In recent centuries, millions of bridges have been constructed as vital infrastructure components. However, a significant proportion are operating beyond their intended service life, increasing their vulnerability to deterioration and natural hazards. Conventional inspection and maintenance practices, primarily based on manual observations and non-destructive testing, are often inefficient and incapable of providing continuous, real-time insights into structural performance. To address these challenges, Digital Twin technology has emerged as a transformative solution, enabling the creation of dynamic, data-driven virtual replicas of physical assets that facilitate intelligent, adaptive and predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring and infrastructure assessment. This study presents a comprehensive review of the application of Bridge Digital Twins for structural health assessment, consolidating the latest advancements in their conceptual frameworks, enabling technologies, sensory systems and real-world implementations. The paper presents a structured framework that maps the technological, analytical and operational layers of Bridge Digital Twins, identifying key performance indicators associated with resilience and adaptability. The review systematically examines the essential components of Bridge Digital Twins, maturity levels, classification schemes and model updating techniques, and critically discusses their limitations and practical challenges in real bridge applications. Critical challenges hinder large-scale adoption, data interoperability, standardisation, model validation and computational efficiency. Research gaps and future research directions are identified to guide the widespread adoption of Digital Twins in bridge infrastructure.

In recent centuries, death has become increasingly medicalised, institutionalised and distanced from everyday life. This societal shift has contributed to growing discomfort around acknowledging death, especially among adults discussing existential questions with children. Consequently, youth may receive inconsistent or inaccurate messages about death and lack the resources to meaningfully understand it. In our research on mental health interventions that explore existential themes with children, we recognised a key limitation in our approach: our understanding of death was largely theoretical, lacking the embodied encounters that could better prepare us to facilitate these deeply human conversations. To reconcile this, our principal investigator-a clinical child psychologist (CMH)-engaged in two intentional encounters with death: (1) Participating in an anatomy class involving cadavers, and (2) Spending time with an individual undergoing a medically assisted dying procedure. These experiences were followed by an extensive team-based reflexive process. In this commentary, we elaborate on these personal and team-based reflections in greater depth and how they prompted a deeper examination into our own death-related anxieties, assumptions and biases. This process led to a reorientation of our pedagogical and methodological frameworks in how we approach death-related discourses with children. Empirically speaking, we offer insights for clinicians, researchers, educators and parents on how increased proximity to biological death can deepen one's capacity for engaging in existential dialogue with children. We argue that such conversations require more than theoretical understanding-indeed, they call for an embodied awareness that better enables adults to support children in their search for meaning as they confront life's most inevitable and universal reality.

ABSTRACTWarming winter temperatures are driving range expansion of tropical, cold‐sensitive mangroves into temperate ecosystems. Along the Atlantic coast of North America, the mangrove range limit is particularly sensitive to climate variability and historical data demonstrate that the mangrove‐salt marsh ecotone on this coast has shifted recurrently during recent centuries. However, a comprehensive understanding of how this mangrove‐salt marsh ecotone may shift in the future remains lacking. Here, we combine ensemble forecasting of mangrove distribution for the next century with high‐resolution oceanographic dispersal simulations, phenological observations, and historical hurricane data to project future mangrove‐salt marsh dynamics at the rapidly changing range limit in northeastern Florida (USA). We show that warming winter temperatures will drive continued poleward expansion of mangroves along North America's Atlantic coast, potentially reaching South Carolina by 2100. With ongoing climate change, suitable mangrove habitat is projected to expand beyond the current range limit, and dispersal simulations suggest successful colonization of these sites from established mangrove populations. Additionally, patterns in hurricane directionality and intensity and field reports of propagule presence reveal that these high‐energy events may significantly contribute to future mangrove range expansion by facilitating long‐distance, storm‐driven propagule dispersal. The encroachment of mangroves in salt marsh‐dominated latitudes is expected to substantially modify wetland ecosystem function and structure, emphasizing how the identification of newly colonizable habitat can inform conservation strategies and site‐specific decisions on mangrove management.

In this article, the theological and juridical debates that have emerged in recent centuries regarding the visitation of the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) are examined. Particular attention is given to the claims of certain groups who identify themselves as “Salafis,” and who, based on a literalist and incorrect interpretation of the well-known “three mosques” hadith, classify traveling with the intention of visiting the Prophet’s grave as ḥaram, bidʿah, or even a means leading to shirk. The study critically analyzes these assertions through the practice of the Companions, the established positions of the four Sunni legal schools, the sound exegetical interpretations of the relevant hadiths, and historical evidence. The findings demonstrate that, within authoritative Islamic sources, traveling for the purpose of visiting the Prophet’s grave has consistently been regarded as one of the most meritorious acts of devotion and a sacred means of attaining closeness to God.

Abstract This paper is the first analysis of Sarechālí, also pejoratively called “Joodí,” the Jewish dialect of Persian from the Sarechāl neighborhood of Oudlājān, Tehran. In recent centuries, Jews from various Iranian cities and towns migrated to Sarechāl, leading to linguistic influences from Iranian Jewish languages, Loterai, and Semitic languages. In addition, Sarechālí is distinguished from colloquial non-Jewish Tehrani Persian by its Hebrew and Aramaic loanwords, archaic features, and distinctive phonology and prosody. This analysis, based on audio recordings from the 1970s and recent interviews with elderly Iranian Jewish immigrants in the US , counters the assertion that the community’s Persian dialects are indistinguishable from those of other religious groups.

The word "distortion" in the dictionary sense means something being displaced from its proper place or twisted. In Quranic sciences, distortion primarily refers to alterations of words, including additions or omissions. However, there is substantial evidence proving that the Qur'an has not been distorted. These include the judgment of human intellect, the divine wisdom safeguarding the Qur'an, the preservation of its miraculous features to this day, the concept of finality as the last religious scripture, the Qur'an’s role as a source of guidance, and its accurate transmission through mass transmission (tawatur) from generation to generation over millennia. Furthermore, evidences such as the Qur'an’s challenge (tahaddi), Allah’s promise to protect His Book, the immediate recording and teaching of the Qur'an by the Prophet and his companions, its wide dissemination, comparison with Hadith, and the Hadith of Thaqalayn all indicate the preservation of the Qur'an. Throughout history, the special care and attention Muslims have shown towards the Qur'an also demonstrate that it has never been distorted. Therefore, the present Qur'an has been preserved in its original form and will continue to be preserved. Orientalists in recent centuries have cast doubt on the originality of the Qur'an, claiming it has been distorted, primarily citing differences among various Mushafs (manuscripts). These claims often point to inaccuracies in the early compilation history of sacred texts, which could undermine believers’ trust in religious authorities. For example, Ignaz Goldziher suggested changes in the Shiite Qur'anic text based on unreliable sources; this view is refuted by Shiite scholars. Reggie Blacher argued that the Prophet’s forgetfulness, based on certain Hadiths, indicates distortion of the Qur'an, but these claims are supported by weak evidence and contradict Qur'anic verses. Allegations regarding the non-recording of Meccan verses are also unsubstantiated and contradictory. Theodor Nöldeke claimed that Uthman and others removed certain names from the Qur'anic text, but there is no evidence to support this, and this claim overlooks the overall wisdom of the Qur'an. Overall, the orientalists' claims about the distortion of the Qur'an are based on weak foundations and are refuted by classical Islamic sources.

Abstract. The Elster–Pleiße floodplain south of Leipzig has undergone significant hydromorphological changes over the past few centuries, influenced by both natural processes and anthropogenic interventions (e.g. characterized by the repurposing of former river courses into mill races and other engineered water-management channels). This study employs selected mapping of fluvial–geomorphological features based on a Light Detection and Ranging Digital Terrain Model (LiDAR DTM; 1×1 m resolution) and the analysis of old maps to reconstruct past river dynamics and identify changes in channel morphology. Geomorphological features, such as oxbows, ridge-and-swale point bar structures, crevasse splays, and levees, reveal an earlier, more dynamic floodplain characterized by meandering and anabranching channels, which transitioned into a system of stabilized, largely immobile watercourses. Comparative analyses of old maps spanning the 16th to 20th centuries indicate a gradual reduction in river sinuosity and lateral migration, coinciding with increasing human modifications such as mill races, timber rafting canals, and flood protection measures. The major transformations date back to at least the late 16th century and may be even earlier in origin. Key drivers include the straightening of channels, floodplain aggradation, and the impact of open-cast lignite mining in recent centuries. The study highlights the complex interplay of sedimentary processes and anthropogenic activities in shaping the floodplain's evolution. This combined approach allows a detailed examination of the relative chronology of changes and helps identify topographic legacies left by dynamic floodplain systems, enhancing our understanding of the evolution of these landscapes. Understanding these long-term dynamics provides crucial insights for contemporary river restoration and flood management strategies.

Diatom and biogeochemical changes during recent centuries in a small boreal lake: deciphering the influence of large volcanic eruptions

As anthropogenic climate change threatens to destabilize global societies and ecosystems, anticipating likely human responses becomes ever more urgent. A key global initiative is the promotion of peaceful relations. Nonetheless, studies that systematically evaluate factors that promote peace are limited, and research focuses on recent centuries when climate conditions were stable. Here, we couple evolutionary ecology theory with machine learning models to investigate the relative effects of climatological, demographic, and socio-political conditions on the persistence of peace over the 10,000-year Central Andean Holocene sequence. We find that stable climate conditions and low population density have a strong influence on peace, even when average climate conditions are not ideal for farming. Given that climate projection models predict increasing climate volatility in coming decades, our results suggest that future climate instability may weaken peaceful interactions, particularly among subsistence populations in marginal environments.

Using high-resolution charcoal and TOC records from a sediment core collected in a coastal wetland along the middle reaches of the Ussuri River, the local fire history and carbon accumulation patterns were reconstructed for the past 5000 years. Results indicate that fire intensity remained relatively low and stable from 5000 to 1500 cal. yr BP, after which it increased markedly. This trend intensified over the past 400 years, likely due to rapid population growth and heightened anthropogenic disturbance. Regional fire frequency averaged approximately 3.1 fires per 1500 years, with notable peaks during 5000–4600 cal. yr BP, 3400–2400 cal. yr BP, and 1500 cal. yr BP to present. These high-fire intervals correspond closely to regional warm and dry climatic conditions, underscoring the strong influence of climate variability on fire activity. Carbon accumulation rates also showed a significant increase, rising from 0.11 g·kg−1·a−1 around 5000 years ago to 1.60 g·kg−1·a−1 in recent centuries. Importantly, a significant positive correlation was observed between fire regimes and carbon accumulation rates, suggesting that fires have potentially played a key role in enhancing long-term carbon sequestration in wetlands of this region. These findings highlight the complex interplay between fire, climate, and carbon dynamics in wetland ecosystems.

ABSTRACTReconstructing the long‐term interactions between fire and herbivory is essential to understand how Mediterranean vegetation has historically responded to disturbance regimes which is a critical step for informing current biodiversity and fire management strategies. We reconstructed 8000 years of vegetation composition, habitat combustibility, and herbivore density in southern France using pollen data and coprophilous fungal spores. We show that periods of high‐herbivore density systematically co‐occur with open, highly flammable habitats, and significantly correlate with elevated palynological richness. Conversely, cooler and wetter climatic phases promoted the development of closed‐canopy, low‐combustibility forests, which consistently exhibited lower biodiversity levels. In recent centuries, a documented decline in mammal herbivory pressure has coincided with the expansion of fire‐prone vegetation types such as garrigue and green oak coppice, exacerbating landscape combustibility under climate change. Our 8000‐years reconstruction highlights herbivory as a persistent and quantifiable driver of habitat openness, heterogeneity, and fire regime modulation. Synthesis: Our study demonstrates that herbivores and fire have jointly shaped Mediterranean biodiversity over millennia. These findings highlight the need to reintroduce or maintain herbivory as a management tool in fire‐prone Mediterranean ecosystems.

Human-induced changes in sedimentation rates, pollution, and eutrophication significantly transformed the benthic communities in the northern Adriatic Sea during the late Holocene, particularly in recent centuries. Fossil assemblages from sediment cores record these changes but are often affected by stratigraphic condensation and mixing. Here, we show that molluscan, foraminiferal, and ostracod assemblages preserved in a condensed sediment core collected off the Po delta at 31 m water depth, still archive information about the composition of benthic communities prior to anthropogenic changes. All three groups exhibit a similar trend in total abundance (density): a gradual increase peaking in a 10 cm-thick shelly lag (≈ 2 – 6 kyr BP) with millennial time-averaging, followed by a significant decline in the uppermost 5 cm of highstand silts (representing the past 2 kyr BP) with centennial time-averaging. The molluscan assemblage in the shelly lag integrates across several baseline community states. The assemblage mainly comprises shallow-subtidal filter feeders and soft-bottom infauna, with the bivalve Varicorbula gibba and the gastropod Turritellinella tricarinata dominating and increasing in proportional abundance in the highstand silts. The ostracod and benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the shelly lag are dominated by opportunistic species such as Cytheridea neapolitana, Ammonia beccarii, and Haynesina germanica. In contrast, the foraminifera Nonionella sp. and the ostracod Loxoconcha sp. increase in proportional abundance in the highstand silts, characterised by an increase in filter-feeders among the molluscs, infaunalisation and a decrease in epiphytic species. Although an increase in net sediment accumulation primarily causes the decline in fossil density in the uppermost part of the core, upward changes in the relative abundance of species and functional groups reveal a difference between the baseline and impacted community states. Therefore, the time-averaged fossil assemblage in the shelly lag provides a valuable long-term record of an ecosystem in the region before human impact.

Isolation-by-distance patterns in genetic variation are a widespread feature of the geographic structure of genetic variation in many species, and many methods have been developed to illuminate such patterns in genetic data. However, long-range genetic similarities also exist, often as a result of rare or episodic long-range gene flow. Jointly characterizing patterns of isolation-by-distance and long-range genetic similarity in genetic data is an open data analysis challenge that, if resolved, could help produce more complete representations of the geographic structure of genetic data in any given species. Here, we present a computationally tractable method that identifies long-range genetic similarities in a background of spatially heterogeneous isolation-by-distance variation. The method uses a coalescent-based framework, and models long-range genetic similarity in terms of directional events with source fractions describing the fraction of ancestry at a location tracing back to a remote source. The method produces geographic maps annotated with inferred long-range edges, as well as maps of uncertainty in the geographic location of each source of long-range gene flow. We have implemented the method in a package called FEEMSmix (an extension to FEEMS), and validated its implementation using simulations representative of typical data applications. We also apply this method to two empirical data sets. In a data set of over 4,000 humans (Homo sapiens) across Afro-Eurasia, we recover many known signals of long-distance dispersal from recent centuries. Similarly, in a data set of over 100 gray wolves (Canis lupus) across North America, we identify several previously unknown long-range connections, some of which were attributable to recording errors in sampling locations. Therefore, beyond identifying genuine long-range dispersals, our approach also serves as a useful tool for quality control in spatial genetic studies.

Ombrotrophic peatlands are the largest terrestrial store of global carbon (C). While hydroclimate controls over peatland development are well known, the importance of nutrient fluxes has been researched less. Atmospheric nutrient fluxes to peatlands have increased with human activity in recent centuries. Here we explore the interplay of nutrient and hydroclimate drivers at Holcroft Moss (northwest England), a lowland ombrotrophic peatland typical of many across northern Europe. Parallel multi‐proxy characterization of the organic matter composition and nutrient accumulation rates shows a sequence dominated by switches between fresh less decomposed layers and more decomposed peat containing abundant recalcitrant organic compounds. Hydroclimate variability governs much of the stratigraphy. Shifts to wetter conditions appear to trigger periods of reduced decomposition centred c. 3450, 2600–2500, 2225, 2060, 2000, 1825, 1650–1610, 1540, 1480, 1260, 1125, 1000, 740–720 and 600–550 cal. a BP. In addition, elevated N and P deposition beginning ~1000 cal. a BP, accelerating ~500 years cal. a BP, has led to changes in the co‐behaviour between hydroclimate, peat composition and C accumulation rates. Long‐term carbon/nutrient accumulation rates at Holcroft Moss are high compared to other UK peatlands measured to date. Higher nutrient fluxes from human activities will persist through the 21st century, with the implications for long‐term peatland resilience and this important carbon sink unclear. Restoration and management of peatlands understandably focus on hydrology and vegetation, but we show a parallel need to consider nutrient deposition, which will vary site by site.

Introduction: Judaism has been characterized by a diversity of thought and political and religious divisions since ancient times, which today can be represented by Jewish denominations or movements. Objective: This research aims to show how Jewish movements and their respective Jewish denominations have developed throughout Jewish history, focusing on Jewish movements in recent decades and centuries. Method: This research used a literature review of Jewish newspapers, Jewish websites, and scientific articles, using a qualitative, exploratory methodology. Results: Judaism has undergone several transformations, from Orthodox Judaism to non-Orthodox Judaism or Progressive Judaism. New Jewish movements have emerged, generally as offshoots of Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism, with the emergence of pluralist, reconstructionist, humanist, universalist, and renewalist Jewish movements, among several other Jewish denominations. Conclusions: Judaism has as its principles its renewing, progressive, humanist, democratic and evolutionary aspects, in constant mutation, contemporary Judaism is driven by democratic and technological societies such as the United States of America, especially.

Abstract Given the pressing biodiversity crisis and the limited resources made available to support conservation, impact evaluation is crucial in understanding the effectiveness of conservation strategies. The use of experimental and quasi‐experimental methods of impact evaluation in conservation continues to grow, but they are not always compatible with conservation projects. The IUCN Green Status of Species (GSS) provides a qualitative, inferential approach to evaluate the past and potential future impacts of conservation. Using the GSS, we present the impact of conservation on 10 species endemic to Mauritius (six reptiles, three birds and one tree). Like many island ecosystems, Mauritius has experienced extensive habitat destruction and biodiversity loss in recent centuries, and has therefore been the site of decades of conservation conducted in collaboration between governmental and non‐governmental organizations, both local and international. Using inferential, qualitative approaches to generate counterfactual scenarios, we explored the impact to date of conservation in Mauritius on species extinctions and species' ongoing dependence on conservation. We found that conservation efforts have prevented extinction in all but one species assessed, with the counterfactual scenarios taking into account the effects of conservation actions including biosecurity measures, invasive species control, habitat restoration, and species reintroduction. The results quantifying the assessed species' dependence on continued conservation action were more varied, with the reptiles assessed in this study being more reliant on continued conservation than the other taxa assessed. The findings of this study demonstrate using a real‐world case study how the IUCN Green Status of Species and the associated counterfactual analysis can be used to understand and communicate conservation impact. We show the high impact of past conservation actions and the importance of their continuation. We attribute the successful outcomes we observed to long‐term investment in conservation programs and highlight this as an important consideration to deliver positive outcomes.

A comprehensive paleoecological study of a forested bog located in the middle taiga subzone of northeastern European Russia was carried out. According to the 14C radiocarbon dating and botanical composition analysis, the bog began forming 8200 calibrated years ago, evolving in three stages from grassy wetlands to its current state as a pine-Sphagnum peatland. Analysis revealed substantial carbon storage (81.4 kg m−2) within the peat deposit. Macrocharcoal particles were consistently present throughout the peat deposits, demonstrating continuous fire activity across the bog’s developing. High charcoal particle accumulation rates occurred not only during warm periods like the Holocene thermal maximum but also during colder and wetter periods. These periods include recent centuries, when high charcoal accumulation rates are likely due to increased human activity. Statistical analysis showed significant relationships between macrocharcoal content and several peat characteristics: higher charcoal levels correlated with increased soil carbon (r = 0.6), greater aromatic compounds (r = 0.8), and elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (r = 0.7), all with p < 0.05. These findings highlight how fire has consistently shaped this ecosystem’s development and carbon storage capacity over millennia, with apparent intensification during recent centuries potentially linked to anthropogenic influences on fire regimes in the boreal zone.

Insights into human transformation of landscapes from a comparison of historical and palaeoecological records from the Hunan–Jiangxi border region of China

The article brings together the most important results of work carried out by archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS on the Ukok Plateau in the southwestern part of the Altai Republic, Russia, over the past thirty years since the fi rst excavations by Natalia Polosmak. Over this period, a series of fundamental discoveries was made on the plateau, and the fi ndings were published in a number of monographs and articles. Regrettably, these publications have received little attention from experts and lay public amenable to scientifi c boom and to myths spread by hedge journalists, by the public craving for brouhaha, and sometimes even by professional archaeologists. This study highlights major excavation fi ndings, their scholarly interpretation and museumization of the Early Iron Age Pazyryk mounds, including rare ones with permafrost. These were interpreted with regard to the specifi c area of Central Asia, and to the entire timespan from its initial peopling in the Late Pleistocene to the recent centuries. The archaeologists’ role in the detection and description of over 400 sites on the plateau is assessed. Rock art galleries, especially the key site at Kalgutinsky Rudnik with the earliest petroglyphs among those known in the Russian and Mongolian Altai, are described. Protective measures regarding cultural legacy of the Ukok Plateau, its coverage by the media, and prevention of ecological harm by tourists are proposed to municipal authorities in the Republic of Altai.

Abstract This study analyzed three sediment cores (ARA08C/02‐2BC, ARA08C/03‐2BC, and ARA04C‐40MUC) from the Mackenzie Trough in the Beaufort Sea, collected in 2013 and 2017. Using bulk sediment properties (carbon and nitrogen contents, stable carbon isotopes, and radiocarbon isotopes) and terrestrial biomarkers (lignin phenols), we examined the impacts of permafrost thaw on sedimentary organic carbon (OC) in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Our objective was to investigate whether changes in OC sources reflect the environmental changes documented in the region over the past few decades. At the core site of ARA08C/03‐2BC, we observed an increase in soil‐derived OC accumulation rates (ARs) since the early 20th century, with a noticeable rise over the past few decades, while petrogenic OC ARs showed a slight decline. Grain size end‐member (EM) modeling identified three primary EM groups, revealing a general increase in the proportion of coarse grains (sum of EM2 + EM3 end‐members) since the early 1900s, with a marked acceleration in recent decades. These trends align with regional surface temperature increases over the past few decades, suggesting that permafrost thaw has increasingly affected sedimentary OC dynamics in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Given climate models that predict accelerated warming in the Mackenzie Basin, our findings highlight the critical need for precise quantification of OC fluxes to improve projections of regional carbon budgets and climate dynamics in the Arctic.