A breakthrough study reveals that the Shoot-Silicon-Signal (SSS) protein plays a crucial role in managing silicon uptake and distribution in rice and other grasses. This study sheds light on how SSS helps plants adapt to environmental stresses. Understanding the role of silicon could provide valuable information on crop resilience and solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability, especially in the face of climate change.

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems use large amounts of observational data gathered daily using satellite-based and ground-based instruments to make forecasts, but maintaining them is costly and time-consuming. Now, researchers from Japan have tested the feasibility of using drones equipped with meteorological sensors to complement NWP systems. The results highlight the potential of using commercial drones in densely populated urban areas and sparse meteorological observation areas, to make NWP data collection more convenient and inexpensive.  

Businesses are increasingly shifting toward online marketing. However, the effects of offline and online marketing on consumer behavior have not been comparatively examined. A team of Japanese researchers demonstrated that offline promotional media increase cognitive engagement and consequently promote consumers’ behavioral responses (e.g., coupon redemptions), especially those with low brand attachment. Although offline marketing was associated with high costs, it increased product sales. Thus, marketing teams should recalibrate their views on offline marketing.

V-161, a novel compound targeting the Na⁺-V-ATPase enzyme in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), significantly reduces bacterial growth and colonization. A recent study has demonstrated a promising approach for fighting antibiotic resistance by identifying a compound, V-161, that inhibits a sodium-pumping enzyme critical for VRE survival under alkaline conditions in the intestine while preserving beneficial bacteria. This breakthrough offers hope for treating hospital infections and tackling the global threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

A recent study at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Institute of Science Tokyo has developed a theoretical model that uncovers the dual role of polyploidy—organisms carrying extra genome copies—in evolution. Their findings reveal that polyploidy can stabilise populations in predictable environments, where the evolution of novel traits is not required, enabling organisms to adapt and thrive in challenging conditions by accelerating evolutionary innovation. This breakthrough offers fresh insights into evolutionary mechanisms and their implications for microbiology, biotechnology, and medicine.

For the first time in the world, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have succeeded in controlling the arrangement of photochromic crystals known as diarylethenes.

A new computational tool improves the analysis of genetic data, making it easier and faster to study the evolutionary relationships between species.

A research group led by Kazunobu Sawamoto, a professor at Nagoya City University and National Institute for Physiological Sciences, and Koya Kawase, a pediatric doctor at Nagoya City University Hospital, has elucidated the significance of birth in the maintenance of neural stem cells. These findings enhance our understanding of the pivotal role of birth in regulating tissue homeostasis and regenerative capacities.