Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) have definitively resolved a two-decade-long controversy regarding the direction of electron spin on the surface of gold. Using a state-of-the-art Photoelectron Momentum Microscope (PMM) at the UVSOR synchrotron facility, the team captured complete two-dimensional snapshots of the Au(111) Shockley surface state, mapping both the electron's spin (its intrinsic magnetic property) and its orbital shape in a projection-based measurement. The experiment unambiguously confirmed the Rashba effect--where an electron's motion is coupled to its spin--by assigning a clockwise (cw) spin texture to the outer electron band and a counter-clockwise (ccw) texture to the inner band when viewed from the vacuum side. This work establishes a robust, trustworthy reference dataset for spin-resolved photoemission, paving the way for the development of highly efficient spintronic devices.

A high-frequency wildlife-deterrent device known as Shika Sonic, jointly deployed by Okayama University of Science (OUS) and Nanto City, has resulted in zero bear sightings for more than two and a half months near a school in a mountainous area of Toyama Prefecture. Developed by T.M.WORKS and scientifically evaluated by OUS’s Specially Appointed Professor Masachika Tsuji, the device was installed in June near Toga Gakusha, where bear encounters had been frequent. The new model, tuned specifically to deter bears, operates automatically at night and covers a radius of approximately 100–150 meters. According to the city, even an AI-equipped detection camera has recorded no bear activity since installation. Nanto City’s mayor has praised the initiative as a major success and is considering expanding the technology to tourist areas. Professor Tsuji’s on-site inspection in September confirmed stable operation while noting that further study is needed to assess long-term effectiveness.

A transformative approach to clean hydrogen production is set to take center stage in an upcoming international webinar that bridges molecular innovation with industrial-scale decarbonization.

Through a partnership with industry, researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory have supported the development of a design that uses multiple strands of superconducting tape to create a cable, minimizing the chance of failure from defective spots within a wire.