Hokkaidoite was discovered in Hokkaido in Japan

Scientists have unearthed a new variety of mineral in the northernmost Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido. Named Hokkaidoite, this remarkable mineral emits a captivating bright light when exposed to ultraviolet rays. The breakthrough finding was made by a group of researchers hailing from the Sagami Chemical Research Institute near Tokyo and Osaka University.

Illuminating the Depths: The Discovery of Hokkaidoite

Unveiling a Radiant Wonder

Upon closer examination, the researchers found that Hokkaidoite is an organic mineral composed of elements commonly found in living organisms, such as carbon and hydrogen. While the mineral appears light yellow under natural light, it exhibits a striking transformation when subjected to ultraviolet rays, emitting a vibrant yellow or yellow-green glow.

Serendipitous Finds

The team’s investigation led them to two distinct samples of Hokkaidoite. The first specimen was found within opal obtained from a forest in Shikaoi Town, while the second was discovered in a rock by an enthusiastic amateur mineralogist in Aibetsu Town.

Decoding the Enigma: Hokkaidoite’s Composition

Further analysis and meticulous scrutiny of the mineral’s characteristics revealed its unique makeup. Hokkaidoite is predominantly comprised of a material called “benzopyrene,” which exists in minuscule amounts in petroleum. The International Mineralogical Association officially registered this extraordinary find in January, designating it as “Hokkaidoite.”source

A new variety of mineral, which shines brightly under ultraviolet rays, has been discovered in the northernmost Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido.

A group of researchers, including those from the Sagami Chemical Research Institute, near Tokyo, and Osaka University, made the discovery. The new find is a kind of organic mineral consisting of elements such as carbon and hydrogen that are found in living organisms. The mineral is light yellow under natural light, but it emits bright yellow or yellow-green light under ultraviolet rays. The researchers say one piece of the mineral was contained in opal they obtained in a forest in Shikaoi Town and another was in a rock found in Aibetsu Town by an amateur mineralogist. The group’s detailed analysis revealed that the mineral is a new type made up of material called “benzopyrene.” Very small amounts of it exist in petroleum.

The International Mineralogical Association registered the mineral in January under the scientific name “hokkaidoite.”

Hokkaidoite is supposed to have been generated after remnants of living organisms under the ground were heated by volcanoes. The group says the new find could shed light on the mechanism of oil generation. The institute’s chief researcher, Tanaka Ryoji, says he wants people to know there are many more interesting minerals in Japan’s mountains. The mineral is to be put on display at the visitor center of Tokachi Shikaoi Geopark from Monday. source

Newly Discovered Mineral Exhibits Ultraviolet Illumination

Scientists have identified a newly discovered mineral that exhibits illumination under ultraviolet rays. Known as Hokkaidoite, this mineral is believed to have formed from the remains of living organisms, which were subjected to volcanic heat deep underground. Researchers are hopeful that this discovery, made in Hokkaido, Japan, will contribute to a better understanding of oil generation processes.

Hokkaidoite contains hydrogen and carbon, elements commonly found in living organisms. When observed under natural light, the mineral appears light yellow in color. However, when exposed to ultraviolet rays, it emits a fluorescent yellow-green glow. The discovery was made by scientists from Osaka University and the Sagami Central Chemical Research Institute, with one sample found in opal from a forest near Shikaoi and another discovered by an amateur mineralogist in a rock from Aibetsu. source

Hokkaidoite

BY Kat Moon source

In 1579, an African man now known by the name of Yasuke arrived in Japan. Much about him remains a mystery: it’s unconfirmed which country in Africa he hailed from, and there is no verifiable record of his life after 1582. But Yasuke was a real-life Black samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga, one of the most important feudal lords in Japanese history and a unifier of the country. He is also the inspiration for Netflix’s new anime series Yasuke—a project from creator and director LeSean Thomas and the Japanese animation studio MAPPA, executive produced by LaKeith Stanfield, who voices Yasuke, and Flying Lotus, who produced the soundtrack.

This is not the first time that Yasuke has appeared in popular culture. Author Kurusu Yoshio published the children’s book Kuro-suke about the samurai in 1968. Yasuke also showed up as a playable character in the 2017 video game Nioh. And in 2019, before Chadwick Boseman’s death, it was announced that the actor would play Yasuke in a film based on the warrior’s story.The Netflix anime series takes a new approach in telling Yasuke’s story—one that combines historical elements with fantastical components. “Animation is always the medium where you can do things that real people can’t do,” Thomas told TIME. In the show, there are plenty of giant robots, magical beasts and otherworldly fight sequences involving supernatural powers. But there are also scenes inspired by events recorded about the African samurai’s life.

One of the first scenes in the anime shows the first meeting between Nobunaga and Yasuke. After the feudal lord applauds him for winning a fight on the streets, he asks for Yasuke to be cleaned, thinking that his skin is covered in dirt. “Did you ink your skin black?” Nobunaga inquires when Yasuke’s appearance does not change. “I was born with black skin,” Yasuke responds. This interaction is not too unlike the actual initial encounter between the men. “Yasuke was brought before Nobunaga and he didn’t believe Yasuke’s true skin color was black,” said Thomas Lockley, a co-author of African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan along with Geoffrey Girard. Lockley described this event from March of 1581. “[Nobunaga] ordered him scrubbed. Of course Yasuke’s skin remains intact,” he said. Nobunaga then threw a party to welcome the man into his court. According to Lockley, Yasuke entered the feudal lord’s service sometime within the next few days.

The anime series references a range of other moments documented in the life of the Black samurai who lived more than 400 years ago. Interest in Yasuke is bound to grow since, as Lockley says, he is widely regarded as the first-ever foreigner to be given warrior status in Japan. Here is the true story of Yasuke.

Who was Yasuke?

When Yasuke arrived in Japan in 1579, he was with an Italian Jesuit named Alessandro Valignano. They came by way of India, and according to Lockley, Yasuke was in service to Valignano most likely as a bodyguard. “As a priest he wasn’t allowed to have any soldiers or guards,” Lockley said of the Jesuit missionary. “Euphemistically, they had valets—manservants if you’d like—who were also versed in weapons.” In 1581, Valignano headed to what was then the capital city, Kyoto, to meet with Nobunaga and request permission to leave Japan. It was on this trip that Yasuke crossed paths with the feudal lord.

Some have said that Yasuke was a slave, and Lockley acknowledges the theory but disagrees. “Personally I don’t think he was a slave in any sense of the word, I think he was a free actor,” Lockley said. The author speculates that given the circumstances of how the African man arrived at his employment with Valignano, it’s possible that Yasuke was enslaved as a child and taken from Africa to India. There, Lockley said the man could have been a military slave or an indentured soldier, but he “probably got his freedom before meeting Valignano.”

Standing at more than six feet tall and described as having the strength of 10 men, Yasuke left a strong impression on Nobunaga. “It seems like he was a confidant, Nobunaga is recorded as talking often with him,” Lockley said in a follow-up email. “He was also a weapon bearer, and probably served in some kind of bodyguard capacity.”