Quantum decryption is a foundational application of fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC), essential for future cryptographic security. While quantum simulations, especially quantum chemistry, dominate current quantum computing research, quantum decryption remains less explored despite its significance. In this talk, we give a business style talk that overviews the current status of quantum decryption and our company's pioneering efforts to advance practical FTQC-based solutions. We discuss recent technological advancements and outline our strategic initiatives aimed at leading the field toward secure communications.

Understanding and modeling collective pedestrian behavior, particularly under extreme conditions, is a challenging problem that combines cognition, physics, and data analysis. In the second talk of DEEP-IN series, I will explore how deep learning can reveal the underlying principles of crowd dynamics from data. Starting with a bounded rationality framework, we demonstrate how deep learning can quantify evacuation dynamics and reveal hidden patterns in collective motion. Specifically, we demonstrate how macroscopic observables, such as entropy and kinetic energy, can be extracted from microscopic trajectories in simulations and real-world data.

This is an informal seminar, we will start with the methodology and some practical examples, and finally reserve time for everyone interested to discuss it together.

Secondary products such as traction from cattle, wool from sheep, and mobility from horses are invaluable outputs from rearing livestock. The innovative herd management practice of castration enables non-breeding males to be managed safely beyond typical ages of slaughter, greatly improving the productivity of livestock herds. Although osteological methods can identify some morphological differences between castrated and intact males, it is difficult to make clear distinctions between them. However, methylation values are affected by the considerable hormonal changes that occur as a result of castration. For example, castrated male sheep have shown lower biological ages compared to age-matched intact rams (Sugrue et al., 2021). Furthermore, age-at-death has been predicted from reconstructed methylation values in ancient horses, informing on culling practices (Liu et al., 2023). Using an aDNA-specific bisulfite sequencing approach, we have reconstructed CpG methylation values from sheepskin parchments. We have developed machine learning models trained on modern sheep in order to infer traits of interest such as castration and age-at-death. The informative CpG sites have been incorporated into a target capture set to enable cost-effective sequencing of additional samples. This will enable the characterisation of these traits in ancient sheep across time periods, geographical locations, and archaeological contexts.

Astrophysical black hole candidates are often surrounded by an accretion disk. In particular the interior region of this accretion disk can consist of a plasma and the trajectories of light rays travelling through this plasma can deviate significantly from the trajectories of light rays travelling through vacuum. While usually these environments are very complex we can already learn a lot about the observable features using simple plasma models. In the context of general relativity for some of these plasma models the equations of motion are fully separable and even analytically solvable. In my talk I will illustrate what we can learn from such models using the Schwarzschild spacetime as background. I will assume that the black hole is surrounded by an inhomogeneous, pressureless, and non-magnetised plasma and solve the equations of motion analytically exact. Then I will assume that we have a luminous disk in the equatorial plane and discuss the impact of the plasma on the so-called photon rings. I will discuss the changes of their geometrical structure, the redshift, and the travel time of the photons compared to photon rings in vacuum and what we can learn about the properties of the plasma. I will also discuss how the presence of the plasma may be able to help us to constrain gravity in the strong field regime. Finally, I will discuss how the obtained results will contribute to designing a multimessenger approach for probing gravity in the strong field regime in the context of the Maxwell-Einstein-Pauli Observatory.

Cosmic rays interact with astrophysical systems over a broad range of scales. They go hand-in-hand with violent, energetic astrophysical environments, and are an active agent able to regulate the evolution and physical conditions of galactic and circum-galactic ecosystems. Depending on their energy, cosmic rays can also escape from their galactic environments of origin, and propagate into larger-scale cosmological structures. In this talk, I will discuss the impacts of cosmic rays retained in galaxies. I will show they can deposit energy and momentum to alter the initial conditions of star-formation, modify the circulation of baryons around galaxies, and have the potential to regulate long-term galaxy evolution. I will highlight some of the astrophysical consequences of contained hadronic and leptonic cosmic rays in and around galaxies, and how their influence can be probed using signatures including X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrinos. I will also discuss what happens to the cosmic rays that escape from galaxies, including their interactions with the magnetized large-scale structures of our Universe, and the fate of distant high-energy cosmic rays that do not reach us on Earth.

We propose a new holographic entanglement entropy in the three-dimensional de Sitter space. It is known that the holographic entanglement entropy via Ryu-Takayanagi prescription violates the entropic inequalities that they should satisfy. We propose a kind of extensions of the Ryu-Takayanagi formula so that they satisfy the strong subadditivity. We fix consistent parameter regions of the entropy and finally comment on the implications to the static patch holography.

This third talk in the DEEP-IN series focuses on using unsupervised machine learning to identify and predict patterns in atmospheric phenomena. We begin by demonstrating how clustering and dimensionality reduction techniques can uncover coherent lightning patterns from high-dimensional LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) data, offering insight into large-scale organization. We then show how generative diffusion models enable super-resolution retrieval of cloud properties for all day from satellite observations.

This is an informal seminar, we will start with the methodology and some practical examples, and finally reserve time for everyone interested to discuss it together.

We study new cohomologies for the local BPS operators of the maximal super-Yang-Mills theory to better understand the black hole microstates. We first analyze the index of these black hole operators and explicitly construct their cohomologies to study how they imitate the quantum black holes. We find many towers of states and partial no-hair behaviors where certain gravtions are forbidden to dress these black hole operators. This qualitatively agrees with the behavior of the perturbative hairy BPS black holes or the so-called grey galaxies. Throughout this talk, we mainly focus on a subsector of the field theory corresponding to the BMN matrix theory, which exhibits a black hole-like entropy growth at large N.

In lattice QCD simulations, the most time-consuming element is typically the solution of the Dirac equation in the presence of a given gauge field. The current state of the art is to use a multigrid preconditioner to reduce the condition number of the Dirac operator matrix. We show how such preconditioners can be constructed using gauge-equivariant neural networks. For the multigrid solve we employ parallel-transport convolution layers. For the multigrid setup we consider two versions: the standard construction based on the near-null space of the operator, and a gauge-equivariant construction using pooling and subsampling layers. We show that both versions eliminate critical slowing down.

Species that break the traditional rules of genetics and inheritance offer perhaps some of the best opportunities to study fundamental biological questions. Sciarids (fungus gnats) are a species-rich family of flies with highly unorthodox chromosome inheritance. Asymmetric male meiotic divisions result in elimination of the paternal genome every generation, and maternally-controlled eliminations of chromosomes in the developing embryo determine offspring sex. I use a combination of genomics, population genetics, and cytogenetics to understand both the mechanisms and the evolution of this system. I will discuss how these approaches have allowed us to uncover some fascinating biology as well as tackle broader biological questions.

In this talk, I will explain and motivate the concept of categorification and present various examples. The Euler characteristic is an invariant of a topological space, that serves as a shadow of a more refined category theoretic invariant—homology—which retains significantly more information. The existence of such a categorical construction underlying a numerical one is a common phenomenon in topology and algebra. I will also discuss Khovanov's question on the existence of categorification of arbitrary rings.

Given a family of symmetric matrices indexed by a parameter (e.g. time, external field), changing this parameter will cause the eigenvalues to move along the real axis. The spectral flow tracks these eigenvalues and counts how many cross the point 0. This idea turns out to be very useful for both pure mathematics as well as applications to physics and elsewhere. In this talk, I will introduce the spectral flow and how it can be generalised to a variety of settings that are also relevant for applications in quantum physics.

The data processing and analyzing is one of the main challenges at HEP experiments. To accelerate the physics analysis and drive new physics discovery, the rapidly developing Large Language Model (LLM) is the most promising approach, it have demonstrated astonishing capabilities in recognition and generation of text while most parts of physics analysis can be benefitted. In this talk we will discuss the construction of a dedicated intelligent agent, an AI assistant names Dr.Sai at BESIII based on LLM, the potential usage to boost the data analysis. I will also provide a brief overview of the construction of the AI platform at the Institute of High Energy Physics (ai.ihep.ac.cn) and outline the roadmap for AI4HEP.

Yipu Liao (廖一朴) is a Ph.D. student at the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research is centered on particle physics data analysis, with a special emphasis on Charmonium(-like) and tau physics within the BESIII and Belle II experiments. He is actively engaged in the development of the AI assistant project (DrSai) for the BESIII experiment, and leads the design and evaluation of automated processes.

This is a two-day KEK-iTHEMS workshop on scientific writing and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
For more details, please visit the workshop website via the relevant link.

Following our Launch Meeting on May 1st, in this second meeting of our study group we plan for each member of the ComSHeL Study Group and anyone who joins us that day to introduce their research briefly to get to know one another's focus and expertise. If you are interested in possibly collaborating with ComSHeL members and/or you would like to get to know some of the researchers who joined us as part of iTHEMS new Division of Applied Mathematical Science, please join us. I extended the duration to 90 min (from our usual 60 min) to make sure we have enough time to hear from everyone.

Each attendee will have approximately 4 minutes to explain their past, current, or upcoming research and time will be kept strictly. Time might be adjusted on the day of the meeting based on the number of applicants. If you would like to show some slides (max 3 slides), please prepare them in advance and send them to cbeau@riken.jp in PDF format no later than June 20. But no one should feel they must prepare slides: it is fine to speak freely and informally about your work.

Neutron stars, the most compact stars in the Universe, are composed of various matter. However, due to their extremely low temperatures and high densities, they exhibit strong interactions and condensed states. Knowledge of condensed-matter physics is essential for describing such quantum matter. In this lecture, theoretical aspects of condensed-matter physics relevant with neutron stars, through active discussion with participants.

Neutron stars, the most compact stars in the Universe, are composed of various matter. However, due to their extremely low temperatures and high densities, they exhibit strong interactions and condensed states. Knowledge of condensed-matter physics is essential for describing such quantum matter. In this lecture, theoretical aspects of condensed-matter physics relevant with neutron stars, through active discussion with participants.

In the final talk of the DEEP-IN series, we will explore the role of generative models in learning phase transitions and sampling in lattice systems. First, we demonstrate how generative models can serve as global samplers by learning the underlying probability distributions. This enables the sampling of configurations more efficiently for lattice field theories. We will also demonstrate how the ferromagnetic phase transition, the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, and quantum phase transitions can be identified from generative models. I will briefly introduce generative diffusion models, which can be interpreted as a stochastic quantization scheme. This opens a new path for understanding deep generative models.

This is an informal seminar, we will start with the methodology and some practical examples, and finally reserve time for everyone interested to discuss it together.

Many classical stochastic processes can be modeled as Markovian processes, including the spreading of infection in networks. Simulating the Markovian processes using classical computers is generally unscalable for large networks. In this seminar, I will introduce the Hamiltonian evolution on quantum computers and how the Markovian spreading of infection can be efficiently simulated using the Hamiltonian evolution. In particular, we analytically and numerically analyze the evolution of a specifically designed Hamiltonian, and prove that the evolution simulates a classical Markovian process, which describes the well-known epidemiological stochastic susceptible and infectious (SI) model. As an example, we simulate the infection spreading process of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron in a small-world network. The simulation results are qualitative consistent with the infection spreading in the west coast of USA.

Strongly correlated systems, from QCD matter to condensed matter, exhibit universal dynamics near phase transitions. However, despite the successes of various theoretical approaches, systematic treatments of fluctuations are scarce. This talk unveils a novel universal damping mechanism for pseudo-Goldstone modes in systems with spontaneously broken approximate symmetries. I will introduce the real-time functional renormalization group (fRG) method, a powerful non-perturbative framework for studying real-time dynamics near critical points. Using this approach within a critical O(N) model, we uncover a new universal scaling for pseudo-Goldstone damping. Different from the conventional damping found in holography and hydrodynamics, the new one is controlled by critical fluctuations, hence is invisible in mean-field systems or strongly correlated systems with classical gravity duals. Since the critical damping depends solely on the universalities of the critical point, irrespective of the microscopic details, our conclusion should be applicable to a wide class of interacting systems.

We develop a unified framework for analyzing quantum mechanical resonances using the exact WKB method. The non-perturbative formulation based on the exact WKB method works for incorporating well-established phenomenological regularizations, the ABC theorem (proof of the completeness of Hilbert space), and the rigged Hilbert space in resonant phenomena. By examining the inverted Rosen-Morse potential, we illustrate how the exact WKB analysis captures resonant phenomena rigorously. Also, we clarify the corresponding linear spaces defined in each step of the exact WKB manipulations. The complementarity between the essential analyticity for resonance and the ABC theorem leads us to construct a modified Hilbert space called the rigged Hilbert space within the exact WKB framework. This offers a deeper understanding of resonant states and their analytic structures. Our results provide a concrete demonstration of the non-perturbative accuracy of exact WKB methods in unstable quantum systems.

Recent studies by Copetti, Córdova and Komatsu have revealed that when non-invertible symmetries are spontaneously broken, the conventional crossing relation of the S-matrix is modified by the effects of the corresponding topological quantum field theory (TQFT). We extend these considerations to (1+1)-dimensional quantum field theories (QFTs) with boundaries. In the presence of a boundary, one can define not only the bulk S-matrix but also the boundary S-matrix, which is subject to a consistency condition known as the boundary crossing relation. We show that when the boundary is weakly-symmetric under the non-invertible symmetry, the conventional boundary crossing relation also receives a modification due to the TQFT effects. As a concrete example of the boundary scattering, we analyze kink scattering in the gapped theory obtained from the Φ(1,3)-deformation of a minimal model. We explicitly construct the boundary S-matrix that satisfies the Ward-Takahashi identities associated with non-invertible symmetries. This talk is based on the collaboration with Satoshi Yamaguchi.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum science, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, coordinated by UNESCO.

To mark this occasion, we will host a public symposium entitled:
“What is “Quantum”!?: RIKEN Symposium Commemorating 100 Years of Quantum Science”, aimed at the general public.

The talks will be conducted in Japanese.
For more details and to register, please visit the official website via the related link.

The mathematical characterization of entanglement holds immense potential for describing the mechanical functions of diverse physical systems and materials. A universal interdisciplinary study, involving scientists, engineers, and artists promises both advance of the field itself and significant contribution to the research and design of innovative solutions for textiles, medical devices, polymers, molecular chemistry, or construction materials among others. The program seeks an alternative to the trial–and–error approach, bringing together academia and industry to seek new sustainable solutions and inspiration, contributing to society. It will consist not only of scientific exchanges but will promote cultural impact by organizing exhibitions or hands–on workshops. Additionally, it will encourage several discussions by providing networking opportunities and utilizing the unique venue of House of Creativity at Tohoku University.

This workshop will gather researchers from various disciplines and include invited lectures, a poster session, roundtable discussions, and brainstorming activities. Our focus will be on exploring the connections between knot theory and its applications in areas such as polymers and soft matter, textile mechanics, graphic design, and more.

This event includes a joint symposium between the WPI–AIMR (Tohoku University) and WPI–SKCM2 (Hiroshima University) on Friday, August 1st, 2025: INTERWOVEN: A WPI–AIMR & WPI–SKCM2 Symposium, Towards a Universal Topological Model of Entangled Structures for Sustainable Metamaterials

Please fill in the registration form by June 16th 2025.

Confirmed speakers (alphabetical order):

Jörn Dunkel (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Yuanyuan Guo (Tohoku University)
Tatsuki Hayama (Keio University)
Louis H. Kauffman (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Yuka Kotorii (Hiroshima University)
Sofia Lambropoulou (National Technical University of Athens)
Eleni Panagiotou (Arizona State University)
Pedro M. Reis (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
Takahiro Sakaue (Aoyama Gakuin University)
Vanessa Sanchez (Rice University)
Henry Segerman (Oklahoma State University)
Koya Shimokawa (Ochanomizu University)
Hiroshi Suito (Tohoku University)
Ryuichi Tarumi (Osaka University)
Hirofumi Wada (Ritsumeikan University)

Please refer to the workshop website via the relevant link for more details.
We are looking forward to your participation and to welcoming you to Sendai!

The recent success of asteroid sample return missions has led to significant advances in Solar System science. JAXA's Hayabusa2 successfully retrieved and returned to Earth a total of 5.4 grams of samples from the C-type asteroid Ryugu. Sample return missions are critical to the scientific community, as they provide pristine, terrestrially unaltered extraterrestrial material. The analytical data obtained in laboratories for samples collected by space missions will facilitate the understanding of the formation and evolution of the Solar System. I was appointed deputy leader of the Initial Analysis Chemistry team of Hayabusa2 project, and was heavily involved in analyzing the chemical and isotopic compositions of Ryugu materials. A series of analyses of these samples indicated that the mineral, chemical, and isotopic compositions of Ryugu bear a strong resemblance to those of the Ivuna-type (CI) carbonaceous chondrites. CI chondrites have been recognized as a unique group of meteorites with a chemical composition similar to that of the solar photosphere except for highly volatile elements and Li. In the seminar, I will present the meaning and significance of the compositional similarity between Ryugu and CI chondrites. I will also present our recent activities in a new project called the Ryugu Reference Project, which was initiated to maximize the potential value of the returned samples.

This workshop aims to strengthen collaboration between researchers at RIKEN iTHEMS and the National Center for Theoretical Sciences in Taiwan. It will be a four-day event, with the first two days dedicated to interdisciplinary topics. The last two days will focus on specialized areas, with one day devoted to condensed matter physics and the other to high-energy physics, including quantum gravity.

[Scientific scope]
The symposium will address experimental and theoretical investigations of the equation-of-state (EoS) of nuclear matter at various isospin asymmetries. Such investigations include efforts in nuclear structure, nuclear reactions and heavy-ion collisions, as well as in astrophysical observations of compact stars and associated phenomena. An important role of the symposium is to unify efforts of the nuclear physics and astrophysics communities in addressing common research challenges.