Science View

All-purpose iPS cells are going to be used much more in actual medical treatments. A research team led by Professor Yoshiki Sawa of Osaka University has managed to create sheets of heart tissue from the all-purpose iPS cells. In 2018, the team is preparing for a world's first transplant of these sheets into patients with severe heart failure. How will they produce the massive quantities of heart cells needed, and address safety issues, like preventing the cells from becoming cancerous? Professor Sawa visits to discuss the upcoming surgery, and share recent details about the promise of regenerative medicine. A report by Michelle explores the mysteries of life with 8K ultra-high definition camera images of the microscopic heart cells.

It's been 4 years since a Yokohama City University research group surprised the world by creating a miniature liver from iPS cells. Progress since has continued apace. In this episode, we meet Associate Professor Takanori Takebe of Yokohama City University. He's making great strides at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, using miniature livers in test tubes to reproduce a liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or cancer. There are high expectations that his work might help bring about the first drug treatments for this currently cureless disease. We visit his lab in the US to see his scientifically astounding work firsthand, and he visits our studio to discuss the prospects for iPS cell research. And a report by Michelle explains about a Japanese researcher's innovative solution for culturing the iPS cells used by Takebe.

Attention has recently been focused on a new energy resource: electricity-generating bacteria. These microbes take in organic matter as food, then release electrons as they break it down, and they are expected to have a big impact on renewable energy in Japan. One of the research sites using these bacteria is a rice paddy, where the amount of electricity generated per square meter is about enough electricity to power a clock or a portable music player. Research is also underway on incorporating these bacteria in microbial fuel cells, with great expectations for their use in wastewater treatment plants. Since the bacteria can produce electricity by consuming the organic matter in wastewater, the electricity generated can then help power pumps and other equipment, thereby reducing overall power consumption. This system can reduce the amount of electricity consumption by 80%.

Drugs are essential to treating wounds and illnesses, yet drug development is becoming increasingly difficult as we are starting to exhaust the compounds used in new drug discovery. This is why drug repositioning, which seeks new efficacies among existing drugs, is gaining in popularity. Moreover, new technology is making drug repositioning significantly easier as researchers can measure gene expression to find effective drugs. We'll look at this research on drug repositioning and how it is changing the process of drug creation.

What is the highest temperature in which life can survive? How far deep in the earth's crust below the ocean floor does life exist? In fall of 2016, a team lead by experts from JAMSTEC, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology conducted research aboard a deep-sea drilling vessel capable of digging up to thousands of meters below the ocean floor. In the world's first-ever survey, they dug up core samples from the sub-seafloor to examine the maximum temperature limit of life. Currently, the upper temperature limit stands at 122 degrees Celsius, coming from microbes found near a hydrothermal vent at the bottom of the ocean. We will focus on the survey that is drawing attention from around the world.

Research on android robots, which are made to thoroughly resemble humans, has made significant progress in the past 10 years. One of the latest android research probes into the characteristics that make us perceive humans as humans. The most advanced robots are made by paying attention to details. They not only have human-like appearance, but also make subtle movements in the eyes and neck. On the other hand, people around the world are opening up their hearts to robots with no facial expressions, but can talk like humans. We will focus on android research to delve into the big question, "What makes us human?"

The world's coral reefs are in danger. Recently, sustained higher water temperatures caused a dreadful coral bleaching event affecting 91% of Japan's largest coral reef. A similar incident occurred on Australia's Great Barrier Reef the same year. 25% of sea creatures live along coral reefs, so bleaching poses a major threat to marine ecosystems. We'll look at new research, led by Associate Professor Chuya Shinzato, that aims to restore reefs by analyzing coral genomes to determine what makes some coral more resistant to warmer water, and growing new coral under conditions more similar to the natural habitat.

Carbon-14 is well known for its use in measuring the ages of very old things. But it's now being used in some surprising fields of research. And its improved accuracy is rewriting history. It found a 10-thousand year mistake in the dating of an Antarctic ice shelf collapse. In lakebed sediments, it shed new light on the history of Mount Fuji's eruptions. In marine biology, it can be used to trace whale movements, and more! We'll look at some of these exciting new applications.

8K ultra-high definition TV broadcasts will begin in Japan in December 2018. The attention-getting picture quality has 16 times as much detail as conventional high definition TV. And 8K video holds promise for a number of specialized uses, like disaster preparations and relief, such as locating people in need of help. 8K video from an aerial survey after the April 2016 earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture found new ground displacements as small as 5cm. Doctors at a university hospital are exploring tele-medical applications, using 8K images to remotely diagnose a patient on a distant island. This episode explores new uses for the stunning clarity of 8K video.

Virtual Reality is a booming frontier in the vital video games sector of the Japanese economy. VR headsets precisely track the speed and direction of the wearer's movements, instantly updating the onscreen images and sound to immerse the wearer in a stunningly realistic 3D world. A new wristband controller brings the wearer's real-world hand movements into the virtual world. Low-level electric currents are being used to detect and trigger muscle contractions and nerve signals, letting the user really feel the weight of an onscreen object. VR can also be used to help teach challenging physical skills or for immersive sports training visualizations, like the feeling of a world record Usain Bolt 100-meter sprint. This episode explores the blossoming potential of VR tech.

Wearable sensors have been used mainly to promote health and improve sports performance. However, by linking them with artificial intelligence, wearable sensors are now expanding to surprising fields. We'll look at an ear-clip sensor that is helping to reduce traffic accidents by detecting a driver's drowsiness. Find out how the latest wearable sensors are also being applied to create easy-to-follow instruction manuals for children and even improve the level of satisfaction at a workplace.

Biomimetics which model the remarkable abilities of living organisms has progressed into research that directly transfers nature's abilities onto machines. Learn how an odor-detecting machine equipped with the antennae of a real silkworm moth is able to find its way to the source of a smell. We'll focus on other surprising research including a power generating system that uses the organs of electric rays.

The gravity of celestial black holes is so strong that even light cannot escape. Black holes cannot be observed directly since they do not emit light, but recent research has discovered the possibility of numerous black holes existing throughout the universe. Their mass can range anywhere from tens of times to even millions of times larger than the sun, yet what accounts for such differences in size? This is said to be because black holes merge with each other as well as absorb surrounding gas, taking on enormous size. We'll introduce the latest research which seeks to explain the theory and mechanism behind this process.

The use of microsatellites has become popular in recent years. Weighing less than 100kg, the development period for microsatellites is about 2 years. Coupled with the fact that their cost is in the hundreds of millions of yen means they can be made much faster and cheaper than conventional large satellites. That is why start-ups in Japan are using microsatellites to launch new businesses that have never existed before. We'll look at the forefront of microsatellite development.

Cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases around the world, and the leading cause of death in a graying Japan. But a discovery by a Japanese researcher has led to a completely new approach that kills cancer while leaving healthy cells untouched. And after very promising initial results, it's about to enter final stage human trials in the US. In this episode, we look at near-infrared photo-immunotherapy, the man who discovered it, and its advantages over conventional cancer treatments.

The International Linear Collider (ILC) is a gigantic new accelerator to study the mysteries of the universe. In 2012, one of the elementary particles known as the Higgs boson was discovered in a huge particle accelerator operated by the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN. The following year, Higgs and another scientist who predicted its existence were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Around the same time, Japan was encouraged by Europe and the US to host the next large accelerator, and became the top candidate for construction of the ILC. The ILC's establishment is expected to lead to further Nobel Prize-level discoveries. 5 years have passed since then and the time has come for Japan to make a decision about building the ILC. Will Japan be able to host its first international science megaproject?

2 special episodes of Science View filmed in Nagasaki Prefecture. Part 1 features medicine in Nagasaki. In the Edo period that lasted from the 17th to the 19th century, Japan adopted a policy that severely limited contact with the rest of the world. During this time, modern science made its way into Japan through Nagasaki, the only gateway to Western countries. Take a tour around a museum in Nagasaki City and discover how science spread all over Japan through medicine. Also visit Nagasaki University where they carry on the spirit of the first Western style medical school in Japan. Find out the university's latest research including the development of new drugs using a supercomputer as well as their contributions to combat new infectious diseases around the world.

2 special episodes of Science View filmed in Nagasaki Prefecture. Part 2 features points of interest in the Shimabara Peninsula located in the southern part of Nagasaki. In 2009, 3 places were designated as Japan's first Global Geopark including the entire Shimabara Peninsula, known as Unzen Volcanic Area UNESCO Global Geopark. Geoparks are areas with geological heritage of scientific value that actively promote educational activities and regional development. The Unzen Volcanic Area was recognized for its coexistence with active volcanoes. In this episode, we will visit "geosites" to learn about the major destruction caused by the eruptions of Unzen Volcano. Find out what new technology has come out of the experience as well as the blessings brought by the volcano.

Deep inside the tropical rainforests of Borneo are naturally occurring salt licks that provide crucial nutrition to the rare and unusual animals that make the forest their home. In this episode, we accompany mammalogist Hisashi Matsubayashi to one of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth as he studies the salt licks, uses DNA for some detective work, and promotes a strategy to protect some amazing and endangered animals, as well as the forest itself.

Conventional magnesium alloys have the disadvantages of burning easily and lacking sufficient strength, so their use in practical applications was limited. Yet a new magnesium alloy born in Japan has been able to overcome those shortcomings. Not only is it flame-resistant, it's also lighter than duralumin and high in strength, attracting attention from industries across the world. Surprisingly, the person who developed this alloy was not an expert in magnesium but rather a researcher of another metal. After increasing the elements to be mixed with magnesium and trying more than 450 kinds of alloy blends, he found a combination that combined strength and flame-resistance, which led to the formation of the new magnesium alloy. Currently, research applying the new magnesium alloy in various fields are accelerating. How was this alloy created? We'll look at its development and the possibility it holds for the future.

About 40,000 fires occur annually in Japan, resulting in more than 1,500 deaths and damage estimated at nearly 1 billion dollars. Yet as research in the field of firefighting progresses, innovative new technologies are rapidly being developed. In order to deal with large fires in petrochemical facilities and densely populated areas, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency has developed a robot firefighting system equipped with artificial intelligence. After a small helicopter-type reconnaissance drone identifies the fire source from the sky, an unmanned water cannon robot will be able to extinguish the flames in an enormous fire that would be too dangerous for human firefighters to approach. Additionally, a special air fire engine is being developed to extinguish fire indoors by lowering the concentration of oxygen. We'll look at the forefront of firefighting technology that is making full use of advanced science!

Ammonia could hold the key to a revolution in how energy is produced around the world. In this episode, we get in to the challenges in making ammonia viable as a fuel, how it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and how it might replace hydrogen in fuel cells.

The pride of a post-war economic boom, Japan's infrastructure is now showing the signs of its age. But high-tech solutions are on the way. This episode looks at how lasers, satellites, x-rays, and computer software can help automate, quicken, and improve the inspections and upkeep of concrete bridges, tunnels, and more.

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Dr. Tasuku Honjo, Distinguished Professor at Kyoto University. His research won recognition for the discovery of a substance that suppressed the function of the immune system which contributed to the development of a promising new cancer treatment. It began with the accidental discovery of a protein called PD-1 found on immune cells. Honjo's meticulous research uncovered that it operates as a brake for the immune cells. Cancer cells being attacked bind to PD-1 and signal the immune cells to stop attacking. Honjo contributed to the development of the breakthrough cancer treatment drug Opdivo, by finding a way to protect PD-1 from cancer cells. Find out about Honjo's research of more than 20 years from the discovery of PD-1 to the successful clinical application of Opdivo.

Parkinson's disease is an incurable disorder of the nervous system that has affected millions of patients over many years. Now, a breakthrough treatment for this disease may become a reality. In October this year, a surgery was performed at Kyoto University to transplant nerve cells derived from iPS cells, which have the potential to differentiate into various cell types. For this episode, Dr. Jun Takahashi of Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), who developed this treatment, will make a guest appearance in the studio to talk about how he prepared for the groundbreaking cell transplant, and how the surgery was performed. Have they overcome safety issues such as tumor formation? We will examine these topics with Dr. Takahashi and through an interview with Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, the Nobel laureate and pioneer of iPS cell technology. This is the 14th episode of Science View to focus on the research and clinical application of iPS cells. It features never-before-seen video footage and exclusive interviews on the world's first iPS cell transplant for Parkinson's disease.

The use of microsatellites has become popular in recent years. Weighing less than 100kg, the development period for microsatellites is about 2 years. Coupled with the fact that their cost is in the hundreds of millions of yen means they can be made much faster and cheaper than conventional large satellites. That is why start-ups in Japan are using microsatellites to launch new businesses that have never existed before. We'll look at the forefront of microsatellite development.