns how fullerene molecules are connected.

Netrin-1 blocks HBV entry by inhibiting viral attachment and internalization, offering a new therapeutic avenue for chronic hepatitis B.

Problem-solving approach created for better healthcare delivery and nursing skills

A research team at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) and the Faculty of Medicine at Kanazawa University has developed a new class of engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) capable of inducing antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs), the immune cells that play a central role in suppressing excessive immune responses. The findings, now published in Drug Delivery, may pave the way for next-generation therapies for autoimmune and allergic diseases, where unwanted immune activation must be precisely controlled.

Why are gourmets seemingly able to detect subtle nuances in taste that others miss? Researchers at Tohoku University have uncovered part of the answer by demonstrating that taste sensitivity can be enhanced through learning.

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo develop an artificial intelligence framework for designing new inorganic materials with humanlike reasoning

A joint team from UOsaka has uncovered the core principles of the loss maximization in rotor-driven gas-liquid two-phase flows. Performing numerical simulations on the supercomputer "SQUID", they identified the causes as direct collisions between the rotor and the liquid surface and pressure imbalances around the rotor. The findings suggest that, in a resonant state, the enhanced fluid motion is drawn toward the front of the rotor, and the flow instability is intensified behind it. The insights from this research would open the possibility of improving energy efficiency, enhancing reliability and lifespan, and providing new design guidelines for various industrial applications.

A new regional assessment shows that Southeast Asia is a major net source of greenhouse gases, with land-use change and rising fossil fuel use overwhelming natural carbon sinks, reservoirs that store carbon-containing chemical compounds for a long period.

First visible ‘time crystal’ developed by WPI-SKCM² members, advancing the institute’s goal to engineer novel forms of matter

In a new Nature Physics study, researchers created particle-like so-called “vortex knots” inside chiral nematic liquid crystals, a twisted fluid similar to those used in LCD screens. For the first time, these knots are stable and could be reversibly switched between different knotted forms, using electric pulses to fuse and split them.

Mutated baker’s yeast at the forefront of alternative 2,3-butanediol production methods

Researchers at Tohoku University found the key to taming electrochemical reactions so they don’t produce rogue byproducts instead of valuable fuels.

Researchers create a stem cell medium for canine stem cells that doesn’t contain any human components

Over 10 years of monitoring

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. This research shows how exposing a single active site has huge implications for producing green energy.

Probabilistic computers can solve certain problems more efficiently than traditional computers, but are usually saddled with a power-hungry, bulky, analog component. That is, until a research team developed a fully digital p-bit design.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a novel reverse genetics system to study norovirus, the leading cause of gastroenteritis. This efficient system can generate infectious viral particles by simply injecting viral genetic material into zebrafish embryos. They were able to alter the genetic material to create modified viruses, enabling the evaluation of antiviral drugs and novel vaccine development. The advances provided by this new system will have a significant effect on public health.

A scientist has solved the conundrum of why robots struggle to pick tomatoes

Listening to the "whispers" of electrons and crystals has lead to a quantum discovery with terahertz light that could help us advance technological innovations and life science research.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found migration of glucose and fructose from the blood to saliva drives oral microbiome dysbiosis in patients with type 2 diabetes, increasing the development of dental caries. This suggests that glycemic control could be an effective strategy for controlling dental caries in this population.

Underlying cause of illness at high altitudes examined at the summit of Mt. Fuji

Elastic fiber component level in human hepatic stellate cells may predict liver damage

Rechargeable batteries get a supercharged boost from newly developed RAMOFs that don’t break down in water, which was previously a major problem for this material.