This paper explores how creativity emerges within generative AI (GenAI) learning environments through the Digital Maieutic Project, a higher education initiative integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles with GenAI and a dialogic chatbot called Socrates, to cultivate creative, adaptive and inclusive learning environments. Drawing on sociomateriality, dialogic pedagogy and wisdom traditions, we explore creativity as a relational, emergent practice. Through thematic analysis of student experiences and project team reflexivity, we identify three interrelated dynamics of relational creativity: generative tension, ethical discernment and shared inquiry. We also explore disorientation as a threshold for learning transformation, arguing for pedagogical practices that attend to complexity, ambiguity and relational integrity.
The integration of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) with the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) plays a significant role in ensuring safe and efficient traffic management. However, communication signals may encounter natural or artificial obstacles that result in uncovered road segments, where connectivity is lost. Even minor collisions in these unprotected areas can escalate into major incidents or traffic bottlenecks, especially when vehicles are traveling at high speeds on highways. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly inform the ITS of any adverse events occurring in these unnoticed areas. The importance of Store-Carry-Forward (SCF) techniques increases in such scenarios when uncovered patches exist and intervehicle distances exceed the communication range. Store-Carry-Forward (SCF) is a technique where vehicles temporarily store data and forward it when a connection is available. To address improved coverage and reduced latency using SCF, we propose a beacon-based Store-Carry-Forward Scheme to Deliver Emergency Messages via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) Communication for Highways (SCF-EMD). The proposed method aims to minimize congestion and delays in disseminating information about adverse events. It involves selecting high-mobility vehicles to travel across both covered and uncovered highway segments. The scheme integrates V2V and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication to ensure rapid delivery of emergency alerts to ITS. SCF-EMD demonstrated significant improvements over existing schemes in Network Simulator (NS-3) , achieving over 10% , 16% and 5% gains in information coverage, end-to-end delay, and packet delivery ratio (PDR), respectively.
Deep geological disposal repositories are regarded as the most effective and feasible solution for nuclear waste disposal. During the long-term storage process, the surrounding rock in the repository is exposed to high temperatures and hydrochemical environment of varying pH. To study the combined deterioration effect of high temperature and chemical corrosion on the mechanical properties of the surrounding rock of the disposal repository, this paper investigated the physical and mechanical properties of granite after high-temperature damage and chemical salt solutions treatment through uniaxial compression and AE experiments. A statistical damage constitutive model considering the combined initial damage due to heat and chemical effects and micro-element fracture damage during loading was established. At the same time, AE energy was introduced to characterize the damage degree. The results show that high temperature and the action of chemical salt solutions lead to a significant decrease in the quality and wave velocity of granite, as well as a reduction in the crystallinity of the minerals and a tendency for the crystalline structure to become looser. This results in a weakening of the brittle characteristics in the macroscopic mechanical properties of granite. High temperatures and chemical salt solutions reduce the compressive strength and elastic modulus of granite. 400 °C is the threshold for the effect of temperature. When the temperature effect exceeds 400 °C, the compressive strength of the rock drops sharply, and the rock failure changes from brittle deformation to plastic deformation. The established damage constitutive model can effectively describe the failure process of granite under axial loading after thermal-chemical damage. The theoretical stress–strain curve of the model is in good agreement with the experimental curve in terms of the trend, which verifies the validity and applicability of the model.
This article explores the use of generative AI (GenAI) in policy analysis as it is conducted by think tank researchers in the United Kingdom. Think tanks focus their policy analysis activities on the three dimensions of problem recognition and definition, the development of policy ideas, and the influencing of the public, politicians and public servants. These three dimensions form the framework for analysis of survey and interview data. For the survey, 554 individuals, identified as think tank ‘policy analysts’ or ‘policy researchers’, from 94 UK-based think tanks were invited to take part. Eight in-depth interviews with individuals from this group were conducted as well. The data suggest that for UK think tank analysts, GenAI currently plays a rather insignificant role in policy analysis. GenAI is used only in limited ways to help with menial tasks and for dissemination and publication whilst ideation and policy formulation are still ‘done’ by humans, with only some support from GenAI. It appears also that think tank analysts are aware of the risks of GenAI whilst they understand and embrace its current opportunities. But there is some concern about the lack of concrete policies that govern the use of GenAI at think tanks. The biggest concern, however, revolves around how GenAI could reduce the quality of policy analysis and therefore the quality of policy proposals if used inappropriately.
The unprecedented carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere, followed by a global surface temperature increase above pre-industrial levels during 2011–2020, of about 1.1°C (over land 1.59°C), have put an urgency on the UN goal of attaining net zero emissions by 2050. Until the transition to clean energy sources is attained, carbon dioxide capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) remain a near-term, high-priority mitigation measure to control carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel-based processes. The present article contributes to the topic of CCUS by assessing, initially, the maturity for industrial-level application of current carbon dioxide capture technologies. Subsequently, the advantages and limitations of geoenvironmental applications of carbon dioxide in the neutralisation of industrial by-products are detailed, as well as the use of carbon dioxide as a working fluid for geothermal heat extraction from abandoned oil and gas wells. The challenges of subsurface formation characteristics for the storage of carbon dioxide, with emphasis on geomechanical behaviour, are discussed. Injection of carbon dioxide into hydrate sediments constitutes another carbon dioxide storage option that can also allow the use of methane as an energy source. Finally, the paper analyses the liability issues of carbon storage projects and the challenge of assessing long-term risks to provide insurance coverage to them.
