Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising, low-cost alternative to lithium-ion batteries for both personal electronics and large-scale energy storage, but their adoption is limited by their poor stability in air and water. In a recent study, researchers from Japan addressed this challenge by doping the SIB cathode material Na_2/3[Fe_1/2Mn_1/2]O₂ with calcium. This simple modification greatly improved stability and performance, paving the way for more practical and sustainable battery technologies.

A research team from the Cognitive Neurotechnology Unit and the Visual Perception and Cognition Laboratory at Toyohashi University of Technology has found that approach–avoidance behavior in a virtual reality (VR) environment modulates how individuals recognize facial expressions. Notably, the study demonstrated that participants were more likely to perceive a facial expression as “angry” when they actively moved away from the face stimulus than when the face moved away from them. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the reciprocal relationship between perception and action in social contexts. The study was published online on July 31, 2025, in the International Journal of Affective Engineering. https://doi.org/10.5057/ijae.IJAE-D-24-00049

The precise placement of a single silver atom can be enough to make a huge difference. Researchers found that light-emitting properties were 77 times more efficient as a result – paving the way for better optoelectronics and sensing technologies such as OLED lights.

Research team from the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University — including Associate Professor Keisuke Obara, Lecturer Kento Yoshioka, and Professor Yoshio Tanaka — has discovered that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a major omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, directly relaxes smooth muscle in the male reproductive tract by blocking specific calcium channels. The findings, published in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, may help explain DHA’s broader health benefits and suggest potential new approaches to treating male infertility.

The University of Osaka scientists have developed a safe, efficient “dump-and-stir” method to introduce ortho-carborane into various aromatic compounds using a newly designed lithium–copper reagent. This innovation overcomes the complexity and hazards of previous methods, paving the way for new applications in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), three-dimensional aromatic materials, and bioisosteric drug design.

Researchers at Okayama University of Science (OUS) have developed a new wine grape variety, “Muscat Shiragai,” by crossing the rare wild Shiraga grape—found only in Okayama Prefecture—with Muscat of Alexandria. The team, led by Professor Emeritus Takuji Hoshino, has filed for official registration of the new variety with Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The project, launched in collaboration with Kurashiki City and Funao Winery, aims to revitalize the region through locally branded wine production. Early tastings of Muscat Shiragai grapes and wine have been well received for their sweetness, smooth flavor, and subtle Muscat aroma.

Kyoto, Japan --  White dwarfs are the compact remnants of stars that have stopped nuclear burning, a fate that will eventually befall our sun. These extremely dense objects are degenerate stars because their structure is counterintuitive: the heavier they are, the smaller they are.

White dwarfs often form binary systems, in which two stars orbit one another. The majority of these are ancient even by galactic standards, and have cooled to surface temperatures of about 4,000 degrees Kelvin. However, recent studies have revealed a class of short period binary systems in which the stars orbit each other faster than once per hour. Contrary to theoretical models, these stars are inflated to twice the size as expected due to surface temperatures of 10 to 30 thousand degrees Kelvin.

This inspired a team of researchers, led by Lucy Olivia McNeill of Kyoto University, to investigate the theory of tides and use it to predict the temperature increase of white dwarfs in short period binary orbits. Tidal forces often deform celestial bodies in binary orbits, determining their orbital evolution.

Researchers from The University of Osaka in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new therapy for a severe form of male infertility called non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver specific mRNA into the testes of infertile mice, they were able to restart sperm production. The sperm produced were then used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to successfully generate healthy and fertile offspring. The findings provide a crucial proof-of-concept for treating male infertility caused by genetic defects.

Researchers at The University of Osaka discovered that the protein TMEM217 is essential for sperm motility and male fertility. TMEM217 stabilizes a protein complex that produces the signaling molecule cAMP, which powers the sperm’s tail. Mice lacking TMEM217 have immotile sperm, but treating the sperm with a cAMP-like molecule restored motility and fertility via IVF. This finding opens doors for new diagnostics and therapies for male infertility.

Some industrial processes used to create useful chemicals require heat, but heating methods are often inefficient, partly because they heat a greater volume of space than they really need to. Researchers including those from the University of Tokyo devised a way to limit heating to the specific areas required in such situations. Their technique uses microwaves, not unlike those used in home microwave ovens, to excite specific elements dispersed in the materials to be heated. Their system proved to be around 4.5 times more efficient than current methods.