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In a growing digital landscape, enhancing the discoverability and resonance of scientific articles is essential. Here, we offer 10 recommendations to amplify the discoverability of studies in search engines and databases. Particularly, we argue that the strategic use and placement of key terms in the title, abstract and keyword sections can boost indexing and appeal. By surveying 230 journals in ecology and evolutionary biology, we found that current author guidelines may unintentionally limit article findability. Our survey of 5323 studies revealed that authors frequently exhaust abstract word limits—particularly those capped under 250 words. This suggests that current guidelines may be overly restrictive and not optimized to increase the dissemination and discoverability of digital publications. Additionally, 92% of studies used redundant keywords in the title or abstract, undermining optimal indexing in databases. We encourage adopting structured abstracts to maximize the incorporation of key terms in titles, abstracts and keywords. In addition, we encourage the relaxation of abstract and keyword limitations in journals with strict guidelines, and the inclusion of multilingual abstracts to broaden global accessibility. These recommendations to editors are designed to improve article engagement and facilitate evidence synthesis, thereby aligning scientific publishing with the modern needs of academic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviour settings theory is the product of Roger Barker and Herbert F. Wright's decades-long Midwest Field Station research programme. The theory followed from the demonstration that the best predictor of a person's behaviour was the setting (i.e. location, timing and activity) in which their behaviour took place, rather than any individual trait (e.g. personality). Now little known in psychology, behaviour settings theory is often further obscured by being presented as a theory only, neglecting the clear methodology Barker provided for investigating the question: 'What do people do in everyday life?' This literature review takes a comprehensive look at Barker's contributions both within and outside of psychology. The corpus comprises both theoretical and empirical articles; however, our primary interest is in the empirical articles. We describe the who, when and where of behaviour settings research over the past half-century, and we identify branches and neighbours of behaviour settings research (e.g. manning theory, behaviour mapping and activity settings theory). Primarily, however, we attempt to answer the following questions: (i) Are any of Barker's tools for studying people in everyday settings being used currently? (ii) How accurately has Barker's theory been explained, or his methods applied? (iii) Does such work contribute to behaviour settings theory in a meaningful way? This article is part of the theme issue 'People, places, things and communities: expanding behaviour settings theory in the twenty-first century'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geodiversity and geosystem services are confronting global threats. However, the majority of conservation strategies tend to overlook the geological component within ecosystems. The existing literature centres on biodiversity, ecosystem services and their economic valuation. In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review to identify the gap in the assessment of geological diversity, pinpointing areas where scientific contributions are needed to safeguard geological resources. Our findings reveal a concentration of studies assessing geodiversity in European and Asian countries. While the majority of the reviewed papers emphasizes the recreational features and associated values of geological resources, promoting geotourism and recognizing its potential for economic growth, there is a significant oversight concerning the impact of tourism on geological resources. Existing assessments predominantly focus on visitors' perceptions and preferences, sidelining the inhabitants' perspective and their crucial roles in the conservation of geodiversity. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Geodiversity for science and society'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the topic of cosmic dust and its significance in understanding the universe. Cosmic dust is found throughout our solar system and beyond, and it has posed challenges for astronomers in studying celestial objects. However, advancements in science and technology have allowed researchers to use cosmic dust as a valuable source of information about the composition and evolution of distant bodies in the universe. The article discusses the different types of cosmic dust, its role in phenomena such as interstellar reddening, and its potential to provide insights into the early stages of the universe and the origin of life on Earth. It also highlights recent space missions and laboratory simulations that have contributed to our understanding of cosmic dust. The collection of articles in this special issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A focuses on specific aspects of cosmic dust research, including the detection and analysis of meteors and meteorites, in situ detection of dust particles in interplanetary space, and laboratory simulations of icy dust grains from subsurface ocean-bearing icy moons. [Extracted from the article]

Nature loss threatens businesses, the global economy and financial stability. Understanding and addressing these risks for business will require credible measurement approaches and data. This paper explores how natural capital accounting (NCA) can support business data and information needs related to nature, including disclosures aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures recommendations. As businesses seek to measure, manage and disclose their nature-related risks and opportunities, they will need well-organized, consistent and high-quality information regarding their dependencies and impacts on nature, which few businesses currently collect or track in-house. NCA may be useful for these purposes but has not been widely used or applied by businesses. National NCA guided by the U.N. System of Environmental-Economic Accounting may provide: (i) a useful framework for businesses in conceptualizing, organizing and managing nature-related data and statistics; and (ii) data and information that can directly support business disclosures, corporate NCA and other business applications. This paper explores these opportunities as well as synergies between national and corporate natural capital accounts. In addition, the paper discusses key barriers to advancing the wider use and benefits of NCA for business, including: awareness of NCA, data access, business capabilities related to NCA, spatial and temporal scales of data, audit and assurance considerations, potential risks, and costs and incentives. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how scientific excellence is performed in Nobel nominations for medical scientists. Performing excellence encompasses both conducting excellent scientific work and being recognized for it. Both dimensions are closely intertwined: doing and recognizing excellent work depend on each other. Tracing nominations from the Nobel Archives in Solna, Sweden, the paper shows that Nobel Prizes are only the tip of the iceberg of networks of scientific recognition, which belong to cultures of excellence. Approaching cultures of excellence through nominations helps to understand how scientific prizes were awarded. The nominations show that science is not just a cognitive activity but also a social endeavour, and that the decision about who is awarded the Nobel Prize is also an outcome of social processes. Analysing the nomination networks thus explains to a certain extent the predominance of researchers from the USA versus Canada (and other countries). It shows, among other things, that a proactive policy of Nobel Prize nominations is part of the culture of excellence in which American scientists often participate. The mechanisms of scientific recognition as reflected in Nobel Prize nomination networks and rhetoric give insight into the patterns and the background of awarding the prize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research has in recent years been devoted to better our understanding of the intricate relationships between ecology and the evolutionary success of species. These explorations have often focused on understanding the complex interplay among ecological factors and evolutionary rhythms of the species in various environments. Central to these studies is the concept of the survival of the fittest, proposed by Charles Darwin, where evolutionary circumstances, often portrayed as social dilemmas, favour the welfare of self-interested over others. To further advance this line of research, we here develop a theoretical framework that features three interconnected traits in an evolutionary setting, namely: prey, predator and parasite, each adopting distinct strategies akin to a social dilemma and resembling a Rock-Paper-Scissors scenario. These traits, which we term strategic species, adhere to the eco-evolutionary game dynamics. We further extend our analysis by conducting a sensitivity assessment of the system's payoff parameters using the Sobol indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theme issue features 18 papers exploring ecological interactions, encompassing metabolic, social, and spatial connections alongside traditional trophic networks. This integration enriches food web research, offering insights into ecological dynamics. By examining links across organisms, populations, and ecosystems, a hierarchical approach emerges, connecting horizontal effects within organizational levels vertically across biological organization levels. The inclusion of interactions involving humans is a key focus, highlighting the need for their integration into ecology given the complex interactions between human activities and ecological systems in the Anthropocene. The comprehensive exploration in this theme issue sheds light on the interconnectedness of ecological systems and the importance of considering diverse interactions in understanding ecosystem dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates a problem concerning the equilibrium of a solid body containing a thin rigid inclusion and a crack. It is assumed that the body is hyperelastic, therefore, it is described within the framework of finite strain theory. One of the peculiarities of this problem is a global injectivity constraint, which prevents the body, the crack faces and the inclusion from both mutual and self penetration. First, the paper deals with the differential formulation of the problem. Next, we consider energy minimization, showing that the latter provides the weak formulation of the former. Finally, the existence of the weak solution is demonstrated through the use of the variational technique. This article is part of the theme issue 'Non-smooth variational problems with applications in mechanics'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical models within the Ross–Macdonald framework increasingly play a role in our understanding of vector-borne disease dynamics and as tools for assessing scenarios to respond to emerging threats. These threats are typically characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity, introducing a range of possible complexities in models and challenges to maintain the link with empirical evidence. We systematically identified and analysed a total of 77 published papers presenting compartmental West Nile virus (WNV) models that use parameter values derived from empirical studies. Using a set of 15 criteria, we measured the dissimilarity compared with the Ross–Macdonald framework. We also retrieved the purpose and type of models and traced the empirical sources of their parameters. Our review highlights the increasing refinements in WNV models. Models for prediction included the highest number of refinements. We found uneven distributions of refinements and of evidence for parameter values. We identified several challenges in parametrizing such increasingly complex models. For parameters common to most models, we also synthesize the empirical evidence for their values and ranges. The study highlights the potential to improve the quality of WNV models and their applicability for policy by establishing closer collaboration between mathematical modelling and empirical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into our lives, the need for new norms is urgent. However, AI evolves at a much faster pace than the characteristic time of norm formation, posing an unprecedented challenge to our societies. This paper examines possible criticalities of the processes of norm formation surrounding AI. It focuses on how new norms can be established, rather than on what these norms should be. It distinguishes different scenarios based on the centralization or decentralization of the norm formation process, analysing the cases where new norms are shaped by formal authorities or informal institutions, or emerge spontaneously in a bottom-up fashion. On the latter point, the paper reports a conversation with ChatGPT in which the LLM discusses some of the emerging norms it has observed. Far from seeking exhaustiveness, this article aims to offer readers interpretive tools to frame society's response to the growing pervasiveness of AI. An outlook on how AI could influence the formation of future social norms emphasizes the importance for open societies to anchor their formal deliberation process in an open, inclusive and transparent public discourse. This article is part of the theme issue 'Social norm change: drivers and consequences'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific journal publishing has become a lucrative enterprise, for commercial firms and (some) society publishers alike; but it was not always thus. The Royal Society is the publisher of the world's longest-running scientific journal, and for most of the history of the Philosophical Transactions, its publication was a severe drain on the Society's finances. This paper uses the rich archives of the Royal Society to investigate the economic transformation of journal publishing over the course of the twentieth century. It began the century as a scholarly mission activity heavily subsidized by the Society, but ended it as a valuable income stream. Never-before-seen data reveal three phases: the end of the philanthropic model of circulation; the transition to a sales-based commercial model amidst the post-war boom in subscriber numbers; and the challenges facing that new business model once subscriber numbers went into decline in the late twentieth century. The paper does not directly address the open access movement of the twenty-first century, but is essential reading to understand the financial background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to understand the interplay between seasonality and diapause on the population dynamics of ticks. To analyse this challenge, we study a mathematical model in which the population is divided into two groups: individuals with regular development and individuals undergoing diapause. A key ingredient in the model is that the common birth and death rates depend on time in order to describe the seasonal fluctuations of the environment. From a mathematical point of view, this paper offers a novel methodology to derive criteria of global attraction. In some classical models, we give delay-dependent conditions that cover the best delay-independent criteria of global attraction. We discuss how our approach improves existing results in relevant literature. Moreover, our results are simple and versatile enough to match experimental observations. To illustrate this potential, we analyse our model with parameters coming from real observations. A message of this paper is that seasonality plays a critical role in the population dynamics of ticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first paper in this series, we presented asymptotic results for the effective wavenumber of the coherent longitudinal waves propagating through a system of pseudo-randomly distributed spherical elastic scatterers in a viscous medium. The analysis was based on multi-modal multiple scattering theory to account for both longitudinal and shear waves in the viscous embedding medium, arising from wave conversions at the scatterers surface, and identified asymptotic results in the long wavelength limit of the longitudinal waves. In this second paper, we present numerical validation of the various asymptotic approximations presented previously, including truncation of the number of partial wave orders and the use of the low concentration expansion of the dispersion relation. We explore the important contributions of wave conversion and of correlations in particle positions to the effective attenuation and to the frequency of the dipolar resonance of the scatterers. A comparison of the experimental results obtained with water containing sub-micrometric silica beads shows the very good validity of the model, particularly in the vicinity of the dipolar resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the role of radiative cooling (RC) in a two-fluid model consisting of coupled neutrals and charged particles. We first analyse the linearized two-fluid equations where we include radiative losses in the energy equation for the charged particles. In a one-dimensional geometry for parallel propagation and in the limiting cases of weak and strong coupling, it can be shown analytically that the instability conditions for the thermal mode and the sound waves, the isobaric and isentropic criteria, respectively, remain unchanged with respect to one-fluid radiative plasmas. For the parameters considered in this paper, representative for the solar corona, the RC produces growth of the thermal mode and damping of the sound waves. In the weak coupling limit, the growth of the thermal instability and the damping of the sound waves is as derived in Field (Field 1965 Astrophys. J.142, 531 (doi:10.1086/148317)) using the charged fluid properties. When neutrals are included and are sufficiently coupled to the charges, the thermal mode growth rate and the wave damping both reduce by the same factor, which depends on the ionization fraction only. For a heating function that is constant in time, we find that the growth of the thermal mode and the damping of the sound waves are slightly larger. The numerical calculation of the eigenvalues of the general system of equations in a three-dimensional geometry confirm the analytic results. We then run two-dimensional fully nonlinear simulations that give consistent results: a higher ionization fraction or lower coupling will increase the growth rate. The magnetic field contribution is negligible in the linear phase. Ionization-recombination effects might play an important role because the RC produces a large range of temperatures in the system. In the numerical simulation, after the first condensation phase, when the minimum temperature is reached, the fraction of neutrals increases four orders of magnitude because of the recombination. This article is part of the theme issue 'Partially ionized plasma of the solar atmosphere: recent advances and future pathways'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravitational waves are being shown to derive directly from Newtonian dynamics for a continuous mass distribution, e.g. compressible fluids or equivalent. It is shown that the equations governing a continuous mass distribution, i.e. the inviscid Navier–Stokes equations for a general variable gravitational field g(t,x) , are equivalent to a form identical to the Maxwell equations from electromagnetism, subject to a specified condition. The consequence of this equivalence is the creation of gravity waves that propagate at a finite speed. The latter implies that Newtonian gravitation as presented in this paper is not 'spooky action at a distance' but rather is similar to electromagnetic waves propagating at finite speed, despite the apparent form appearing in the integrated field formula. In addition, this proves that, in analogy to the Maxwell equations, the Newtonian gravitation equations are Lorentz invariant for waves propagating at the speed of light. Since gravitational waves were so far derived only from Einstein's general relativity theory, it becomes appealing to check if there is a connection between the Newtonian waves presented in this paper and the general relativity type of waves at least in a certain limit of overlapping validity, i.e. as a flat-space approximation. The latter is left for follow-up research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is drawn from a chapter of a forthcoming book on Canadian physician Maude Abbott. The excerpt explores how a prominent woman negotiated relationships during the early twentieth century. Abbott spent most of her career at McGill University in Montreal, as curator of its medical museum and as a researcher in congenital heart disease. Nonetheless her network of correspondents was vast. Engaging an approach the author calls 'friendship archaeology', the paper excavates Abbott's relationship with two powerful American physicians, Emanuel Libman and Paul Dudley White. Archival evidence turns up links with Nobel Prize nominees and winners, revealing how Abbott manoeuvred in that network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of "geodiversity," which refers to the diversity of Earth's surface and subsurface features and processes. Geodiversity plays a crucial role in supporting the natural world and human societies, providing essential resources and habitats. However, the importance of geodiversity has only recently gained widespread recognition, and its consideration in policy and management decisions has been limited. The article highlights the need for a better understanding of geodiversity and the development of Essential Geodiversity Variables (EGVs) to assess and monitor changes in geodiversity. The themed issue explores various aspects of geodiversity, including taxonomy, measurement, monitoring, conservation, and its relationship with biodiversity. The goal is to raise awareness of geodiversity's significance and promote interdisciplinary discussions for sustainable practices. [Extracted from the article]

Specker's principle, the condition that pairwise orthogonal propositions must be jointly orthogonal (or rather, the 'exclusivity principle' that follows from it), has been much investigated recently within the programme of finding physical principles to characterize quantum mechanics. Specker's principle, however, largely appears to lack a physical justification. In this paper, I present a proof of Specker's principle from three assumptions (made suitably precise): the existence of 'maximal entanglement', the existence of 'non-maximal measurements' and no-signalling. I discuss these three assumptions and describe canonical examples of non-Specker sets of propositions satisfying any two of them. These examples display analogies with various approaches to the interpretation of quantum mechanics, including retrocausation. I also discuss connections with the work of Popescu & Rohrlich. The core of the proof (and the main example violating no-signalling) is illustrated by a variant of Specker's tale of the seer of Nineveh, with which I open the paper. This article is part of the theme issue 'Quantum contextuality, causality and freedom of choice'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disassembly is a crucial step in remanufacturing and is currently mainly performed by humans. Automating disassembly can reduce labour costs and make remanufacturing more economically attractive. This paper focuses on identifying and characterizing a common disassembly task, dual peg-hole disassembly, with the aim of building a robotic disassembly system for this task. We enumerate the possible contact states and their geometric conditions during the extraction of two studs in a dual peg-hole. This paper focuses on jamming in the extraction and conducts geometrical and quasi-static analyses to determine the boundary conditions of jamming. Based on the analyses, this paper also investigates the role of active compliance as a solution to avoid jamming. We also simulate critical variables and examine key parameters such as the degree of compliance, the location of the compliance centre and initial position errors. Finally, we conduct experimental studies on dual peg-hole extraction with different compliance centres obtained using active compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the fourth in a series dedicated to the mathematically rigorous asymptotic analysis of gravitational radiation under astrophysically realistic set-ups. It provides an overview of the physical ideas involved in setting up the mathematical problem, the mathematical challenges that need to be overcome once the problem is posed, as well as the main new results we will obtain in upcoming work. From the physical perspective, this includes a discussion of how post-Newtonian theory provides a prediction on the gravitational radiation emitted by N infalling masses from the infinite past in the intermediate zone, i.e. up to some finite advanced time. From the mathematical perspective, we then take this prediction, together with the condition that there be no incoming radiation from I− , as a starting point to set up a scattering problem for the linearized Einstein vacuum equations around Schwarzschild and near spacelike infinity, and we outline how to solve this scattering problem and obtain the asymptotic properties of the scattering solution near i0 and I+. The full mathematical details will be presented in the sequel to this paper. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'At the interface of asymptotics, conformal methods and analysis in general relativity'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature about the asymptotic numerical method (ANM) is reviewed in this paper as well as its application to hyperelasticity and elastoplasticity. ANM is a generic continuation method based on the computation of Taylor series for solving nonlinear partial differential equations. Modern techniques of high-order differentiation provide simple tools for computing these power series, the corresponding algorithms for finite strain elasticity and elastoplasticity being summarized here. Taylor series is not only a computation tool, but it contains also useful information about the structure of the considered solution curve. The paper ends with a short historical account about the development of this numerical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper offers a model of time-varying music engagement, defined as changes in curiosity, attention and positive valence, as music unfolds over time. First, we present research (including new data) showing that listeners tend to allocate attention to music in a manner that is guided by both features of the music and listeners' individual differences. Next, we review relevant predictive processing literature before using this body of work to inform our model. In brief, we propose that music engagement, over the course of an extended listening episode, may constitute several cycles of curiosity, attention and positive valence that are interspersed with moments of mind-wandering. Further, we suggest that refocusing on music after an episode of mind-wandering can be due to triggers in the music or, conversely, mental action that occurs when the listener realizes they are mind-wandering. Finally, we argue that factors that modulate both overall levels of music engagement and how it changes over time include music complexity, listener background and the listening context. Our paper highlights how music can be used to provide insights into the temporal dynamics of attention and into how curiosity might emerge in everyday contexts. This article is part of the theme issue 'Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately a third of all annual greenhouse gas emissions globally are directly or indirectly associated with the food system, and over a half of these are linked to livestock production. In temperate oceanic regions, such as the UK, most meat and dairy is produced in extensive systems based on pasture. There is much interest in the extent to which such grassland may be able to sequester and store more carbon to partially or completely mitigate other greenhouse gas emissions in the system. However, answering this question is difficult due to context-specificity and a complex and sometimes inconsistent evidence base. This paper describes a project that set out to summarize the natural science evidence base relevant to grassland management, grazing livestock and soil carbon storage potential in as policy-neutral terms as possible. It is based on expert appraisal of a systematically assembled evidence base, followed by a wide stakeholders engagement. A series of evidence statements (in the appendix of this paper) are listed and categorized according to the nature of the underlying information, and an annotated bibliography is provided in the electronic supplementary material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using health indices (HIs) to characterize machine conditions is greatly helpful to prevent machine failures and their subsequent catastrophe. Fusion and interpretation of the main contributions of HIs to machine condition monitoring are still challenging. In this paper, an interpretable fusion methodology of HIs is proposed for machine condition monitoring. The proposed methodology begins with elements of statistical learning for classification, following by an essence of how HIs are fused with their associated linear weights to realize machine condition monitoring. One main contribution of this paper gives a theoretical justification for positive and negative weights of the proposed fusion methodology for understanding their importance for machine condition monitoring and making the proposed methodology physically interpretable. In order to be suitable for two practical situations, in which whether faulty data are available or not, two solutions including an offline solution with healthy and faulty datasets and an online solution with only available healthy datasets are suggested to estimate interpretable weights of the proposed methodology. Finally, industrial turbine cavitation status data collected from our group are used to verify the proposed methodology and show its superiority to two existing popular machine fault diagnosis methods. This article is part of the theme issue 'Physics-informed machine learning and its structural integrity applications (Part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of wave propagation through an infinite periodic structure that consists of elastic Timoshenko beams interconnected with rigid bodies. This is a generalized approach in which the beams are not coaxial and the centre of mass of each rigid body is placed away from the intersection of their neutral axes. An analytical approach is used by applying the transfer matrix method (TMM), along with the Floquet–Bloch theorem for elastic wave propagation. Subsequent parametric analysis is performed with visualization of resulting band diagrams of a representative structure. These results are verified through comparison with solutions obtained using the finite-element method (FEM). In this manner, a comprehensive dynamical analysis of tailored metastructures is provided. This article is part of the theme issue 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the perpendicular gyroscope, which is formed of two orthogonal beams, a flexural plate and a gyroscope. Two sets of chiral-torsional boundary conditions are derived to analytically model the dynamic effects of the gyroscope while taking into account the broken symmetries of the system. The perpendicular junction causes the coupling of the compressional, flexural and torsional displacements in the system. This complex behaviour is accounted for with a comprehensive set of kinematic and dynamic junction conditions. Modal analysis demonstrates the fully coupled system and reveals how the spinning gyroscope induces dynamic chiral Chladni patterns in the plate. This article is part of the theme issue 'Current developments in elastic and acoustic metamaterials science (Part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music is an important part of life for many people. It can evoke a wide range of emotions, including sadness, happiness, anger, tension, relief and excitement. People with hearing loss and people with cochlear implants have reduced abilities to discriminate some of the features of musical sounds that may be involved in evoking emotions. This paper reviews these changes in perceptual abilities and describes how they affect the perception of emotion in music. For people with acquired partial hearing loss, it appears that the perception of emotion in music is almost normal, whereas congenital partial hearing loss is associated with impaired perception of music emotion. For people with cochlear implants, the ability to discriminate changes in fundamental frequency (associated with perceived pitch) is much worse than normal and musical harmony is hardly perceived. As a result, people with cochlear implants appear to judge emotion in music primarily using tempo and rhythm cues, and this limits the range of emotions that can be judged. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across sensory systems, several stimulus collative characteristics, including intensity, novelty, complexity and perceived dangerousness, are known to elicit high levels of physiological and psychological arousal. It has become apparent that food rejections by both children and adults are frequently linked to such arousal-inducing characteristics. This paper examines how arousal and arousability are important elements in responding to stimuli generally, but specifically to foods, ultimately influencing food preferences and choices. It is clear that responses to sensory properties are subject not just to variations in perceptual sensitivity due to genetics or experience—as in the case of widely rejected qualities such as bitterness or pungency—but also to the arousal potential of those stimuli. Moreover, this is linked to various enduring aspects of personality, suggesting that the impact of arousal on food choices is merely one aspect of a more general sensory sensitivity. The impact of diet on various health outcomes underlines the importance of understanding the relationship of arousal to food choices. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several theories suggest that people differ significantly in their environmental sensitivity, defined as the capacity to perceive and process information about the environment. More sensitive people, who make up between 25% and 30% of the population, are not only more negatively affected by adverse experiences but also benefit disproportionately from positive ones, in line with differential susceptibility theory. Heightened emotional reactivity has been identified as one of the key markers of sensitivity. However, the current understanding of the relationship between sensitivity and the experience and processing of emotions remains limited. In the current paper we propose a new conceptual framework for the multiple ways in which environmental sensitivity may impact on different aspects of the experience and processing of emotions. This includes heightened perception of emotions, increased emotional reactivity, as well as the important role of emotion regulation for the well-being of highly sensitive people. In addition, we also consider rearing experiences in shaping sensitivity and emotion regulation. The reviewed empirical studies largely support the conceptual model but more research is needed to explore the dynamics between sensitivity and emotions further. Finally, we discuss several implications for well-being before making a case for the inclusion of individual differences in environmental sensitivity in affective science. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the size of a layered structure scales down, the adhesive layer thickness correspondingly decreases from macro- to micro-scale. The influence of the material microstructure of the adhesive becomes more pronounced, and possible size effect phenomena can appear. This paper describes the mechanical behaviour of composites made of two solids, bonded together by a thin layer, in the framework of strain gradient and micropolar elasticity. The adhesive layer is assumed to have the same stiffness properties as the adherents. By means of the asymptotic methods, the contact laws are derived at order 0 and order 1. These conditions represent a formal generalization of the hard elastic interface conditions. A simple benchmark equilibrium problem (a three-layer composite micro-bar subjected to an axial load) is developed to numerically assess the asymptotic model. Size effects and non-local phenomena, owing to high strain concentrations at the edges, are highlighted. The example proves the efficiency of the proposed approach in designing micro-scale-layered devices. This article is part of the theme issue 'Non-smooth variational problems with applications in mechanics'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the phenomenon of induced seismicity, which refers to the human-caused generation of tremors and seismic events that alter the state of subsurface stresses. The occurrence of induced seismicity during subsurface technologies, such as shale gas development and renewable energy extraction, can lead to project delays and concerns about safety and environmental impact. The article highlights the need to understand the mechanisms of induced seismicity and develop strategies to minimize its effects. It presents a collection of research papers that explore fluid-induced seismicity in various energy production and storage technologies, offering insights into the interplay between fluid injection, fault behavior, and subsurface structures. The findings contribute to evidence-based policymaking and regulatory processes, supporting the development of sustainable subsurface operations for renewable energy and decarbonization technologies. [Extracted from the article]

The present paper investigates constrained global optimization techniques for computationally expensive black box functions that are globally defined but subject to some a priori unknown taboo regions. This challenge typically arises in healthcare applications, where the goal is to maximize the efficacy of a drug while staying within critical safety limits imposed by an external medical regulator. Motivated by the additional challenge where the constrained global optimum lies along the constraint boundary, we comparatively assess the performance of established optimization methods coupled with different acquisition functions in terms of accuracy and efficiency on the physiological application aforementioned and several benchmark problems representative of the complexity of the physiological application. We find the best method based on an average score computed across all applications. We also propose an ensemble method combining results from individual methods, which vastly outperforms the best average method. Furthermore, our study provides a thorough qualitative analysis of the optimization results, emphasizing the challenges a user may encounter when applying Bayesian optimization on constrained optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce and summarize reviews and research papers by speakers at a discussion meeting on 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on' held at the Royal Society, London, on 20–21 November 2023. The meeting followed earlier discussion meetings marking the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the discovery of long-term potentiation. These new contributions give an overview of current research and controversies in a vibrant branch of neuroscience with important implications for our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many forms of learning and memory and a wide spectrum of neurological and cognitive disorders. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Accounting for the sensory abilities of animals is critical in experimental design.' No researcher would disagree with this statement, yet it is often the case that we inadvertently fall for anthropocentric biases and use ourselves as the reference point. This paper discusses the risks of adopting an anthropocentric view when working with non-human animals, and the unintended consequences this has on our experimental designs and results. To this aim, we provide general examples of anthropocentric bias from different fields of animal research, with a particular focus on animal cognition and behaviour, and lay out the potential consequences of adopting a human-based perspective. Knowledge of the sensory abilities, both in terms of similarities to humans and peculiarities of the investigated species, is crucial to ensure solid conclusions. A more careful consideration of the diverse sensory systems of animals would improve many scientific fields and enhance animal welfare in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancements in biological monitoring have facilitated the study of insect communities at unprecedented spatial scales. The progress allows more comprehensive coverage of the diversity within a given area while minimizing disturbance and reducing the need for extensive human labour. Compared with traditional methods, these novel technologies offer the opportunity to examine biological patterns that were previously beyond our reach. However, to address the pressing scientific inquiries of the future, data must be easily accessible, interoperable and reusable for the global research community. Biodiversity information standards and platforms provide the necessary infrastructure to standardize and share biodiversity data. This paper explores the possibilities and prerequisites of publishing insect data obtained through novel monitoring methods through GBIF, the most comprehensive global biodiversity data infrastructure. We describe the essential components of metadata standards and existing data standards for occurrence data on insects, including data extensions. By addressing the current opportunities, limitations, and future development of GBIF's publishing framework, we hope to encourage researchers to both share data and contribute to the further development of biodiversity data standards and publishing models. Wider commitments to open data initiatives will promote data interoperability and support cross-disciplinary scientific research and key policy indicators. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth, yet our knowledge of their diversity, ecology and population trends remains abysmally poor. Four major technological approaches are coming to fruition for use in insect monitoring and ecological research—molecular methods, computer vision, autonomous acoustic monitoring and radar-based remote sensing—each of which has seen major advances over the past years. Together, they have the potential to revolutionize insect ecology, and to make all-taxa, fine-grained insect monitoring feasible across the globe. So far, advances within and among technologies have largely taken place in isolation, and parallel efforts among projects have led to redundancy and a methodological sprawl; yet, given the commonalities in their goals and approaches, increased collaboration among projects and integration across technologies could provide unprecedented improvements in taxonomic and spatio-temporal resolution and coverage. This theme issue showcases recent developments and state-of-the-art applications of these technologies, and outlines the way forward regarding data processing, cost-effectiveness, meaningful trend analysis, technological integration and open data requirements. Together, these papers set the stage for the future of automated insect monitoring. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation of coherent longitudinal waves in a viscous liquid containing a random distribution of spherical elastic particles is analysed using a model based on multiple scattering theory. This model, initially developed to describe the propagation of coupled longitudinal and transverse elastic waves in isotropic solid materials, takes into account wave conversions at the particle surface as well as positional correlations between particles via the pair correlation function. By modelling a Newtonian viscous liquid through complex frequency-dependent elastic moduli (i.e. using an imaginary shear modulus), the model is adapted to the case of viscous fluids and we show that conversions of longitudinal waves into transverse waves are important to take into account. We present asymptotic results from the model for case of long wavelength for the longitudinal waves, without assumptions on the shear wavelength. For high concentrations, these wave conversions are reinforced by the contribution of position correlations between the particles. In a subsequent paper, we present numerical validation of the asymptotic approximations and compare them with experimental results for solid particles in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an algorithm for the computation of scattering poles for an impenetrable obstacle with Dirichlet or Robin boundary conditions in acoustic scattering. This paper builds upon the previous work of Cakoni et al. (2020) titled 'A duality between scattering poles and transmission eigenvalues in scattering theory' (Cakoni et al. 2020 Proc. A.476, 20200612 (doi:10.1098/rspa.2020.0612)), where the authors developed a conceptually unified approach for characterizing the scattering poles and interior eigenvalues corresponding to a scattering problem. This approach views scattering poles as dual to interior eigenvalues by interchanging the roles of incident and scattered fields. In this framework, both sets are linked to the kernel of the relative scattering operator that maps incident fields to scattered fields. This mapping corresponds to the exterior scattering problem for the interior eigenvalues and the interior scattering problem for scattering poles. Leveraging this dual characterization and inspired by the generalized linear sampling method for computing the interior eigenvalues, we present a novel numerical algorithm for computing scattering poles without relying on an iterative scheme. Preliminary numerical examples showcase the effectiveness of this computational approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the orientational order that arises from the alignment of anisotropic biological cells confined in bounded domains. Especially, it is known that topological defects, where the orientation angles are not well-defined, play an important role in the global pattern formation of cell alignment. Hence, it is important to investigate the relationship between the shape of the region and the location of the defects. The orientational order of cells is theoretically modelled as a harmonic function achieving the minimum elastic energy state of the nematic liquid crystal, and an analytical formula in simply connected domains is given by Miyazako & Nara (Miyazako, Nara 2022 R. Soc. Open Sci. 9, 211663 (doi:10.1098/rsos.211663)). In this paper, we extend this study to construct an analytic formula of cell angle in the doubly connected domains, where topological defects and boundary shapes are represented as the positions of logarithmic singularities and as conformal maps from a given region to a standard annular region, respectively. In addition, using this analytical formula, we propose a numerical algorithm to minimize elastic energy, from which we investigate cell alignment in doubly connected domains with anisotropic quadrilateral boundaries. Our numerical simulations suggest that pairs of topological defects tend to be located around corners of the boundaries, which will be a design principle of the boundary geometry for controlling the defect positions and cell alignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses modelling and numerical issues in the simulation of the Landau-de Gennes (LdG) model of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) with cholesteric effects. We propose a fully implicit, (weighted) L2 gradient flow for computing energy minimizers of the LdG model, and note a time-step restriction for the flow to be energy decreasing. Furthermore, we give a mesh size restriction, for finite-element discretizations, that is critical to avoid spurious numerical artifacts in discrete minimizers, particularly when simulating cholesteric LCs that exhibit 'twist.' Furthermore, we perform a computational exploration of the model and present several numerical simulations in three dimensions, on both slab geometries and spherical shells, with our finite-element method. The simulations are consistent with experiments, illustrate the richness of the cholesteric model, and demonstrate the importance of the mesh size restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ambipolar diffusion approximation is used to model partially ionized plasma dynamics in a single-fluid setting. To correctly apply the commonly used version of ambipolar diffusion, a set of criteria should be satisfied including the requirement that the difference in velocity between charges and neutral species (known as drift velocity) is much smaller than the thermal velocity, otherwise the drift velocity will drive a non-negligible level of further collisions between the two species. In this paper, we explore the consequences of relaxing this assumption. We show that a new induction equation can be formulated without this assumption. This formulation reduces to the ambipolar induction equation in the case the drift velocity is small. In the large drift velocity limit, the feedback of the drift velocity on the collision frequency results in decreased diffusion of the magnetic field compared with the standard ambipolar diffusion approximation for the same parameters. This has a natural consequence of reducing the frictional heating that can occur. Applying this to results from flux emergence simulations where the expansion of the magnetic field leads to strong adiabatic cooling of the partially ionized chromosphere resulted in a noticeable reduction in the magnitude of the predicted drift velocities. This article is part of the theme issue 'Partially ionized plasma of the solar atmosphere: recent advances and future pathways'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent theoretical investigations concerning magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in partially ionized solar plasma. First, we examine the properties of linear MHD waves in a uniform partially ionized plasma and discuss the relevant effects arising from partial ionization. Subsequently, we delve into MHD wave studies in the more intricate settings of the lower solar atmosphere and solar prominences. These investigations involve topics such as MHD waves in magnetic flux tubes, wave excitation, linear and nonlinear mode coupling and wave heating. We outline new challenges that future research should tackle. This article is part of the theme issue 'Partially ionized plasma of the solar atmosphere: recent advances and future pathways'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plasma in cool cores of solar prominences is partially ionized and its ionization degree, in general, depends on the actual kinetic temperature and density of the plasma and the ions considered. However, we demonstrate that under typical prominence conditions, the dominant mechanism contributing to partial ionization is photoionization by radiation diffusing through the plasma. This mechanism strongly depends on the radiation illuminating prominences from the surrounding solar atmosphere. The understanding of the partial ionization of prominence plasma thus requires a complex solution of the non-LTE radiative-transfer problem. In this paper, we discuss the ionization of hydrogen, helium and some other important species. We also demonstrate the role of non-equilibrium ionization. This article is part of the theme issue 'Partially ionized plasma of the solar atmosphere: recent advances and future pathways'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Values play a significant role in decision-making, especially regarding nature. Decisions impact people and nature in complex ways and understanding which values are prioritised, and which are left out is an important task for improving the equity and effectiveness of decision-making. Based on work done for the IPBES Values Assessment, this paper develops a framework to support analyses of how decision-making influences nature as well as whose values get prioritised. The framework is used to analyse key areas of environmental policy: a) the present model for nature protection in market economies, b) the role of valuation in bringing nature values into decisions, and c) values embedded in environmental policy instruments, exemplified by protected areas for nature conservation and payments for ecosystem services. The analyses show that environmental policies have been established as mere additions to decision-making structures that foster economic expansion, which undermines a wide range of nature's values. Moreover, environmental policies themselves are also focused on a limited set of nature's diverse values. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the failure to account for the value of standing tropical forests, and of ecosystem services in general, in economic decision-making. This blindness to the values of nature has led to overexploitation, degradation and destruction of tropical forests, which, in turn, has also significantly contributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Forest conservation and restoration has a critical role to play in the fight against climate change and brings a vast array of additional benefits, from security in water, energy, food, health and livelihoods to maintaining biodiversity itself as a core component of our living planet. As first Minister of Environment and Energy under President Oscar Arias (1986–1990), I brought these views into societal decision-making in Costa Rica and here I briefly describe how. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes the concept of elastic wave propagation in a multi-porous medium with different permeabilities by assuming there are n distinct pore fluid phases. The dynamic equation of motion of elastic wave propagation through this multi-porous medium is derived based on Lagrangian mechanics. In this regard, the generalized form of mass coefficients and then the energy loss due to the fluid phases in terms of dissipation coefficients are presented for low-frequency limits with the help of Darcy's Law of multi-phases system. The elastic coefficients of the constitutive equation in terms of compliance matrix are identified using a series of Gedanken experiments. Some significant results regarding the compressional and rotational waves in a multi-porosity medium are derived. The validation of the theory has been shown by comparing it with the existing theory of single and double porosity. It is observed that there are (n+1) compressional waves corresponding to solid and fluid phases, whereas only one rotational wave is associated with the solid phase. The concept of multi-porosity theory can contribute to a deeper understanding of wave behaviour in a porous medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's biodiversity crisis fundamentally threatens the habitability of the planet, thus ranking among the primary human challenges of our time. Much emphasis is currently placed on the loss of biodiversity in the Anthropocene, yet these debates often portray biodiversity as a purely natural phenomenon without much consideration of its human dimensions and frequently lack long-term vistas. This paper offers a deep-time perspective on the key role of the evolving human niche in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity dynamics. We summarize research on past hunter–gatherer ecosystem contributions and argue that human–environment feedback systems with important biodiversity consequences are probably a recurrent feature of the Late Pleistocene, perhaps with even deeper roots. We update current understandings of the human niche in this light and suggest that the formation of palaeo-synanthropic niches in other animals proffers a powerful model system to investigate recursive interactions of foragers and ecosystems. Archaeology holds important knowledge here and shows that ecosystem contributions vary greatly in relation to different human lifeways, some of which are lost today. We therefore recommend paying more attention to the intricate relationship between biodiversity and cultural diversity, contending that promotion of the former depends on fostering the latter. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Anthropocene, intensifying ecological disturbances pose significant challenges to our predictive capabilities for ecosystem responses. Macroecology—which focuses on emergent statistical patterns in ecological systems—unveils consistent regularities in the organization of biodiversity and ecosystems. These regularities appear in terms of abundance, body size, geographical range, species interaction networks, or the flux of matter and energy. This paper argues for moving beyond qualitative resilience metaphors, such as the 'ball and cup', towards a more quantitative macroecological framework. We suggest a conceptual and theoretical basis for ecological resilience that integrates macroecology with a stochastic diffusion approximation constrained by principles of biological symmetry. This approach provides an alternative novel framework for studying ecological resilience in the Anthropocene. We demonstrate how our framework can effectively quantify the impacts of major disturbances and their extensive ecological ramifications. We further show how biological scaling insights can help quantify the consequences of major disturbances, emphasizing their cascading ecological impacts. The nature of these impacts prompts a re-evaluation of our understanding of resilience. Emphasis on regularities of ecological assemblages can help illuminate resilience dynamics and offer a novel basis to predict and manage the impacts of disturbance in the Anthropocene more efficiently. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new era of lunar exploration has begun with participation of all major space agencies. This activity brings opportunities for revolutionary science experiments and observatories on the Moon. The idea of a lunar gravitational-wave detector was already proposed during the Apollo programme. The key characteristic of the Moon is that it is seismically extremely quiet. It was also pointed out that the permanently shadowed regions at the lunar poles provide ideal conditions for gravitational-wave detection. In recent years, three different detector concepts were proposed with varying levels of technological complexity and science potential. In this paper, we confront the three concepts in terms of their observational capabilities based on a first more detailed modelling of instrumental noise. We identify important technological challenges and potential show-stoppers. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Astronomy from the Moon: the next decades (part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]