Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied the relationship between numerical information in our vision, and how it affects our perception of space. Volunteers were asked to identify the center of lines and squares filled with numbers; how far they were from the true center revealed unexpected biases. Crucially, their work with squares showed how our perception of space is a complex interplay between “object-based” processing and our processing of numerical information.

The Society of Inorganic Materials, Japan (SIMJ) has announced a prestigious international book initiative entitled “Sustainable Materials for a Better Environment: Advances in Gypsum, Lime, Cement, and Other Inorganic Materials” to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its founding. The initiative was officially announced at the Board of Directors’ executive meeting held on November 26^th, 2025. The project aims to bring together leading researchers and experts from Japan and around the world within industry and academia to showcase recent advancements in environmentally responsible inorganic materials.

New research from Fujita Health University reveals that talking can subtly delay the eyes’ ability to detect and stabilize on visual information. In experiments comparing talking, listening, and control conditions, only talking caused slower reaction, movement, and fixation times during rapid eye-movement tasks. Because driving depends heavily on fast gaze shifts, these delays may impair hazard detection and slow physical responses. The findings highlight the hidden risks of engaging in conversation while driving.

The Oxoate Ceramics Research Association of the Ceramic Society of Japan has announced the launch of a major international edited book project, Functional Oxoate Ceramics and Glasses: Current Progress and Future Perspectives, to be published by Jenny Stanford Publishing. Officially unveiled at the 38th Fall Meeting at Gunma University, the volume brings together leading researchers from Japan and abroad to present the latest advances in functional oxoate ceramics and glass science.

Building on global momentum following the United Nations’ 2022 International Year of Glass, the book integrates fundamental science, emerging technologies, and future perspectives with a strong focus on sustainability. Topics span interdisciplinary applications including next-generation energy storage, thin-film glass technologies for electronic devices, biomaterials such as β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics, and durable glass materials for nuclear waste management. Edited by Professor Toshinori Okura of Kogakuin University and Santosh Miryala, the volume aims to serve as a comprehensive reference for researchers, engineers, and graduate students worldwide.

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.