Atoms slip against one another, eventually sticking in various combinations. Tectonic plates do the same, sliding across each other until they stick in a stationary state. Everything from the tiniest particles to unfathomably large landmasses possesses this fundamental stick and slip characteristic, but only now are scientists beginning to understand the mechanics of the friction underpinning this property.

In joint research with The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and Nagoya University, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) developed a new material "thermoelectric permanent magnet" exhibiting extremely high transverse thermoelectric conversion performance, and achieved transverse thermoelectric generation with a power density of 56.7 mW/cm² around room temperature in a thermoelectric-permanent-magnet-based module. When converted into a value per applied temperature gradient, this is not only the world’s highest power density among transverse thermoelectric modules, but a performance even comparable to commercial longitudinal thermoelectric modules. This achievement is expected to lead to thermal energy harvesting and management technologies that can be utilized everywhere magnets are used. This research result was published in Energy & Environmental Science on March 18, 2025.

BingoCGN, a scalable and efficient graph neural network accelerator that enables inference of real-time, large-scale graphs through graph partitioning, has been developed by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. This breakthrough framework utilizes an innovative cross-partition message quantization technique and a novel training algorithm to significantly reduce memory demands and increase computational and energy efficiency. 

Remote-controlled microflow using light-controlled state transitions within DNA condensates has been reported by scientists from Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan. By switching between ultraviolet light (UV) and visible light irradiation, the researchers demonstrated that the novel DNA motifs containing azobenzene can dissociate or reassemble.  Furthermore, localized photo-switching within a DNA liquid condensate generated two distinct directional motions. This study can fuel the development of innovative fluid-based diagnostic chips and molecular computers. 

Research led by Hiromi Shiraishi, researcher at Chuo University, has revealed that, in addition to Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica), American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) is now widely distributed in processed eel products sold at retail stores across Japan. While eel farming in Japan relies primarily on Japanese Eel, two-thirds of eel consumption in the country depends on imports of live adult eels and eel products, which include several species of anguillid eels. As the world’s largest importer and consumer of eel, Japan is in a position to contribute to the sustainable use of anguillids beyond Japanese eel.

Researchers developed a continuous-flow synthesis method to precisely control the size of cerium oxide nanoparticles down to 1.3 nm. This enabled the first direct investigation of size effects in metal oxides, revealing structural distortions and unexpected Ce³⁺ states—insights that could advance the design of catalytic and electronic nanomaterials.

- Development of "dynamic nanomedicines" for efficient delivery of nucleic acid medicines to sentinel lymph nodes.

- Delivering nucleic acid medicines to sentinel lymph nodes, which serve as a checkpoint for cancer metastasis, activates the immune system, helping to suppress cancer metastasis and recurrence.

- Enhancing cancer immunotherapy to make it effective against immunotherapy-resistant tumors.

- Precise size adjustment of nanomedicines (approximately 10 nm) enables delivery to sentinel lymph nodes.

- Precision nanomedicine design via advanced computational modelling.

- Aim to start clinical trials within five years.

- This announcement is part of a research project conducted by Professor Kanjiro Miyata of the Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo (Visiting Research Scientist at iCONM), in collaboration with iCONM researchers.

The Moon’s surface has two main rock types: white highland anorthosite and dark lowland basalt. While both are common on the nearside, the farside lacks dark lowlands. Researchers found that nearside rocks are unusually rich in chlorine (Cl), unlike farside rocks. Farside crust materials, lacking Cl enrichment, likely formed from magma that preserves remnants of the original lunar magma ocean from 4.5 billion years ago.