2022
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2022 Magazine articles
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Going to extremes to study stars from EarthKavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)Far from the white sandy beaches and palm trees of Honolulu, Hawaii, astronomers from around the world travel to the top of a volcano that looks like a plateau on Mars. Naoyuki Tamura, a project associate professor at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, has been making that same journey to the top of Maunakea to supervise the construction of a new instrument for the Subaru Telescope. |
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Ten years of ELSI: Earth, life and a new research culture in JapanEarth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of TechnologyUnlike most traditional Japanese universities, the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology has created a ‘flat’ and diverse research environment. On its ten-year anniversary, Outgoing Director Kei Hirose shares what is special about the institute and the secret behind its successful management. |
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The dawn of evolution: ELSI's quest for extra-terrestrial lifeEarth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of TechnologyThe Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) based at Tokyo Institute of Technology will reach a turning point this year. For the first time in its 10-year history, it will extend the scope of its initial research theme, "The Origins and Evolution of the Earth and Life", to include searching for evidence of extra-terrestrial life. ELSI’s new director, Yasuhito Sekine, told Asia Research News what they hope to achieve in the next phase and how. |
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COVID-19: Changing how researchers do mathematicsKavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)Mathematician Yukari Ito was excited at first to work from home. There was no need to commute to her office at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, where she is professor, and she could attend seminars by mathematicians around the world from her living room. But there are also challenges, so she hopes some things will go back to the way they used to be. |
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Atmospheric link between Northern wildfires and heatwavesHokkaido UniversityA recent summertime climate pattern could be driving co-occurring European heatwaves and large-scale wildfires over Siberia, Canada and Alaska. |
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The evolutionary history of puddle frogsUniversiti Malaysia SarawakA study on puddle frogs suggests underestimated biodiversity in Southeast Asia. |
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Cancer: Going back to the beginningsHokkaido UniversityA soft hydrogel could help scientists find treatments for drug-resistant cancer stem cells. |
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Myanmar: The unremitting perseverance of researchersInternational Development Research Centre (IDRC)Myanmar’s military coup has created new challenges for the country’s researchers. |
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Au naturel approaches for healthcare and biodiesel productionUniversiti Malaysia SarawakResearchers in Malaysia are using the chemistry of natural products for sustainable health and energy solutions. |
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Understanding the low nitrogen bloomHokkaido UniversityScientists from Hokkaido University and colleagues have identified a pathway that accelerates plant flowering in low-nitrogen soils — a finding that could help enhance agricultural production. |
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ELSI graduate course tackles fundamental questions of lifeEarth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of TechnologyThe Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Tokyo launches a new integrated graduate course exploring the origin and evolution of life and planets. |
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Placing science outreach centre-stage in JapanEarth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of TechnologyA team at Japan’s Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) is conducting evidence-based outreach to demonstrate why science communication training is so important, with an aim of encouraging other higher education and research institutions to follow its lead. |
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Dye-based device sees the invisibleNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Devices that can see shortwave infrared light, which is invisible to the naked eye, could soon become cheaper and more accessible to a broader consumer base. |
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Size matters: Surgical imaging receives nanoparticle enhancementNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)A nanoparticle’s size is fine-tuned to offer high-resolution images before and during surgical procedures. |
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Absorbing Impact: Inside the Head of a WoodpeckerUniversiti Malaysia SarawakInspired by the woodpecker’s ability to strike trees with its beak rapidly and repeatedly without injury, engineers in Malaysia have used computer simulations to find ways to improve the design of composite beams used in impact-prone structures. |
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Sign language for allThe Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)Computer game uses a camera and AI-based movement recognition to teach sign language to a broader public. |
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Floating sensors to gather ocean dataInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS)Device designers at the University of Tokyo are developing cheap and accessible ways to monitor and explore the sea. |
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Spinning electricity under the skyNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)A magnetic hybrid system generates electricity day and night with radiative cooling and solar heating. |
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Mind the gap: Bone defects get new fillingNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)A novel biomaterial promotes bone tissue regrowth, showing promise for surgical procedures. |
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Improving machine learning for materials designNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)A quick, cost-effective approach improves the accuracy with which machine learning models can predict the properties of new materials. |
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Stimulating blood vessel formation with magnetsNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)A magnetic field could boost blood vessel growth to regenerate damaged tissue.
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Better memristors for brain-like computingNational Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)Neurone-like junctions made of mixed oxide-based materials could reduce the massive energy consumption of artificial intelligence operations. |
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Giving liquid flow a guiding handCity University of Hong Kong (CityU)A surprising tree-inspired discovery is helping scientists design surfaces that encourage different liquids to move in varying directions. |
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Lessons from the deadCity University of Hong Kong (CityU)Whale and dolphin post-mortem imaging could breathe new life into marine conservation. |
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A helping hand for working robotsDaegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)A reimagined robot hand combines strength with flexibility and resilience, sidestepping problems with existing designs. |
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Asia's race to outsmart antimicrobial resistanceAsia Research NewsAsia Research News surveyed institutions in Asia to learn about their latest contributions to antimicrobial resistance research. |
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Antimicrobial resistance: The silent pandemicAsia Research NewsThe Asian Development Bank partnered with global institutions to examine efforts to curb one of humanity’s most significant global health threats. |
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The global burden of bacterial drug resistanceAsia Research NewsA recent study in The Lancet provides the most comprehensive understanding of this global health problem to-date. |
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Social science missing from Asia's COVID-19 responseInternational Development Research Centre (IDRC)Policy-makers should engage more closely with social scientists to understand the socio-economic, cultural and political contexts behind the behaviours we need to change in response to global crises. |
