Topics
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.
RIKEN at a glance
We’ve just gotten our order of RIKEN at a Glance booklets back from the printers, and they look fantastic. Follow the link to download your electronic copy now!
About this blog
Read about the purpose of our blog and what we hope to achieve with it.
Let the blogging begin!
Welcome to the It Ain’t Magic science blog! (brought to you by the RIKEN Global Communications Team)
New metalloenzyme system selectively targets cancer cells
Specific targeting of cancer cells and onsite drug synthesis has been achieved using a new artificial metalloenzyme delivery system.
Boosting betaine may be a treatment for schizophrenia
Supplementing model mice with glycine betaine (trimethylglycine), a compound originally derived from beets, can alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia.
Gray matter volume links symptoms in autism
Low gray matter volume in the posterior superior parietal lobule (pSPL) was found to correlate with specific cognitive and perceptual symptoms of autism.
New mechanism allows lower energy requirement for OLED displays
Scientists have found a way to significantly reduce the amount of energy required by organic light emitting diodes (OLED) displays.
CAPON links Alzheimer’s plaques to neurodegeneration
CAPON was found to link Aβ plaques and hippocampal neurodegeneration in mice, explaining how these two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease are related.
AdR blockers protect the brain from stroke damage
Treatment with adrenergic receptor antagonists (AdR blockers) was able to reduce stroke-related brain damage in mice and improve motor recovery.
Trigger region found for epileptic absence seizures
A mouse model shows that absence seizures are triggered by faulty connections between the cortex and fast-spiking neurons in the striatum.
Opto-OISI: imaging connections in the living brain
A new imaging technique called opto-OISI allows scientists to non-invasively visualize where specific neurons project in the living brain.
Flies smell through a gore-tex system
The newly named gore-tex gene is responsible for the development of nanopores that allow chemicals in the air to be detected (in flies).
29
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.
10
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
4
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.
3
Understanding non-coding DNA: gene “enhancers”
NETCAGE is a newly developed technique for determining the structure of portions of the non-coding genome called ‘enhancers.’
22
Mini-EUSO launched to the International Space Station ?
The Mini-EUSO observatory was successfully launched to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS14! NASA video inside!
9
Implantable blastocyst‐like cysts grown from stem cells
Embryo Organoids?! Blastocyst‐like cysts grown from pluripotent mouse stem cells were similar to natural blastocysts (early embryos).