The day Japanese scientists named a new protein after a Pokémon: it is a fundamental element of vision
The discovery by Japanese scientists led to Pokémon finding its way into science.
Pokémon’s 30 years on the market have allowed the series to become part of the lives of those who grew up with it. February 27 is a special date when many will begin to look back on what they have experienced, generation after generation. But it is also worth remembering the moments when it transcended into other areas of culture.
The day Pikachu made history in the world of science
In 2008, a group of scientists at Osaka University (Japan) were researching biology at the molecular level. They made history by discovering a protein that was unknown to the world of science. The name, unsurprisingly, had to refer to Pikachu.
The Pikachurin protein, as it is called, does not exactly play a secondary role in our bodies. According to National Geographic, “it allows our eyes to translate light into images that the brain can understand.”
Pikachurin is found “in the synaptic cleft of photoreceptor cells.” Don’t worry, we’ll translate that for you: they are part of the place where cells make synapses, where they communicate with each other through nerve impulses thanks to neurotransmitters.
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We know that it is difficult to understand this process for those who do not follow Pokémon closely. Nor can its significance be doubted. It is something that has defined pop culture. Millions of players continue to thrill to it today. In fact, it is more fashionable than ever. There we have the trading card game as one of the trends that continue to drive the market upward.
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