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National Institutes of Natural Sciences


New proof for black hole spin

A team of international researchers has provided direct evidence that the supermassive black hole at the heart of galaxy M87 is spinning. The findings are based on 20 years of observational data, which show that gravitational interactions between the accretion disk and the black hole's spin cause the jet to wobble or precess.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateSep 27, 2023

High-temperature superconducting large-current conductor with simple stacking

Scientists at NIFS have created a stable and strong High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) large-current conductor, named STARS, that can be applied to fusion reactors. The new conductor overcomes challenges in twisting and transposing thin wires, achieving higher current densities than Low-Temperature Superconductors.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalJournal of Physics Conference Series·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 9, 2023

Accurate measurement of permittivity advances radio telescope receivers and next generation telecommunication networks

Researchers developed a novel method to measure permittivity 100 times more accurately than before. This technology contributes to efficient development of sensitive radio receivers for radio telescopes and high-frequency materials for next-gen communication networks.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalIEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 7, 2023

They got more than me! The brain circuit for socially subjective reward valuation

A recent study published in Nature Communications identified an important brain circuit for socially subjective reward valuation, finding that temporarily disconnecting the medial prefrontal cortex from the lateral hypothalamus reduces susceptibility to others' rewards but not individual expectations. This research has significant impl...

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2023

Gas streamers feed triple baby stars

Astronomers have observed and simulated the feeding of gas to three protostars in a trinary system, revealing how spiral arms, or 'streamers,' form and contribute to protostar growth. This study provides new insights into multi-star system formation, an important aspect of overall star formation theory.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateAug 4, 2023

Selectivity effect of molecular chirality may have universal applications, researchers find

A team led by Takuro Sato found that the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect can filter out electrons and molecules with specific chirality, enabling enantioselectivity without chiral catalysis. This discovery has broader applications in producing safer chemicals and developing advanced electronics across various scales.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 28, 2023

Molecular filament shielded young solar system from supernova

A new calculation shows that a molecular gas filament protected the young Solar System from a nearby supernova explosion, allowing it to capture radioactive isotopes found in meteorites. The filament acted as a buffer, protecting the nascent Sun and helping to channel the isotopes into the forming Solar System.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 22, 2023

Monkey see, monkey do: observing macaques to better understand movement synchronization

Researchers observe 'social motor entrainment' in macaques, where movements synchronize with others, and find it varies by animal pairs, social hierarchy, and stimulus type. This study provides insights into the neural underpinnings of social cohesion and has implications for understanding human conditions like autism spectrum disorder.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 30, 2023

Out of this world control on Ice Age cycles

A research team used an improved climate computer model to reproduce the glacial cycle of 40,000-year in the early Pleistocene Epoch. The study found that astronomical forces based on modern state-of-the-art theory drove changes in climate, with small differences in Earth's spin axis orientation and orbit amplitude determining the glac...

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 15, 2023

A twisted cell-cell adhesion molecule complex structure revealed by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and high-speed atomic force microscopy

Researchers have elucidated the mechanism of CELSR cadherin dimerization, revealing a twisted cell-cell adhesion molecule complex structure. The extracellular domains of CELSR cadherins exhibited strand- and globule-like portions, which bound through strand-like structures in an antiparallel orientation.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 24, 2023

Playing hide and seek with planets

An international team of astronomers has discovered an exoplanet using a combined approach of direct imaging and precision measurements of a star's motion on the sky. The newly found planet, HIP 99770 b, is 14-16 times more massive than Jupiter and orbits just over three times further from its star.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateApr 13, 2023

Small but mighty: new superconducting amplifiers deliver high performance at lower power consumption

Researchers have developed a new concept for superconducting microwave low-noise amplifiers with significantly lower power consumption. The SIS amplifier has been successfully demonstrated with high-performance gain below 5 GHz and comparable noise temperature to cooled semiconductor amplifiers, with potential applications in radio ast...

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalApplied Physics Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2023

Resurrected supernova provides missing-link

Researchers have discovered a supernova that exhibits unusual rebrightening at millimeter wavelengths, offering insights into the evolution of massive stars. The study suggests that interaction with an intermediate-distance binary companion created a hollow shell of circumstellar medium, leading to the observed rebrightening.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateMar 1, 2023

Tadpole Playing Around Black Hole

Researchers have identified a unique gas cloud, nicknamed the Tadpole, revolving around a massive black hole 100,000 times more massive than the Sun. The team used advanced telescopes to detect the unusual cloud's curved shape and motion, suggesting it is being stretched by gravitational forces.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 16, 2023

Water bears shine brightly via a novel in vivo expression vector system

A novel in vivo expression vector system, TardiVec, has been developed to study anhydrobiosis in live tardigrades, enabling the expression of fluorescent proteins. This technology facilitates further research into anhydrobiosis and stress tolerance, potentially leading to new ways to enhance stress resistance in other organisms.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 24, 2023

Critical impacts of interfacial water on C–H activation in photocatalytic methane conversion

Researchers discovered that interfacial water promotes non-thermal C-H activation by abstracting hydrogen from methane, improving conversion rates dramatically. This work provides a fundamental basis for designing non-thermal catalytic systems for sustainable methane utilization under ambient conditions.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalCommunications Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 20, 2023

Development of high-time-resolution measurement of electron temperature and density in a magnetically confined plasma

Researchers have developed a high-performance laser system capable of measuring electron temperature and density in plasma at a world record speed of 20,000 times per second. This breakthrough enables detailed measurements of transient phenomena in plasmas, crucial for understanding and controlling fusion power generation.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 18, 2022