TOKYOMANGO

Cat ears that express emotions

In case you missed it last week... a new "nekomimi" product that actually reads your brain waves and emulates your emotions through little cat ear gestures. Pretty soon they'll be demo-ing these at maid cafes.

Adorable twin girls teach us about the Periodic Table of Elements

Tom Lehrer wrote this wonderful song to help us remember the Periodic Table of Elements, but it wasn't until mathematician Theodore Gray handed the song over to his two adorable half-Japanese nieces that it was made into this awesome video.

via Boing Boing

Man figures out how to convert plastic back into oil

In this video, a man named Akinori Ito explains how global warming and the lack of efficient garbage disposal mechanisms inspired him to create a method for turning plastic into oil. So cool! I also really like the way he talks — it's very calming.

Is Mt. Fuji going to erupt soon?

Mount Fuji might erupt soon, according to new research conducted by The Volcano Research Center at the University of Tokyo. Some don't agree, but here's one theory:

Based on the pressures required to form both materials, Kaneko believes the two mineral composites are housed in separate chambers under Fuji: one deep chamber 20 kilometres below the volcano, rich in basaltic magma, and a shallower chamber housing the silica 9 kilometres underground.

He says the deep rumble of low-frequency earthquakes beneath Fuji in 2000 and 2001 suggests movement inside the basaltic magma chamber, and adds he would not be surprised if Fuji erupts in the very near future.

via New Scientist
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Cosmetics made from volcanic ash

There's an award-winning cosmetics company called Tengen that uses volcanic ash from the Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima — called shirasu — to make skincare products. The sediment that Tengen uses is 400,000 years old and found in a secret location. They then combine it with oil and sodium hydroxide to make facial cleansers, gels, and face creams.

via Channel News Asia