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Microplastic distribution in the marine and freshwater ecosystems of Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica

Cocos Island National Park — 2025 — WHE87BCFCF0D2

A uniform distribution of microplastics (MPs) around Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica, suggests that local human activities are not significant sources of MP pollution. The study, which analyzed 288 samples from marine and freshwater ecosystems, identified 178 MPs, with higher abundance and larger sizes found in the marine environment. While ocean currents likely contribute to marine MP distribution, sources in the freshwater ecosystem remain uncertain but may stem from atmospheric deposition, air-sea exchange, or long-range transport. These findings highlight Cocos Island's vulnerability to plastic pollution due to its insular nature and underscore the need for global conservation efforts to address MPs as a planetary boundary threat.

Microplastic pollution of the Zrafshan river tributary in Samarkand and Navoi regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures — 2025 — WHE79D957E96D

A recent study reveals significant microplastic pollution in the Zarafshan River, flowing through Samarkand and Navoi regions of Uzbekistan. The research found concentrations of 3.22±1.64 and 2.96±0.78 microplastic particles per cubic meter in the Navoi and Samarkand regions, respectively, with particle sizes ranging from 0.15 to 3.00 mm. This pollution is attributed to environmental factors but poses a serious threat due to its potential to accumulate toxic substances, which could disrupt aquatic ecosystems. The study employed advanced techniques such as hydrogen peroxide oxidation for organic matter removal, density separation, and Raman spectroscopy for polymer identification. However, the limited data on microplastic pollution in Central Asia hinders comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation strategy development. Regular monitoring and targeted measures are urgently needed to address this growing environmental concern.

Mid‐Holocene drying of K'gari lakes (subtropical eastern Australia) necessitates re‐evaluation of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate links and future drying risk

K’gari (Fraser Island) — 2025 — WHEA55FBAF009

A mid-Holocene drying event (7640–5600 cal years BP) identified in three deep lakes on K’gari (Fraser Island, subtropical eastern Australia) contradicts the prevailing narrative of late-Holocene aridification linked to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) intensification. Analysis of sediment cores and geochemical proxies reveals a shift from wetter conditions toward the late Holocene, challenging assumptions about ENSO’s role in regional climate change. This finding underscores the vulnerability of even large, deep lakes—critical for biodiversity, culture, and tourism—to drying under future climate scenarios.

Migrating Inventions

Soltaniyeh — 2025 — WHEC4D680F469

A striking parallel emerges between the iconic dome of Florence's cathedral, designed by Brunelleschi in the Early Renaissance, and the 14th-century mausoleum of Oljaitü in Soltaniyeh, Iran. Despite temporal and spatial separation, both structures share advanced constructive techniques, challenging Western-centric narratives of architectural innovation. This study reveals that Brunelleschi's double-shell brickwork was not an isolated Western breakthrough but a technique rooted in Iranian traditions, underscoring the transcontinental exchange of knowledge along the Silk Road. Through material analysis and historical evidence, it demonstrates how craftsmanship and technical ingenuity migrated between Florence and Iranian cities like Tabriz and Soltaniyeh from the 13th to the 15th centuries, facilitated by oral transmission. The research proposes a new classification system for domed structures based on material processes and technical innovation, advocating for a more inclusive global architectural history.

Migrations of Passeriformes on the Putorana Plateau

Putorana Plateau — 2025 — WHEEB635DE0C0

The Putorana Plateau serves as a critical junction for passerine bird migrations, with distinct seasonal patterns and varying intensities. Spring migration occurs from late May to mid-June, lasting 8–17 days, while autumn migration spans late July to late August, lasting up to 31 days. Bird population density peaks in the south of the plateau (440 individuals/km²) and is lowest in the north (231 individuals/km²). Migration dynamics are wave-like, with bursts of activity influenced by temperature, showing higher intensity on colder days. Asynchronous migration patterns are observed among species and even within the same species, with spring migration synchronization varying annually from complete alignment to no overlap. The study employed route census methods on transects to analyze these migratory behaviors, revealing complex, temperature-dependent migration strategies.

Military Strategies of Roman Cities Establishment Based on the Space Syntax Analysis Applied to the Vestiges of Timgad

Timgad — 2025 — WHE59854330AE

Roman urban planning, particularly in Timgad (Algeria), was intricately designed to serve military and administrative objectives. A study using Space Syntax Analysis (SSA) revealed that the city's grid-like layout prioritized surveillance and control, with key military structures strategically placed along main roads and urban nodes. High SSA indicators—such as connectivity, integration, entropy, control, controllability, and through vision—demonstrated a deliberate effort to dominate space while reinforcing imperial authority. This synergy between military logic and urban design suggests that Roman town planning was not only functional but also symbolic, shaping long-lasting colonial city models beyond the Empire's duration.

Mineralogical and chemical study of the salt alteration of masonry blocks in the baths of Antoninus ruins at Carthage, Tunisia

Archaeological Site of Carthage — 2025 — WHE04BC361104

Salt-induced deterioration poses a significant threat to the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of the Baths of Antoninus ruins at Carthage, Tunisia. A comprehensive mineralogical and chemical study reveals that calcarenite masonry is heavily contaminated by halite (NaCl), gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O), and traces of nitrates, originating from sea spray, atmospheric pollutants, and saline groundwater. These contaminants contribute to the formation of honeycombs and black crusts, accelerating physical and chemical decay under Tunisia's seasonally variable Mediterranean climate. The study employed advanced techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), digital and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), helium porosimetry, and optical microscopy to characterize the deterioration mechanisms. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation strategies to mitigate salt-related damage in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mining in the Ironbridge area of North Shropshire

Ironbridge Gorge — 2025 — WHE11E324F77B

A thematic and narrative analysis of oral histories from the Ironbridge Gorge reveals that coal mining was deeply embedded in the local landscape, with overlapping industrial processes as the norm. Male miners exhibited a striking lack of self-reflection on risk despite their empathy for women and pit ponies, highlighting a complex interplay between work culture and societal norms. The study, based on interviews conducted in the 1970s and 1980s, provides unique insights into the lived experiences of miners and the broader industrial dynamics of North Shropshire.

Mitochondrial diversity of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Mountain Gorillas

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park — 2025 — WHEF6CFF895FB

Mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park exhibit mitochondrial DNA diversity comparable to that of their closely related Grauer's gorilla, challenging the assumption of lower genetic variability in this critically endangered subspecies. Researchers analyzed 200 fecal samples from both habituated and wild gorillas using pooled sequencing, identifying ten mtDNA variants with over 20% threshold differences across the population mitogenome. This approach successfully distinguished biological variation from sequencing noise, even in challenging field conditions. The study also uncovered potential heteroplasmy and nuclear mitochondrial DNA segments, providing deeper insights into the genetic structure of this population. These findings underscore the utility of non-invasive sampling for large-scale genetic monitoring, offering critical data to support conservation efforts aimed at recovering mountain gorilla populations.

Mixed World Heritage Listing at Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim: Heritagization, Institutional Continuity, and the Limits of Nature–Culture Integration

Khangchendzonga National Park — 2025 — WHE419F1A3A72

Despite Khangchendzonga National Park's designation as India's first mixed World Heritage Site in 2016, its governance structures remained largely unchanged. A critical analysis of nomination dossiers, management plans, and UNESCO reports revealed that the mixed status was superimposed on existing conservation frameworks rather than transforming them. Three key mechanisms—administrative fragmentation, tokenistic participation, and selective preservation—perpetuate nature-culture divides, with Indigenous narratives mobilized without decision-making authority. Divergent evaluations from IUCN and ICOMOS highlight how UNESCO's institutional architecture reinforces colonial-era governance structures, limiting the integration of nature and culture.

Mixed-Frequency Model Forecasting of Coastal Tourism Demand Based on Network Index

Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement — 2025 — WHE5CFF573ACE

A novel approach using mixed-frequency modeling demonstrates significant improvements in forecasting coastal tourism demand, particularly for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The study leverages high-frequency Baidu Index data and low-frequency tourist growth rates to outperform traditional models like the ADL baseline. By employing a MIDAS model combined with XGBoost machine learning, researchers found that sudden health events notably impact predictive accuracy. This method offers valuable insights for sustainable tourism planning, balancing both academic rigor and practical applications.

Mobilizing the Racialized Built Environment in Asmara

Asmara: A Modernist African City — 2025 — WHEF697CAA504

The preservation of Asmara, an Italian colonial city in Eritrea, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site reflects a complex intersection of interests that prioritize architectural heritage over democratic and humanitarian concerns. This study reveals how narratives surrounding the 'white city' of Asmara—rooted in Italian modernist architecture—have been mobilized to bolster national identity under the authoritarian Afwerki regime while overlooking severe power asymmetries and current conditions. The research identifies three narrative strategies used by preservationists, which converge with those of international bodies (ICOMOS, World Heritage Committee), European Union states, and the local regime, each with distinct agendas: expanding modernist historiography, increasing African sites on the UNESCO List, gaining political leverage, and consolidating spatial control. The analysis critiques this convergence, highlighting a disconnect where architectural preservation is celebrated without addressing systemic issues, thereby reinforcing institutional positions while ignoring humanitarian realities.

Modeling antithrombotic ginkgolide terpene trilactones from rwandan nyungwe cloud forest prunus africana bark sustainable harvest concession plots

Nyungwe National Park — 2025 — WHEDDFF07D8C2

Researchers have identified that the bark of Prunus africana, harvested from sustainable concession plots in Nyungwe Cloud Forest, Rwanda, contains antithrombotic ginkgolide-type terpene trilactones with significant platelet aggregation inhibition properties. The study found that middle-trunk bark (1.5–3 m) yields the highest concentration of these compounds, with an IC₅₀ of 14.3 µg/mL for ADP-stimulated human platelet-rich plasma. A predictive model incorporating harvest height, tree diameter, and plot identity explained 73.8% of the variance in ginkgolide yield, offering a framework for sustainable, chemistry-guided bark harvesting in Afromontane forests. This discovery holds potential for both traditional medicine and pharmaceutical applications.

Modeling land use and land cover dynamics of Bale Mountains National Park using Google Earth Engine and cellular automata–artificial neural network (CA-ANN) model

Bale Mountains National Park — 2025 — WHEF7CDA57CDA

A significant increase in woodland and shrub areas, coupled with a decline in Erica forest and grassland, has been observed in Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) from 1993 to 2023. Projections indicate that this trend will continue until 2053, with woodland and shrubs expanding by approximately 16% each, while cultivated land, Erica forest, grassland, and herbaceous plants are expected to decrease by up to 28%. The study utilized multi-date Landsat imagery and advanced modeling techniques, including Random Forest classification and Cellular Automata Artificial Neural Networks (CA-ANN), within the Google Earth Engine platform. Key drivers of these changes include proximity to roads and urban areas, rising temperatures, and altered precipitation patterns. The findings highlight the complex interplay between environmental factors and human activities in shaping land cover dynamics, emphasizing the need for sustainable land management practices and enhanced habitat protection efforts.

Modeling Urban Morphogenesis at a Macro-Scale Based on Cellular Automata: The Case of the Casbah of Algiers

Kasbah of Algiers — 2025 — WHE8DE417A882

A novel cellular automata model successfully reproduces the complex, irregular urban morphology of Algiers' historic Casbah, offering insights into the decision-making systems behind traditional Islamic city forms. By integrating topographic data and combining artificial neural networks with logistic regression, the model simulates spatial transitions over time, revealing how morphological constraints shape urban evolution. While limited by historical data resolution and lacking micro-scale dynamics, this flexible framework advances understanding of Islamic urbanism and suggests avenues for future multi-scalar, socio-culturally enriched analyses.

Modelling Resilience to Floods in Art Cities: A Historical Perspective

Historic Centre of Florence — 2025 — WHE02AAABE26D

A study on the Historic Centre of Florence reveals that while flood countermeasures have slightly reduced inundation extent and depths by 7%, they have paradoxically increased building exposure by 17% due to gentrification. However, these measures have significantly improved resilience, cutting post-event recovery time by 21%. The research also highlights a dramatic increase in fluctuating population exposure (+1511%), driven by cultural heritage's dual role—attracting tourists while fostering recovery efforts. Future mitigations are expected to further reduce flood hazards and exposure for residents and visitors, emphasizing the complex interplay between urban development, tourism, and disaster preparedness.

Modelling Techniques for Gothic Built Heritage: An HBIM Case Study of the Founder’s Chapel, Batalha Monastery

Monastery of Batalha — 2025 — WHE7B6C744123

Research on Gothic built heritage reveals that no single modelling technique is universally optimal for Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM). Instead, the study of Batalha Monastery’s Founder’s Chapel vaults demonstrates that parametric modelling should serve as the foundational approach, strategically complemented by NURBS and mesh generation based on project-specific requirements. Parametric modelling excels in establishing relational connections with adaptability, while NURBS offers mathematically precise surface representation, and mesh generation ensures documentation fidelity. These findings underscore the need for improved interoperability between techniques to enhance heritage preservation efforts.

Modelling Woody Vegetation Suitability in Saloum Delta Ramsar Site (West-Africa): Implications for Conservation and Land Restoration

Saloum Delta — 2025 — WHEFE6BC17A89

A study on the Saloum Delta Ramsar Site reveals that salinity is the most significant environmental driver affecting woody vegetation, particularly mangroves. Using Species Distribution Models (SDMs) and machine learning techniques like Random Forest, MaxEnt, and Generalized Linear Models (GLM), researchers analyzed relationships between vegetation occurrence data and environmental predictors such as climate, soil properties, anthropogenic factors, and natural disturbances. The findings indicate substantial potential for ecosystem restoration, with the smallest gap observed in mangroves (3.47%) compared to other woody covers like Close Woodlands, Open Woodlands, and Plantations. This research provides critical insights for sustainable land management, regreening policies, and biodiversity conservation strategies in West Africa's coastal regions.

Modern Commemorative Practices as a Instrument for Shapingthe Foreign Policy Identity of the Russian Federation

Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow — 2025 — WHE64DF844991

Modern commemorative practices, such as the 2025 'victory parade' on Red Square, serve as tools for Russia to shape its foreign policy identity and promote a narrative of being a 'liberator from neo-Nazism,' aiming to overcome international isolation. The study reveals that while these practices involve foreign leaders—particularly from the Global South—and some European countries with pragmatic motives, they do not form a cohesive alliance or shift global discourse against Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Using constructivist analysis and comparative methods, the research examines official rituals, discourses, and symbolic acts to understand how collective memory influences Russia's external positioning. The findings highlight the selective nature of norm-setting by Russia, underscoring fragmentation in the international order and the limitations of its normative power.

Modern Use of the World Heritage Site – Villa Tugendhat in Brno and Its Significance for Modern Architecture

Tugendhat Villa in Brno — 2025 — WHEC76518EBDE

Villa Tugendhat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and museum in Brno, exemplifies the fusion of modern functionalism with Eastern architectural techniques. The study identifies unique design elements such as 'garden within a garden,' 'borrowing the landscape,' 'flowing spaces,' and 'immaterial glass walls' that integrate the building with its natural surroundings while maintaining functionalist principles. Unlike traditional sliding architecture, Villa Tugendhat achieves this effect through transparent glass barriers, offering distant views of Špilberk Castle and the city. This analysis highlights the villa's role as a transformed adaptation of Chinese and Japanese techniques, positioning it as a classic example of modern architectural innovation.