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S2020 E23 Making Every Drop Count

本集简介

[On-Site Report]
"Clean Water and Sanitation" is one of the 17 sustainable development goals set forth by the United Nations. This week, we continue to feature Japanese companies that are contributing to improving sustainability by introducing businesses that have made it their mission to find ways to conserve on water usage. One company has created a recycling system that allows up to 98% of household water to be reusable, and the other has developed an automated cultivation system that uses solar heat to grow crops using limited amounts of water.

[In Depth: Japan Losing Its Edge in Science?]
Japan has once been a leader in developing innovative technology, but the country now stands at a crossroads. As this year's Nobel Prize announcements are under way, we take a look at how Japan's global presence in basic research could be at risk.

[World Perspective: Airlines Turns to In-Flight Meals to Survive]
Travel restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic have been a major blow for the airline industry. Asian carriers that were flying high just last year now face empty seats and a murky financial future. Looking for a lifeline, some carriers have turned to a surprising source for income: in-flight meals. The companies have started offering the dishes at local restaurants and more, hoping to appeal to those who miss air travel and all that comes with it. We take a look at how 2 airlines in Asia are using the strategy to weather the economic turbulence.

上一集

2020/10/03 S2020 E22

Saving the Seas with Sustainability

[On-Site Report]
One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals -- "Life Below Water," is of particular importance to Japan. This episode introduces Japanese companies that are taking action to help counter the effects of seafloor desertification by helping to bring kelp forests back to coastal seabeds. A young startup has come up with a clever way to slow the spread of kelp-eating sea urchins and provide additional economic benefits to local communities by collecting, fattening up and selling the prickly pests. Elsewhere, a major steel maker is producing a special fertilizer made from a mixture of steel slag and other organic compounds that is promoting the regrowth of marine plant life off of Japan's coastal waters.

[In Depth: Japan Accelerates Moves to Reopen Economy]
While Japan continues efforts to contain the coronavirus, it is also accelerating steps to get the economy back on track. We take a look at the initiatives the government has kicked off this week.

[Global Trends: High-Rise Construction Adopts the Way of Wood]
As Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, gain traction around the world, a building method developed in Japan is getting attention. Typically, large buildings are constructed using steel frames and reinforced concrete. But this environmentally friendly alternative relies on wood-based materials, creating buildings that are aesthetically appealing as well as resistant to fire and earthquake damage. The builder behind a high-rise under construction in Sendai shares his vision of a future where cities are again dominated by wooden structures.

下一集

2020/10/17 S2020 E24

Adventitious Advances in R&D

This episode looks at how unintended results and accidental discoveries during the research and development process can sometimes end up leading to a new discovery. We feature a new material that was created during research on liquid crystal technology that allows for precise temperature control of cold-storage environments and a porous odor adsorbent carbon material which was created during the development of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.

当前季

S2020

2020-01-11

哇，窗口太小啦

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