Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) is a nonlinear spectroscopic method widely used to investigate the molecular structure and dynamics of surface systems. However, in far-field observations, the spatial resolution of this method is constrained by the diffraction limit, which restricts its ability to resolve molecular details in inhomogeneous structures smaller than the wavelength of light. To address this limitation, we developed a tip-enhanced VSFG (TE-SFG) spectroscopy system based on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Using this system, we detected VSFG signals from molecules adsorbed on a gold substrate under ambient conditions. Phase analysis of the interferometric VSFG spectra provided insights into the molecular orientation. Furthermore, the observed VSFG signals were confirmed to originate from a highly localized region within the gap between the STM tip apex and sample substrate. Thus, this method offers an innovative platform for nonlinear optical nanospectroscopy, enabling the investigation of surface molecular systems beyond the diffraction limit.

An Osaka Metropolitan University team has developed Boccia XR, a rehabilitation program using extended reality technology that can be introduced even in environments with limited space.

A research team led by Associate Professor Koji Iwano at Okayama University of Science has been awarded the 2025 MEXT Award for Science and Technology for groundbreaking work in improving typhoon forecasting and climate change prediction. By constructing Japan’s only large-scale indoor typhoon simulation tank, the team succeeded in precisely measuring momentum, heat, and CO₂ exchanges at the air-sea interface under extreme wind conditions. Their findings reveal how these transfers shift dramatically beyond wind speeds of 30 m/s, offering critical insights for refining global climate models and developing future typhoon mitigation strategies.

This book was published in March 2025 to report the outcomes of Japan’s nationwide project, S-18: Comprehensive Research on the Projection of Climate Change Impacts and the Evaluation of Adaptation, which was conducted over a five-year period from 2020 to early 2025.  1) Introduces research methodologies and results that bridging research and climate change policy development;  2) Integrates research framework using common scenarios for climate and socio-economic changes;  3) Reveals interaction among global warming level, social changes and impacts, and effectiveness of countermeasures;  4) This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access;

What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? The first thing that might come to mind is a meteorite crashing into the Earth. Assistant Professor Honami Sato, a geology researcher at the Faculty of Science, searches for traces of celestial impacts in geological strata to decipher the mechanisms of environmental changes on the planet. We spoke with Sato about her methods of stratigraphic surveying and her fascination with geology.

Plants produce organic compounds from surrounding inorganic matter, and in turn, animals—including humans—live off the organic matter that these plants create. We spoke to Professor Akiko Maruyama from the Faculty of Agriculture to learn more about the essential nutrients required by plants, which support life on Earth, and her fascination with plant science research.

We've all had the experience of staying up late and not being able to wake up the next morning. This difficulty arises due to a shift in what's known as our biological clock, which is the central theme of Professor Hiroshi Ito's research at Kyushu University's Faculty of Design. We spoke with Ito to explore the advantages of cross-disciplinary studies and to discover how he uses his expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and engineering to understand the true nature of the biological clock.

New research shows that the gum disease bacterium P. gingivalis can slip into the bloodstream and infiltrate the heart. There, it quietly drives scar tissue buildup—distorting the heart’s architecture, disrupting electrical signals, and raising the risk of atrial fibrillation.

In Japan, phrases like "sustainable society" and "sustainable development goals (SDGs)" have become buzzwords in recent years. With the numerous challenges facing modern-day societies, which include environmental issues such as air pollution, climate change, and marine plastic pollution, what approaches can be taken to achieve a truly sustainable society?

To explore this question, we spoke with Lecturer Tomoaki Nakaishi from the Faculty of Economics, who is conducting research that merges the fields of economics and data science to achieve what he calls “sustainable consumption and production.”

A significant advancement in molecular engineering has produced a large, hollow spherical shell nanostructure through the self-assembly of peptides and metal ions, report researchers from Japan. This dodecahedral link structure, measuring 6.3 nanometers in diameter, was achieved by combining geometric principles derived from knot theory and graph theory with peptide engineering. The resulting structure demonstrates remarkable stability while featuring a large inner cavity suitable for encapsulating macromolecules, opening pathways for producing complex artificial virus capsids.