A new simulation study suggests that the Antarctic 12-m Terahertz Telescope (ATT12), a next-generation facility led by University of Tsukuba, could uncover between one and 10 million dusty star-forming galaxies throughout cosmic history. By utilizing Antarctica's exceptionally dry atmosphere, ATT12 is expected to open a new observational window into dust-obscured star formation, enabling astronomers to study galaxies from less than one billion years after the Big Bang to the peak epoch of galaxy formation.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba identified baseline-dependent oxytocin changes and increased heart-rate synchrony among spectators attending a live collegiate sporting event. These responses were linked to shared enjoyment, unity with the players and fellow spectators, immersion, and intention to reattend future events.

Kyoto, Japan -- As close relatives of humans, chimpanzees had sometimes been used in biomedical experiments. They were instrumental in the identification of the hepatitis C virus: the then mysterious pathogen was artificially injected into chimpanzees for study, leading to its eventual identification in 1989. Since then, treatments for humans have advanced and hepatitis C can now be nearly cured with medication. However, the same treatment has not been extended to the chimpanzees.

In 2022, a team of researchers from Kyoto University found that chimpanzees infected with hepatitis C had experienced negative health effects and shorter lifespans. This time, in a collaboration with Kumamoto University, the team was determined to eliminate this virus in chimpanzees residing at Kumamoto Sanctuary, a research facility of Kyoto University’s Wildlife Research Center. The sanctuary is home to several chimpanzees who were once used in medical experiments by multiple organizations in Japan, and is a place where they can spend the rest of their lives being cared for.

"Prioritizing chimpanzee health and welfare is the number one reason for conducting this study," says first author Satoshi Hirata. "We felt that it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to improve their condition."

Kogakuin University (Japan) and the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad (India) have initiated a collaborative research framework to advance the development and fundamental understanding of next-generation multifunctional glass-ceramic materials for energy-related applications.

Researchers at Kyushu University have discovered a compound called lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS) that strengthens HGF, a protein that drives muscle repair but can lose its function with age. LASSS protects HGF from this age-related damage while also enhancing its ability to trigger repair. The team hopes the findings could lead to treatments for age-related muscle loss in humans and companion animals, supporting longer, healthier lives.

Plant-infecting fungi have evolved sophisticated strategies to overcome natural barriers and colonize their hosts. A new study investigates the biology of Colletotrichum fungi, among the world’s most destructive plant pathogens, to better understand the mechanisms that drive their success. By exploring how these pathogens interact with plant hosts, researchers uncover new insights into fungal adaptation and provide valuable knowledge that could help develop new strategies for protecting crops from devastating diseases.

Greater Japanese horseshoe bats modify the frequency of their constant-frequency (CF) echolocation calls when mixed with a population with a different CF until both frequencies converge, new study finds. Lower-frequency bats make larger shifts in frequency than higher-frequency individuals. The study fills an important gap in research on population mixing of CF bats, providing more information to species behaviorists, robotics engineers, and other innovators working on biomimetics and bio-inspired technologies.

Researchers have developed a quantum-dot imaging technique that makes the usually difficult to visualize surface plasmon polaritons visible with a conventional fluorescence microscope. The method captures and measures plasmonic waves in device structures intended for practical use, including buried interfaces, providing a practical tool for designing future nanophotonic, optoelectronic, and plasmonic technologies.

Researchers including those from the University of Tokyo found a way to optimize how cells bind to small packages they release called extracellular vesicles. By coating the vesicles with metal ions, they made cells and their corresponding vesicles stick together more strongly than they would naturally. This reduced the time needed for cells to capture their own vesicles, even in mixtures containing billions of other vesicles. The team demonstrated an application of this by improving two kinds of blood tests for cancer cells, and it could have downstream applications in drug delivery, rejuvenation and more.