Press releases

Molecules containing both electron donors and acceptors have been functionalized with tails that control their arrangement in a liquid-crystal photovoltaic device

A method for single-cell genomic profiling has helped researchers to identify a putative ‘master switch’ for reproductive cell development in the mouse embryo

RIKEN scientists have developed a method for trapping and manipulating antimatter that could be key to solving one of the universe’s biggest mysteries.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Microbiology: You are what you eat and pesticide problems

In Nature China this week - The first genomic map of the Chinese ethnic group Uygur uncovers ancestry contributions from Europe and East Asia and more.

"Regional Workshops on the Right to Water and Sanitation in Emergencies." An international scientific event which will be convened in in early 2009 in Amman, Nairobi, Panama, Kinshasa, Bangkok and Geneva.

This report examines the extent of local gaharu trade and how it contributes to the household economy of the harvesters.

Malaysia is one of the major world pepper producer and 95% of its total pepper production comes from Sarawak. Pepper harvests produce a considerable amount of waste and efforts are taken at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak to turn this waste into pellets and have their potentials investigated.

Summaries of newsworthy papers in Nature and Nature research journals also including Combating muscle fatigue Ranking geo-engineering schemes

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease, gradually causing paralysis of the muscles in the hand and leg. The discovery by Koji Yamanaka and colleagues at the Brain Science Institute that the glial cells cause damage to the nerve cells shows great promise in the development of new treatments to prevent the progression of ALS.

New research clarifies how cells rearrange from two-dimensional sheets into three-dimensional structures during embryonic development

Researchers shed light on the molecular mechanism responsible for fluorescent and dark states of a genetically engineered protein

Substrate-induced strain can be used to switch an organic superconductor into an insulator that responds to the application of a voltage

A new algorithm crunches genomic data to predict maps of variable chromosomal regions that may yield valuable indicators of disease susceptibility or drug response

Countries must learn how to make better use of their citizens’ cognitive resources if they are to prosper economically and socially, according to a major new study.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Grow your own prostate, A feathered but flightless dinosaur, Galaxies: Pure and simple, Being Human, Reassessing early photosynthesis, Quantum physics: Moving memories, Mouse brain tumour model highlights causative role for gene duo, Sticky-tape X-rays

Universiti Sains Malaysia will be holding press conferences on 23 October to reveal the latest findings on herbal extracts from pipersarmentosum to counter obesity and on 24 October on the MoU with Indonesia's Universitas Haluoleo on ICT training

In Nature China this week - DNA profiling shows that the workers who built the mausoleum for the first Emperor of China came from many different places and more

Prof. Lorraine Justice, Swire Chair Professor of Design and Director of School of Design of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has been bestowed with the Education Award by the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include Treating Lou Gehrig’s disease with glial stem cells, Excess fatty acid in Alzheimer’s disease, A sweet surprise and Carbon storage by typhoons?

While Westerners do not expect robots to have human emotions, Japanese want them more human-like. Japan has greater number of humanoid robots and precedent researches in robotics than any other nation does. Unlike conventional bipedal humanoid robots such as Honda's ASIMO, Waseda University's WABIAN-2 can walk while keeping its knees straight.

This is a new concept espoused by Waseda University towards becoming a next-generation information society. The foremost goal of the project is the realization of a gigascale system including a 100-million-gate circuit and 1-million-step software as a chip which consumes an ultra-low amount of power.

Assoc. Prof. Iwasaki was part of the team that generated the 24 hour "biological clock" in a test tube. "Biological clocks" are internal, and are said to regulate our sleeping and daily rhythms. The concept first appeared in Germany at the start of the 20th century. He elaborates more on his current research.

Until now, the focus of war experience has been experiences during actual wartime where the bullets were flying. The memories and emotional scars of survivors after the war is a theme that has been slow to surface. On the other hand, the very factuality of war experiences which are talked about has become the focus of discussion.

Two RIKEN researchers, Yasunobu Nakamura and Jaw-Shen Tsai, have jointly won the prestigious 2008 Simon Memorial Prize for their ground-breaking contributions to the development of low-temperature physics, in particular quantum computing.

Ripples in the structure of graphene could be the key to understanding its unusual characteristics

Identification of a novel protein involved in embryonic development leads to new insights into the first stage of neural development

An investigation into the pathway by which bone-remodeling cells differentiate has yielded information about an unexpected, parallel development pathway

A RIKEN-led international research group has puzzled out details of the intricate mechanism by which the immune system in the gut can respond rapidly to changes in its bacterial environment. Eventually, the work could lead to better treatment and control of gut infections and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Following in the footsteps of the United States, Japan seems to gradually challenge lifestyle centers. In spite of the depressed state of the economy, Japan has a considerable number of wealthy people who establish and respect their own life style.