New research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution sheds light on the timelines and pathways of evolution of fungi, finding evidence of their influence on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. The study, led by researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and collaborators, indicates the diversification of fungi hundreds of millions of years before the emergence of land plants.

Glacial melting in Switzerland was once again enormous in 2025. A winter with low snow depth combined with heat waves in June and August led to a loss of three per cent of the glacier volume. This is the fourth largest level of shrinkage since measurements began. Consequently, the ice mass reduced by one quarter in the last ten years. This was reported by GLAMOS, the glacier monitoring network in Switzerland, and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere observation (SCC) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT).

An Osaka Metropolitan University researcher investigated factors influencing older adults’ acceptance and use of demand-responsive transport (DRT) in Senboku New Town, Osaka. The study found a significant relationship between citizen engagement and behavioral intention to use DRT.

The question of whether piano timbre can be changed according to a pianist’s intent had not been answered in over 100 years.

Using proprietary non-contact sensors capable of measuring key positions at 1000 fps, we measured key movements when professional pianists played using various timbres.

Data science and psychophysical experiments revealed that timbres intended by pianists were perceived by listeners, regardless of whether they had any piano playing experience.

Sounds produced by keystrokes differing only in specific key movement features were perceived as distinct timbres, thereby identifying a causal relationship between key movement and timbre.

The University of Osaka researchers developed a reinforcement learning framework that lets dialogue systems efficiently learn new words while asking fewer questions. This approach enhances user experience and enables future systems to naturally acquire family-specific nicknames and expressions, becoming more familiar companions in everyday life.