The workhorse of this system is the light-sensitive hormone melatonin, which is produced by the body every evening and during the night. Melatonin promotes sleep and alerts a variety of biological processes to the approximate hour of the day. Light hitting the retina suppresses the production of melatonin — and there lies the rub.
As we've learned, Japan is into enhancing what the human body can do. (See yesterday's innovative kissing machine .) Today's installment of "What will Japan think of next?"