Tomoki Matsuzawa (then an undergraduate) and Associate Professor Junji Konuma from Toho University’s Department of Biology conducted the first quantitative study of female earwig forceps. Using morphometric analysis on the maritime earwigs Anisolabis maritima, they found that female forceps also display positive allometry—suggesting that they, too, may have evolved through sexual selection.

To allow studying the genetic causes of autism spectrum disorder, a Kobe University research team created a bank of 63 mouse embryonic stem cell lines containing the mutations most strongly associated with the disorder. The achievement was made possible by developing a new and more efficient method for changing the genome of embryonic stem cells.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba discovered a new species of unicellular organism, Glissandra oviformis, belonging to the CRuMs clade in a sample collected from a marine lake in the Republic of Palau. Electron microscopic observation revealed a few common morphological characteristics between G. oviformis and other CRuMs members.

Moved by how Hiroshima’s memorials transformed unspeakable loss into a global call for peace, a Hiroshima University historian turns his gaze to Southeast Asia—unpacking what stories their war monuments enshrine, what they leave out, and what that means for peace and justice, as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing this year.

Exercise can have a positive impact on various aspects of human health. However, we have a limited understanding of the changes that exercise can induce at a molecular level. This is mainly due to the fact that earlier studies have typically involved invasive procedures like muscle biopsies. Now, researchers have introduced two emerging fields–resistomics and enduromics–that use “omics” technologies to change our understanding of exercise-induced alterations in the body. 

β-1,2-glucans are rare bacterial carbohydrates involved in key biological processes, but their structural complexity has limited research progress. Now, a study led by researchers from Japan reports the discovery of new enzyme families that break down these molecules and proposes a new enzyme group called the “SGL clan.” These findings shed light on the molecular evolution of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes and open doors to engineering synthetic enzymes for producing novel carbohydrates. 

A team of researchers from Japan, China, and Brazil has announced the discovery of a new species of pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Japan, marking the first time a pterosaur has been named based on body fossils found in the country.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have shown the crucial role of iron metabolism in sex determination in mice. In male embryos, activation of the Sry gene, responsible for the correct development of testes, is dependent on the intracellular iron levels. Insufficient iron reduces the activation of Sry and can even cause some genetically male embryos to develop as female. This study indicates the importance of adequate iron levels in pregnant mothers for healthy embryonic development.