Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool, but it lacks data on how isotopes from natural materials affect results. To bridge this gap, a researcher from Kyushu University studied how oxygen isotopes affect the results of Raman spectroscopy on forsterite. They found that higher oxygen isotopes result in lower wavenumbers; where the isotopes are located can cause peak splitting and new vibrational modes; and peak broadening due to a decrease in symmetry of the material.

Rhodoliths may look like small rocks on the seafloor, but they're actually living algae that create habitats for marine life and contribute to long-term carbon storage.  A new study found that the deeper ‘low-light’ waters off Japan's Tanegashima Island harbor a surprisingly distinct and diverse community of these ‘living pink rocks,’ including four species completely new to science. Researchers identified at least 12 species in a small patch of seafloor 35–38 meters deep, but only three were also found in nearby shallow waters, suggesting the deeper habitat is not simply a continuation of the one near the surface.

A common concern for accepting immigrants is their effect on the host country’s welfare system. In a redistributive welfare system, where immigrants participate in the healthcare system, natives are inclined towards accepting high-income immigrants. A new study explores this question through a novel survey experiment, establishing a causal link between the perception of immigrants’ participation in the healthcare system and preferences towards different types of immigrants.

What gives certain flowers their striking, glossy appearance? Researchers investigating the hardy ice plant uncovered a fascinating optical mystery hidden within the flower’s microscopic surface. By combining advanced imaging techniques with biomimetic material design, the study explores how nature manipulates light in unexpected ways. The findings not only deepen our understanding of plant optics but also open new possibilities for designing innovative reflective materials inspired by nature.

A new study from Shinshu University, Japan, proposes that underground methane released after the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake may have contributed to the devastating Wajima fire nearly an hour after the mainshock. The research introduces the “delayed seismic champagne effect,” a newly proposed geohazard mechanism in which earthquake shaking triggers gas bubble formation, migration, and explosive release underground. The findings could provide new perspectives for earthquake evacuation planning and disaster prevention.

Researchers at Kanazawa University, in collaboration with Diamond and Carbon Applications (Germany), have developed a buried-growth process for nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centers in diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). By employing nitrogen-radical selective etching, which simultaneously enhances metal-mask durability through nitridation, the team enabled a continuous etching–growth sequence within a single MPCVD process. Optical measurements confirmed highly aligned NV centers selectively buried in predefined regions. This integrated approach provides a stable and scalable platform for orientation-controlled diamond qubits and future room-temperature quantum technologies.

Kyoto, Japan -- Dementia makes most things in life more difficult, including hospital care. Though often essential for patients suffering from severe acute illness, hospital care can be confusing for persons with dementia, or PWD. Compared to older adults without dementia, PWD in the United States visit the emergency room and are hospitalized at higher rates. In these cases, the decision for a hospital stay requires a delicate balance between the potential benefits and risks of hospital care.

Previous research has suggested that PWD who are admitted to the hospital have higher mortality rates and spend more days away from home in the following months than their non-admitted counterparts. However, a possible explanation for this is that the admitted patients are already in worse condition -- in unmeasured ways -- than their counterparts.

Intrigued by this conundrum, a team of researchers at Kyoto University and the University of California, Los Angeles examined whether hospital admissions have a causal effect on health outcomes for persons with dementia, and also investigated the effect on their subsequent healthcare spending.