Turbulence—where flows and vortices intricately intertwine—is a fundamental phenomenon found across nature, from our everyday surroundings to the cosmos. In particular, high-temperature fusion plasmas exhibit highly complex turbulence, driven by the coupled fluctuations of multiple physical quantities such as density, temperature, and magnetic fields. A research team led by  Dr Go Yatomi of the National Institute for Fusion Science (a graduate student at SOKENDAI at the time of submission) and Associate Professor Motoki Nakata of Komazawa University (also a visiting researcher at RIKEN) has developed a novel method to analyze turbulent states and interactions from the perspective of "information," drawing inspiration from mathematical frameworks in quantum mechanics, such as information entropy. This approach enables the discovery of previously overlooked turbulence regimes in plasmas and reveals essential nonlinear interactions between multi-scale vortices and flows—interactions that conventional energy-based analyses often miss. The study also proposes potential applications of the method to experimental diagnostics of turbulence and fluctuations. Looking ahead, this technique is expected to extend beyond plasma physics, offering new insights into complex systems in atmospheric and oceanic sciences, as well as in social dynamics, where complex flows and multi-variable interactions also play critical roles.

Emerging theories suggest that communication challenges arise from differing perspectives between autistic and non-autistic partners rather than individual socio-cognitive deficits. In addition, while social behavior varies between cultures, observations from Western cultures dominate our understanding of autism. Researchers from Japan and the UK have conducted a cross-cultural analysis comparing the mentalizing performance of British and Japanese autistic and non-autistic adults. Their study highlights the need for more culturally sensitive socio-cognitive measures to assess autistic traits.

A new study shows how internal coalitions shape corporate decisions after profitability goals are met. Analyzing Chinese firms, researchers found that shareholder-value coalitions tend to increase dividend payments, while state-endorsed coalitions prioritize corporate philanthropy. These competing goals highlight how internal power dynamics influence how firms allocate surplus resources. The findings offer important insights for investors, executives, and policymakers seeking to understand how companies manage competing objectives such as shareholder satisfaction and social priorities.