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May 03, 2024
 

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@fayeflam

Faye Flam
For Faye Flam's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2018
Demanding too much certainty of science
It's counterintuitive but true. Here's why.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 23, 2018
Even in nature, there are perils in sexual inequality
New research suggests major sex differences can be hazardous to a species's health.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 14, 2018
The mutant astronaut and the 'space gene' that wasn't
A viral story about twin astronauts shows what happens when science writing goes awry.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2018
Protein engineering may be science's future
Some scientists think designing new proteins could become as significant as tweaking DNA.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2018
What did Cambridge Analytica really do?
It's possible that despite capturing Facebook data on 50 million people, Cambridge Analytica didn't actually accomplish anything noteworthy in the realm of politics.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 27, 2018
The case against counting calories
Forces beyond our control affect how much energy we burn each day.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 15, 2018
Trump's understanding of war is outdated
In the nuclear age, security depends less on technology and more on psychology.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 23, 2018
The machines are taking over space exploration
Even the hardiest astronaut can't compete with robot labor, but there's a silver lining.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2018
Why scientists solve harder problems first
We've found thousands of distant planets, but not a cure for the common cold. What gives?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 8, 2018
Food science caught between the head and the heart
'Heart-healthy' foods could be bad for the brain, new research suggests. What's a careful eater to do?
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 30, 2017
Benjamin Franklin's guide to spotting quacks
Benjamin Franklin's classic test of 'mesmerism' was an early win for experimental psychology.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 28, 2017
Science stories you might have missed in 2017
Birds barter shrewdly, brainless jellyfish sleep and researchers raise their statistical standards.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 12, 2017
How not to get fooled by the world's randomness
There's a common thread to the dubious claims and irreproducible results that have plagued some fields of science — illusory patterns in the randomness of our world.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 25, 2017
Take hypertension news with a grain of salt
U.S. doctors may be changing how they define hypertension, but the need to exercise and eat less junk food remain the best ways to fight off high blood pressure.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 30, 2017
Giant pumpkins a marvel of science
Record-breaking pumpkins have long since passed the ton mark, and they get bigger every year. The only constraint may be the laws of physics.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2017
Is curiosity a casualty of the post-truth era?
Ignorance feeds curiosity. Curiosity cures ignorance.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 5, 2017
Most Americans are a little too relaxed about nukes
A new survey has revealed that Americans are surprisingly willing to make a first nuclear strike — and kill millions of civilians abroad.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 1, 2017
Big data offers big promise in medicine
In handling some kinds of life-or-death medical judgments, computers have already surpassed the abilities of doctors.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 31, 2017
Nuclear war could come with a flub, not a bang
There are no smart ways to start a nuclear war, but there are an infinite variety of stupid ones.
COMMENTARY / World
May 20, 2017
Trump's disability is Dunning-Kruger effect
We're all ignorant, but U.S. President Donald Trump takes it to a different level.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

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