Science View - Season 4 / Year 2015

Micro-satellites equipped with cutting-edge technologies are being launched into space. Rising-2, which was jointly developed by Tohoku University and Hokkaido University, was launched in May 2014. It's equipped with a high-performance telescope, control device and special sensors. In July, it captured high-resolution images of Earth's landscape from space. A special sensor will be used to observe tropical rainforests in Indonesia, and there are plans to create a micro-satellite network.

In recent years, countries around the world have been launching rockets for lunar observation and development. Their goal is to acquire lunar resources, including water, which will be needed for people to live on the moon. Lunar development became stagnant after the Apollo project, and the latest moon rush was triggered by Japan's lunar orbiter Kaguya. Today we'll be covering Kaguya's achievements, and the lunar development projects that Japanese researchers and corporations are working on!

What if you could look into a person's mind!? This superhuman-like ability is expected to become a reality due to the latest advances in technology. The key is in the use of fMRI technology to view the brain's activity through the blood flow. Significant technological advances allow the cerebral blood flow to be analyzed and used to guess images in people's minds and the contents of dreams. This is Japan's front line in brain-imaging research.

Have you ever heard of super diamonds? They're incredibly hard and twice as strong as conventional diamonds. They're able to shave special metals that even regular diamonds have a hard time with, and are revolutionizing the metalwork industry. They are also being used to study the structure of Earth's depths, which still contain numerous mysteries. Learn about how the diamond came about, how it was developed, the secret behind its hardness, and much more!

Nuclear fusion occurs when atomic nuclei forcefully collide and fuse under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, releasing powerful energy. Extensive research into this phenomenon, which takes place in the sun, is being held with the goal of mimicking it on Earth and using it to generate power. A high-temperature state in which nuclear fusion could occur was maintained for 48 minutes at the National Institute for Fusion Science. Meanwhile, a private optical device manufacturer developed a device that irradiates deuterium capsules with a semiconductor laser.

We'll be introducing the 700 meter long X-ray laser facility SACLA, where things that are a billionth of a millimeter become visible. This feat is made possible with a powerful X-ray laser. The electrons are drastically accelerated until a light that is a hundred million times a hundred million times brighter than sunlight is produced. This makes it possible for scientists to observe things that were once limited to speculation. A collection of Japan's original and sophisticated technologies was used to create SACLA, a giant microscope that can reveal objects on the atomic level.

Full-cycle aquaculture of Pacific bluefin tuna was first accomplished in 2002. Yet, at the time, the survival rate of the young fish was a mere 0.1%. After 13 years of research the survival rate rose dramatically to 10%. The realization of mass-production was finally in sight. The reason the research process took so long was because the young fish were very sensitive and died easily. We'll cover the process and introduce the researchers who examined and resolved each issue.

A revolutionary pesticide went on sale in June 2014: Flightless ladybugs. The use of ladybugs as a biopesticide to protect crops has been gaining attention and a major benefit is that they do not leave any chemical residue on the crops. What's surprising is that these ladybugs cannot fly. How did flightless ladybugs come to be used as a biopesticide? Join us as we learn about the development process that took many years.

Particle accelerators are essentially microscopes that make the tiniest objects visible. They are scientific devices that are used to accelerate protons, electrons and other particles, and make them collide for the purpose of studying physical phenomena. Large-scale particle accelerators around the world are being upgraded and we'll find out what new physical phenomena the scientists are investigating. Particle accelerators are also being used to analyze the structure of materials on an atomic level and we'll introduce some products that were made with the data they provided. We'll also see how it has the potential to change medical treatments. A next-generation cancer treatment that can selectively destroy cancer cells without damaging healthy cells may soon be realized with a new kind of particle accelerator. Join us as we learn about a device that is changing our future!

Humans are believed to have begun living in Japan from the Paleolithic period, which is well over 10,000 years ago. While items have been found at archaeological sites from that period, fossilized human bones were hard to find. Yet in the past few years, human remains from the Paleolithic period have been found at a site in Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture. It turns out that the soil held the key to their preservation. The bones reveal new things about Paleolithic humans and how they lived.

What if you could take an elevator up to the International Space Station as easily as going to the top floor of a skyscraper? A major Japanese construction company has announced plans to complete a "space elevator" by 2050. It will travel at a speed of 200 km per hour and be able to reach geostationary orbit in a week. The cable will be made with carbon nanotubes, which are said to be the strongest fibers on Earth. If completed, it will make space more accessible and boost space development.

Japan was once known as Zipangu, the land of gold. The gold, silver and copper mines that dotted the country yielded vast amounts of resources. The frequent volcanoes and earthquakes, which were caused by the sinking of tectonic plates, were what created large mineral deposits deep underground. Recent studies have revealed that a rare phenomenon that occurred in ancient times was what created massive copper deposits. How were the deposits formed? Join us to find out!

The GPS function in smartphones makes getting around a breeze! Yet tall buildings can block signals and lower positioning accuracy. A new project has begun in Japan using a Quasi-Zenith Satellite. It uses a unique orbit that keeps it primarily above Japan. It also uses a signal that corrects positioning errors, making centimeter-level precision possible. Positioning technology is also being developed for places that satellite signals can't reach in preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics.

Today we'll be zooming in on the results achieved by Satoshi Omura, who contributed to the health of people around the world, and Takaaki Kajita, who created a buzz in the world of physics.