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The Evolution of Kulangsu's Urban Morphology in its Period of Public Settlement, Based on Space Syntax

Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement — 2018 — WHE344A23C4E7

A study of Kulangsu reveals key features of its urban morphology during its public settlement period, offering insights for optimizing historical spaces. Using space syntax methodology, researchers analyzed the evolution of the island's urban structure, providing actionable recommendations for heritage conservation. The approach combines spatial analysis with historical authenticity to inform preservation strategies, though it also discusses the method's effectiveness and limitations.

The excavation of burial M89 at Tiesan Road at the Yinxu Site in Anyang, Henan

Yin Xu — 2018 — WHEF12059414B

A significant archaeological discovery at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Yin Xu, located in Anyang, Henan, has shed light on the craft production of the Shang Dynasty. The excavation of burial M89, dating to Phase II of the Yinxu Period, revealed a high-status individual likely involved in jade production and management. This is the first such burial identified at the site, providing crucial insights into the organization and specialization of jade workshops during this period. The grave goods included a bronze gu-goblet with an inscribed jade scepter, indicating the occupant's role as a petty aristocrat overseeing jade craftsmanship. Additionally, the presence of semi-finished jade products, castoffs, and tools suggests localized jade workshops nearby.

The excavation of the Wujiachang Cemetery in Fuquanshan Site, Shanghai in 2010

Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City — 2018 — WHE2F9B6559B5

The excavation of the Wujiachang Cemetery at Fuquanshan Site, a central settlement of the Liangzhu Culture, revealed elite burials with exceptionally rich grave goods. Among six burials unearthed in 2010, four were dated to the Liangzhu Age, including M204 and M207, identified as elite due to sumptuous artifacts such as jade cong-tubes, bi-discs, yue-battle axes, and ivory scepters. The meticulous excavation of M207 in a laboratory setting allowed immediate preservation and detailed analysis, confirming Wujiachang as an artificial mound cemetery for Liangzhu elites.

The experience of medieval pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela, Spain: evidence from the 12th-century Pilgrim's Guide.

Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain — 2018 — WHED9ACF6619B

A 12th-century Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela reveals that medieval pilgrims experienced a diverse range of physical, visual, and spiritual encounters along the Camino Francés and Northern Spanish routes. Contrary to the emphasis on typical 'pilgrimage church' plans, the study highlights a rich variety of architectural forms and imagery designed to demonstrate the miraculous powers of local saints and influence devotees' behavior. The guide describes landscapes, customs, food, and shrines, offering insights into pilgrims' experiences that remain relevant today, though modern pilgrimages focus more on inner spiritual journeys than relics.

The extant shore platform stromatolite (SPS) facies association: a glimpse into the Archean?

Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast — 2018 — WHE6E46EBD13B

Shore platform stromatolites (SPS) provide a unique modern analogue for Precambrian fossil stromatolites, offering insights into ancient microbial ecosystems. These SPS, found along southern African coasts, southwest Australia, Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and the Scottish Hebrides, thrive on well-indurated shore platforms in high wave energy settings, often near headlands. Unlike other extant stromatolites, SPS primarily form through mineral precipitation, with minor trapping and binding. The study suggests that SPS could be preserved in the geological record as micritic lenses on palaeo-shore platform surfaces, despite differing atmospheric and oceanic conditions from the Archean. Additionally, terraces associated with former oceanic or lacustrine flooding surfaces on Mars are proposed as potential targets for searching palaeo-SPS, expanding the scope of astrobiological research.

The Family History of Abū al-Faraj al-Iṣfahānī: the Ninth-Century ʿAbbasid Political Elite and the Ṭālibids in Samarra

Samarra Archaeological City — 2018 — WHE54209448ED

A key insight from this study is that the Ṭālibids, as close kin of the Prophet Muhammad, served as a source of political legitimacy and prestige during the turbulent second half of the ninth century under ʿAbbasid rule. This prestige attracted the political elite, including the Iṣfahānī family, to align with the Ṭālibids in Samarra. The study analyzes the social networks and socio-political dynamics of three generations of the Iṣfahānī family, revealing that the division within the Ṭālibids—between politically active and quietist factions—facilitated alliances with the elite. Additionally, it suggests that the Iṣfahānīs' Shiʿi belief was characterized by reverence for ʿAlī and his descendants without political ambition, contrasting with more assertive forms of Shiʿism. The research employs a combination of genealogical analysis and socio-political context to unpack these dynamics.

The Fate of Platinum-Group Minerals in the Exogenic Environment—From Sulfide Ores via Oxidized Ores into Placers: Case Studies Bushveld Complex, South Africa, and Great Dyke, Zimbabwe

Great Zimbabwe National Monument — 2018 — WHE8350E217FE

Research on platinum-group minerals (PGM) at Great Zimbabwe and the Bushveld Complex reveals that weathering processes do not significantly contribute to the formation of new PGM crystals or nuggets. Instead, the study finds that weathering primarily destroys unstable PGM carriers in sulfide ores, leading to the dispersion of soluble elements like Pt and Pd, rather than their concentration. The surviving PGM suite in alluvial sediments reflects a 'rest spectrum' of residual, detrital grains, with stable phases like sperrylite and Pt-Fe alloys increasing in proportion while others degrade. This challenges the notion of substantial authigenic PGM formation in supergene environments. The investigation combined mineralogical methods (reflected light microscopy) with advanced techniques (SEM, MLA, EPMA, LA-ICPMS) to analyze samples from underground, surface outcrops, and river sediments, providing a coherent model for PGM behavior during weathering.

The Field Guide to the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape app: A Partnership Between the Gunditjmara Community and Museums Victoria

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape — 2018 — WHE545CF5E71C

A groundbreaking collaboration between Museums Victoria and the Gunditjmara community resulted in the creation of the Field Guide to the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape app, the first of its kind to integrate traditional knowledge with scientific biodiversity data. The app features over 250 species from the Budj Bim Cultural Heritage Landscape, including 854 previously unrecorded species discovered during a 2011 Bush Blitz survey, with traditional names, uses, and stories for two-thirds of them. This innovative project combines Gunditjmara expertise with scientific findings, offering educational value to local communities, researchers, and visitors while serving as a model for similar initiatives globally.

The Fine Characterization and Potential Photocatalytic Effect of Semiconducting Metal Minerals in Danxia Landforms

China Danxia — 2018 — WHEFA7BEA66FD

Researchers have discovered that semiconducting metal minerals, particularly hematite and anatase, found in China's Danxia landforms exhibit significant photocatalytic potential. These minerals, identified as the primary components of the red sediment layers, demonstrate visible-light-responsive properties with band gaps of 2.01 eV (hematite) and 3.05 eV (anatase). Notably, the coupling of hematite with anatase enhances its photocatalytic activity by 23-fold, leading to a 2.4 times more efficient degradation of methyl orange dye under simulated sunlight compared to hematite alone. The study utilized advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to characterize these minerals, revealing their role as cementation agents in the red layers and their potential environmental implications through the production of reactive oxygen species.

The Finishing Technique of the Stone Monuments of Persepolis: Further Studies and New Findings Through the Use of Non‐Destructive Analytical Techniques

Persepolis — 2018 — WHE68770B168A

A new study confirms that Achaemenid builders and sculptors at Persepolis used fluorapatite, derived from burning animal bones, to create a white pigment layer on stone monuments. This technique was employed specifically during the Xerxes period or later, while earlier monuments used gypsum for the same purpose. The research, part of the 'From Palace to Town' project, utilized non-destructive techniques like X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and principal component analysis (PCA) on a larger sample set to validate previous findings. This discovery sheds light on the advanced finishing techniques employed in ancient Persian architecture.

The first direct ESR dating of a hominin tooth from Atapuerca Gran Dolina TD-6 (Spain) supports the antiquity of Homo antecessor

Archaeological Site of Atapuerca — 2018 — WHE40A73F2F27

A groundbreaking Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating study of a Homo antecessor tooth from Atapuerca Gran Dolina, Spain, has provided the first direct age estimate for this ancient hominin species in Western Europe. The analysis suggests an age range of 624 to 949 thousand years ago (ka), with additional magnetostratigraphic data narrowing it further to between 772 and 949 ka. This supports the antiquity of H. antecessor, predating the estimated divergence of modern and archaic human lineages based on genetic evidence. The study highlights challenges in dating hominin teeth using ESR, including potential contamination and variability in sedimentary environments, which can significantly impact age estimates if not carefully considered.

The first report on the spider fauna (Arachnida: Araneae) of the Lut Desert, Iran

Lut Desert — 2018 — WHEDD647D7F51

A new spider species, Oecobius fahimii (Oecobiidae), has been discovered and described from the Lut Desert, Iran. This finding is part of the first comprehensive inventory of spider fauna in one of the world's hottest deserts. The study identified 15 species across 12 families, including three species—Devade tenella (Dictynidae), Gnaphosa ukrainica, and Haplodrassus caspius (both Gnaphosidae)—reported for the first time in Iran. The research was conducted during the Iranian Biological Expedition in November 2016, providing critical baseline data on arachnid biodiversity in this extreme environment.

The First Results of U–Pb Dating of the Nikolka Volcano (Central Kamchatka Depression)

Volcanoes of Kamchatka — 2018 — WHE362A5C56C1

Researchers have determined the age of the Nikolka shield volcano, located in Kamchatka's Central Depression, to be approximately 0.73 million years old using U–Pb dating of zircon from amphibole latite rocks. This finding marks the first age data for this volcano and places its activity at the transition period between the Brunhes and Matuyama magnetic epochs during the Pliocene volcanic stage, a time when large shield volcanoes and plateaus formed in Kamchatka. The study also highlights a unique geological feature: a gabbro–anorthosite sheet intrusion with monzonite and syenite derivatives within the volcano's central part. The dating was conducted using SIMS SHRIMP II at the Isotope Research Center, Schmidt Joint Institute of Physics of the Earth (St. Petersburg), providing valuable insights into the region's volcanic history.

The first vertebrate fossil from Socotra Island (Yemen) is an early Holocene Egyptian fruit bat

Socotra Archipelago — 2018 — WHEBB9C573CE0

Researchers have uncovered the first known vertebrate fossil from Socotra Island, Yemen—a rare Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) dating back to the early Holocene (ca. 7600–7400 cal BP). The exceptionally preserved specimen, found in Hoq Cave, challenges assumptions about Socotra's prehistoric biodiversity and suggests that this pollinator may have once been a resident species before its apparent extinction. Radiocarbon dating and morphometric analysis revealed the fossil closely resembled mainland populations from the Nile Valley and Libyan Desert, not East African or Middle Eastern ones, hinting at past ecological connections. While the bat could represent a stray individual, the study raises intriguing questions about Socotra's paleoenvironmental history and the potential impact of its loss on island ecosystems.

The Flow Country Peatlands of Scotland: FOREWORD

The Flow Country — 2018 — WHE2CF60C7351

The Flow Country, a vast expanse of blanket peatland spanning 4,000 km² in northern Scotland, stands out as Europe's largest blanket mire and the UK's single largest terrestrial carbon store. This unique ecosystem, crucial for biodiversity, supports a rich suite of breeding birds and Arctic species, with over 1,300 km² designated under Natura 2000 sites, including the UK's largest Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The study highlights its exceptional conservation value, emphasizing its ecological significance and potential World Heritage Site status. The research approach combines ecological surveys and carbon storage assessments to underscore the region's global importance.

The force meets the kittiwake

Sceilg Mhichíl — 2018 — WHE6EC64468A3

Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Early Christian monastic outpost off County Kerry, Ireland, became a focal point for negotiations between the Star Wars production team, the Irish Film Board (IFB), and the Office of Public Works regarding its use as a filming location. The study examines how discourses of Celticism, spirituality, and peripherality influenced this decision, with emails from Naoise Barry revealing early advocacy for access to the islands by location scouts starting in 2013. While the research does not present new scientific discoveries about Skellig Michael's ecological or historical significance, it provides insight into the intersection of tourism, cultural heritage, and film production in a sensitive World Heritage Site context.

The forgotten link between northern and southern Tanzania

Selous Game Reserve — 2018 — WHE138406147C

A critical gap in wildlife connectivity between northern and southern Tanzania has been identified, with the Wami-Mbiki Wildlife Management Area acting as a vital but unprotected corridor hub linking four protected areas: Mikumi and Saadani National Parks, the Selous Game Reserve, and the Handeni Game Controlled Area. This study employs rapid assessment methods, including interviews, to map these corridors, revealing that none are currently under formal protection despite their ecological significance in maintaining biodiversity links between savannas and miombo forests. With Tanzania's recent commitment to preserving connectivity between protected areas, this research underscores an urgent need for precise delineation of corridor locations to inform conservation efforts.

The Garden Ponds of Baekje and Asuka

Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara — 2018 — WHE33FC02F8C5

A comparative analysis of garden ponds from the ancient kingdoms of Baekje (Korea) and Asuka (Japan) reveals striking technical and design similarities, suggesting significant cultural exchange. Both regions employed a linear rectangular form as the basic pond structure and utilized vertical construction techniques. However, differences emerged in material use: Baekje's ponds featured diverse stone types for shores and soil floors enabling lotus cultivation, while Asuka's used rounded river stones and paved floors, precluding plant growth. Ornamental stones were used in Baekje's landscaping, whereas Asuka incorporated manmade islands and water intake facilities. The study highlights Baekje's influence on Asuka's garden pond construction, demonstrating a refined technical unity in Asuka's designs.

The Gardens of Singapore

Singapore Botanic Gardens — 2018 — WHEED3C261C48

Singapore Botanic Gardens, the world's first tropical botanic garden to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, stands out for its long-standing contributions to horticultural excellence, botanical research, and conservation. A study by Lindsay and Middleton (2018) highlights how this historic garden, founded in 1859, complements the more recent Gardens by the Bay (opened in 2012), which focuses on large-scale, visually stunning plant displays. Together, these gardens effectively engage the public in plant conservation efforts, fostering significant support for greening initiatives and the protection of natural areas in land-scarce Singapore. The research underscores their dual role in education and advocacy, demonstrating how contrasting approaches can synergize to achieve broad societal impact.

The gardens of the Royal Castle in Warsaw over six hundred years. The shaping of social and political power

Historic Centre of Warsaw — 2018 — WHEA9F6B472FA

Recent systematic research on the gardens of Warsaw's Royal Castle, part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Warsaw, reveals their pivotal role in shaping social and political power over six centuries. The study highlights how these gardens evolved from medieval beginnings to become integral to the exercise of authority, reflecting broader historical dynamics. By analyzing archival records, archaeological evidence, and landscape features, the research reconstructs the gardens' transformation under successive regimes, offering new insights into their symbolic and functional significance in Polish history.