Tokyo awoke to a huge bill and soaring coronavirus cases on Monday after pulling off a mid-pandemic Olympics that at times looked impossible and had a mixed reception to the end.
Sara Hussein
Deputy bureau chief @AFP Tokyo.
A Scarf that Speaks? Scientists Develop Message Display Fabric
At first glance, the fabric looks like a pretty if not especially original scarf, with turquoise, blue and orange stripes in an open weave. But this fabric can communicate.
A Year after Diamond Princess, Cruise Industry Eyes Return
David Abel and his wife Sally might have had the cruise from hell last year on the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess, but they can’t wait to get back to sea.
Dramatic Shark Decline Leaves ‘Gaping Hole’ in Ocean
Overfishing has wiped out over 70 percent of some shark and ray populations in the last half-century, leaving a “gaping, growing hole” in ocean life, according to a new study.
Japan Space Agency Hails Return of Asteroid Dust on Earth
Japan space agency officials on Sunday hailed the arrival of rare asteroid samples on Earth after they were collected by space probe Hayabusa-2 during an unprecedented mission.
Five-Eyed Fossil Shrimp is Evolutionary ‘Missing Link’
The discovery of a five-eyed shrimp-like creature that lived about 520 million years ago may end a long-running debate about the evolution of Earth’s most common animals.
HIV-Positive ‘Elite Controllers’ Offer Clues for Cure
A handful of people with HIV are able to control the disease without treatment, and now research on these so-called elite controllers is offering clues in the search for a cure.
Tokyo: Postponed Paralympics Must ‘Guarantee’ No Coronavirus
Next year’s Paralympics need to be able to guarantee zero coronavirus cases, the head of the Games has told AFP, adding that they cannot go ahead if protection measures don’t improve.
An Irresistible Scent Makes Locusts Swarm, Study Finds
The coronavirus isn’t the only plague making headlines this year — locusts are devastating crops in several parts of the world, and now scientists are discovering why the pest forms destructive swarms.
Nicknamed ‘The Thing’: Massive Prehistoric Egg Mystery Case Cracked
Scientists had nicknamed it “The Thing” — a mysterious football-sized fossil discovered in Antarctica that sat in a Chilean museum awaiting someone who could work out just what it was.
What Does a State of Emergency Mean for Japan?
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to announce a state of emergency as soon as Tuesday in several parts of the country, including Tokyo, where coronavirus infections are spiking.
Masks are Widely Used in Asia, but How Effective is it?
The use of face masks in Asia during the coronavirus outbreak has been far more widespread than in the West, where governments have urged people to reserve supplies for frontline medical staff, so have they helped limit infections?
Cleaner Hands, Bluer Skies: What has Coronavirus Done for Us?
Deaths, economic meltdown and a planet on lockdown: the coronavirus pandemic has brought us waves of bad news, but squint and you might just see a few bright spots.
Ajinomoto: The King of MSG Pushes Reputation Overhaul
Umami-bomb or toxic allergen? There are perhaps few condiments as controversial as MSG, but most scientists say it’s safe, and now a Japanese firm is trying to give it a reputation overhaul.