A joint venture between Japan’s Sumitomo Forestry and Kyoto University could result in the first use of wood as a satellite building material. Using wood for satellite construction could reduce the space junk problem by a degree, but only if the satellites actually fall to Earth. When a wood-based satellite falls to Earth, it would …
A piece of space debris fell to Earth over Japan on Sunday morning, lighting up the night sky with a brilliant flash. The fireball was only visible for a brief moment or two, but it caught the eye of many onlookers. The fireball, or bolide, was likely totally destroyed during its trip through Earth’s atmosphere. …
Japan has millions of tons of water that is has been using to cool the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant and it’s unclear where the water will go. Plans to dump the water into the ocean after diluting it have been met with criticism from environmental groups. Some scientists say it wouldn’t cause damage, while …
Japan’s government is reportedly considering funding the country’s entire COVID-19 vaccine program once a viable vaccine becomes available. The costs associated with a vaccine rollout will be high, but the costs of allowing people to remain unvaccinated may be much higher. Front-line medical workers will be first in line for the vaccine, as will the …
A new public toilet restoration project in Tokyo has resulted in transparent restrooms that magically block people’s view once the door is locked. The project was started because people dislike the current public restrooms and believe them to be too dark and dirty. The transparent restrooms also function as bright lanterns at night. Public toilets …
The coronavirus’ Japan impact has been quite different than that in the US, with the country comparatively keeping the virus at bay without resorting to the widespread and painful lockdown measures seen in the US. Japan has also seen relatively few deaths from the coronavirus. However, a new development in the country reflects just how …
Japan’s H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 is hanging out on the International Space Station, holding a bunch of discarded batteries and waiting for its eventual release and destruction. The cargo ships are designed to be destroyed after use, burning up in Earth’s atmosphere after leaving the ISS. HTV-9 arrived at the space station on May 20th, and …
The new coronavirus, also called COVID-19, already has the world on edge. Even as health officials around the globe fight to contain the spread, nobody is sure exactly how long this whole scare will last, or how much damage it will do before it finally subsides. Now, in a major move from one of the …
As China’s coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the country and in the several locations where it has managed to break free from China’s borders, advice for people in danger of becoming infected has remained largely the same. Avoid areas where the virus is known to be spreading, and if you happen to be in …
NASA is looking forward to sending humans back to the Moon within the next five years, and despite some serious hurdles regarding budget and funding, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine seems optimistic the agency can pull it off. Beyond the Moon mission, the near future may include crewed trips to Mars, but on his trip to …
