Researchers at University of Tsukuba examined how artificial intelligence (AI) is represented in fictional media, including films, animation, literature, and games. Their analysis indicates that AI is portrayed not only as a technological tool, but also as a supporter, collaborative companion, and, in some cases, an equal partner. These portrayals highlight the diversity and evolution of imagined human-AI relationships across cultural narratives.

A research team from University of Tsukuba and collaborating institutions has clarified why M9-class megathrust earthquakes recur off the Kamchatka Peninsula with an unusually short cycle of 73 years. By analyzing the rupture process of the 2025 event, the team demonstrated that this earthquake exhibited complex behavior that cannot be explained by conventional seismic-cycle models.

Sea stars, creatures whose movement involves the coordination of hundreds of tiny tube feet to navigate complex environments – despite the lack of a central “brain.” Now, researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering are uncovering the secret behind this decentralized locomotion. This could revolutionize how we design autonomous robots.