Science View - Season 8 / Year 2019

Although smaller in scale, the Sea of Japan has the same elements as the world's oceans such as the Pacific Ocean. In 2017, it gained attention as studies revealed alarming changes occurring in the Sea of Japan. Deep circulation, considered to be the lifeline of the sea, had weakened by 30%. In addition, the amount of oxygen saturation in the deep waters had decreased. The cycle of deep circulation in the Sea of Japan is 20 times faster than that of the world's great oceans. Experts point out that by observing the changes occurring in the Sea of Japan, we can watch the world's phenomenon in fast motion. This episode will delve into the latest research on the Sea of Japan to predict the future of our world.

Polymers like polyethylene or plastic are essential in modern life, yet their molecular structure makes them brittle. However, researchers have recently improved that molecular structure to create new tough polymers, which can be 100 times stronger. Some are already on the verge of being used in practical applications, and are expected to be used in areas such as automobiles and their components. We'll look at the development of these new tough polymers.

Japan is a country known for its frequent volcanic eruptions. It's also experienced much larger "massive volcanic eruptions" thought to have struck at an average rate of once every 10,000 years. These eruptions were so powerful that they helped form the Japanese archipelago. The most recent massive volcanic eruption is to have occurred 7,300 years ago at the Kikai Caldera, which includes the island of Satsuma-Iojima in southern Kyushu. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research on massive volcanic eruptions and the insight gained from the Kikai Caldera.

Even as modern robotics flourishes, most industrial and other robots only follow pre-programed algorithms. They have difficulty recognizing and dealing with unexpected conditions. Cambridge University roboticist Fumiya Iida studies the diversity and adaptations of the Earth's evolving life forms to design more autonomous "bio-inspired" robots. He says the future of robotics lies in understanding how living creatures adjust to environmental changes. What do his new robots look like? This program examines the future of robots from the perspective of a leading roboticist abroad.

All across the world, we are getting struck with extreme weather such as torrential rain and record heat. As we scramble to take action against these hard-to-predict weather, researchers in seemingly unrelated fields are gaining attention. What startling ideas came out of astrophysics and biology? We will focus on the frontline research.

In the world of archeology, new discoveries are being made that unravel the truth of the ancient past. They use the latest technologies to see through things that involve electromagnetic waves or the subatomic particle, muon. This episode features technologies that helped reveal the presence of a large void in Egypt's Great Pyramid, uncover the clues to how iron was used in ancient times, and shed light on how the Jomon people lived over 10,000 years ago.

The world of 3D visualization is more than just action movies. It allows the machines around us to create 3-dimensional representations of their surroundings. Machines are using the points and lines of geometry in car factories, gymnastics stadiums, rocket testing, and elsewhere to accurately recognize the shapes and positions of objects. In this episode, we'll look at the technologies and geometries that allow machines to see in 3D. And we'll meet a man who's created some of the sharpest blades imaginable.

For more than 400 years, people have used microscopes to show more about the inner workings of plants and animals than can be seen with the naked eye. Microscope technology has greatly improved since, but has also encountered the limits of how small a thing and how wide a target area it can show. In this episode, we'll see clever ideas and technologies that get around these barriers. And we'll see a precise way for monitoring IV drips.

The Kuroshio is a very well-known ocean current that flows along Japan's southern coast. Occasionally, the current deviates from its usual course in a phenomenon known as the "Kuroshio large meander." This meander started again in September 2017, the first time in 12 years, and is currently ongoing. Research has revealed how this meander has contributed to a rich oceanic ecosystem as well as an increase in snowfall around Tokyo. In this episode, we'll look at the latest research about the mechanism of the large meander and its significant impact on fishing, shipping, and weather.

Chewy, crispy... In addition to taste and fragrance, texture is another key to delicious food. Thanks to scientific explanations on molecular structure and other attributes of texture, food development is accelerating. Chocolate with a completely new texture and creamy yogurt are just some of the latest examples. In addition, technology has also emerged that can describe texture with numerical values. We'll look at these developments in understanding food texture and explore the possibilities to come.

Dr. Kenji Fukushima is studying carnivorous plant evolution at the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. Fukushima is an up-and-coming researcher in the field of botany who is attracting attention for his work, including a discovery that overturned a hypothesis established nearly 150 years ago. His research primarily concerns "convergent evolution," in which completely different species of organisms evolve to have structures with similar form or function. Fukushima has been studying the mysteries of convergent evolution in carnivorous plants. In this episode, we'll look at some of his new and rather surprising discoveries about these incredible plants.

Tokyo's Tama area is home to numerous research institutes. We will bring you 2 special episodes from Tama surrounding the topic of "Understanding the Current State of the Earth and the Universe." In Part 1, visit the National Institute of Polar Research where they conduct studies on the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The icy polar regions are places most affected by global warming. Discover the present state of the global environment through the melting of ice and the ecosystem of the polar regions. Furthermore, ice in this area contains air trapped inside from tens of thousands of years ago providing information about the past climate changes. We will explore the future of our planet by examining the history of our global environment dating back hundreds of thousands of years.

We bring you 2 special episodes on "Understanding the Current State of the Earth and the Universe" from Tokyo's Tama area, home to a number of top research institutes. In Part 2, we visit the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan lying at the core of space observation. The observatory leads the world by playing a major role in various research including solar observation with the Hinode satellite, the project that captured a black hole, and dark matter research which is one of the greatest mysteries of space. Find out the forefront of Japanese space observation as we tour state-of-the-art telescopes and facilities that develop technologies which have produced numerous results.

Professor Kentaro Shimizu (45), of the University of Zurich in Switzerland, is trying to uncover the secrets to plant diversity by decoding plant genes while conducting field work in the Swiss Alps. Most organisms including animals have only about 20,000 to 30,000 genes, and Shimizu is hoping to understand why there are so many different species of organisms living on the earth. Through his research, he's learned that the numbers of chromosomes inherited from parents play a significant role in the evolution and diversification of living organisms. Shimizu is also applying his research findings to creating an improved wheat variety that will survive the changing global environment. We'll follow Professor Shimizu as he explores the mystery of plant diversity.

Japan's "Hayabusa-2" spacecraft successfully touched down on asteroid Ryugu twice, in February and July of 2019. In its second touchdown, it attempted the first-ever collection of sub-surface samples from an asteroid, which are now eagerly awaited back here on Earth. The lessons learned from its forerunner, the original Hayabusa mission, and improvements to the ion engine and touchdown navigation system have helped keep the current mission running smoothly. It has even deployed robotic rovers to the surface of Ryugu that have sent us photos of the asteroid. In this episode, we'll take an in-depth look and even get some recent news about the historic Hayabusa-2 mission.

A man in central Japan found an unusual stone in his garden a few years ago. It was later certified as a meteorite! In this episode, we'll explore the background of the Nagara meteor. We'll investigate how it arrived, where it came from, and how the man's stone was certified. We'll also meet the stone's family! It has siblings in Arizona and Argentina, and a parent from the asteroid belt. The Nagara meteor also tells us something unexpected about the early history of our solar system.

The world of logistics is undergoing significant transformation thanks to new technology. For example, as e-commerce continues to grow, the work involved in selecting items from inventory and preparing orders has become more of a burden on workers. Fortunately, the introduction of robots equipped with artificial intelligence is reducing this burden and making the shipping process vastly more efficient. The greatest challenge in logistics is typically the sorting of goods with different shapes, arrangement, and weight, etc. Yet the development of new artificial intelligence has made it possible for robots to understand the position and shape of products instantly and efficiently perform this sorting work. From order to delivery, we'll look at how the automation of various logistics operations is accelerating and the latest developments towards full automation.

Sake is undergoing a worldwide boom in popularity. The flavor profiles of sake have changed over time thanks to technological development and the ability to harness the power of microorganisms. A type of mold called koji plays a particularly key role in shaping the flavor profile of sake, as it helps convert the starch in rice into sugar for fermentation. Brewers had long known that different strains of koji produce different tastes, but now researchers have been able to identify the specific effects that come from genetic differences. This knowledge in turn is enabling the development of new types of koji through genetic modification to produce more desirable flavors in sake. In this episode, we'll take a closer look at research on koji and see how the power of biotechnology combined with the wisdom of experience is opening up new possibilities for a part of Japan's food culture.

Cryptography, the computerized encoding and decoding of information, makes data exchanges on the internet secure. The current encryption system is based on the difficulty of factorizing huge numbers into prime numbers and cannot be solved easily even with supercomputers. However, the processing power of "quantum computers" has rapidly advanced in recent years posing a threat to cybersecurity. Researchers are now working to develop a new encryption system to protect data from quantum computing. One of the most important candidates is called "lattice-based cryptography." This system of finding hidden codes inside lattices is said to withstand quantum computers. Find out about the latest research in cryptography.

The technology of projection mapping is rapidly advancing. Images can be projected not only onto stationary surfaces such as buildings and walls, but also onto fast-moving objects. Undistorted images are appearing on bouncing balls and T-shirts. And now, this technology goes beyond the realm of entertainment, bringing hope to saving people's lives. It is about to be applied even in the field of medicine. Find out about the latest development in projection mapping and how it can change our lives.