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A country’s financial development and technological advancement are key drivers of economic progress, which in turn impact environmental conditions. Although prior research has extensively investigated the individual roles of financial development and technological advancement in shaping environmental outcomes, their joint implications for environmental quality have received comparatively limited scholarly attention. This study seeks to bridge this gap by empirically analysing the moderating role of financial development in the relationship between technological advancement and environmental outcomes, considering both overall technological advancement and environmentally oriented technological progress. The econometric strategy employed in this study is the autoregressive distributed lag method, using data from 1980 to 2021 for Australia. The findings indicate that although financial development exacerbates environmental degradation, both overall technological advancement and environmentally related technological progress exert a favourable influence on environmental quality. The combined effect reveals that financial development moderates overall technological advancement in the short run, thereby enhancing environmental quality, although its moderating role becomes negligible in the long run. However, financial development moderates the relationship between environmentally oriented technological advancement and environmental quality in both the short run and long run, yielding consistently positive environmental outcomes. Additionally, the adverse environmental consequences of economic growth and energy consumption warrant careful consideration, as both contribute to environmental degradation. These findings offer valuable implications for policymakers, underscoring the need to align financial development with technological progress to achieve environmental sustainability objectives while also providing a potential policy model for other advanced economies.

Researchers have long attempted to follow animals as they move through their environment. Until relatively recently, however, such efforts were limited to short distances and times in species large enough to carry large batteries and transmitters. New technologies have opened up new frontiers in animal tracking remote data collection. Hussey et al. review the unique directions such efforts have taken for marine systems, while Kays et al. review recent advances for terrestrial species. We have entered a new era of animal ecology, where animals act as both subjects and samplers of their environments. Science , this issue 10.1126/science.1255642 , 10.1126/science.aaa2478 The distribution and interactions of aquatic organisms across space and time structure our marine, freshwater, and estuarine ecosystems. Over the past decade, technological advances in telemetry have transformed our ability to observe aquatic animal behavior and movement. These advances are now providing unprecedented ecological insights by connecting animal movements with measures of their physiology and environment. These developments are revolutionizing the scope and scale of questions that can be asked about the causes and consequences of movement and are redefining how we view and manage individuals, populations, and entire ecosystems. The next advance in aquatic telemetry will be the development of a global collaborative effort to facilitate infrastructure and data sharing and management over scales not previously possible.

Technology plays a pivotal role in shaping cultural identities and practices across the globe. This paper explores the complex relationship between technology and cultural transformation, recognizing both its opportunities and challenges in diverse cultural contexts. We employ key theoretical frameworks, including cultural diffusion, technological determinism and the digital divide, to examine how technological advancements contribute to cultural development. Our findings reveal that technology acts as a catalyst for cultural exchange, innovation and adaptation, enabling unprecedented global communication and the exchange of ideas. For example, the rapid spread of the internet and mobile technologies has facilitated cross-cultural interactions, leading to the blending of cultural values and practices on a global scale. However, the research also highlights the challenges posed by technology, such as the digital divide, which exacerbates inequalities in access to digital resources, and the risk of cultural homogenization, where dominant global cultures overshadow local identities. This study underscores the dual nature of technological influence: while it fosters cultural enrichment and connectivity, it also poses risks to cultural diversity and equity. By analyzing empirical case studies, we show how these dynamics unfold in real-world contexts. Ultimately, this paper advocates for inclusive, mindful approaches to technological integration that respect and preserve cultural diversity. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, educators and technologists, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive strategies to ensure that technological progress enhances, rather than erodes, cultural heritage in the digital age.

The commitment to increase the inclusion of students with disabilities has ensured that the concept of Assistive Technology (AT) has become increasingly widespread in education. The main objective of this paper focuses on conducting a systematic review of studies regarding the impact of Assistive Technology for the inclusion of students with disabilities. In order to achieve the above, a review of relevant empirical studies published between 2009 and 2020 in four databases (Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, ERIC and PsycINFO) was carried out. The sample consists of 31 articles that met the inclusion criteria of this review, out of a total of 216 identified. Findings of this study include that the use of Assistive Technologies is successful in increasing the inclusion and accessibility of students with disabilities, although barriers such as teacher education, lack of information or accessibility are found.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize research by automating data analysis, generating new insights, and supporting the discovery of new knowledge. The top 10 contribution areas of AI towards public health were gathered in this exploratory study. We utilized the “text-davinci-003” model of GPT-3, using OpenAI playground default parameters. The model was trained with the largest training dataset any AI had, limited to a cut-off date in 2021. This study aimed to test the ability of GPT-3 to advance public health and to explore the feasibility of using AI as a scientific co-author. We asked the AI asked for structured input, including scientific quotations, and reviewed responses for plausibility. We found that GPT-3 was able to assemble, summarize, and generate plausible text blocks relevant for public health concerns, elucidating valuable areas of application for itself. However, most quotations were purely invented by GPT-3 and thus invalid. Our research showed that AI can contribute to public health research as a team member. According to authorship guidelines, the AI was ultimately not listed as a co-author, as it would be done with a human researcher. We conclude that good scientific practice also needs to be followed for AI contributions, and a broad scientific discourse on AI contributions is needed.

The escalation of regulatory obligations in order to reshape and implement eco-friendly operations make it essential for firms to execute the related strategies and enhance their position in a competitive market. Scholars and practitioners, thereby, have aligned their search in the area of sustainability to get to know regarding activities that might improve the outcomes of business practices. To contribute in a particular area, the study attempts to explore the critical role of knowledge management, technological advancement, and green supply chain (SC) management on SBP in the presence of a moderator-leadership. China is used as a study sample, and the study model was evaluated through structural equation modelling. Statistical findings indicate that knowledge management, technological advancement, and green SC management have a positive influence on SBP in China. The findings reveal that leadership support significantly moderates knowledge management, technological advancement, green SC management, and SBP in China. These outcomes guide regulators in making regulations related to sustainable performance using the best practice of SC, technology advancement, and knowledge management.

This paper examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address societal megatrends, with a specific focus on OpenAI’s Generative Pre-Trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3). To do this, we conducted an analysis using GPT-3 in order to explore the benefits of AI for digitalization, urbanization, globalization, climate change, automation and mobility, global health issues, and the aging population. We also looked at emerging markets as well as sustainability in this study. Interaction with GPT-3 was conducted solely through prompt questions, and generated responses were analyzed. Our results indicate that AI can significantly improve our understanding of these megatrends by providing insights into how they develop over time and which solutions could be implemented. Further research is needed to determine how effective AI will be in addressing them successfully, but initial findings are encouraging. Our discussion focuses on the implications of our findings for society going forward and suggests that further investigation should be conducted into how best to utilize new technologies such as GPT-3 when tackling these challenges. Lastly, we conclude that, while there is still much work left to do before any tangible effects can be seen from utilizing AI tools such as GPT-3 on societal megatrends, early indications suggest it may have a positive impact if used correctly.

Purpose This paper aims to address the relevance and impact of the fourth industrial revolution through a theoretical and practical perspective. The authors present both the results of a literature review, highlighting the new competences required in innovative workplaces and a pivotal case, which explores challenges and skill models diffused in industry 4.0, describing the role of proper organizational learning processes in shaping new work cultures. Design/methodology/approach The paper aims to enhance the discussion around the 4.0 industrial revolution addressing both a theoretical framework, valorizing the existing scientific contributes and the situated knowledge, embedded in a concrete organizational context in which the fourth industrial revolution is experienced and practiced. Findings The findings acquired through the case study endorse what the scientific literature highlights about the impact, the new competences and the organizational learning paths. The conclusions address the agile approach to work as the more suitable way to place humans at the center of technological progress. Research limitations/implications The paper explores a specific organizational context, related to a high-tech multinational company, whose results illustrate the empirical evidence sustaining transformations in the working, professional and organizational cultures necessary to face the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution. The research was conducted with the managers of an international company and this a specific and limited target, even though relevant and interesting. Practical implications The paper connects the case with the general scenario, this study currently faces, to suggest hints and coordinates for crossing the unfolding situation and finding suitable matching between technological evolution and the development of new work and professional cultures and competences. Social implications Due to the acceleration that the COVID-19 has impressed to the use of digital technologies and remote connexion, the paper highlights some ambivalences that the quick evolution of the new technologies entails in relation to work and social conditions. Originality/value The opportunity to match both a literature analysis and an in-depth situated case study enhances the possibility to achieve a more articulated and complex view of the viral changes generated in the current context by the digitalization process.

Agricultural productivity in China is a fundamental driver of food security and economic growth. Yet, the sector faces profound challenges due to environmental degradation and climate change, which threaten sustainable agricultural practices. This research examines the effects of technological innovations on agricultural Total Factor Productivity and environmental sustainability in China from 2012 to 2022. The study seeks to understand how technological advancements, when considered alongside socioeconomic variables, impact agricultural output while balancing ecological integrity. Employing a comprehensive methodological framework, this research integrates fixed-effects, random-effects, and multilevel mixed-effects models to analyze crucial factors including rural education, technological capability, and environmental conservation initiatives. The study further utilizes structural equation modeling to evaluate both the direct and indirect effects of these determinants on productivity. The results demonstrate that technological innovations substantially enhance agricultural productivity, particularly in provinces with higher socioeconomic development. Additionally, sustainable farming practices and tailored policy interventions are identified as vital in addressing regional productivity imbalances. The research concludes by underscoring the necessity for the continued integration of environmental considerations and emerging technologies to ensure the sustainability of agricultural growth in the long term.

The rapid advancements in online education have pointed to a new open learning approach using Open Educational Resources (OER). In this approach, educators and learners can freely access or redistribute educational resources that have been released online in the public domain under an open licence. Whereas this approach looks appealing in reducing learning costs, as well as in enhancing learning quality and facilitating knowledge sharing, several challenges might hinder the adoption of OER, such as locating and selecting the most appropriate resources among the thousands that are published and that are available online, and trusting them. This paper elaborates on those challenges and suggests an emerging technologies-based perspective for addressing the efficient inclusion of OER. To this end, this paper discusses how the integration of emerging yet essential technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain, with big learning data and educational data mining algorithms could have a profound impact on enhancing OER-based learning and teaching. The dynamics of incorporating these technologies to solve several OER challenges are demonstrated through numerous examples, and the potential limitations are also discussed. The paper concludes with visions of the future, possible research challenges and directions.