A research team from the Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and the Department of Mechanical Science, Saitama University, has developed a unified model to scale the transitional pressure development in a one-dimensional flow.  This achievement provides a better understanding of how pressure fields build up in the confined fluid system for various acceleration situations, which might be applicable to the biomechanics-related impact problem, such as human brain injuries caused by physical contact.

Two ambitious multi-stakeholder projects that aim to tackle the threat of invasive alien species have been launched at a conference in Europe last week (20-23 January 2025).

GuardIAS and OneSТOP — covering marine and freshwater, and terrestrial habitats respectively — will work in tandem to alleviate the adverse impacts of invasive alien species on endangered species, natural sites and human health, providing comprehensive coverage of Europe’s ecosystems.

How fast the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide — and with it, the temperature — goes up matters for the ability of humans and ecosystems to adjust. A slower increase gives humans time to move away from low-lying coasts and animals time to move to new habitats. It turns out the rate of that increase matters for non-living systems, too. Camille Hankel, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, discusses her recent paper on Atlantic Ocean circulation.

On the barrier islands of Miami, 35 skyscrapers – including Trump Tower III - have sunk as much as three inches since 2016, and researchers from the University of Houston have played a pivotal role in uncovering the reason why – urban development. 

One would think that a volcano was not the most hospitable place for living organisms. However, the Borealis Mud Volcano, at 400 m water depth, acts as a sanctuary for a number of marine species.

Dating key tectonic events in Japan's geological history has long been often challenging due to poor microfossil preservation from intense heat due to metamorphism. Researchers tackled this by using Re–Os isotope geochronology on Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (Makimine and Shimokawa deposits) associated with sediment-covered mid-ocean ridges. Their findings revealed the timing of ridge subduction—when one tectonic plate was forced beneath another—a process that shaped Japan's landscape and provided new insights into its geological evolution.