Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) have developed a new liquid–metal process that can recover freshwater and magnesium resources from the concentrated brine. By combining liquid-tin direct-contact distillation with vacuum degassing, the method removes chlorine- and sulfur-containing species from the tin and enables magnesium-rich precipitates, with MgO as the major crystalline phase, to be recovered during cooling. More than 99% of the magnesium taken up by the liquid tin was recovered.

A study from the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), one of the centers under the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), presents a new method to decode hidden material disorder contained in complex photoluminescence spectra, paving the way for new optical diagnostics of material disorder in two-dimensional semiconductors and related light-emitting materials.

Researchers led by the University of Osaka have directly observed a heavy-fermion state forming at the interface between a one-atom-thick ytterbium–copper layer and a copper substrate. Using synchrotron-based measurements, they showed that electrons across the interface interact to create this unusual quantum state. The finding offers a new approach to designing low-dimensional quantum materials and may help enable previously unexplored phenomena, including unconventional superconductivity.

Researchers at the University of Osaka developed new mouse models of hypophosphatasia that reproduce dental symptoms seen in patients. The models showed that teeth, surrounding bone, and tooth-supporting tissues can be affected even when skeletal symptoms elsewhere are mild. Differences between the models suggest that specific genetic changes influence dental symptoms, providing a new platform for studying disease mechanisms and developing dental treatments tailored to severity.

On September 15, 2026, Kumamoto University, Yamagata University, and Germany’s Fraunhofer IZM and Fraunhofer EMFT signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) . The quad-institutional alliance aims to accelerate international research, education, and human resource development in the semiconductor sector. By synergizing their respective strengths in advanced packaging, system integration, and printed electronics, the institutions will drive joint projects, researcher exchanges, and robust industry-academia collaboration. This strategic partnership further connects regional industrial ecosystems with leading European research networks to foster next-generation technological innovation.

Understanding the mechanisms that stabilize distinct tau filament structures may help explain why tau-related neurodegenerative diseases develop different pathological features. A researcher now at the University of Tsukuba, together with colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed the tau filaments that accumulate in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. They found that, in certain tau filaments, repositioning the polyubiquitin attached to tau changes not only the surrounding molecular environment but also the filament core structure itself. The findings suggest that the spatial arrangement of post-translational modifications around the filament core helps stabilize disease-specific tau filament structures.

Okayama University of Science soccer players are using Google Gemini as a “thinking partner” to reflect on their performance, identify challenges, and improve team operations. What began as a faculty-led generative AI seminar has expanded into student-led learning and the use of AI across activities ranging from data analysis and training to public relations and community engagement.

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), a photoelectric effect that generates photocurrent without a p–n junction, can persist even when a material’s average crystal structure remains centrosymmetric, a study from Institute of Science Tokyo has found. Researchers demonstrated this in CuCrP₂S₆, a van der Waals material that transitions from a non-centrosymmetric to a centrosymmetric average structure. The finding challenges the conventional view of BPVE and suggests a new strategy for enhancing photoelectric conversion.