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On May 30, a Japanese research team videotaped a one-meter long coelacanth in its natural habitat in the waters off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island. According to the announcement by Aquamarine Fukushima — a marine science museum located in Fukushima prefecture — this is the first video of a coelacanth […]
Yura Yura Teikoku, legends of Japan’s psychedelic rock underground, have been creating spaced-out, pop-inspired garage noise for the better part of two decades. Here are some of their videos via YouTube. Powerful speakers recommended!
Kantsuu (Yura Yura Teikoku No Shibire, 2003)
Rame No Pantalon (YuraYura Teikoku III, 2001)
2005-Nen Sekai Ryoko (Sweet Spot, 2005)
Yakousei No Ikimono San-biki […]
With the arrival of Japan’s rainy season, a mysterious type of green, glow-in-the-dark mushroom begins to sprout in Wakayama prefecture. The Mycena lux-coeli mushrooms, known locally as shii no tomobishi-dake (literally, “chinquapin glow mushrooms”), sprout from fallen chinquapin trees. As they grow, a chemical reaction involving luciferin (a light-emitting pigment contained within the mushrooms) […]
Japanese scientists researching the prospects of long-term human settlements on Mars are dreaming up ways to address the challenges of Martian agriculture. At a recent meeting of the Japan Geoscience Union held in Chiba, Professor Masamichi Yamashita (58) of the Japan Aeropsace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unveiled a unique space agriculture concept that would liven up […]
In an effort to further promote Japan’s robot industry, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to establish an annual Robot of the Year Award to recognize outstanding robots developed and put into practical use each year.
Beginning this July, the ministry will begin accepting applications for this year’s candidates. After review by a […]
The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan’s (NAOJ) Subaru Telescope in Hawaii has captured new images of the Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 comet, which became known as a “lost comet” when it disappeared for 50 years after its discovery in 1930. On May 12 (today) the comet reaches the closest point to the Earth in its 5.4-year elliptical […]
Check out this parody of a Nintendo Wii commercial based on that unforgettable scene from “Deliverance,” the classic 1972 film starring Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Jon Voight. Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii…
(Link to YouTube video)
[Via: Crazy Japan!]
On May 9, NEC announced the development of new technology that enables its PaPeRo household robot to connect with a variety of personal devices. The technology provides PaPeRo with a digital avatar that “follows” you to the device of your choice, where it appears on the screen and interacts with you.
Details of conversations with the […]
On May 8, researchers from JFE Holdings, Inc. and Shinshu University announced the discovery of a new type of carbon nanotube (CNT) — a polygonal tube shaped in a spiral configuration. Cross-sections of what are normally round tubes showed a structure with at least six sides.
This special structure appeared in CNTs that were synthesized using […]
A “sick” robot developed by researchers at Gifu University’s Graduate School of Medicine is providing hands-on educational assistance to future medical practitioners. When students touch its head and abdomen in places it feels pain, the robot says, “That hurts.”
With 24 sensors embedded in its head and body under a layer of soft, warm (near […]
