Which cooking oil is the best? //Summary - Level-B2// The BBC programme discusses cooking oils and which are healthiest. Many oils, such as olive, sunflower, avocado, or coconut oil, are advertised as having big health benefits, but expert…

AFTERWORD - Listen Carefully - How to Speak Whale, Tom Mustill 1)When I finished the book in late 2021, I'd included a chapter on the ethics of AI and the implications of 'learning to speak whale'. But the book was already very long and my…

Excerpt from Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water Award-winning journalist Amorina Kingdon explores how marine animals use sound to survive and the ways humans are impacting critical underwater soundscapes 1)Excerpted from Sing…

Erika Kirk speaks at funeral: Watch and read full transcript 1)Erika Kirk speaks at husband’s memorial: Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, publicly forgave the man who killed her husband during a memorial service at State Farm Stadium …

Ig Nobel Prizes: Japanese researchers win for 19th consecutive year Biology Prize awarded to National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation for 'reducing flies by half by making cows look like checkerboard patterns' 1)The winners of t…

The world's most prestigious Chopin Competition will begin on October 2, 2025. 1)The 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition will commence in Warsaw on 2 October. Eighty-five contestants from 20 countries and regions will vie …

What kind of group are the Seven Lucky Gods? Introducing their blessings and characteristics by country of origin! Ebisu-sama [Gods of Japanese Origin Edition] 1)The Seven Lucky Gods, symbolising good fortune and long popular as auspicious…

Just when we thought it was a low-activity period, the Sun was actually becoming more active. 1)What impact might this have...? NASA research has revealed that solar activity is unexpectedly increasing. This paper is published in the 8 Sep…

World's oldest mummies discovered, estimated to be up to 12,000 years old 1)When one hears the word “mummy”, many may picture ancient Egyptian or Chilean archaeological sites. The mummies of pharaohs resting deep within pyramids and those …

Masterpiece returns to Tokyo after 60 years! Special Exhibition: “Unkei: The Space of Prayer – Kōfuku-ji's North Round Hall” runs until 30 November in Special Room 5, Main Building, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno 1)The miraculous special exhi…

Michel Legrand: The Film Composer Who Changed the World – Synopsis, Overview & Critiques Summary ~ The heart-stirring ‘certain action’ taken by the great musician in his life's culmination ~ [Recommended Film Spotlight] I will wait for you…

《LDP Leadership Election》Major media outlets unanimously align with party and opposition efforts to undermine Sanae Takaichi. Behind the scenes lies the Ministry of Finance's desire to block tax cuts. //Summary - Level-B2// In the LDP le…

Super microbe discovered that eats Martian dust to produce oxygen //Summary - Level-B2// Scientists at Rome Tor Vergata University have discovered a microbe called Chroococcidiopsis (nicknamed Kuro), which can survive extreme conditions li…

Research reveals music may aid in “blood pressure regulation” //Summary - Level-B2// A new study suggests music may help regulate blood pressure by synchronising it with musical patterns, especially changes in loudness. Professor Elaine Ch…

Why Muslims Flee to Europe Rather Than Wealthy Islamic Nations Over the past decades, millions have fled the Islamic world. They escape war, dictatorships, and economic collapse. Yet instead of seeking refuge in the wealthy monarchies of t…

Nepal lifts social media ban after 19 killed in protests against corruption Nepal’s Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung says the ban is ‘withdrawn’. 1)Nepal has lifted a ban on social media platforms fol…

The model for Sherlock Holmes was a real Scottish doctor... How could he know someone's background upon first meeting? //Summary - Level-B2// Sherlock Holmes’s deductive genius was inspired by a real Scottish doctor, Joseph Bell, who taugh…

A once-in-a-lifetime green glow: Lemon Comet makes closest approach to Earth in October, with hopes for a meteor shower collaboration //Summary - Level-B2// The Lemon Comet (C/2025 A6), discovered in January 2025, will make its closest app…

B-come's “Atsumori ~ From The Tale of the Heike” – this was a rock clad in armour. //Summary - Level-B2// B-come’s Atsumori ~ From The Tale of the Heike transforms a classical tale into something alive and powerful. It blends narration, tr…

The tragedy of John MearsheimerHow the American realist became the world’s most hated thinker. //Summary - Level-B2// John Mearsheimer, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, is one of the most controversial thinkers in intern…

BUNKITSU TOKYO opens at Newoman Takanawa on 12 September! A large-scale bookshop spanning over 3,300 square metres with approximately 100,000 volumes 1)On Friday, 12 September 2025, ‘BUNKITSU TOKYO’ will open on the South 5th Floor of Newo…

In truth, the primordial Sun was dim, and carbon dioxide that may have frozen the planet was present—the astonishing, exquisite balance of Earth's atmosphere. //Summary - Level-B2// The early Earth faced many challenges after the giant imp…

NASA announces discovery of evidence indicating ‘highly probable existence of life on Mars’ //Summary - Level-B2// NASA announced that minerals discovered by the Perseverance rover in 2024 show strong evidence of possible past life on Mars…

TOP Image 1 = National Treasure Seated Miroku Nyorai Statue (Detail) by Unkei, Kamakura period, c. 1212, Kōfuku-ji Temple, Nara. Originally enshrined in the North Round Hall. Photograph: Sasaki Kōsuke. Image 2 = National Treasure: Exterior…

To end the blood feuds... Emperor Tenmu devised the mechanism of the “power tournament” //Summary - Level-B2// Emperor Tenmu sought to end endless blood feuds by creating the “power tournament,” where the strongest leader ruled jointly wit…

"Kamei Seiya Piano Recital Supported by MUFG Wealth Management" to be held! The "Kamei Seiya Piano Recital" will be held on September 3rd, 8th, and 9th, 2025. We look forward to your attendance. Seiya Kamei Piano Recital September 3, 2025 …

AI expert Roman Yampolsky warns of 99% job losses by 2030, but there's no "Plan B" in sight //Summary - Level-B2// AI safety expert Roman Yampolsky warns that by 2030, up to 99% of jobs could disappear due to automation, leaving retraining…

The Courage to Stay in a Good Mood //Summary - Level-B2// The text explains that managing your own mood is key to living well. You can’t control others, but you can control how you feel. Staying cheerful requires energy and conscious effor…

Igor Stravinsky: Revolutionary Maestro of 20th Century Music //Summary - Level-B2// Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) was one of the most important composers of the 20th century. Trained by Rimsky-Korsakov, he rose to fame with ballets like The …

▼ "Mamiya's Survey Map of Ezo" (National Diet Library collection). It is believed to have been created within the shogunate, approximately 200 years after the map above, based on Mamiya Rinzo's survey records. [Source] "Illustrated Stories…