News On Japan

These asteroid particles may be our most 'pristine' sample of the outer solar system

Aug 16 (sciencealert.com) - Rubble retrieved from an asteroid in near-Earth solar orbit could be the most 'pristine' sample of cosmic rock we've had our primate paws on yet.

According to a new, in-depth analysis of the material delivered to Earth from the asteroid Ryugu, the samples of rocks and dust are among the most uncontaminated Solar System materials we've ever had the opportunity to study – and their composition suggests that they incorporate chemistry from the outer reaches of the system.

This not only gives us a unique tool for understanding the Solar System and its formation, it gives us new context in which to interpret other space rocks that have been contaminated by coming into contact with Earth.

"Ryugu particles," wrote a team led by cosmochemist Motoo Ito of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science Technology (JAMSTEC) in Japan, "are the most uncontaminated and unfractionated extraterrestrial materials studied so far, and provide the best available match to the bulk Solar System composition."

It has been around 4.6 billion years since the Sun formed, and the Solar System around it. Obviously that's a very long time, and a lot of things have changed since then; but we do have time capsules that allow us to study the chemistry of the early Solar System in order to understand how it all came together. These are chunks of rock, such as comets and asteroids, that have been drifting about in space more or less unchanged since they formed. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A renowned Japanese photographer based in New York, Yasuomi Hashimura, known for his groundbreaking contributions to American advertising photography, died after being pushed on the street by a man.

Japan is on track to surpass its all-time annual record for foreign visitors, with over 30 million arrivals so far this year.

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

An international team led by a Japanese researcher says it has developed a new type of plastic that is durable but breaks down in seawater. It says the new plastic is recyclable and will help reduce environmental pollution and the accumulation of microplastics in the oceans. (NHK)

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

Japan' Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Muto announced on November 19th that the government has decided to cease its support for APB, a company pioneering the development of the world's first all-resin battery.

デスクで効率的に作業するには、ただ座って作業を開始するだけでは不十分です。

Infections of lumpy skin disease have been confirmed among dairy cattle in Fukuoka Prefecture, western Japan, for the first time in the country. (NHK)

Hydrogen, anticipated as the next-generation automotive fuel, is seeing accelerated efforts for its real-world implementation. Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled its first hybrid vehicle that combines a hydrogen-powered engine and an electric motor, announcing plans to conduct on-road tests starting next spring.

Many people, especially children, dread injections. However, companies in the Kansai region are advancing the development of 'painless injections,' utilizing innovative technologies.

This year's 'Global Digital Competitiveness Ranking' was released, placing Japan at 31st among 67 countries and regions, up one position from last year.