Amphidromous fish – which migrate between freshwater streams and the sea – can move between habitats thanks to ocean currents. Since island streams are generally small and vulnerable to human impact, understanding how exactly fish populations are connected between streams and between islands is important for the conservation of geographically isolated species. In a study now published in Scientific Reports, a team of researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and collaborators sought to understand these dynamics by investigating the genetic connectivity among populations of the amphidromous goby Luciogobius ryukyuensis at four islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan: Okinawa, Kume, Ishigaki, and Iriomote. 

A research group led by Teppei Matsuda, Assistant Prof. Ryota Yamagami, and Prof. Hiroyuki Hori (Ehime University), in collaboration with Associate Prof. Akira Hirata and Aoi Ihara (Tokushima University), as well as Prof. Takeo Suzuki (University of the Ryukyus), has identified a novel tRNA modification enzyme in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakarensis. This enzyme specifically catalyzes 2′-O-methylation of the ribose at cytidine located at position 6 in tRNA^Trp.

Rabi-like splitting is one of the key concepts in modern quantum technology. Fully understanding it can help us advance our knowledge in quantum information processing.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have developed a mathematical model for Volterra defects using differential geometry to analyze the relationships between different types of defects. Their work provides insight into the connections between edge dislocations and wedge disclinations and extends traditional theories in material science. Their results may help to explain the unusual mechanical properties of crystals so they can be used to design new materials.

A groundbreaking new method developed at The University of Osaka calculates the entropy of liquids using a non-empirical approach, requiring only the atomic species as input. This revolutionary technique eliminates the need for extensive experimental data, paving the way for enhanced predictions of chemical reactions and optimization of industrial applications involving liquids.

What’s the driving factor behind nemo’s evolutionary diversification, and why does this matter? Anemonefish are one of the few examples of adaptive radiation in marine environments — where species rapidly diversify to fill ecological roles. Understanding how this happens can teach us how biodiversity forms and is maintained, especially under changing environmental pressures.

Scientists have long assumed that anemonefishes’ tight-knit relationship with sea anemones, their protective hosts, was the main engine behind their evolutionary diversification. Our study instead shows that distinct ecological lifestyles also shape how different species evolve. Some species are “adventurers” that roam widely with powerful muscles and low energy costs, while others are “homebodies” that stay close to their anemone, have smaller muscles, and use more energy to swim.

This matters because it underscores how different behaviors and physiological traits influence biodiversity. In a time of rapid environmental change, understanding these hidden dimensions of animal adaptation helps us better predict which species may be more resilient or vulnerable.

How do you develop an AI system that perfectly mimics the way humans speak? Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have taken a significant step forward to achieve this. They have created J-Moshi, the first publicly available AI system specifically designed for Japanese conversational patterns.  

J-Moshi captures the natural flow of Japanese conversation, which often has short verbal responses known as "aizuchi" that Japanese speakers use during conversation to show they are actively listening and engaged. Responses such as “Sou desu ne” (that’s right) and “Naruhodo” (I see) are used more often than similar responses in English.  

Traditional AI has difficulty using aizuchi because it cannot speak and listen at the same time. This capability is especially important for natural-sounding Japanese AI dialogue. Consequently, J-Moshi has become very popular with Japanese speakers who recognize and appreciate its natural conversation patterns.  

Led by Assistant Professor Kou Li, a research group in Chuo University, Japan, has developed chemically enriched photo-thermoelectric (PTE) imagers using semiconducting carbon nanotube (CNT) films, resulting in the achievement of enhanced response intensity and noise reduction, that enables efficient remote and on-site inspections, according to a recent paper publication in Communications Materials. CNT film-based PTE imagers are crucial for multimodal non-destructive inspection, but conventional device design strategies have faced challenges in achieving high response intensity for wireless data logging.

　CNT film-based PTE imagers enable functional electromagnetic-wave monitoring, potentially facilitating multimodal non-destructive inspection device usage. The CNT film compositions govern the fundamental device performance, and satisfying high PTE conversion efficiency (higher response and lower noise) is essential for sensitive operations. Although typical sensitive design focuses on minimising noise, the associated levelling-off response intensity (up to a few millivolts) induces technical limitations in device operations. These issues include mismatching for coupling with compact wireless circuits, which are indispensable for on-site inspection applications and require high-intensity responses at least a few millivolt orders. This work develops chemically enriched PTE imagers comprising semiconducting CNT (semi-CNT) films. While semi-CNTs provide greater intensity thermoelectric responses than semi-metal mixture compositions in the conventional PTE device, the presented imager employs p-/n-type chemical carrier doping to relax inherent significant bottlenecking noise. Such doping enhances material properties for PTE conversion with semi-CNTs up to 4,060 times. The imager satisfies similar performances to conventional CNT film devices, including ultrabroadband sensitive photo-detection (with minimum noise sensitivity of 5 pWHz^−1/2) under repeatedly deformable configurations, and advantageously exhibits response signal intensity exceeding a few–tens of millivolts. These features enable remote on-site non-destructive PTE imaging inspection with palm-sized wireless circuits.

For thousands of years, humans have combined metals to collectively harness properties found in individual components, producing such practical materials as bronze, brass and, more recently, steel. However, predicting the exact microstructures underpinning these alloys to understand how specific properties of the constituent materials may manifest across scales is still a complex mystery researchers are working to solve. Now, thanks to a team based in Japan, that work could take minutes instead of years.