From Japan to the world—scientific innovation and collaboration aimed at solving global challenges will take center stage at the Science Summit, held alongside the 80th United Nations General Assembly from September 9 to 26, 2025. In response to a call from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), eight Japanese institutions will present six official programs at the summit. These sessions will feature a diverse range of speakers—from PhD students and university presidents to medical professionals, scientists, and engineers—addressing topics such as food and water security, rare and common diseases, inclusive education, and research ethics.

Kyoto, Japan -- As extreme weather events become more frequent and the impacts of climate change become stronger, countries around the world are strengthening their decarbonization efforts. The 2016 Paris Agreement in particular represents a global effort to address climate change by limiting the rise in global average temperature to well below 2˚C.

However, concerns have been rising about the economic costs of these transitions. Previous studies suggest that stringent greenhouse gas emissions mitigation may cause an increase in food and energy prices, exacerbating poverty and inequality. How to address these social impacts in the context of society-wide decarbonization remains unclear.

In response, an international research team led by Shiya Zhao from Kyoto University and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis -- IIASA -- in Austria created a comprehensive study to assess the ramifications of decarbonization. Their goal is to steer policy formulation toward a sustainable and equitable trajectory for climate change mitigation.

Unpaired electrons located at linear band dispersion (LBD) are exceptional and called Dirac electrons (DE). They are paid attention to because of the unique electronic properties such as temperature (T)-independent resistivity, as if they belong to neither metallic nor non-metallic substances. In this study, we have developed a series of new organic Dirac electron systems and discovered universal features of magnetic behavior originating from LBD.

Combining classic comparative approaches, including collecting species from the wild, and cutting-edge light-induced gene manipulation technology, researchers from Japan and Germany have discovered how developing fly embryos solve the fundamental problem of “tissue tectonic collision” when the rapidly expanding head and torso tissues crash into each other.

The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), in collaboration with Seikei University, has successfully enhanced the power output of lithium-air batteries, which are attracting attention as next-generation batteries. By developing a highly porous electrode made of carbon nanotubes, the team achieved a tenfold increase in output current. The lithium-air battery developed in this study not only has extremely high energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries but also significantly improved power performance. As a result, it is now able to supply the power required for hovering small drones, making significant improvements in flight duration feasible. These results were published online in the Journal of Power Sources on February 9, 2025.

A new study reveals that frailty-associated gut dysbiosis significantly elevates the risk of gastrointestinal complications following intracorporeal urinary diversion for bladder cancer. Despite short-term antibiotic prophylaxis, residual intra-abdominal bacteria and fungi—particularly Enterococcus and Enterobacter—were strongly associated with postoperative ileus and infections. The findings underscore frailty as a key determinant of surgical outcomes and point toward microbiota-based management strategies to improve recovery and reduce complications.

Balancing economic growth with environmental protection is especially challenging for developing countries, even more so for those relying heavily on foreign aid. Recently, researchers from Japan developed a theoretical framework to show that zero-emissions policies can be compatible with sustainable growth in such nations. Their findings highlight the critical role of foreign aid, clean technologies, and effective tax policies in helping countries reach the minimum income threshold per person needed to effectively implement zero-emissions strategies.

2H-NbO₂—a novel van der Waals oxide synthesized by researchers from Japan—exhibits strongly correlated electronic properties with two-dimensional flexibility. By chemically extracting lithium ions from the layered sheets of LiNbO₂, the researchers transformed a three-dimensional oxide into a two-dimensional material—unlocking unique properties like Mott insulating states and superconductivity. Bridging transition metal oxides and 2D materials, the discovery paves the way for realizing advanced quantum materials in next-generation electronic devices.