iPS cells are created from normal human skin cells. They possess the same potential as fertilized eggs cells, meaning they can be developed into any kind of cell in the human body. It was 5 years ago when the successful creation of the first iPS cells was announced. At first, practical application of this revolutionary new technology was thought to be 10 to 20 years away. How far has iPS cell technology come since then? How close is clinical application? What obstacles have been overcome? We talk at length in the studio with the father of iPS cells Dr. Shinya Yamanaka. Dr. Yamanaka is currently the director of the Kyoto University Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) and also the Japanese scientist considered closest to winning the Nobel Prize. He talks about his resolve, how his research has far exceeded his expectations, and how he was affected by what a patient's mother told him. Tune in!

The magnitude-9.0 megaquake that struck Japan on March 11th, 2011 induced many more earthquakes across country, some of them in places where quakes almost never happen. In addition, there are twenty Japanese volcanoes that rumbling more since megaquake. A mass of data on these quakes and volcanoes is being studied for clues as to where the next megaquake will strike, and what we can do to mitigate the damage. What exactly has been happening underneath Japan? We report on the latest science.

There is an amazing world beneath our feet, from earthworms and woodlice to countless tiny bacteria. And we don't know very much at all about how 99% of these creatures actually live. Scientists are learning how symbiotic relationships between the creatures of the soil form complex ecosystems. Organisms called endophytes that live inside plants are attracting particular attention. Soil ecology is a deep and fascinating field. What are some of the extraordinary features of the soil and its ecosystems? The latest science is uncovering the universe hidden beneath the soil.