S2019 E1 • The Leading Edge: A Warning from the Sea of Japan - a "Miniature Ocean"

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.

Première diffusion : 16 janvier 2019

S2019 E2 • The Leading Edge: Tough Polymers - The Secrets Behind a Strong New Material

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.

Première diffusion : 6 février 2019

S2019 E3 • The Leading Edge: Could a Massive Volcanic Eruption Strike Again?

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.

Première diffusion : 20 février 2019

S2019 E4 • The Leading Edge: New Robot Designs Inspired by Biology

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.

Première diffusion : 13 mars 2019

S2019 E5 • The Leading Edge: Unexpected Fighters Against Extreme Weather!

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.

Première diffusion : 2 avril 2019

S2019 E6 • The Leading Edge: Seeing the Invisible! Uncovering the Mysteries of the Past

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.

Première diffusion : 17 avril 2019

S2019 E7 • The Leading Edge: Seeing our 3D World in Points and Lines

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.

Première diffusion : 30 avril 2019

S2019 E8 • The Leading Edge: Breaking the Barriers of Microscopy - Watching Cells at Work

Conventional optical microscopes have limits as to how small a thing and how wide a target area they can show. This episode looks at clever ideas and tech for exceeding those limits.

Première diffusion : 14 mai 2019

S2019 E9 • The Leading Edge: The Large Meander of the Massive Kuroshio Current

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.

Première diffusion : 4 juin 2019

S2019 E10 • The Leading Edge: Food Texture - The Key to Delicious Taste

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.

Première diffusion : 18 juin 2019

S2019 E11 • The Leading Edge: Rescuing Coral Reefs with Genomics

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.

Première diffusion : 26 juin 2019

S2019 E12 • The Leading Edge: The Mystery of Carnivorous Plant Evolution

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.

Première diffusion : 10 juillet 2019

S2019 E13 • Examining the Global Environment through Polar Research

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.

Première diffusion : 6 août 2019

S2019 E14 • Unlocking the Mysteries of Space

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.

Première diffusion : 13 août 2019

S2019 E15 • Exploring the Mystery of Plant Diversity - Evolutionary Biologist, Kentaro Shimizu

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.

Première diffusion : 3 septembre 2019

S2019 E16 • The Leading Edge: The Hayabusa-2 Asteroid Explorer

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.

Première diffusion : 1 octobre 2019

S2019 E17 • The Leading Edge: The Nagara Meteor

This episode explores the Nagara meteor, how it arrived, and where it came from. We'll see sibling meteorites in Arizona and Argentina, and learn something new about the history of our solar system.

Première diffusion : 15 octobre 2019

S2019 E17 • The Leading Edge: The Nagara Meteor

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.

Première diffusion : 15 octobre 2019