Topics
Tracking how stars grow up in a virtual playground
Amanda Alvarez writes about Steven Rieder and his research in modeling clusters of growing new stars.
Protons are lighter than previously thought
A new and most precise measurement of protons shows that they are lighter than previously thought.
Untangling depression in Huntington’s disease
New research implicates clumps of insoluble, misfolded proteins in the development of mental illness in people with Huntington’s disease
Imaging whole-body cancer metastasis at the single-cell level
A new optical clearing method allows imaging of cancer metastasis at incredibly high resolution.
Meet the editors: the growing pains of scientific publishing
Amanda Alvarez writes about the recent seminars at RIKEN by Philip Campbell and Emilie Marcus, the editors-in-chief of Nature and Cell.
Carbon nanotubes, what are they good for?
Kylius Wilkins talks to Urs Frey and his recent success manufacturing carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Finding real rewards in a virtual world
A new study shows that mice who learn to find goals in virtual reality use their hippocampus the same was as in the real world.
RIKEN is looking for you
RIKEN is looking for you. Check out our new introductory videos! learn about exotic nuclei and much much more.
Promising mouse model for Ngly1 deficiency
A recent study of Ngly1 deficient mice used a secondary knockout to create double knockouts with symptoms similar to human NGLY1 deficiency.
Nihonium walk of fame
A nihonium walk of fame is being built to commemorate the discovery of the 113th element
New rice fights off drought
Researchers have created drought resistant transgenic rice using a gene from a small Eurasian flowering plant
Centennial RIKEN Research
???This Spring we’ve put together a special centennial issue of RIKEN Research ???
Don’t know anything about RIKEN?
Don’t know anything about RIKEN? We’ve made a new RIKEN booklet that should help!
Blocking obesity with a protein-sugar combination
Discovery of an enzyme that prevents obesity in mice through glycosylation of a protein involved fat-cell differentiation.
Robotic researcher to the rescue
Masaki Watabe talks about automated robotic researchers, future robot rule, and scientific philosophy.
RIKEN Research Winter Issue
It’s almost the end of the year and a here’s an early holiday present! The winter issue of RIKEN Research is here, covering plant parasites, depression, atomic clocks, and more! Enjoy!
The geometry of consciousness is a multi-dimensional math trip
Amanda Alvarez writes about how neuroscientists are studying consciousness with mathematics
RIKEN Research Fall Issue
Fall is here, and with it comes the latest issue of RIKEN Research. This issue covers tactile learning during sleep, supercomputers and simulations, solar cells, fly olfaction, tumor vaccines, and more
Locating social memories in the brain
Scientists have identified where social memories are stored in the brains of mice. Mice are forgotten because memories cannot be retrieved.
Big news in iPS cell transplants
iPS cell-derived retinal cells have been successfully transplanted from one monkey to another without need of immunosuppressant drugs.
In Japan, women in science seek allies, resources in push for gender equality
neuroamanda talks about gender equality for female scientists is Japan.
Measuring altitude — with clocks?
Measuring altitude using atomic clocks seems like a crazy idea, but it’s already being done at RIKEN in Japan
The sound of molecules: NMR-inspired music
Science & art: how NMR works and how NMR spectra have been used to compose music based on molecular structures.
Eve Marder: freeing knowledge, crashing neurons
None of us would get on a plane that had its parts changed in mid-air, says Eve Marder, who has spent her career probing a very specific cluster of crustacean nerve cells. Yet we are all walking around undergoing a constant turnover of cellular parts, and so are the lobsters and crabs Marder studies.
RIKEN Research Summer issue
A quick post to let you know that the Summer issue of RIKEN Research Magazine came out towards the end of June. This issue covers brain evolution, regenerating skin, super-clear synapses, and much much more! Enjoy!
ESOF and the gimungous telescope
Highlights from the recent EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) conference held in Manchester (actually, pre-ESOF). Science was everywhere, even out by the sheep
Call for science-inspired art
A rant about right-brain/left-brain pseudoscience and a call for science-inspired art. Scientists can be artists (and artists can be scientists)!
Why “nihonium”?
Kosuke Morita and Kouji Morimoto talked to reporters on Thursday morning about how they came up with name “nihonium” for element 113.
Nerd Nite comes to Tokyo
Jens checks out Nerd Nite in Tokyo — swords and physics and brains oh my!
RIKEN Research Spring issue is here
Just a quick post to let you know that the Spring issue of RIKEN Research Magazine came out towards the end of March. This issue covers issues including the discovery of element 113, earth-friendly pesticides, and the secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin. Enjoy!
Organ regeneration in the lab
Interview with Takashi Tsuji, team leader of the Laboratory for Organ Regeneration at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology
Of mice and NREM: In this brain circuit, memories depend on sleep
The parts of the brain responsible for creating a memory must be re-activated during a specific part of the sleep cycle for mice to remember.
Dear RIKEN: Can you bring frozen animals back to life?
Today we post our first Dear RIKEN question and answer.
From evolutionary morphology to Godzilla
I recently spoke with RIKEN scientist Shigeru Kuratani about evolutionary morphology, sci-fi monsters, the genius of Alien, and more.
Award-winning 3D images of living cells
An interview with Yuko Kiyosue, discussing the 3D images of living cells that gained her and her colleagues a recent award.
Electrolithoautotrophs
Learn what electrolithoautotrophs are and how the scientists proved that A. ferrooxidans can use electric potential to fuel growth.
Element 113: “discovery” or not?
Recently four new synthetic elements were added to the periodic table. We asked Dr. Morita whether he thinks his team “discovered” or “created” element 113.
Black smokers and electroecosystems
Black smokers are deep-sea hydrothermal vents found in the ocean. Now scientists believe that they may host electroecosystems in which the primary producers use electric currents as their energy source.
Science communication symposium
Friday I participated in a small symposium that focused on science communication (for institutions in Japan). We discussed using social media as a means to self-publish wow! and amazing! research findings. Here are some of my thoughts about how useful this plays out in Japan.
Tape and vermilion: ingredients for mapping artifact origins
Vermilion samples taken from ancient artifacts with sulfur-free tape can tell us about trade patterns 3000 years ago.
Are you “at risk” of being a habitual coffee drinker?
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are related to dietary habits, including coffee, tea, tofu, and yogurt consumption.
Astrocytes powered by norepinephrine during fear-memory formation
Norepinephrine released in the locus coeruleus during fear learning is accompanied by increased calcium and cAMP levels in nearby astrocytes.
Brain wave synchrony can predict memory age
The degree of neuronal synchrony between the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus during recall is an indication of memory age (in mice).
AI identifies features associated with cancer recurrence
Artificial intelligence has successfully identified features relevant to cancer prognosis that were not previously noted by pathologists
Longevity in supercentenarians linked to cytotoxic T-cells
Blood analysis in supercentenarians showed that they have many more cytotoxic CD4 T-cells than people with average life spans.
Schizophrenia biomarker (hydrogen sulfide) in human hair
Not only is hydrogen sulfide a good biomarker for schizophrenia, it’s also the culprit and a new starting point for drug discovery.
Brain tissue kept alive for weeks with new microfluidic device
A new microfluidic device can keep tissue cultures functional for weeks on an artificial membrane
Massive filaments, galaxies, and supermassive black holes
Big telescopes yield big data! Detailed observations gas filaments connecting galaxies in a distant proto-cluster in the early Universe.
12
Consciousness, brain connections, and the claustrum
Research shows that the claustrum acts as a ‘consciousness conductor’ that synchronizes and connects areas within the mouse brain.
7
A new imaging biomarker for the aging brain
Enlarged ventricles is a sign of an aging brain. New research shows that this phenomenon can be predicted by lagging brain circulation that is detected by MRI.
29
Sphingolipid S1P: Potential new target for schizophrenia treatment
Sphingolipid S1P is reduced in brain white matter of people with schizophrenia, making S1P receptors a good target for new treatments.
27
Staining that lights up whole organs and bodies
Scientists have developed a staining procedure that makes see-through tissue, organs, and bodies useful.
23
Artificial gravity protects the immune system of mice in space
Mice who experienced artificial gravity on the ISS suffered less damage to their immune system (thymus) than weightless mice did.
14
Ultraprecise clocks and the Tokyo Skytree verify Einstein’s theory of relativity
Time measured at the top and bottom of the Tokyo Skytree with ultraprecise clocks has verified the time dilation effect predicted by Einstein.