Researchers developed a diffusion-based artificial intelligence system that learns ship navigation directly from real-world voyage data rather than relying on optimization algorithms. Trained on a vessel in Japan's busy and geographically complex Seto Inland Sea, the AI learned to balance multiple objectives simultaneously, including collision avoidance, efficient routing, and speed control. The AI also learned local navigation practices, such as staying within designated traffic lanes, without being explicitly programmed to do so. The study demonstrates that diffusion-based AI can capture human-like navigation behavior from real-world data, offering a promising new approach to autonomous ship navigation in complex maritime environments.

The sand used to build cities, roads and other infrastructure is being removed from many rivers faster than nature can replace it, according to a global review led by researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have discovered that rainwater runoff in the highly rugged sedimentary rock mountains of Japan's Southern Alps is governed by two processes: "deep infiltration" and "shallow drainage via landslides." These processes are dictated by the inclination of geological strata. Based on these findings, the researchers propose a conceptual framework, termed the "structural ground system," to explain how the bedding structure regulates rainwater runoff.

Built on the open-access publishing platform of NEW HORIZON PRESS LIMITED, NEW Community engaged in international outreach and scholarly exchange during the 2026 international geochemistry conference. Its activities centered on emerging topics including AI-ready geochemical data, carbon removal, enhanced rock weathering, biogeochemical cycles, contaminant transport and transformation, and climate change, with the aim of fostering interdisciplinary research networks.

New analysis shows that a ‘pause’ in Arctic winter sea ice decline seen in the early 2020s has ended following record lows in 2025 and early 2026.