Science View - Season 3 / Year 2014

This 2-part special takes an in depth look at Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, led by Nobel Prize-winner, Prof. Shinya Yamanaka. We cover the cutting-edge research that is edging closer to clinical application, and Prof. Yamanaka's compelling mission to deliver treatments to patients. We go on site to uncover CiRA's unique features and focus, and some of its lesser known aspects. Don't miss this rare glimpse into the workings of a top Japanese research center.

In the 2nd part of our 2-part series on CiRA, we focus on iPS cell-based research into incurable diseases such as ALS and muscular dystrophy, and the progress of drug development. We also take a look at CiRA's ethics research division. What's that, you ask? It reflects Nobel-prize winning Prof. Yamanaka's comprehensive approach to the double-edged sword of scientific development. Tune in to see internal meetings and much more, behind the scenes at this innovative research institution.

Antarctica is a frigid land with an average temperature of 50C° below freezing. Most plants, animals, and even microbes cannot breed in its eternally icy, harsh landscape. But recent research has discovered a location where species never before seen are living. What kind of life could there be down there? It is our pleasure to introduce you to the long undiscovered creatures that call Antarctic waters their home.

Sea forests, bountiful beds of sea kelp that are home to all kinds of fish. In recent years, more and more of these rich ecosystems are withering away into life-less sea deserts. The cause? A single organism. These ferociously hungry creatures can multiply into groups numbering in the hundreds of millions. What can stop them? Join us as we uncover the mysteries of the vanishing forests of the sea.

Most people think of origami paper folding as a fun handicraft. But this traditional Japanese pastime is now being used to develop cutting-edge technology. Take auto engineering. Applying origami principles in the design of a certain auto safety feature can significantly reduce damage in collisions. Tune in to see how origami is making an impact everywhere from implantable medical devices to outer space.

We usually just throw waste into the garbage. But waste electronic devices are actually a hidden gold mine. How so? It's because their circuitry contains rare and precious metals. So resource-poor Japan may actually be resource-rich, then! But the high cost of traditional extraction methods has been a longstanding obstacle. That is, until microbes were found to offer a solution. We dig deep to unearth the latest developments in rare metal recovery.

Carp are a common fish that can be found in ponds and lakes worldwide. How could they be endangered? It has long been believed that there was only one species in the whole world, but it turns out that Japan has 2 carp species. The discovery was made long ago by Siebold, but his findings were rejected by the academic community of his time. The mystery was finally solved with modern science. Tune in to learn more about Japan's enigmatic and endangered carp.

There are mushrooms that glow for a limited amount of time each year. Of the 20,000-plus species in the world, only a small fraction of mushrooms related to the Mycena chlorophos species emit light. The mechanism behind their bioluminescence is still unknown. Why do the filaments also glow? Why do different parts take turns glowing? How does it glow? What for? Scientists are searching for the answers, even on a genetic level. Join us as we explore the mystery of the glowing mushrooms!

Insects make up about 70% of all animal species. How did they manage to thrive this far? From a scientific viewpoint, the structures and functions that insects possess are perfect for their small bodies. We'll be introducing some recent research on insect abilities and its application - such as a tiny sensor that takes a cue from an insect's eye structure, and information regarding memories that was acquired by studying crickets.

Ferrofluid was invented in the 1960's. A magnetic liquid, its unique ability to morph freely is being applied in various fields. It improves the sound quality of small speakers, is used in the medical field to diagnose liver cancer, and may soon be used to treat cancer. How is that possible? Join us to find out more about this incredible liquid.

For the next 2 weeks we'll be covering a topic that was also the theme of a hit movie - Zero Gravity. Our Science Watcher is Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki. She'll share with us the wonders of weightlessness and space based on her time at the International Space Station (ISS). We'll also be showing another one of Naoko Yamazaki's popular space classes, one of which we aired last year. The subject of the class is "What can you see from outer space?" Join us for an exciting trip to a weightless world!

Continuing from last week, Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki shares more about the wonders and advantages of zero gravity. We'll see how this challenging environment is being used to find a cure for a serious disease and develop future food sources. Also included is Naoko Yamazaki's 3rd space class: "If you want to travel to outer space".
This series marks astronaut Koichi Wakata's May 14 return to Earth. Wakata is the first Japanese to serve as ISS commander.

Today we'll be taking a closer look at the sense of touch. This sense allows an experienced metal craftsman to detect a miniscule deformation with his fingertip. Studies have shown that there's something on our fingertips that serves an important function, and that a good portion of the brain is used to process information from the hands and mouth. Join us as we explore the high-sensitivity sensor that mankind has acquired over millions of years of evolution - the exquisite sense of touch.

The "sixth sense" has been the subject of books and movies and is a mysterious power that humans are said to possess. It's also referred to as instinct, intuition, and inspiration. Psychologists and neuroscientists are focusing on "intuition". They're learning that behind it is the brain's ability to process a slew of information in a split second. They're also uncovering how the brain works when intuition strikes. Join us to learn about this sense that has long captured people's imagination.

We have a special feature on a revolutionary radiotherapy that was developed in Japan. Until now, it was difficult to accurately irradiate cancer as the patient's breathing would cause the tumor to move 1 to 4 centimeters. The problem was solved through the device's original function, which allows it to automatically track and irradiate the cancer while monitoring it in real-time. In the Takumi segment, Michelle brings us the story on how this cutting-edge machine was made.

Aquaporins are proteins with holes, and they are greatly involved with major functions in our bodies. They transport water in the body on a cellular level. We'll be introducing the latest research on aquaporins, such as what they look like through an electron microscope, their mechanism for filtering only water molecules, the diseases that aquaporin abnormalities can cause, and the extensive effect they have on biological activity. Join us to learn more!

It's been 7 years since Doctor Yamanaka of Kyoto University created human iPS cells. The world's first clinical application of iPS cells to treat age-related macular degeneration begins in Japan this year. Doctor Okano of Keio University joins us to tell us about the iPS cell treatment he's developing for spinal cord injuries. We'll also cover the breakthrough that Doctor Eto of Kyoto University made regarding platelet mass-production. Michelle visits a Takumi that also works with cells!

Mice will cower at the smell of a cat even if they've never seen one before. The sense of smell is closely related to emotion and memory. The olfactory bulb in the brain has parts that relate to innate responses and learned responses respectively. Studies have shown that the sense of smell is closely linked to memory and that a deteriorating sense of smell may be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. We'll be introducing the latest studies on the sense of smell.

Fatigue has long been overlooked by medical science and its scientific mechanism is largely unknown. Research is being held to find a way to quantify and objectively diagnose fatigue, and more is being revealed about fatigue's surprising effect on the brain. Death by overworking is a serious social issue in Japan, but research on substances to aid in fatigue recovery is underway. So what is fatigue? We visited the frontlines of research to learn more about it.

Salmon are a well-known food fish, yet there is a lot we don't know about their ecology. We know they return to their natal river, but how exactly do they pinpoint it? A new technique makes individual identification possible, allowing researchers to gather new information. And a small measuring device reveals the salmon's unusual behavior as they near the river of their birth. Join us to learn more about the ecology of the salmon that migrate through the North Pacific Ocean.

Japan is the 3rd most geothermal-rich country in the world. Steam and hot water from geothermal reservoirs are used to turn turbines and generate geothermal power. Although it's environment-friendly, the difficulty of pinpointing their locations has been an impediment. Technology that builds on existing seismic monitoring technology is being developed to locate them. Join us and learn about geothermal power plants, geothermal turbine production, and new research regarding geothermal energy.

The focus of attention is a common metal: Iron. In 2008, Professor Hideo Hosono discovered iron-based superconductors. This caused a wave of excitement in scientific circles, as iron had previously been written off as a superconductor material due to its strong magnetic properties. Meanwhile, former Visiting Professor Kenji Abiko found a way to produce 99.9999% pure iron. Malleable and rust-resistant, it has characteristics that ordinary iron doesn't possess, and is used to make high-performance alloys.

Used in cellphone speakers and computer hard drives, neodymium magnets are indispensable to today's high-tech devices. We visited the development site of a magnetic refrigerating device to learn more about the new method it uses. We also have the latest news on a national project headed by Doctor Sagawa, the inventor of the neodymium magnet, to reduce the need for a rare earth called dysprosium. Japan has always been at the forefront of magnet research and today we'll be visiting the frontlines!

Plants possess superpowers such as the ability to remove pollutants from soil, and the power to summon the natural enemy of the bugs that eat their leaves. Today we'll be introducing their superpowers and how they're used in the latest biotechnology. There's a new plant-based material that is harder and tougher than steel, and a cloning technique for increasing a scarce bamboo that is used to make traditional items. Japan's affinity with nature can be seen in these unique studies.

Japan's K computer has over 80,000 CPUs, and can perform 10 quadrillion calculations per second. With the arrival of supercomputers, it's become possible to create detailed simulations and accurate forecasts. Supercomputer simulations are yielding results on various fronts, and simulation has now joined experimentation and theorization as an element of the scientific method. Join us as we cover the challenges that K computer has undertaken, and find out what the latest simulations have revealed!

A new sound transmission pathway called "cartilage conduction" has been gathering attention. Unlike bone conduction, cartilage conduction creates sound within the ear canal. It can be used to make smartphones that can be heard clearly in loud places and earphones that don't leak sound. Then we have a bone conduction technology that makes ultrasounds audible. We'll be covering potential new solutions for those with severe hearing loss that aren't able to use conventional hearing aids.

The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Professor Isamu Akasaki from Meijo University, Professor Hiroshi Amano from Nagoya University, and Shuji Nakamura from the University of California "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources". Ahead of the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony on December 10, we'll be bringing you an exclusive interview with Professor Amano.
It had been said that blue LEDs would not be realized within the 20th century due to the difficulty of making crystals out of gallium nitride. Professor Amano built an experiment device from scratch and conducted over 1,500 experiments before the team succeeded in creating gallium nitride crystals. In the interview he describes the methods he used, and how he acquired hints from failed experiments. We'll also be introducing the latest LED research that Professor Amano is involved in, and the leading-edge of LED development in Japan.

The world's first transplantation of retinal tissues made from iPS cells to treat a disease called age-related macular degeneration took place at a Kobe hospital in September of this year. It's been just 7 years since Dr. Shinya Yamanaka from Kyoto University first created them. The world's first regenerative medicine study involving iPS cells was realized in Japan. We'll be taking a closer look at how the operation was held and the careful measures that were taken. Dr. Masayo Takahashi from RIKEN, the project leader of the clinical research, joins us in the studio to discuss the first procedure. She also covers the issue of high surgery costs, what low vision care entails and what it means for regenerative medicine, and the Eye Institute that she dreams of. Science View reporter Michelle also holds a special interview with Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, the creator of the iPS cells, and Dr. Jun Takahashi, who is Dr. Masayo Takahashi's husband. Tune in to find out what they have to say!