Groundbreaking cerium oxide-based thermal switches achieve remarkable performance, transforming heat flow control with sustainable and efficient technology.

A joint research group team led by Sayuri Tsukahara and Tetsuji Kakutani of the University of Tokyo has clarified a mechanism of how retrotransposons, genetic elements that can “jump around” chromosomes and are known drivers of evolution, preferentially insert in the centromere. The findings were published in the journal Nature.

Scientific research explores the potential of DNNs in transforming fragrance design. By analyzing the sensing data of 180 essential oils, the DNN was trained using the odor descriptor data from 94 essential oils to generate fragrance profiles, validated through sensory evaluations to align with human olfactory perceptions. The study underscores the technological ability to streamline fragrance creation, reduce costs, and foster innovation, opening up exciting possibilities for personalized and scalable scent development.

A team from Osaka University has reported a Raman microscopy technique that produced images up to eight times brighter than those achieved with conventional Raman techniques. Imaging of frozen biological samples reduced the noise introduced by the motion of material over long acquisition times. The technique is expected to broaden understanding in many areas of the biological sciences by allowing high-quality images and chemical information to be captured without the need for staining.

Trans-fatty acids (TFAs) increase the risk of heart attacks. While TFAs are typically found in fried and processed foods, they can also form during everyday cooking. A new study reveals that cooking sulfur-rich vegetables, like onions and garlic, at high temperatures can release TFAs. Natural sulfur compounds promote heat-induced trans-isomerization of unsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oil during the cooking process. The addition of antioxidants can inhibit the isomerization by the isothiocyanate-induced trans-isomerization.

Bio-inspired wind sensing using strain sensors on flexible wings could revolutionize robotic flight control strategy. Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo have developed a method to detect wind direction with 99% accuracy using seven strain gauges on the flapping wing and a convolutional neural network model. This breakthrough, inspired by natural strain receptors in birds and insects, opens up new possibilities for improving the control and adaptability of flapping-wing aerial robots in varying wind conditions.

A researcher from Nagoya University in Japan has found that the rapid detection of snakes by monkeys is because of the presence of snake scales as a visual cue. His findings highlight an evolutionary adaptation of primates to identify snakes based on specific visual features. Understanding these mechanisms provides insight into the evolution of visual processing related to threat detection.