University of Tokyo

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have grown living human skin on a robotic finger, a bioengineering milestone demonstrated by the university's lab. The cultured skin covered the mechanical digit and reportedly showed enough flexibility and self-healing properties to mark a step toward lifelike robotics. Commenters see potential uses in humanoid robots, medical testing and tissue research, while others debated the ethical and practical limits of combining living tissue with machines.

Japan held its first national championship for student bodybuilders at the University of Tokyo's Yasuda Auditorium, as reported by Asahi. The number of student bodybuilders is growing rapidly, and the sport is also drawing interest through links to yoga and other fitness practices. The report asks why the activity is becoming so popular among students, pointing to a broader fitness boom on campuses.