JAXA weighs new mission using Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 tech

Japan's space business, predicted to grow into a 200 trillion yen industry, is on the cusp of innovation as global competition intensifies.

Japanese scientists have attached living skin to robot faces to make them “smile”. The University of Tokyo published its findings in late June 2024, along with a video of the material being stretched into an unsettling grin. (South China Morning Post)

In Kiyosato, Hokkaido, cherry salmon are making their way back from the Sea of Okhotsk to rivers to spawn as the breeding season approaches. These fish are showcasing their powerful jumps, attempting to scale a waterfall approximately 2.5 meters high.

A new variant, KP.3, different from those before, has emerged, and some say we are now in the 11th wave. The new variant is highly contagious, with symptoms primarily including throat pain and fever.

An eruption of Sakurajima on July 14th that sent plumes of smoke as high as 4,500 meters has been captured on camera.

With rising sea temperatures, the habitats of marine life are changing, and some of these changes involve dangerous creatures that require caution. One such creature is the venomous Blue-Ringed Octopus, which has poison hundreds of times more potent than cyanide.

The Japanese government has requested all water utility companies to report the results of water quality tests by the end of September regarding the organic fluorine compound "PFAS." But what exactly is PFAS, and is Japan's tap water safe? Based on interviews with Koji Harada, an associate professor at Kyoto University, we delve into the topic.

The heatwave has not only affected the land but also brought unexpected changes to the sea. On July 3, Tokyo recorded a temperature of 34.8C, the hottest day of the year so far. This intense heat has also triggered unusual occurrences in the ocean, including shark attacks on aquaculture farms.