Utilizing numerical simulations, researchers have succeeded in recreating the fluid dynamics of flowing cells like blood or immune cells in the circulatory system. The team recreated the cells by programing them as deformable ‘capsules’ and placed them in a tube with a pulsating ‘flow.’ This in-silico model revealed that capsules will move to a specific position depending on two factors: the deformation of the capsule and the pulsation frequency.

Coupling reactions are essential in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced materials, but traditional methods often rely on costly and environmentally taxing transition metal catalysts. Now, researchers from Japan have reviewed emerging transition metal-free alternatives that align better with green chemistry principles. Their study highlights hypervalent iodine-mediated coupling, a strategy that enables selective bond formation without rare metals. By leveraging diaryliodonium salts, this approach can greatly enhance efficiency and reduce waste in coupling reactions.

Nanoplastics are an increasing threat to the ecosystem; however, their mobility in the soil is still underexplored. Against this backdrop, researchers from Waseda University and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology investigated the adsorption and aggregation behavior of nanoplastics in different types of soil under different pH conditions. The study offers new perspectives on the migration and environmental interactions of nanoplastics, while broadening our knowledge of pollution dynamics and soil contamination processes.

As global crises and inequalities escalate, UN University identifies five deep, fundamental changes needed to address several of the world’s most pressing problems at their roots -- societal structures and mindsets -- to achieve effective, lasting solutions. Throughout the report, authors highlight successful sustainability initiatives worldwide.

Black holes are fundamental to the structure of galaxies and critical in our understanding of gravity, space, and time. A stellar mass black hole is a type of black hole that forms from the gravitational collapse of a massive star at the end of its life cycle. These black holes typically have masses ranging from about 3 to 20 times the mass of our Sun. 

Sometimes black holes generate beams of ionized gas (plasma) that shoot outward at nearly light speed. Although discovered more than a century ago, how and why jets occur has remained a mystery, described as one of the “wonders of physics”. 

Prof. Kazutaka Yamaoka from Nagoya University in Japan, along with his colleagues from University of Toyama and other international institutes, have discovered key conditions needed for a stellar black hole to create plasma jets. Their findings, published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, show that when superheated gas material experiences a rapid shrinkage towards the black hole, jet formation occurs.

A retrospective cohort study aimed to clarify the association between the number of teeth and the incidence of hip fractures.

Japan has five potential consumer segments for Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA), with “Sustainable Food Seekers” showing the highest interest—as shown by scientists from Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo). Unlike other countries, “Food Education and Learning Opportunities” and “Contribution to Environmental and Social Issues” majorly influenced Japanese consumers’ intentions to participate in CSA. These findings could help CSA organizations, policymakers, and producers develop tailored strategies to promote CSA participation in Japan.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display social communication impairments and restricted and repetitive behaviors. While previous studies have shown that children with ASD tend to prefer observing repetitive movements over random ones, the developmental timeline of this preference has remained unclear. To address this, a recent study utilized eye-tracking methods demonstrating that children with potential ASD spent significantly more time observing predictable movements, highlighting its potential as an early marker for ASD detection.