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construcción del lema familiar de los Granada Venegas en la fachada de la casa de los Tiros

Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada — 2024 — WHEF0DA75792C

A century after the 'Pleito del Generalife' concluded, a study deciphers the origin and significance of the Granada Venegas family motto on the façade of Casa de los Tiros, linking it to the humanist circle that shaped it. The research reveals this motto as a strategic declaration of lineage legitimacy, particularly in response to Emperor Charles V's visit to Granada in 1526. By analyzing the iconographic program of the house and its ornamentation, the study situates the motto within the broader context of noble competition and royal patronage during the 16th century. This finding sheds light on the complex interplay between aristocratic identity, literary tradition, and political power in Renaissance Granada.

Constructing cultural integration through rhetoric in Modi’s speech in Lumbini, Nepal

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha — 2024 — WHECB8394E2D0

Narendra Modi's speech at Lumbini, delivered during the 2566th birth ceremony of Lord Buddha, effectively employed rhetorical strategies to foster religious and cultural integration between Nepal and India. By leveraging Aristotle's rhetoric and Toulmin's argument model, the study reveals that Modi's discourse emphasized Hinduism and Buddhism while sidelining other religious and cultural sentiments in both nations. This approach served a dual purpose: it strengthened political relations through cultural nationalism and asserted the supremacy of these two religions. The findings contribute new insights to rhetorical analysis, particularly regarding Modi's communication strategies, and highlight the potential for further exploration of such tactics in his speeches.

Construction and Evaluation of a Traditional Village Tourism Imagery Element System Based on Xidi Village

Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun — 2024 — WHEEDB36C56B9

Tourists' overall satisfaction with Xidi Village's tourism imagery is below expectations, revealing systematic deficiencies in perceived place imagery. The study, using mixed methods including network text analysis and questionnaire-based IPA (Importance-Performance Analysis), identifies critical areas for improvement: natural landscape, social landscape, and physical cuisine. Key factors such as natural phenomena, historical figures, clan history, watersheds, accommodation, ticket systems, and guide services require urgent attention to enhance visitor experience. While positive emotional responses dominate, negative imagery impacts persist. Recommendations focus on optimizing development layouts and upgrading service facilities to address these gaps.

Contaminants of emerging concern in water and sediment of the Venice Lagoon, Italy

Venice and its Lagoon — 2024 — WHE825F72045A

A first-of-its-kind study reveals widespread contamination of the Venice Lagoon by 20 emerging contaminants, including neonicotinoid insecticides (detected in 73–92% of water samples), UV filters, and pharmaceuticals like diclofenac. Sediment analysis highlighted persistent antioxidants and antibiotics, suggesting tributary rivers and treated wastewater as key emission sources. While no clear seasonal or spatial trends emerged, the findings underscore the need for targeted monitoring to prioritize contaminants and refine future conservation strategies for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Continuity, Resilience, and Change in Rural Settlement Patterns from the Roman to Islamic Period in the Sicani Mountains (Central-Western Sicily)

Archaeological Area of Agrigento — 2024 — WHEF8A2839F51

A new study reveals how rural settlement patterns in the Sicani Mountains of central-western Sicily evolved from Roman to Islamic periods, highlighting dynamics of continuity, resilience, and change. Strategic location between Palermo and Agrigento played a pivotal role in communication networks across these eras. The research integrates archaeological fieldwork with GIS-based spatial and statistical analyses, incorporating topographic (elevation, slope, aspect, TPI, distance to water) and ecological factors (vegetation series). This approach elucidates the complex transition dynamics from Roman settlement systems to Islamic landscape formation, offering insights into the interplay between historical developments and environmental factors in shaping rural landscapes. The findings contribute significantly to understanding the long-term impacts of cultural and environmental changes on settlement patterns.

Contrast in larval sensitivity to low pH in sea urchins from neighbouring seagrass meadows at Inhaca Island, Mozambique

Island of Mozambique — 2024 — WHE782A00BFEC

Sea urchin larvae from intertidal seagrass meadows at Inhaca Island, Mozambique, exhibit greater sensitivity to low pH conditions compared to their subtidal counterparts. This contrast suggests that local adaptation to pH variability may differ between intertidal and subtidal environments, challenging the assumption that physiological tipping points universally correlate with the lowest experienced pH in an organism's range. Researchers exposed larvae of Tripneustes gratilla from two neighboring seagrass habitats—one subtidal (EBMI) and one intertidal (Banguá)—to four pH treatments (ranging from 8.04 to 7.29) for seven days, observing declines in survival, growth, and symmetry under lower pH conditions. The findings imply that subtidal urchins, which experience more stable pH, may possess distinct mechanisms for pH tolerance, highlighting potential vulnerabilities as ocean acidification intensifies.

Contribution of Tourism to Cultural Heritage Resilience: An Analysis of Old Towns of Kenya’s Coast

Lamu Old Town — 2024 — WHE7D8370E5B0

Local values, particularly religious practices, play a more significant role in sustaining cultural heritage in Kenya's old towns than tourism. A study analyzing the resilience of tangible and intangible heritage in Lamu Old Town found that while tourism contributes to the preservation of built heritage, it is not the primary driver for locals' conservation efforts. The research, involving 110 participants including elders, household leaders, and heritage managers, revealed that intangible heritage faces more frequent shocks (89.9%) compared to tangible heritage (10.1%). It also highlighted the need for integrating Swahili culture into educational curricula and adopting a rational resilience framework that balances socio-cultural and environmental aspects while considering community perspectives. The study recommends involving local leaders in conservation efforts and developing specific cultural indicators to ensure authenticity, alongside policies that promote sustainable tourism and land use.

Conversion of Marginalized Tea Lands into Timber Plantations and its Impact on Soil Organic Carbon Content: A Case Study in Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka — 2024 — WHE27C453164E

Converting marginalized tea lands into timber plantations significantly increases soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, offering a potential strategy for climate change mitigation. A study in Sri Lanka's Central Highlands found that SOC stocks were 23% higher in converted timber plantations (155.3 ± 10.0 t C ha⁻¹) compared to marginalized tea lands (126.7 ± 5.8 t C ha⁻¹). This increase is attributed to reduced soil disturbance, litter accumulation, and decreased erosion, which enhance organic matter buildup. The research used soil samples from both land types, analyzing SOC via loss on ignition and bulk density estimates, followed by statistical comparisons. These findings suggest that land-use conversion could play a crucial role in sequestering atmospheric CO₂ while addressing economic challenges in tea cultivation.

Convict Tourism

Australian Convict Sites — 2024 — WHEA571AE339B

Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasmania's oldest and best-preserved convict site, exemplifies the enduring fascination with dark tourism—a phenomenon that persists despite political and community efforts to distance itself from its unsavoury past. This chapter reveals how tourism at Port Arthur began during its operational phase as a penal colony and continues today, drawing visitors despite its remote location and significant travel costs. The study explores this ongoing attraction, highlighting the romanticized yet painful narrative of incarceration that underpins dark tourism's appeal.

Convict Tourism

Australian Convict Sites — 2024 — WHE820DF69BFE

Port Arthur Historic Site in Tasmania stands out as one of Australia’s earliest and most significant dark tourism destinations, drawing visitors despite its remote location. This study reveals that the site’s enduring appeal lies in its alignment with a romanticized and imagined convict past, which continues to captivate tourists even after political and community efforts to move away from this 'unsavoury' history. The research explores how Port Arthur has maintained its status as a dark tourism hub since it was operational during the convict era, highlighting the global fascination with incarceration and suffering. While the study does not explicitly state its methods, it likely involves historical analysis, tourist behavior studies, or cultural discourse examination to uncover these insights.

Coordinated development of island ecotourism: A comprehensive evaluation of Amami-Oshima Island

Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island — 2024 — WHEBD70BC1A98

Amami-Oshima Island has shown significant progress in the coordinated development of ecotourism from 2010 to 2021, with a shift from minimal coordination to an intermediate level. The study, using advanced models like the Coupling Coordination Degree Model and Grey Verhulst model, reveals that while environmental tourism remains robust, social tourism exhibits fluctuating growth, and economic and other-sector tourism progress in tandem. Predictions suggest a slight increase in ecotourism coupling coordination through 2030. These findings underscore the potential for enhancing high-quality coordination and offer policy recommendations for sustainable ecotourism development on Amami-Oshima Island and similar destinations.

Coproductive Capacities Support Implementation of Ecuador’s Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor

Sangay National Park — 2024 — WHEF084A82F9F

Ecuador's Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor (CCSP) demonstrates that strong normative and cognitive capacities are critical for advancing ecological corridor implementation, though material constraints hinder sustained progress. The study highlights the CCSP's shared vision for social-ecological wellbeing and robust biophysical science foundation as key enablers of scientifically informed action. However, gaps in integrating social sciences and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, along with insufficient funding and human resources, pose significant challenges. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders revealed that while normative capacities (shared values) and cognitive capacities (biophysical expertise) are well-developed, material capacities (resources) remain the weakest link. This research underscores the need for targeted capacity-building to sustain effective conservation efforts in biodiversity hotspots.

Cordoba Menjadi Saksi Masa Kejayaan Peradaban Islam

Caliphate City of Medina Azahara — 2024 — WHE958BE27B71

Cordoba emerged as the pinnacle of Islamic civilization during its golden age, surpassing contemporaries like Baghdad and Cairo in intellectual, architectural, and economic achievements. This study reveals Cordoba's unparalleled advancements under Islamic rule, including a renowned university, one of the world's largest mosques at the time (the Great Mosque of Cordoba), and Europe's longest bridge, which facilitated social and economic activities. The research also highlights the city's cultural assimilation, blending Spanish and Berber traditions with Islamic influences, while its thriving economy sustained this prosperity for over seven centuries. Conducted as a literature-based study, it synthesizes historical sources to demonstrate how Cordoba became a beacon of learning, science, and art, leaving a lasting legacy on European development.

Correlated crustal and mantle melting documents proto-Tibetan Plateau growth

Qinghai Hoh Xil — 2024 — WHEDBF42BAB5A

A new study reveals that the rapid uplift and magmatism in the Hoh-Xil Basin, part of the northern Tibetan Plateau, are driven by lithospheric mantle removal. Using ambient noise tomography to create a three-dimensional S-wave velocity (VS) model, researchers identified widespread partially molten crust beneath the northern Tibetan Plateau, correlated with strong low-VS anomalies in the uppermost mantle and young magmatic rocks. This suggests that the proto-Tibetan Plateau grew outward through processes involving both crustal and mantle melting. The study fills a critical gap by providing seismic data from an otherwise inaccessible region, offering insights into the dynamic forces shaping the plateau's evolution.

Correlating Late-Holocene climate change and population dynamics at Cahokia Mounds (American Bottom, USA)

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site — 2024 — WHECE1CC96B47

A multi-decadal drought at the end of the 13th century did not significantly alter vegetative communities at Cahokia Mounds, challenging assumptions about climate-induced agricultural destabilization. Using stable carbon isotopes from paleosols, researchers found that Indigenous plant communities showed resilience to severe drought conditions, contrary to expectations. This study highlights critical gaps in understanding how plants respond to climate variability and emphasizes the need for deeper insights into the tolerance of Indigenous crops to inform future climate adaptation strategies.

Crafting crossroads in Zagori (north-west Greece): Ottoman-era archaeology through a workshop in vernacular architecture

Zagori Cultural Landscape — 2024 — WHEB2B37F3471

A reconstructed nineteenth-century cobbled pathway in the village of Aristi, Zagori, offers new insights into Ottoman-era material culture and settlement archaeology. This small-scale restoration project demonstrates how integrating archaeological practices with vernacular architecture can deepen our understanding of historical landscapes without disrupting their lived experience. The study highlights the potential of such workshops to bridge gaps in Ottoman-era research, providing tangible evidence of past craftsmanship and settlement dynamics.

Creating Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg

Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville — 2024 — WHE4725629632

Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg emerged as iconic Revolutionary-era sites shaped by complex political, partisan, class, and ethnic dynamics in the 1920s. Monticello was established as a house museum, preserving Thomas Jefferson's legacy, while Colonial Williamsburg became one of the first living history museums, offering an immersive experience of colonial life. The study reveals how these sites reflected broader societal tensions, including debates over historical preservation and public interpretation. By analyzing archival records and historical narratives, the research highlights the interplay between memory, power, and heritage creation during a pivotal period in U.S. history.

Critical Social Participatory Action Research for Conscientization: Pedagogies and Findings from Xochimilco

Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco — 2024 — WHE09A66AFA78

A critical participatory action research project in Xochimilco, Mexico, demonstrates the potential of conscientization to preserve cultural heritage while fostering economic inclusion. By employing co-constructed knowledge and relational dialogue, researchers dismantled power differentials and created inclusive learning spaces. The study highlights how critical pedagogies can bridge gaps between academic research and community engagement, offering a model for sustainable development in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco.

Crossing Barriers – Growing Barriers. Jews in Late Medieval Warsaw

Historic Centre of Warsaw — 2024 — WHE0CDFEC8235

Late medieval Warsaw (1420s–1520s) experienced a significant shift from harmonious coexistence to growing hostility between its Jewish and Christian communities. Initially, economic cooperation thrived under the protection of local dukes, with Jews actively participating in court sessions and using Polish, German, and Hebrew for bureaucratic and social interactions. However, mid-15th century political, economic, and religious changes fueled competition perceptions, leading to increasing hostility from Warsaw burghers toward Jews. The study analyzes Jewish property ownership, economic ties, and legal records—including noble court sessions—to trace these evolving dynamics, revealing a pivotal transition in interfaith relations.

Crowd-counting technology within the Smart City context: understanding, trust, and acceptance

Town of Bamberg — 2024 — WHE5E86DE0585

Public understanding and trust are key to the acceptance of crowd-counting technologies in smart cities, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A study on Bamberg’s old town found that functional explanations—focusing on project purpose rather than technical details—significantly improve comprehension, which in turn enhances public trust and acceptance. The research, combining exploratory interviews, field studies, and online surveys, also revealed that trust directly influences acceptance, emphasizing the need for clear, effective communication to overcome privacy concerns. These insights highlight the importance of tailoring project explanations to foster understanding while prioritizing data protection, ensuring smoother adoption of smart city solutions.