Collagen, a prevalent and predominant part of the structure of bodies, still has some mystique surrounding the finer aspects of its existence. Here, researchers look into the mechanism of orientation within collagen to elucidate some of the lesser-known aspects of this protein and how it can be used in future applications.

A research group led by FUJINO Misako and HARUNO Masahiko at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), has demonstrated that experiencing active flight in VR allows individuals to predict that they can transition to a safe state even if they fall from a height, thereby reducing fear responses. This discovery challenges the traditional understanding that fear extinction necessarily requires repeated exposure to fear-inducing stimuli.

In this study, the researchers compared a group of participants who actively experienced low-altitude VR flight (Flight Group) with a control group who passively watched recordings of the flight experience. The Flight Group showed significantly greater reductions in both physiological (skin conductance response, SCR) and subjective (self-reported fear score, SFS) fear responses when walking on a virtual plank at high altitude compared to the Control Group. Furthermore, among the Flight Group participants, those who more strongly felt "I can fly, so falling is not dangerous" exhibited a greater reduction in fear responses.

These results suggest that "action-based prediction" can reduce fear responses without relying on repeated exposure, potentially offering a new approach to fear extinction.

The findings were published online on May 13, 2025, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

A joint research team led by Dr. Hyun-Yeol Jeon and Dr. Hyo-Jeong Kim at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Senior Researcher Sung-Bae Park, Professor Dong-Yeop Oh at Inha University, and Professor Je-Young Park at Sogang University has developed a high-performance polyester-amide (PEA) polymer that decomposes by over 92% in one year under real marine conditions, while maintaining strength and flexibility comparable to nylon.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The Institute for Nanoscience at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) hosted its annual proposal planning meeting April 15, bringing together researchers from across the Lab to share ideas and build collaborations in support of future research initiatives.