CatDRX is a generative AI framework developed at Institute of Science Tokyo, which enables the design of new chemical catalysts based on the specific chemical reactions in which they are used. The model learns from large reaction datasets and predicts how well a catalyst will perform, while also proposing new catalyst structures. Validated across various reaction types, CatDRX offers a promising strategy to accelerate catalyst discovery for a wide range of chemical and industrial processes.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are growing worldwide among children and can negatively impact both their physical health and cognitive development. In a new study, researchers from Japan show that even a short-duration, 3.5-minute bout of light-intensity exercise can significantly improve executive function and psychological mood in children. This shows that implementing short exercise interventions in schools is a practical approach to improving the physical and mental health of children.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, thanks to sodium’s abundance and low cost, but their true charging speed remains uncertain due to testing limitations. In a recent study, researchers used the diluted electrode method to shed light on hard carbon’s intrinsic fast-charging performance. Their measurements show that sodium inserts into hard carbon faster than lithium and that nanopore filling governs the overall rate, offering guidance for designing better SIBs.

From work meetings to first dates, it’s essential to adjust our behavior for success. In certain situations, it can even be a matter of life or death. So how do we switch our behavior when situations change? Published in Nature Communications, neuroscientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) describe the neural basis of behavioral flexibility in mice, with insights which may help us understand a wide variety of diseases and disorders, from addiction to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to Parkinson’s disease. 

Hiroshima University research shows that a portable heart monitoring device can detect fetal distress earlier and sharply improve newborn survival rates in low-resource environments.

Catalytic dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a key reaction for the sustainable utilization of major greenhouse gases, CO₂ and CH₄. However, conventional DRM often suffers from severe catalyst deactivation due to high temperature requirements. Applying direct current (DC) to catalyst materials has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations, yet the underlying DC-enhanced catalytic mechanism remains elusive. Here, we unveil the non-thermal catalytic origin of DC-applied DRM over Pd/CeO₂ through multimodal operando analyses, providing a microscopic physicochemical framework for the rational design of next-generation DRM catalysts beyond the limitations of conventional thermal catalysis.

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have one-upped themselves in their quest to solve our microplastic problem. They report a new plant-based plastic made from cellulose, the world’s most abundant organic compound. The new plastic is strong, flexible, and capable of rapid decomposition in natural environments, setting it apart from other plastics marketed as biodegradable.

A joint research team from NIMS, The University of Tokyo, Kyoto Institute of Technology and Tohoku University has demonstrated that thin films of ruthenium dioxide (RuO₂) exhibit altermagnetism—the defining property of what is now recognized as the third fundamental class of magnetic materials. Altermagnets have the potential to overcome limitations associated with current magnetic random access memory using conventional ferromagnets and are attracting attention as promising materials for next-generation high-speed, high-density memory devices. In addition to identifying RuO₂ as a strong candidate for such applications, the study also highlights the possibility of enhancing its functionality through control of crystallographic orientation. The research findings were published in Nature Communications on September 24, 2025.

A new regional assessment shows that Southeast Asia is a major net source of greenhouse gases, with land-use change and rising fossil fuel use overwhelming natural carbon sinks, reservoirs that store carbon-containing chemical compounds for a long period.