Bennu and Ryugu Asteroids: Diamonds in the Sky
Bennu and Ryugu are two rubble-pile asteroids that were recently photographed by unmanned spacecrafts. Both asteroids have a distinctive diamond shape, the formation of which…
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University News
Hard To Swallow: Coral Cells Seen Engulfing Algae for First Time – “It Was Amazing To See!”
New research into the crucial partnership between coral and algae may one day help prevent coral bleaching. For the first time, scientists have seen stony…
Citrus Mystery: Juicy Past of Favorite Okinawan Fruit Revealed
Citrus fruits from the mandarin family have important commercial value but how their diversity arose has been something of a mystery Researchers analyzed the genomes…
Future of High Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells Shines a Little Brighter
Solar cells, which convert sunlight to electricity, have long been part of the global vision for renewable energy. Although individual cells are very small, when…
Diversity of Tiny Bobtail Squid Driven by Major Ancient Biogeographic Events
Bobtail and bottletail squids are tiny marine invertebrates that are found throughout the world’s oceans and are useful model animals for research There are 68…
Metamorphosis: The Fascinating Secrets of How Clownfish Earn Their Stripes
The distinctive white stripes in clownfish form at different rates depending on their sea anemone hosts, a PNAS study finds. Clownfish species develop their characteristic…
Startling New Evidence Shows a Mouse’s Bite Holds Venomous Potential
Startling new evidence shows mammal salivary glands and snake venom glands share a common genetic foundation. Venoms are a mixture of proteins that animals have…
New Era in Coral Biology Research: Scientists Have Cultured the First Stable Coral Cell Lines
The ability to culture coral cells could usher in a new era in coral biology research. Researchers have successfully grown cells from the stony coral,…
First Ever Image Captured of an Electron’s Orbit Within an Exciton
A revolutionary technique gives scientists an unparalleled close-up view inside fleeting particles called excitons. In a world-first, researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and…
Scientists in Japan Discover Key to Coronavirus Transmission: Triangular-Shaped Spikes
COVID-19 needs no introduction. Last year, the disease, which is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, reached every continent across the globe. By the end of…
Record-Breaking Evolutionary Innovation: Powerful, Deadly, Ultrafast Bite of a Trap-Jaw Ant
Small changes in form can lead to innovative breakthroughs in function, a new study reveals. Researchers have revealed how an ant’s trap-jaw — a powerful,…
A Genetic Variant You May Have Inherited From Neanderthals Reduces the Risk of Severe COVID-19
DNA variants passed on to modern humans from Neanderthals can increase as well as decrease our ability to fight SARS-CoV-2, a new PNAS study finds….
Silicon Anode Nanostructure Generates New Potential for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Scientists reveal a new nanostructure that could revolutionize technology in batteries and beyond. New research has identified a nanostructure that improves the anode in lithium-ion…
Game-Changer in Future Solar Technology: New Perovskite Solar Modules With Greater Size, Power and Stability
Perovskites are projected to be a game-changer in future solar technology but currently suffer from a short operational lifespan and drops in efficiency when scaled…
Astonishing Results When Researchers Examine Uncharted Molecular Language of the Brain
Neurons are like the electrical wiring of our brains, responsible for receiving information from the outside world and conveying this information to the rest of…
Tragic Genetic Heritage: The Ancient Neanderthal Hand in Severe COVID-19
Since first appearing in late 2019, the novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, has had a range of impacts on those it infects. Some people become severely ill…
Researchers Surprised: Common Protein Is Key Player in Diabetes
A protein that’s common throughout the body plays a key role in regulating glucose levels, says new research conducted in the Cell Signal Unit at…
Scientists Iron Out the Physics of Wrinkling
Researchers combine experiments and theory to determine how curved edges affect the wrinkling of ultra-thin materials. When we think of wrinkles, we usually envision the…