Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan
E. Science and Technology
The Natural Environment and Human Activities in Discovering and Applying the Laws of Nature
Natural Environment: A globe at Brown University in Providence, USA (2015). For those of us living between heaven and earth, we are deeply influenced by the Earth’s climates and landforms. Below are photos of the natural environment from various locations.Earth Science: Lake Como in Como, Italy, a glacial lake at the foot of the Alps, has been a popular vacation destination since Roman times (1995). Across Europe and North America, numerous landforms created by erosion and deposition during the Ice Age have been used by the people of those regions.(Cont’d) Niagara Falls, formed by the action of glaciers and the river on the land, is not only a scenic spot but has also been harnessed to generate hydroelectric power. View from the Canadian side (2015).(Cont’d) Cape Cod, USA, consisting of end moraines, outwash plains, and other features formed by glaciers. Once prosperous from fishing, it is now a popular resort. View from the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown at the tip of the Cape (2015).Earth Science: The Andes, formed by the collision of the Nazca and South American plates, as seen from Santiago (2013). The mountains are rich in natural resources such as copper, silver, and tin.(Cont’d) One of the world’s largest class 930E dump trucks, which once worked at the Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile, pictured at the former Komatsu headquarters in Komatsu, Japan (2012).Earth Science: The Indo-Gangetic Plain, which stretches between the Himalayas and the Deccan Plateau, as seen from New Delhi (2009). The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates not only led to the formation of the Himalayas, but also resulted in the creation of plateaus, mountains, and arid regions in Northeast and Central Asia, giving rise to a wide variety of landforms and climates across Asia.(Cont’d) Yamdrok Lake (4,441 m), a natural dammed lake and one of the three sacred lakes of the Tibetan Plateau (2007).(Cont’d) Wucai Pond (3,576 m) in Huanglong, located in the Min Mountains (2007).(Cont’d) Shuzheng Lakes (2,187–2,280 m) in Jiuzhaigou, located in the Min Mountains (2007).(Cont’d) Giant pandas live in the mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. At the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Sichuan (2007).(Cont’d) The highlands and mountains of western China serve as the headwaters of many rivers, which in turn supply water to the people living downstream. The photo shows the Yellow River, fed by the Bayan Har Mountains, which nurtured one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Pictured in Jinan, where the river water is soon to reach the Bohai Sea (1997).(Cont’d) The Mekong, which originates from the Tibetan Plateau, flows through Indochina. Pictured in Mỹ Tho, in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, where agriculture is thriving (2009).(Cont’d) Compared to the sparsely populated western regions of China, the eastern plains and basins are home to a particularly large population. The photo shows the Forbidden City in Beijing, located on the North China Plain (2005). The palace was designed according to Zhouli, a classic text, and represented the center and order of the Ming and Qing dynasties.(Cont’d)The Himalayas also have a significant impact on the climate, blocking the humid air from the south and creating arid regions to the north. The photo shows the set of the movie The Silk Road (『敦煌』) (1988) in Dunhuang, located in the arid region (1996). The story revolves around a man who encounters Buddhist culture on the western periphery of China. He tries to preserve its heritage amidst a war in the 11th century.(Cont’d) The arid region extends into Mongolia, as seen in Ulaanbaatar (2013).(Cont’d) The Himalayas, on the other hand, create a rainy season in the Asian monsoon region, which stretches across South and East Asia, allowing for extensive rice cultivation. Pictured in Siem Reap (2009).(Cont’d) Rice cultivation began in Japan about 3,000 to 2,500 years ago. The photo shows the Toro ruins in Shizuoka, where rice cultivation started around 2,000 years ago (2023).Scientific and Engineering Activities: A jet engine being overhauled at HAECO in Hong Kong (2016). Throughout human history, people have discovered and applied the laws of nature to expand the capabilities of the human body beyond its natural limits. Below are photos of various scientific and engineering activities.Astronomy: Ancient humans systematized the flow and cycle of time based on the movements of the sun and/or moon, developing calendars to organize their lives. The photo shows a sunset in São Paulo (2013).Astronomy: The ‘almost’ supermoon seen one day after the April 2020 supermoon in Bangkok (2020).Astronomy: The tombolo to Shingu Island in Suo-Oshima, Japan, which appears at low tide for about three hours (2023).Astronomy: Layers of hard sandstone and soft mudstone eroded by waves during repeated high and low tides over a long period of time on Aoshima Island in Miyazaki, Japan (2023). The unusual shape that appears at low tide is known as the Devil’s Washboard.Meteorology: In recent years, typhoons approaching Japan have become larger due to the rise in seawater temperatures caused by global warming. The photo shows what is popularly known as the “Underground Temple” in the Metropolitan Outer Underground Discharge Channel in Kasukabe, Japan (2023). The typhoon season in late summer increases the need for the operation of this flood control facility.Meteorology: In the Cayman Islands (2012).Environmental Protection: Bangkok’s “green lung,” where nature is preserved across from the Chao Phraya River. View from the top of Mahanakhon Tower (2020).Biodiversity Conservation: Endangered plants growing under controlled conditions at the Tsukuba Experimental Botanical Garden in Tsukuba, Japan (2024).Biodiversity Conservation: “Time capsules” in which cells from endangered species are cryopreserved for genetic preservation and research at the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, Japan (2024). The container on the front right contains the cells of Nipponia nippon, a species of ibis.Mathematics: Singapore’s most famous parabola, a pattern in nature (2016).Mathematics: The golden ratio, a pattern in nature and beauty, is also found in “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” (『神奈川沖浪裏』) at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2015).Physics: Light is “the energy from the sun, a lamp, etc. that makes it possible to see things” (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: OALD). Along the Enoden Line in Kamakura, Japan (2022).Physics: Buoyancy is “the fact of floating, being able to float or able to keep things floating” (OALD). On the Caribbean Sea (2012).Physics: Lift is “the pressure of air moving upwards on an aircraft when flying” (OALD). Near Taipei Songshan Airport (2017).Simulation: Virtual landing at Tokyo Haneda Airport using the B747 flight simulator at Thai Airways in Bangkok (2020).Simulation: Truck platooning experience using a driving simulator at the University of Tokyo in Kashiwa, Japan (2024).Psychology: The chamber used to train astronauts for living in a confined space at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Tsukuba (2024).Public Health: The Thai government implemented a stay-at-home order in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In front of a building in Bangkok (2020).(Cont’d) Consequently, many commercial establishments, except for supermarkets, drugstores, etc., were closed for about a month and a half. At a shopping mall in Bangkok (2020).(Cont’d) Social distancing in an elevator in Bangkok (2020).(Cont’d) Also at a restaurant in Bangkok (2020).Chemistry: Flame reaction over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok (2021).Chemistry: Oxygen (氧气) for altitude sickness in Lhasa (3,656 m) (2007).Chemistry: An application of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) resin at the University of Hong Kong (2015).Architecture: The main building of the University of Hong Kong (2015).Architecture: The traditional Japanese woodwork “kigumi” (木組み), designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, inside a Starbucks in Dazaifu, Japan (2018).Mechanical Engineering: Tuk tuks in Bangkok (2019).Mechanical Engineering: A Hindustan Ambassador (no longer in production) taxi at a gas station in Chennai (2009).Mechanical Engineering: A Level 2 (partial driving automation) self-driving bus in Kashiwa, Japan (2024).Mechanical Engineering: The chassis of a Tesla Model S in Hong Kong (2015).Mechanical Engineering: A trolley bus in Ulaanbaatar, an EV system without batteryies (2013).Mechanical Engineering: Currently the oldest tram in Hong Kong (No. 120, built in 1949) (2015).Robotics: The RX-78-2 Gundam that landed in Tokyo (2009).
