Natural UV-absorbing saclipins from the edible cyanobacterium Aphanothece sacrum have promising potential for cosmetic and functional materials, but their low abundance limits their use. Researchers have now identified AsLOX2 as a key gateway enzyme that oxygenates α-linolenic acid to form a saclipin-related intermediate. By combining this enzymatic step with chemical conversion, they produced saclipins A and B, providing a foundation for alternative production methods and a deeper understanding of this unusual natural product pathway.

An international research team led by Kumamoto University examined how AI can be responsibly integrated into education. A Delphi study involving 70 professionals from 18 countries identified five priorities: AI competencies, automated assessment and feedback, evolving teacher roles, trustworthy and explainable AI, and equal access. The study shares strategies of AI integration that requires coordinated action of policy makers, researchers and practitioners with attention to pedagogy, policy, infrastructure and equity.

JST, together with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, will hold the "1st ASEAN-NEXUS Symposium" and the "1st ASEAN-NEXUS Networking Forum" in Tokyo, Japan, on December 7-8, 2026. The symposium will showcase NEXUS achievements, facilitate the exchange of ideas across research fields, and feature insights from Japanese Nobel laureates on international collaboration. The forum will build on discussions, deepen researcher-to-researcher connections, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The astronomical nano-satellite VERTECS, launched on June 12, 2026, has completed its initial operations and confirmed that it meets its specified performance requirements. Its first images of nebulae and a 3-degree-wide field in Boötes demonstrate high-precision attitude control, resolution and sensitivity. Routine observations to study visible extragalactic background radiation have now begun.

Over decades of sustained, integrated national viral hepatitis control, Japan has seen substantial reductions in HBV- and HCV-related disease burden and hepatocellular carcinoma mortality.

Magnetic skyrmions (MSks) are nanoscale patterns of magnetization that can be created and moved around in magnetic materials. Despite being promising information carriers for future memory and computing technologies, precise control of their motion remains challenging. Now, researchers from Japan used micromagnetic simulations to investigate how MSks interact with optical skyrmions, their light-based counterparts. Their findings provide a new framework for controlling MSks with light, potentially connecting photonics and magnetism with promising applications.

Genetic alterations in TP53 and CDKN2A can shape the immune response during early oral cancer development. Researchers from Tokushima University reveal that imbalanced p53–RB signaling activated the cGAS–STING pathway, allowing increased inflammatory signaling and infiltration of cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. This immune response was associated with delayed progression to invasive oral cancer. The findings highlight how specific tumor-suppressor alterations can influence antitumor immunity and progression during early carcinogenesis.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have developed a model for estimating the internal current distribution of a fuel cell from magnetic field measurements. By optimizing the model against experimentally obtained current and magnetic field data, the researchers demonstrated the model's ability to reproduce characteristic current distribution patterns associated with fuel cell malfunctions. These findings highlight the potential of magnetic-field-based monitoring as a noninvasive approach for diagnosing fuel cell operating conditions and identifying early indications of failure.