While most animals reproduce sexually, some species rely solely on females for parthenogenetic reproduction. Even in these species, rare males occasionally appear. Whether these males retain reproductive functions is a key question in understanding the evolution of reproductive strategies.

A new study published in Ecology by a research team led by Assistant Professor Tomonari Nozaki from the National Institute for Basic Biology, Professor Kenji Suetsugu from Kobe University, and Associate Professor Shingo Kaneko from Fukushima University provides insight into this question. The researchers focused on the rare males of Ramulus mikado, a stick insect species in Japan, where parthenogenesis is predominant. Their analysis of male reproductive behavior reveals new findings.

AIST researchers, in collaboration with JAMSTEC, Hokkaido University and Tohoku University, have succeeded in cultivating an ultrasmall bacterial strain parasitizing archaea and classified it as new species and genus of Minisyncoccus archaeiphilus.

Inflammatory eye diseases can be challenging to treat, with medications like corticosteroids causing unwanted complications such as glaucoma. However, a study led by researchers from Fujita Health University, Japan, offers hope. The team discovered that local injections of mesenchymal stem cells into periocular tissue can significantly reduce inflammation in conditions such as chronic graft-versus-host disease. These findings offer hope for a safer, more targeted alternative to conventional treatments for ocular inflammatory diseases.

Certain advanced technologies, such as 3D displays, biosensing, and security printing, can utilize circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), which is produced when specific types of molecules are irradiated with UV light. The electric field of the CPL rotates in a spiral shape. Mechanical changes to these molecules, such as grinding, can induce a transition that creates a reversible emission color change. This is called mechanochromic luminescence (MCL). To improve CPL efficiency after grinding, researchers tested two different readily available compounds and how the CPL properties changed upon grinding.

Once a driving force behind Japan’s economic growth and a key industry, the textile sector is now referred to as a “declining industry” due to fierce international competition from countries like China and other parts of Asia, as well as a shrinking domestic market. Symbolic news also broke that Unitika (predecessor of Dainippon Spinning), which had supported the textile industry as one of the three major spinning companies, has decided to withdraw from the textile business, bringing down the curtain on its 135-year history. Meanwhile, the textile industry has come under fire for its significant carbon dioxide emissions. To understand the current state of the textile industry, Japan’s efforts to address those issues, and how consumers can contribute to tackling environmental issues moving forward, we spoke with Professor INOUE Mari from the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment. She has been researching textile materials for nearly 40 years and collaborating with industry leaders.

The recent LA fires drove home how dangerous wildfires can be when they encroach on urban areas. So-called 'wildland-urban interface' fires are on the rise. However, building codes and standards have long been based on fires that spread from building to building. To address this, a Tohoku University professor has updated international standards for large outdoor fires.

Thanks to their special iridescence and unmatched beauty, pearls have been highly sought after throughout history. Due to their rarity and demand, the development of pearlescent pigments to mimic the natural beauty of a true pearl became inevitable. Here, researchers utilize plate-like particles to create substrate-free pearlescent pigments, a low-cost and straightforward solution to the issue of substrate-based pigments which can be complex and expensive.

Sixth-generation, or 6G, cellular networks are the next step in wireless communication, and electromagnetic terahertz waves are seen as crucial to its development. However, terahertz waves, with their higher frequency and shorter wavelength, are subject to greater interference from electromagnetic noise, making clear and secure transmission a challenge. Researchers from the University of Tokyo, as part of a multi-institution team, have now created an electromagnetic wave absorber for waves between 0.1–1 terahertz (THz). This greatly expands the range of the terahertz frequency which could be commercially used in the future. The ultrathin film is inexpensive, environmentally friendly and can be used outdoors, as it is resistant to heat, water, light and organic solvents.