News
170 news in 2025
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2025-12-12
Hot Topic
Computing n-Time Correlation Functions without Ancilla Qubits
A research team led by Xiaoyang Wang (Postdoctoral Researcher, Quantum Mathematical Science Team, iTHEMS) has proposed a new method for computing n-time correlation functions, which play a central role in understanding the dynamics of quantum many-body systems. The proposed approach requires neither ancilla qubits nor controlled operations, and evaluates correlation functions using only the unitary time evolution of the system of interest. Conventional methods, such as the Hadamard test, rely on ancilla qubits that control the entire system, posing significant challenges for digital quantum processors with limited qubit connectivity and for analog quantum simulators where controlled operations are difficult or impossible to implement. The present work overcomes these limitations and broadens the range of quantum platforms on which multi-time correlation functions can be experimentally accessed. The protocol was demonstrated on IBM quantum hardware with up to 12 qubits, where the team successfully measured the single-particle spectrum of the Schwinger model and the out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) in the transverse-field Ising model. In addition, an error-mitigation strategy based on signal processing—combining signal filtering and correlation analysis—was introduced, enabling the recovery of ideal noiseless simulation results from noisy experimental data. This work provides a new foundation for experimentally probing complex quantum many-body correlation functions under realistic hardware constraints, thereby strengthening the connection between theoretical predictions and quantum experiments.
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2025-12-11
Paper of the WeekWeek 2, December 2025
Title: HoloNet: Toward a Unified Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton Framework of QCD Author: Hong-An Zeng, Lingxiao Wang, Mei Huang arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.06044v1 Title: Universal relation involving fundamental modes in two-fluid dark matter admixed neutron stars Author: Hajime Sotani, Ankit Kumar arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.07105v1 Title: An Orbifold Framework for Classifying Layer Groups with an Application to Knitted Fabrics Author: Sonia Mahmoudi, Elizabeth J. Dresselhaus, Michael S. Dimitriyev arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.05149v1
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2025-12-04
Award
José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega receives the 19th Plant Species Biology Paper Award
José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega (Research Scientist, iTHEMS) has been selected as a recipient of the 19th Plant Species Biology Paper Award. The study analyzes the threats to the biocultural heritage of cycads in the Amami Islands through an international collaboration, including research conducted at RIKEN. The Plant Species Biology Paper Award is presented annually to 1–2 outstanding papers published in Plant Species Biology, selected by vote of the journal’s editorial board. The award was announced on 18 November 2025, and the award ceremony will be held on 20 December 2025 (Sat.) during the meeting of the Society for the Study of Species Biology. Congratulations, José!
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2025-12-04
Award
Tomoya Nagai receives the Poster Award at the 29th Interdisciplinary Exchange Evening
Tomoya Nagai (Coordinator, iTHEMS), together with Ayaka Shida (TRIP Promotion Office), Momoko Sato (IMS), and Hiroko Sakuma (Communications Division), has received the Poster Award at the 29th Interdisciplinary Exchange Evening. The Poster Award is presented to several outstanding contributions selected from among 59 poster presentations at this event, which aims to promote communication and collaboration among researchers from diverse fields. Each year, approximately five presentations are selected. The team’s poster investigated researchers’ attitudes and practices regarding the preparation of press releases. Their presentation attracted significant interest from both research and administrative staff within RIKEN. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to all RIKEN researchers who participated in the survey.
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2025-12-04
Paper of the WeekWeek 1, December 2025
Title: Quantum Simulations of Opinion Dynamics Author: Xingyu Guo, Xiaoyang Wang, Lingxiao Wang arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.03770v1 Title: Swarming by curvature control in arbitrary dimension Author: Pierre Degond, Antoine Diez, Amic Frouvelle arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.02800v1 Title: Mass transfer stability for AM CVn binaries with white dwarf donors Author: Lucy O. McNeill, Ryosuke Hirai arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.01377v1 Title: Storage capacity of perceptron with variable selection Author: Yingying Xu, Masayuki Ohzeki, Yoshiyuki Kabashima arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2512.01861v1 Title: Imprints of flat space analyticity in de Sitter S-matrix Author: Jason Kristiano, Ryo Namba, Atsushi Naruko, Ryo Saito, Daisuke Yamauchi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.22623v1 Title: Speed of sound exceeding the conformal bound in dense QCD-like theories Author: Etsuko Itou, Kei Iida, Kotaro Murakami, Daiki Suenaga arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.22878v1 Title: High-resolution cosmological simulations of primordial dark matter clustering under long-range and fractional forces Author: Derek Inman arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.23040v1
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2025-12-01
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Kenji Okubo
I have been using evolutionary simulations of gene regulatory networks to explore how the rules of inheritance change over time. My work has addressed fundamental questions in biology, including the evolutionary meaning of sexual reproduction and why genetic rules such as dominance emerged. More recently, I have been investigating how organisms with additional sets of chromosomes (polyploids) evolved, as well as the evolutionary mechanisms underlying aging. I am also applying mathematical models beyond biology—to language change, statistical patterns in ancient Japanese tombs, and the spread of stone tools. Through this work, I aim to uncover shared mathematical structures that cut across very different fields. Currently, I am incorporating ideas from statistical physics into genetics, seeking new ways to understand gene sequences and evolutionary processes. Moving forward, I hope to use network science and mathematical modeling to reveal the hidden structures and principles that shape complex systems across disciplines.
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2025-11-27
Paper of the WeekWeek 5, November 2025
Title: Zeta Zeros on the Critical Line Author: Daniel A. Goldston, Ade Irma Suriajaya arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.20059v1 Title: Closed-loop calculations of electronic structure on a quantum processor and a classical supercomputer at full scale Author: Tomonori Shirakawa, Javier Robledo-Moreno, Toshinari Itoko, Vinay Tripathi, Kento Ueda, Yukio Kawashima, Lukas Broers, William Kirby, Himadri Pathak, Hanhee Paik, Miwako Tsuji, Yuetsu Kodama, Mitsuhisa Sato, Constantinos Evangelinos, Seetharami Seelam, Robert Walkup, Seiji Yunoki, Mario Motta, Petar Jurcevic, Hiroshi Horii, Antonio Mezzacapo arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.00224v1 Title: Elucidating Many-Body Effects in Molecular Core Spectra through Real-Time Approaches: Efficient Classical Approximations and a Quantum Perspective Author: Vibin Abraham, Priyabrata Senapati, Himadri Pathak, Bo Peng arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.17985v1 Title: Fedder type criteria for quasi-$F$-splitting II Author: Tatsuro Kawakami, Teppei Takamatsu, Shou Yoshikawa arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.17270v1 Title: Models toward understanding torpor–arousal cycles during hibernation Author: Gen Kurosawa Journal Reference: Canadian Journal of Zoology (2025) doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2024-0187
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2025-11-20
Paper of the WeekWeek 4, November 2025
Title: Cluster phenomena using few-body and Lattice QCD theories Author: E. Hiyama, T. Doi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14155v1 Title: Dynamical Tidal Response of Non-rotating Black Holes: Connecting the MST Formalism and Worldline EFT Author: Hajime Kobayashi, Shinji Mukohyama, Naritaka Oshita, Kazufumi Takahashi, Vicharit Yingcharoenrat arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.12580v1 Title: Return of the Clocked Burster: Exceptionally Short Recurrence Time in GS 1826-238 Author: Tomoshi Takeda, Toru Tamagawa, Teruaki Enoto, Wataru Iwakiri, Akira Dohi, Tatehiro Mihara, Hiromitsu Takahashi, Chin-Ping Hu, Amira Aoyama, Naoyuki Ota, Satoko Iwata, Takuya Takahashi, Kaede Yamasaki, Takayuki Kita, Soma Tsuchiya, Yosuke Nakano, Mayu Ichibakase, Nobuya Nishimura Journal Reference: The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 993, Number 1, L13 (2025) doi: https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae0e75 arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.18837v3 Title: Work distribution and fluctuation theorem in AdS/CFT Author: Daichi Takeda arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.10305v1 Title: Modeling the Contact Surfaces Formed by Pebble Collisions: Application to Formation of Comet 67P/Churyumov--Gerasimenko Author: Misako Tatsuuma, Satoshi Okuzumi, Akimasa Kataoka, Hidekazu Tanaka arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.09835v1
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2025-11-13
AwardSeishiro Ono receives the Young Scientist Award of the Physical Society of Japan
Seishiro Ono (Assistant Professor, The University of Tokyo/Visiting Scientist, RIKEN iTHEMS) has received the Young Scientist Award (Division 4) presented by the Physical Society of Japan (JPS). The awarded research is titled “Classification of Topological Superconducting Phases by Symmetry Indicators.” This award recognizes outstanding young researchers under the age of 37 who are expected to contribute to the future of physics. Ono was recognized for his pioneering theoretical work on topological superconductors. Congratulations, Seishiro!
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2025-11-13
Paper of the WeekWeek 3, November 2025
Title: Chiral Anomaly of Kogut-Susskind Fermion in (3+1)-dimensional Hamiltonian formalism Author: Shoto Aoki, Yoshio Kikukawa, Toshinari Takemoto arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.06198v1
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2025-11-12
Hot Topic
The 1st Joint General Meeting of RIKEN Quantum and the QII RIKEN User Group on October 24, 2025
On Friday, October 24, the 1st Joint General Meeting of RIKEN Quantum and the QII RIKEN User Group was held at Okochi Hall on the RIKEN Wako campus, bringing together RIKEN researchers who utilize the ibm_kawasaki quantum computer. The meeting featured lively discussions on quantum computing research at RIKEN across a wide range of disciplines, including condensed matter physics, particle, nuclear and astrophysics, biomedical sciences, and the humanities. With over 60 participants, including members from IBM Quantum, the event was a great success. This meeting is expected to further accelerate the development of quantum computing research at RIKEN in the future.
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2025-11-06
Hot Topic
Miniature satellite NinjaSat discovers an unusually short X-ray burst cycle
An international collaborative research group including Akira Dohi, Special Postdoctoral Researcher, has observed an X-ray binary system known as a “clock burster,” which produces X-ray bursts at regular intervals, using NinjaSat, the CubeSat X-ray satellite led by RIKEN. The team discovered that this object has the shortest burst recurrence time ever recorded, 1.6 hours. For more details, please refer to the related link.
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2025-11-06
Paper of the WeekWeek 2, November 2025
Title: Bounded domains in the 3-dimensional space Author: Takashi Tsuboi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.01278v1 Title: Transmission Coefficients from Phantom Currents Author: Yuma Furuta, Yuya Kusuki, Toshiki Onagi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.00356v1 Title: Prime and semiprime Lie ideals in C*-algebras Author: Eusebio Gardella, Kan Kitamura, Hannes Thiel arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2506.11819v1 Title: Preface of Special Feature “Current topics on cycad biology: Deciphering the Rosetta Stone of plant evolution.” Part II: Perspectives from natural history Author: José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega Journal Reference: Plant Species Biology doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.70032 Title: Classifying extended Higgs models through the trilinear Higgs boson coupling measurement at future colliders Author: Nagisa Hiroshima, Mitsuru Kakizaki, Shuhei Ohzawa arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.27560v1 Title: One-pion exchange potential in a strong magnetic field Author: Daiki Miura, Masaru Hongo, Hidetoshi Taya, Tetsuo Hatsuda arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.26544v1
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2025-11-04
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Riccardo Muolo
Hello! I'm interested in nonlinear dynamics on networks and higher-order structures, synchronization, Turing pattern formation, control of dynamical systems and mathematical modeling. My background is in nonlinear physics and applied mathematics. I studied in Italy (BSc and MSc)and Belgium (PhD). Before joining iTHEMS, I was a postdoc at Science Tokyo.
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2025-10-30
Paper of the WeekWeek 5, October 2025
Title: Self-supervised Synthetic Pretraining for Inference of Stellar Mass Embedded in Dense Gas Author: Keiya Hirashima, Shingo Nozaki, Naoto Harada arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.24159v1 Title: The First Star-by-star $N$-body/Hydrodynamics Simulation of Our Galaxy Coupling with a Surrogate Model Author: Keiya Hirashima, Michiko S. Fujii, Takayuki R. Saitoh, Naoto Harada, Kentaro Nomura, Kohji Yoshikawa, Yutaka Hirai, Tetsuro Asano, Kana Moriwaki, Masaki Iwasawa, Takashi Okamoto, Junichiro Makino doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3712285.3759866 arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.23330v1 Title: Foundations of Carrollian Geometry Author: Luca Ciambelli, Puttarak Jai-akson arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.21651v1
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2025-10-28
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Duc Truyen Le
Hi, I’m Truyen (チュエン), or you can call me Le (レ). I joined iTHEMS, RIKEN, in October 2025 under the IPA Doctoral Program. Before studying in Japan, I pursued my undergraduate studies in theoretical physics at Vietnam National University, followed by a Master’s degree in High Energy Physics at National Tsing Hua University. My passion lies in mathematical physics, particularly in applying mathematical tools to deepen our understanding of fundamental physics and other scientific domains. In the advent of rapid quantum computing development, I joined Professor Masazumi Honda’s lab, where I am working on quantum algorithms for quantum field theory. My research focuses on developing quantum algorithms for high-energy physics models and investigating phenomenological processes where classical approaches reach their limits. In the long term, I aim to extend these quantum methods to interdisciplinary applications across science. Beyond research, I enjoy board games, movies, sports, and exploring different cultures and histories. I am excited to exchange ideas with colleagues, broaden my perspective through cross-disciplinary learning, and contribute to this vibrant research community.
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2025-10-23
Paper of the WeekWeek 4, October 2025
Title: Krylov Complexity Under Hamiltonian Deformations and Toda Flows Author: Kazutaka Takahashi, Pratik Nandy, Adolfo del Campo arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19436v1 Title: The role of the secondary white dwarf in a double-degenerate double-detonation explosion, in the supernova remnant phase Author: Gilles Ferrand, Rüdiger Pakmor, Yusei Fujimaru, Shiu-Hang Lee, Samar Safi-Harb, Shigehiro Nagataki, Friedrich K. Roepke, Anne Decourchelle, Ivo R. Seitenzahl, Daniel Patnaude arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.18800v1 Title: Modulated symmetries from generalized Lieb-Schultz-Mattis anomalies Author: Hiromi Ebisu, Bo Han, Weiguang Cao arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.18689v1 Title: Functional renormalization group for classical liquids without recourse to hard-core reference systems: A study of three-dimensional Lennard-Jones liquids Author: Takeru Yokota, Jun Haruyama, Osamu Sugino arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.16710v1 Title: Reviving, reproducing, and revisiting Axelrod's second tournament Author: Vincent Knight, Owen Campbell, Marc Harper, T. J. Gaffney, Nikoleta E. Glynatsi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.15438v1 Title: Absence of Majorana-Weyl fermions in $d=4$ and the theory of Majorana fermions Author: Kazuo Fujikawa arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.14998v1
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2025-10-22
Hot Topic
The tides are changing for white dwarfs
A research team led by Lucy McNeill, a Hakubi Assistant Professor, at the Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, and a Visiting Scientist at iTHEMS, has revealed that white dwarfs in compact binary systems can become significantly hotter and larger than previously predicted due to strong tidal forces. This “tidal heating” causes white dwarfs to expand to about twice their theoretical size, reaching surface temperatures between 10,000 and 30,000 K. As a result, the onset of mass transfer between the stars may occur at orbital periods up to three times longer than expected. The findings provide new insights into the evolution of white dwarfs and the origins of Type Ia supernovae. For more details, please visit Kyoto University’s press release page via the related link below.
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2025-10-21
Award
Tomoki Ozawa received the Frontier Salon Nagase Prize (Special Prize)
Prof. Tomoki Ozawa, Professor at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), Tohoku University, and Visiting Scientist at iTHEMS, has been awarded the 15th Frontier Salon Nagase Prize (Special Prize) by the Frontier Salon Foundation. This award honors outstanding young researchers who are expected to pioneer the future of science and technology and potentially become future Nobel laureates. Prof. Ozawa is a theoretical physicist working in condensed matter physics. He applies the mathematical concept of topology, which focuses on the “shape” of systems, to discover universal physical principles shared among diverse systems—from metals and gases to light, sound, and even biological structures. His recent work extends these ideas into higher-dimensional topological frameworks, exploring new quantum states of light and matter. These studies are expected to contribute to the development of next-generation quantum and photonic technologies. To commemorate the award, Prof. Ozawa delivered a lecture titled “Horizons of Physics Opened by Topology: Beyond Matter and Dimensions” at the Science Seminar for High School Students held on September 26, 2025, where he introduced the beauty of topological physics and inspired young students with the joy of discovery.
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2025-10-20
Hot Topic
Paper Accepted at NeurIPS 2025, One of the World’s Premier Conferences in AI
A paper by Tsubasa Masumura and Associate Professor Masato Taki (Visiting Scientist at iTHEMS), both from Rikkyo University, has been accepted for presentation at NeurIPS 2025, an international conference in the field of machine learning. In this study, the authors proposed a new Transformer architecture that incorporates the principles of associative memory, successfully mitigating the issue known as “rank collapse” both theoretically and experimentally. The proposed method improves model performance without introducing additional parameters, offering potential contributions to the further advancement of large language models and generative AI. NeurIPS 2025 will be held in December 2025 in San Diego, USA. For more details, please refer to the Rikkyo University press release via the related link below.
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2025-10-16
Hot Topic
Students from OTEMAE Senior High School Visited iTHEMS through the “Math Tour” Program
On October 2–3, 2025, students from OTEMAE Senior High School in Osaka visited the RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS) as part of the “Math Tour” training program. During their visit, the students attended lectures given by iTHEMS researchers and were inspired by the beauty and diversity of mathematical sciences. The lectures included “Introduction to Machine Learning” by Senior Research Scientist Akinomi Tanaka, “Principles of Biological Growth and Evolutionary Game Theory” by Senior Research Scientist Ryosuke Iritani, and “Spheres and Dimensions” by Research Scientist Taketo Sano. Through these sessions, the students experienced stimulating learning opportunities beyond their regular classroom studies. Many students commented that the visit was “very helpful in thinking about future career paths” and “opened new perspectives on the joy of mathematics.” This program successfully provided a valuable opportunity for the students to deepen their understanding and interest in mathematical sciences.
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2025-10-16
Paper of the WeekWeek 3, October 2025
Title: Revisiting the limits on dark matter annihilation cross-section and decay lifetime in light of electron and positron fluxes Author: Nagisa Hiroshima, Kazunori Kohri, Partha Kumar Paul, Narendra Sahu arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.11700v1 Title: Exact WKB method for radial Schrödinger equation Author: Okuto Morikawa, Shoya Ogawa arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.11766v1 Title: Cobordism maps in Khovanov homology and singular instanton homology II Author: Hayato Imori, Taketo Sano, Kouki Sato, Masaki Taniguchi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.09399v1 Title: Space-based cm/kg-scale Laser Interferometer for Quantum Gravity Author: Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Katsuta Sakai, Kosei Hatakeyama, Kiwamu Izumi, Daisuke Miki, Satoshi Iso, Akira Matsumura, Kazuhiro Yamamoto arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2507.12899v2
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2025-10-15
Seminar Report
ABBL-iTHEMS Joint Astro Seminar by Wick C. Haxton on September 30, 2025
Prof. Wick Haxton (UCB/LBNL) visited iTHEMS from September 29 to October 3, 2025. On September 30, Prof. Hatton delivered a seminar titled “A Continuous Galactic Line Source of Axions: The Remarkable Case of ²³Na” as part of the iTHEMS seminar series. The talk focused on a novel and intriguing mechanism involving the isotope sodium-23 (²³Na), which, under certain astrophysical conditions, can convert the thermal energy within stars into axions. As these axions travel through the intergalactic magnetic field, some convert into detectable gamma rays. As a result, future all-sky detectors such as COSI may be able to place new constraints on light axion-like particles. His research is highly interdisciplinary, bridging astrophysics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics. The seminar was well attended by many members of RIKEN including iTHEMS. Reported by Shigehiro Nagataki
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2025-10-14
Research News
RIKEN Research: Looking at black-hole oscillations through a mathematical lens
By applying a versatile mathematical technique to black holes, RIKEN cosmologists have uncovered new subtleties about how they vibrate. Black holes are some of the most intriguing objects in the Universe. Their gravitational pull is so strong that not even light can escape from their surfaces. Astronomers can only observe light produced indirectly by material falling into black holes. Since 2016, they have had another means of investigating black holes—gravitational waves. These are ripples created in the fabric of space–time through cataclysmic events such as the merger of two black holes. Immediately after merging, special oscillations known as quasi-normal modes are set up in the resulting black hole. “Quasi-normal modes are frequency modes that are generated when a black hole experiences some major disturbance,” explains Ryo Namba of the RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences. These vibrations emit gravitational waves after a merger. While the higher overtones of quasi-normal modes of such gravitational waves are too weak for today’s detectors, astrophysicists can study quasi-normal modes mathematically. To read more, please visit the related link.
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2025-10-09
Paper of the WeekWeek 2, October 2025
Title: Latent Representation Learning in Heavy-Ion Collisions with MaskPoint Transformer Author: Jing-Zong Zhang, Shuang Guo, Li-Lin Zhu, Lingxiao Wang, Guo-Liang Ma arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06691v1 Title: The first proper motion measurement of the acceleration regions in the large-scale jets of SS 433 powering the W50 nebula Author: Naomi Tsuji, Yoshiyuki Inoue, Dmitry Khangulyan, Kaya Mori, Samar Safi-Harb, Takaaki Tanaka, Laura Olivera-Nieto, Brydyn Mac Intyre, Kazuho Kayama, Takeshi Go Tsuru, Hiroyuki Uchida, Tatsuki Fujiwara, Felix Aharonian arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06431v1 Title: Relevant Deformations, Brane Brick Models and Triality Author: Mario Carcamo, Sebastian Franco, Dongwook Ghim, Georgios P. Goulas, Rak-Kyeong Seong arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.05517v1 Title: Testing the arrow of time at the cosmo collider Author: Shuntaro Aoki, Alessandro Strumia arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.05204v1 Title: At most 10 cylinders mutually touch: a Ramsey-theoretic approach Author: Travis Dillon, Junnosuke Koizumi, Sammy Luo arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.03924v1 Title: Mean-field limits à la Tanaka and large deviations for particle systems with network interactions Author: Louis-Pierre Chaintron, Antoine Diez arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04894v1 Title: Combining complex Langevin dynamics with score-based and energy-based diffusion models Author: Gert Aarts, Diaa E. Habibi, Lingxiao Wang, Kai Zhou arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.01328v1 Title: Shadow of black holes with consistent thermodynamics Author: Che-Yu Chen, Chiang-Mei Chen, Nobuyoshi Ohta arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.00708v1 Title: Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model Author: Tomoya Hayata, Kazuhiro Seki, Seiji Yunoki arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2510.01983v1
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2025-10-09
Award
Takemasa Miyoshi honored as “Distinguished Visitor” by the National University of Córdoba
On September 4, 2025, Takemasa Miyoshi, Team Director at RIKEN iTHEMS, was honored as a “Distinguished Visitor (Visitante Distinguido)” by the National University of Córdoba, Argentina, in recognition of his significant contributions to climate and disaster prevention research. Miyoshi leads the SATREPS project “PREVENIR: Development of a Numerical Weather Prediction and Disaster Information System for Densely Populated Areas Vulnerable to Meteorological Hazards,” promoting the development of early warning systems against urban floods. Utilizing advanced simulation technologies and data science cultivated through Japan’s supercomputers K and Fugaku, the project aims to implement practical disaster prevention systems in the metropolitan areas of Buenos Aires and Córdoba. The initiative also fosters international collaboration and provides valuable opportunities for applied scientific education.
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2025-10-08
Researches & Researchers
Math Is for Everyone—The Story Behind the MEXT Poster “Mathematics Connecting to the World”
The poster for “Mathematics Connecting to the World: One S&T poster for Every Household,” part of a series by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), catches the eye with its bright and colorful design. We spoke with two key members of the team behind the poster: Tomoya Nagai, Coordinator and Director of the Office of the Center Director at the RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS), and Takuya Shimada, planner and science communicator. Please see the full article via the related link.
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2025-10-06
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Yuya Murakami
My goal in life is to connect people through mathematics. Although mathematics is an accumulation of truths, with each step of my research I feel ever more strongly that doing mathematics is an endeavor made possible by human connections. For me, those connections are a true blessing. When I look at completed joint papers, I often think, “I could not have done this alone,” and in those moments I renew my gratitude for the people I have met. Through experiences like these, I naturally came to wish that I could connect people through mathematics. Through research, education, and outreach, I work every day to help connect people and, through those connections, to create new value for each person involved. My research aims are to understand the mysterious object called "quantum modular forms" and, through that lens, to deepen the ties among number theory, topology, mathematical physics, and representation theory. Quantum modular forms, introduced around 2010, are still young and full of mysteries. Their significance lies in their role as a bridge that can reveal deep structures linking these four fields. Focusing on this bridge—quantum modular forms—I work day by day to elucidate the relationships among these areas. As a number theorist, I cannot pursue this agenda alone. Many of my results to date have grown from collaborations with researchers specializing in topology. I will continue to build cross-disciplinary partnerships so that the work is meaningful for multiple communities. This research objective is aligned with my broader life goal of connecting people through mathematics, and I am committed to both. The environment at iTHEMS, where interaction with researchers from diverse disciplines is the norm, is ideal for achieving these goals. I am grateful for this setting and will continue to move this work forward.
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2025-10-02
Award
Shingo Gibo Receives the 23rd Japanese Society for Chronobiology Academic Early Career Award
Shingo Gibo (Visiting Scientist, iTHEMS) has received the 23rd (2025) Japanese Society for Chronobiology Academic Early Career Award (学術奨励賞). The award-winning research topic is “Theoretical research on biological clocks and hibernation focusing on time waveforms”. He is the first to receive it solely for theoretical work. The award ceremony and acceptance lecture are scheduled to take place at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Chronobiology on October 5, 2025. Congratulations, Shingo!
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2025-10-02
Paper of the WeekWeek 1, October 2025
Title: Vector Horndeski black holes in nonlinear electrodynamics Author: Che-Yu Chen, Antonio De Felice, Shinji Tsujikawa, Taishi Sano arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.23134v1 Title: Regularized Lednicky-Lyuboshitz formula for higher-partial waves in femtoscopy Author: Koichi Murase, Tetsuo Hyodo arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.22844v1 Title: The Courant-Hilbert construction in 4D Chern-Simons theory Author: Osamu Fukushima, Takaki Matsumoto, Kentaroh Yoshida arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.22080v1 Title: A first characterization of the leaflet endophytic prokaryotic community in Dioon cycads Author: Gonzalo Contreras-Negrete, Antonio Hernández-López, Jimena Jazmín Hurtado-Olvera, Miguel Ángel Pérez-Farrera, José Said Gutiérrez-Ortega Journal Reference: Plant Species Biology doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1442-1984.70029
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2025-10-01
Hot Topic
Farewell message from Tomoya Naito
Our colleague, Tomoya Naito, has left iTHEMS at the end of September 2025 to join the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo as a Project Assistant Professor. We are grateful for his many contributions during his time with us and wish him every success in his new position. Here is a message from Tomoya: I first joined the Quantum Hadron Physics Laboratory (Hatsuda Lab.) at the Nishina Center in June 2017 as a student trainee, and from that time I also began attending iTHEMS activities. In April 2022, I officially became a member of iTHEMS as an SPDR, and from April to September 2025 I was a JSPS PD. During these three and a half years (or unofficially, more than eight years!), I really enjoyed being a member of iTHEMS. Although I was often away on business trips in the last two and a half years, I have always appreciated the activities of iTHEMS. My research is on low-energy nuclear physics and quantum many-body problems using density functional theory. Only a few people in iTHEMS are working in this field, but I had many opportunities to learn about other areas such as physics, mathematics, mathematical biology, and machine learning. These experiences gave me new knowledge and even led to new research topics. In particular, during the pandemic, I was not officially a member of iTHEMS, but I still joined many activities and had many discussions with iTHEMS colleagues. These experiences strongly influenced my current research direction. From this April, iTHEMS has been expanding and the atmosphere is also changing. It was a great honor to be a member during such an important period. In October 2025, I moved to the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, as a Project Assistant Professor. Since RIKEN is still geographically close, I would like to continue joining iTHEMS activities, and I look forward to further interactions with everyone. Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the researchers and assistants of iTHEMS for their kind support.
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2025-09-30
Seminar Report
iTHEMS Theoretical Physics Seminar by Amaury Micheli on September 30, 2025
In this seminar, spontaneous quasiparticle creation in an analogue preheating experiment is presented. Starting with a brief introduction of cosmological reheating and analogue gravity, recent experiments of spontaneous quasiparticle creation with Bose-Einstein condensates of cold atoms. There, various properties such as the entanglement of parametrically generated quasiparticle pairs are demonstrated. Reported by Yuta Sekino
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2025-09-26
Award
Takemasa Miyoshi honored as Guest of Honor by the Cordoba City Council
On September 11, 2025, Takemasa Miyoshi (Team Director, Prediction Science Research Team, iTHEMS) was honored as Guest of Honor (Honorary Guest of Cordova City) by the Concejo Deliberante de Cordoba in recognition of his outstanding contributions to climate disaster prevention and early warning system development. The Miyoshi team is leading the SATREPS project “PREVENIR” in Cordova, promoting the development of an early warning system for urban flooding. This project provides a practical educational opportunity in applied science and contributes to strengthening international cooperation, primarily with Argentina. Congratulations!!
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2025-09-26
Award
Kan Kitamura Receives the 2025 MSJ Takebe Katahiro Prize for Encouragement of Young Researchers
Our colleague Kan Kitamura (Special Postdoctoral Researcher, iTHEMS) has received the 2025 MSJ Takebe Katahiro Prize for Encouragement of Young Researchers. The title of the research achievement is “Study of operator algebraic quantum groups”. Congratulations, Kan!
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2025-09-26
Press Release
Who should be prioritized for continued COVID-19 vaccination?
A research group led by Professor Shingo Iwami of the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University (Visiting Scientist at iTHEMS, RIKEN), in collaboration with Professor Masaharu Tsubokura of Fukushima Medical University, analyzed changes in blood IgG(S) antibody titers from the initial two doses of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine through the first booster dose. Their study revealed three characteristic patterns of antibody response: “durable responders,” “vulnerable responders,” and “rapid-decliners.” For further details, please see the related links.
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2025-09-25
Paper of the WeekWeek 4, September 2025
Title: Effects of multidimensional treatment of gravity in simulations on supernova gravitational waves Author: Hajime Sotani, Bernhard Müller, Tomoya Takiwaki arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19724v1 Title: Superconductivity and Low Energy Excitations in an Attractive Hubbard Model Author: Yukimi Goto, Tohru Koma, Hironobu Yoshida arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19780v1 Title: Exact WKB Formulation of Quantization and Particle Production in Time-Dependent Backgrounds Author: Ryo Namba, Motoo Suzuki arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19194v1 Title: Finite-temperature Yang-Mills theories with the density of states method: towards the continuum limit Author: Ed Bennett, Biagio Lucini, David Mason, Maurizio Piai, Enrico Rinaldi, Davide Vadacchino, Fabian Zierler arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.19009v1 Title: Quantum Metric Corrections to Liouville's Theorem and Chiral Kinetic Theory Author: Kazuya Mameda, Naoki Yamamoto arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.15731v1 Title: $c$-structures and trace methods beyond connective rings Author: Ishan Levy, Vladimir Sosnilo arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.14774v1
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2025-09-22
Book
Unitary Evaporation and AdS/CFT
Masamichi Miyaji, Senior Research Scientist at iTHEMS (then at Kyoto University), contributed the chapter “Unitary Evaporation and AdS/CFT” to the newly published volume The Black Hole Information Paradox (Springer, 2025). In this chapter, he explains how the AdS/CFT correspondence provides a framework for addressing the black hole information paradox. He reviews essential tools such as the Ryu–Takayanagi formula and entanglement wedge reconstruction, and shows how recent progress involving Euclidean wormholes and gravitational path integrals leads to a unitary description of black hole evaporation, while also discussing the conceptual challenges that remain.
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2025-09-19
Seminar Report
iTHEMS-NCTS Workshop on August 18, 2025
The Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Center (iTHEMS) at RIKEN and the National Center for Theoretical Sciences (NCTS) continue to deepen their partnership under the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding by co-organizing an annual joint workshop. The second edition was held at Okochi Hall, RIKEN Wako Campus, from August 18 to 21, 2025, following the inaugural 2024 workshop in Taipei, Taiwan. This year’s workshop gathered researchers across condensed matter physics, high-energy physics, and mathematics under the banner “Matters to Spacetime: Symmetries & Geometry.” The four-day program featured plenary talks, invited sessions, a lively poster session, and a banquet that fostered vibrant discussion and new collaborations. Plenary Speakers (2025) Shinsei Ryu (Princeton University) Yasunori Nomura (UC Berkeley) Naoto Nagaosa (RIKEN CEMS) Hikaru Kawai (National Taiwan University) Chung-Jun Tsai (National Taiwan University) Beyond the main themes in condensed matter and high-energy physics, the program explicitly highlighted interdisciplinary research and strengthened ties with mathematics—including an “Interdisciplinary Section” on Day 1 and a “Math Section” on Day 4. Representative examples include Akinori Tanaka’s talk, “Understanding generative AI by Feynman’s path integral,” and Chung-Jun Tsai’s plenary, “Some rigidity and dynamical stability results of calibrated submanifolds.” These sessions underscored the growing interface between mathematical structures, AI-inspired methods, and fundamental physics. The workshop’s smooth execution was made possible by the tireless efforts of the iTHEMS assistants—especially Tomoko Iwanami—and the organizing teams: Tsukasa Tada, Masazumi Honda, Che-Yu Chen, Yuki Yokokura (RIKEN iTHEMS), and Chang-Tse Hsieh (NCTS). We are deeply grateful for the steadfast support from leadership on both sides—Satoshi Iso, Tetsuo Hatsuda, Guang-Yu Guo, and Pei-Ming Ho—whose opening/closing remarks and guidance framed the event’s goals and impact. We also thank the RIKEN Promotion Office for the funding arrangement that enabled this joint initiative. This second workshop further cemented research ties between iTHEMS and NCTS and broadened collaboration with the NCTS Math Division. Looking ahead, the 3rd iTHEMS–NCTS Joint Workshop is planned for Taiwan in the week of August 17, 2026. We look forward to continuing this annual tradition and expanding the scope of interdisciplinary exchange in the years to come. Reported by Ching-Kai Chiu
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2025-09-18
Paper of the WeekWeek 3, September 2025
Title: Probing Direct Waves in Black Hole Ringdowns Author: Naritaka Oshita, Sizheng Ma, Yanbei Chen, Huan Yang arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09165v1 Title: Matrix product state classification of 1D multipole symmetry protected topological phases Author: Takuma Saito, Weiguang Cao, Bo Han, Hiromi Ebisu arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09244v1 Title: Incomplete Reputation Information and Punishment in Indirect Reciprocity Author: Heejeong Kim, Yohsuke Murase arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09181v1 Title: Index theory and bulk-boundary correspondence for inversion-symmetric second-order topological insulators Author: Shin Hayashi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.09240v1 Title: Exact conditions for evolutionary stability in indirect reciprocity under noise Author: Nikoleta E. Glynatsi, Christian Hilbe, Yohsuke Murase arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.08006v1
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2025-09-11
Paper of the WeekWeek 2, September 2025
Title: Heavy Field Effects on Inflationary Models in Light of ACT Data Author: Shuntaro Aoki, Hajime Otsuka, Ryota Yanagita arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.06739v1 Title: From annular to toroidal knotoids and their bracket polynomials Author: Ioannis Diamantis, Sofia Lambropoulou, Sonia Mahmoudi arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.05014v1 Title: Complexity of Quadratic Quantum Chaos Author: Pallab Basu, Suman Das, Pratik Nandy arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.04075v1 Title: Stability analysis of two-fluid neutron stars featuring twin star and ultradense configurations Author: Ankit Kumar, Hajime Sotani arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.03862v1 Title: Symmetries of equivariant Khovanov homology Author: Mikhail Khovanov, Taketo Sano arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.03785v2
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2025-09-04
Paper of the WeekWeek 1, September 2025
Title: $S$-wave kaon-nucleon interactions from lattice QCD on the physical point Author: Kotaro Murakami, Sinya Aoki, Takumi Doi, Yan Lyu, Wren Yamada arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.00838v1 Title: Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis with Projective Representation Author: Soma Onoda, Osamu Fukushima, Ryusuke Hamazaki, Okuto Morikawa arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.01931v1 Title: Recent progress on charmed hadron interactions from lattice QCD Author: Yan Lyu arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2509.03156v1 Title: Renormalization group analysis of color superconductivity revisited Author: Yuki Fujimoto arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.19728v1 Title: Quantum Chaos, Thermalization, and Non-locality Author: Masataka Matsumoto, Shuta Nakajima, Masahiro Nozaki, Ryosuke Yoshii arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.19556v1
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2025-09-04
Hot TopicFarewell message from Seishiro Ono
Our colleague, Seishiro Ono, has left iTHEMS at the end of August 2025 to join the Division of Condensed Matter Theory, The Institute for Solid State Physics (ISSP), The University of Tokyo as an Assistant Professor. We are grateful for his contributions and wish him every success in his new position. Here is a message from Seishiro: I joined iTHEMS in April 2023 as a Special Postdoctoral Researcher, and as of August 31, I have left iTHEMS to start my new position as a Research Associate at the Institute for Solid State Physics, the University of Tokyo. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all members and staff at iTHEMS. Without such a supportive environment, I would not have been able to devote myself entirely to my research over the past two and a half years. I believe that iTHEMS is a truly unique research institute, and I have been continually impressed by its inspiring and researcher-friendly environment since I first joined. I sincerely hope to stay in touch, and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future. Once again, thank you very much for all your support in every respect.
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2025-09-04
Person of the WeekSelf-introduction: Nikoleta E. Glynatsi
I am an applied mathematician and research software developer, currently working as a research scientist at the RIKEN Center for Computational Science and the Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences. Previously, I was a postdoctoral researcher in the Dynamics of Social Behavior research group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology. I earned my PhD from the School of Mathematics at Cardiff University. My research focuses on applying game-theoretic modeling, agent-based simulations, and data analysis to understand behavior in social dilemmas and across various scientific fields. Beyond my research, I actively contribute to open-source projects. I am a fellow of the Software Sustainability Institute and serve as a topic editor for the Journal of Open Source Software.
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2025-09-01
Seminar Report
GWX-EOS Seminar by Hiroshi Funaki on August 28, 2025
In this seminar, the gyromagnetic effect, which is the interconversion between macroscopic rotation and microrotation, was discussed in the context of neutron stars. Starting from the terrestrial experiments on gyromagnetic effects, including ferromagnetic rigid bodies, liquid metal, and quark-gluon plasmas, the universality of the gyromagnetic effects is explored. Then, the four angular-velocity model was introduced to describe the dynamics of the core and crust of the neutron stars. The model provides a new mechanism to explain pulsar glitches due to the gyromagnetic effect. Reported by Yuta Sekino
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2025-08-28
Paper of the WeekWeek 5, August 2025
Title: Classification of color superconductivity by one-gluon exchange helicity amplitudes and renormalization group equations Author: Yuki Fujimoto arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.19222v1 Title: Low Angular Momentum Black Hole Accretion: First GRMHD Evidence of Standing Shocks Author: Jirong Mao, Indu K. Dihingia, Yosuke Mizuno, Shigehiro Nagataki arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2507.22506v1 Title: Observation of the Axion quasiparticle in 2D MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ Author: Jian-Xiang Qiu, Barun Ghosh, Jan Schütte-Engel, Tiema Qian, Michael Smith, Yueh-Ting Yao, Junyeong Ahn, Yu-Fei Liu, Anyuan Gao, Christian Tzschaschel, Houchen Li, Ioannis Petrides, Damien Bérubé, Thao Dinh, Tianye Huang, Olivia Liebman, Emily M. Been, Joanna M. Blawat, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Kin Chung Fong, Hsin Lin, Peter P. Orth, Prineha Narang, Claudia Felser, Tay-Rong Chang, Ross McDonald, Robert J. McQueeney, Arun Bansil, Ivar Martin, Ni Ni, Qiong Ma, David J. E. Marsh, Ashvin Vishwanath, Su-Yang Xu doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08862-x arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2504.12572v1 Title: Unitary network: Tensor network unitaries with local unitarity Author: Wenqing Xie, Seishiro Ono, Hoi Chun Po arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.16890v1 Title: Interfaces of discrete systems - spectral and index properties Author: Chris Bourne arXiv: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.17813v1
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2025-08-27
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Sungsik Kong
I am interested in developing and understanding methods for inferring phylogenetic networks and hybrid speciation using genomic data under the coalescent model. I was a postdoctoral fellow at The Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM) at Brown University, mentored by Dr. Elizabeth Allman (University of Alaska-Fairbanks) and Dr. Scott Edwards (Harvard University). I was a postdoctoral research associate in the Solis-Lemus Lab at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I received my Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at the Ohio State University advised by Dr. Laura Kubatko. I conferred B.Sc. and M.Sc. at University of Toronto, Canada, where I studied evolutionary biology and phylogenetics, advised by Dr. Robert Murphy. I also studied the evolution of Primate behavior with Dr. Deborah McLennan. Moreover, I worked as a researcher at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, with Drs. Yikweon Jang and Jae Chun Choe.
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2025-08-27
Featured Paper of the WeekObservation of the Axion quasiparticle in 2D MnBi$_2$Te$_4$
In a recent study, researchers including Berkeley-Riken fellow Jan Schütte-Engel report a groundbreaking discovery in a material known as MnBi_2Te_4. They found direct evidence for what’s called a dynamical axion quasiparticle (DAQ), a coherent spin wave oscillation in the material that closely resembles the elusive axion particle predicted in high-energy physics. Particle physics axions, if found, could help explain puzzling mysteries like dark matter and a symmetry issue in particle physics called the strong CP problem. In the new study, the team used ultrafast “pump–probe” laser techniques to detect the DAQ. Particle physics axions have never been directly observed. The discovery of the DAQ opens exciting opportunities for both fundamental physics and future technologies. On the fundamental physics side, such materials could help in the detection of dark matter axions. The authors have calculated the sensitivity of these newly discovered DAQ for dark matter axion searches. On the technological side, precise control of the dynamic quantum properties may lead to novel sensors, high-speed electronics, and quantum devices.
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2025-08-27
Person of the Week
Self-introduction: Wei-Hsiang Shao
My name is Wei-Hsiang Shao (ウェイシャン シャオ). I completed my PhD in Physics in the String Theory Group at National Taiwan University in June 2025, and this postdoctoral position marks my first long-term research experience at an academic institute abroad. My research interests lie in quantum gravity, with a particular focus on the nonperturbative aspects of string theory and their implications for our understanding of the universe. Much of our current framework relies on perturbative quantum gravity, which combines Einstein’s General Relativity with local quantum field theory into a low-energy effective theory valid on large scales compared to the Planck scale. While remarkably successful, this framework leaves many open questions—such as Hawking’s black hole information paradox, the origin of our universe, and the recent tensions in cosmological observations. During my PhD, I worked with my supervisors to explore a new perspective on the quantum aspects of black holes by incorporating properties rooted in string theory. Our findings suggest that nonperturbative features of string theory may lead to qualitatively different outcomes for black hole evaporation than those predicted by standard low-energy effective theories. This line of study has inspired me to extend our top-down approach to other contexts, such as the early universe, in the hope of uncovering nonperturbative quantum gravity effects that could reshape the current cosmological model. I am very excited to exchange ideas with colleagues here, to broaden my perspective by learning from experts across different areas, and to contribute to this vibrant research environment through my endeavors.
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2025-08-26
Hot Topic
Workshop: N3AS Annual Meeting 2025 (August 5–7 @ UC Berkeley)
We (Keiya Hirashima, Camilia Demidem, Gabriele Di Ubaldo, Jan Schuette-Engel, Yuuka Kanakubo, Yuki Fujimoto, Shuntaro Aoki, Hiro Nagataki, Satoshi Iso, and Tetsuo Hatsuda) attended the N3AS Annual Meeting 2025, held at UC Berkeley (UCB) on August 5–7. N3AS stands for the Network for Neutrinos, Nuclear Astrophysics, and Symmetries, an NSF-funded program that began in 2016. iTHEMS and ABBL joined N3AS in 2020. During the meeting, Keiya, Camilia, Jan, Yuki and Shuntaro gave excellent presentations on their recent research. We also enjoyed many fascinating talks from N3AS members, including Mia Kumamoto and Kelsey Lund, both of whom participated in iTHEMS Now and Next 2025. Tetsuo and Hiro reported on the activities of iTHEMS, RBC, and ABBL, while Wick Haxton (PI of the N3AS program) provided an update on the status of N3AS. The meeting took place in the Physics building, where the RIKEN-Berkeley Center (RBC) is located. RBC is a hub for international collaboration of iTHEMS, such as researcher exchanges, joint workshops, and long-term fellowships. Now 3 researchers of iTHEMS (Jan, Gabriele, Yuuka) are staying there and engaging in international research collaborations. We made good use of the RBC office during our stay in the week of August 3. While at Berkeley, we (Satoshi, Tetsuo, and Hiro) had the opportunity to meet with Steve Kahn (Dean of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, UC Berkeley) and Martin Olsson (Chair of the Department of Mathematics, UC Berkeley) to discuss future communication and collaboration between iTHEMS and the Departments of Physics and Mathematics at UCB. We also visited Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), where another iTHEMS office is located. This visit reaffirmed the importance of the strong connection between RIKEN and Berkeley, and the key role of the RBC in supporting this collaboration.
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2025-08-26
Hot Topic
Exhibited “Black Hole Recorder” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai: A Quantum Gravity Science-Art Project Recording Messages for the Future
iTHEMS exhibited “Black Hole Recorder,” a science art work based on quantum black hole theory created in collaboration with external creators in 2021, at the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) special exhibition "Entangled Moment - [Quantum, Sea, Universe] × Art" (hosted by the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) from August 14 (Thu) to August 20 (Wed), 2025. The exhibition featured research from nearly 20 research institutions and companies, along with approximately 20 artworks, presented across nine sections. The venue was designed to evoke a world where the microscopic quantum realm and the vast universe continuously cycle and regenerate like an “Ouroboros.” iTHEMS was the ninth and final section in the exhibition, where visitors could view the artwork alongside its explanation. Additionally, all sounds in the venue were continuously recorded using the “Black Hole Recorder,” and visitors were invited to record messages for 1,500 years in the future, with plans to eventually transmit the recorded sounds to a black hole via radio waves. Given the Expo setting, on many days the venue welcomed over 9,000 visitors daily (62,360 visitors over 7 days), allowing many people to experience and enjoy the exhibition. However, during peak hours, the venue became quite crowded, making it difficult for some visitors to view the exhibits at their leisure. Through the artworks, we were able to introduce visitors to black holes and the underlying theory of quantum gravity, and I believe many left with the message that these foundational theories may one day lead to useful technologies. Participating in this exhibition at the Expo provided a valuable opportunity to convey research findings and messages to those who typically have little interest in science. The exchange with other exhibitors also contributed to the future development of iTHEMS's social collaboration activities.
170 news in 2025