{
  "id": 16393568,
  "title": "Japanese Scientists edge closer to making world of 'Ghost in the Shell' a reality",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/japanese-scientists-edge-closer-to-making-world-of-ghost-in-the-shell",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-25T00:00:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261022/p2g/00m/0na/037000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two Japanese scientists are working to turn science fiction concepts from the cyberpunk anime and manga series Ghost in the Shell into reality. Masahiko Inami, a professor at the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, has developed optical camouflage using retroreflective material. This technology allows a cloak to blend into its surroundings by reflecting incoming light back toward its source, mimicking the ability of octopuses and chameleons to change their body color. Inami believes this marks the beginning of an era where people can easily change their bodies to match their clothes. Meanwhile, Masataka Watanabe, an associate professor specializing in cognitive neuroscience, is exploring the possibility of uploading human consciousness to a machine, potentially paving the way for digital immortality. Watanabe aims to connect a machine to the human brain to test whether consciousness can be experienced through the machine. If successful, this could lead to a convergence of consciousness from both biological and artificial sources.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Becoming invisible and uploading human consciousness may sound like something out of the world of the famed cyberpunk anime and manga",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Scientific American",
        "title": "Meet the original 'Ghost Busters'—the 17th century scientists who investigated hauntings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/meet-the-original-ghost-busters-the-17th-century-scientists-who",
        "published": "2026-10-24T11:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}