Flies use fecal deposits as pheromones


Bioluminescence imaging of fly brains reveals neurons sensitive to fly poo laced with pheromones (you can see the fecal “landmark” in the dotted circle). Need we say more?

Evolution of the inner ear: insights from jawless fish


A new story for inner ear evolution based on the developmental patterning found in hagfish, one of two extant jawless vertebrates and a link to the last common ancestor of modern jawed vertebrates.

Talking science Illustration with Misaki Ouchida


Whether it’s bird anatomy or science cartoons, Masaki Ouchida can do it all. She spoke with us about her career in science illustration, from the US to Japan.

Diazoxide pills for Alzheimer’s disease?


Drug therapy with with diazoxide relieved symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of mice and improved memory.

Real webshooters? Synthetic spider silk spun from artificial gland


Scientists create a microfluidic device that spins artificial spider silk from spidroins proteins, duplicating silk’s complex molecular structure.

COVID-19: Changing the way we do research


COVID-19 series — Part #4: Team Leader Aki Minoda from RIKEN IMS talks about how the pandemic has affected the way we work.

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Self-assembly of spider silk

This gut microbe might protect against diabetes and reduce insulin resistance

NEW: One-way hydrogel guides motion of tiny worms!

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Gut bacteria reduces insulin resistance, protects against diabetes


Scientists discover gut bacteria that reduce insulin resistance in your body and sugar in your poo.

Introducing Nikola, the emotional android boy


A new android named Nikola will help researchers study facial expressions, emotions, and social interactions.

Flies use fecal deposits as pheromones


Bioluminescence imaging of fly brains reveals neurons sensitive to fly poo laced with pheromones (you can see the fecal “landmark” in the dotted circle). Need we say more?

Mathematical model predicts self-organized learning in real neurons


The free energy principle predicted how real neural connections changed as neurons “learned” in a dish.

Decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic


COVID-19 series — installment #2: RIKEN CBS Unit Leader Rei Akaishi talks about government decision-making during the pandemic.

Carbon nanotubes, what are they good for?


Kylius Wilkins talks to Urs Frey and his recent success manufacturing carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

Super-thin wearable electronics just got more flexible


A method for making super-flexible and ultra-thin wearable electronics uses water-vapor plasma to create gold-gold bonds.

New treatment assembles cancer drug inside the body


Cancer drugs assembled inside the body on cancer cells should reduce harmful side effects to other tissue.

How does gravity affect antimatter?


Scientists find that antimatter reacts to gravity the same way that regular matter does.

Social contact-seeking behavior and loneliness in the brain


Levels of the peptide amylin in the brain are related to loneliness; activating amylin neurons in the MPOA drives isolated mice to seek social contact.