By combining ground-based direct imaging and radial velocity measurements with precise astrometric acceleration data from the Gaia space telescope, astronomers have discovered a brown dwarf companion orbiting a nearby red dwarf star about 55 light-years from Earth. The team accurately determined its mass (≈60 Jupiter masses) and orbital distance (≈4.3 AU) using Subaru’s Infrared Doppler instrument (IRD) under the IRD Strategic Program, Keck high-contrast imaging, and Gaia data. The object, classified as a late-T-type brown dwarf, shows roughly 30% variability in near-infrared brightness, offering a valuable benchmark for studying atmospheric clouds and circulation. This marks the first successful application of Gaia-only astrometric acceleration to precisely characterize a companion beyond Hipparcos’ detection limits.

The ability of CD8⁺ T cells, a type of immune cell, to rapidly proliferate inside tumors is key to the success of cancer immunotherapy. In a new study, scientists from Tokyo University of Science, Japan, have identified a set of ‘signature’ genes that can determine whether these immune cells will multiply or stall within the tumor. Their findings provide a powerful pan-immunotherapy biomarker for treatment monitoring and pave the way for next-generation immunodynamic therapies.

High costs have long held back hydrogen production from water, with electrolyzers priced at $2,000–$2,600 per kilowatt in 2024. Now, researchers from Japan have found that modifying platinum cathodes with naturally occurring purine bases can boost the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity, the key step where water is split into hydrogen, up to four times. This approach can significantly reduce platinum requirements, bringing affordable, large-scale hydrogen production closer to reality.

Traditional geotechnical investigations provide data only at discrete borehole locations, leaving vast areas uncharacterized. This spatial gap often leads to unforeseen ground conditions during construction, causing costly delays, design modifications, and occasionally catastrophic failures. Now, a novel integrated geophysical-machine learning approach, using k-means clustering technique, by a team of researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology provides continuous subsurface characterization, enabling evidence-based decision-making throughout project lifecycles.

Understanding molecular diversity is fundamental to biomedical research and diagnostics, but existing analytical tools struggle to distinguish subtle variations in the structure or composition among biomolecules. A new method using solid-state nanopores — tiny tunnels that a protein or other molecule can pass through — and machine learning suggests a way to help identify and classify proteins more accurately.

Miniaturized electronics and intricate objects require a certain finesse. Here, researchers look into the development of a machine capable of these fine movements, as well as identifying and categorizing the objects using machine learning.

A Japanese research team has mathematically revealed why crack tips sharpen during rapid fracture in rubber. The study demonstrates that this phenomenon is caused solely by the material’s viscoelasticity, not by previously assumed nonlinear effects. They also validated the long-standing viscoelastic trumpet theory, proposed by Nobel Laureate Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, using fundamental equations of continuum mechanics. This work establishes a theoretical foundation for fracture control and durability improvement of a wide range of polymer materials from tires to medical devices.

Kyoto, Japan -- Life-history variation is fundamental to the long-term persistence of populations and species because it ensures their ability to adapt to changing environments. Many important studies have focused on life-history variation between habitats, but the variation maintained within a habitat has often been overlooked.

Unravelling this puzzle at the landscape level is critical for understanding the spatial scales at which adaption and population persistence operate in nature. This motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to investigate life-history variation in masu salmon.

"We wanted to understand how the variation in life-history is partitioned within and among habitats across heterogeneous landscapes," says first author Takeya Shida.

As local languages continue to disappear, Associate Professor Natsuko Nakagawa from the Faculty of Humanities is dedicated to documenting and preserving them while uncovering the linguistic principles hidden within. She also harnesses digital technology, collaborating closely with local communities to ensure the transmission of their language and culture. We spoke with Nakagawa about the allure of linguistics and the field of digital humanities.

Inadequate bedroom ventilation and poor air quality can negatively affect sleep. A recent international study found that the currently prescribed minimum ventilation rates for residential buildings, and especially bedrooms, may be too low and result in disturbed sleep. Therefore, they recommended revisiting the relevant residential building standards so that the ventilation rate with outdoor air can keep CO₂ produced by sleeping occupants at least below 1,000 ppm, or preferably below 800 ppm.