Luciano Moreira

Abstract The popularity of electric scooters (EC) has increased significantly in recent years and understanding the diverse impacts of EC use on health is crucial for ensuring its safe integration in urban mobility. To address this, a systematic review was conducted with the aim of identifying areas, objectives, and results of academic production dedicated to studying the impacts of EC use on health. Articles were sourced from four databases: Inspec, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. 36 articles were analyzed, and relevant information was systematically retrieved, organized, and codified into a structured database. While the increase in accidents and subsequent healthcare burden is acknowledged, further research is needed to determine whether the rise in accidents results from increased recklessness or simply a surge in usage. The potential association with moral panic, fueled by negative media portrayals, underscores the importance of a balanced public discourse and accurate representation of ECs. The predominant focus of studies on accidents indicates a gap in a holistic understanding of the impacts of EC use on health. Future research and policy considerations should strive to strike a balance between fostering the benefits and challenges of EC use, ensuring the development of sustainable and safe micromobility solutions. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Abstract In a societal context where chemistry is often perceived negatively, it is essential to promote educational approaches that foster meaningful and engaging learning experiences from an early age. This study aimed to explore how the integration of storytelling and hands-on activities can contribute to primary school children's engagement and understanding of scientific concepts, leading to a more meaningful chemistry learning. The research was conducted in four primary schools in the northern region of Portugal, involving 237 third- and fourth-grade students in non-formal educational initiatives. A qualitative methodology was employed, based on the analysis of students' laboratory notebooks. The intervention consisted of a dramatized story from the book Hist & oacute;rias com Qu & iacute;mica [Stories with Chemistry], followed by three water-based hands-on activities addressing key chemical concepts: acid-base reactions, supersaturated solutions, and redox processes. Children's responses were analysed using framework theory, which enabled the categorization of their conceptual development. The findings showed that students' responses progressed from simple sensory observations and intuitive explanations to the construction of basic scientific models. High levels of participation, engagement, and enthusiasm were observed throughout the activities. These results suggest that combining storytelling with hands-on experimentation represents a promising pedagogical strategy for introducing chemistry concepts in early education and promoting a more positive and accessible image of this science.

Abstract Before recent AI applications gained momentum, AI was hardly a topic of general interest and remained confined either to engineering laboratories or to fiction. Utopian and science-fiction works offer a vast field of inquiry that allows us to understand how artificial intelligence has long been constructed—even before John McCarthy coined the term in 1956, Alan Turing wrote about computing and intelligence in 1950, or Vannevar Bush published his essay As We May Think in 1945. In this chapter, we explore the production and appropriation of fictional accounts of AI by different natural groups (writers, aficionados, scholars, and ordinary readers) from a social representations perspective. Our analysis draws on metadata from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database, Utopian Literature in English (a database curated by Lyman Tower Sargent), the Fiction Bridges Science 21 database, and readers’ reviews on the Goodreads platform. By applying digital humanities approaches to different layers of reception, we move beyond the idiosyncratic contributions of individual authors. We hope this study opens the way to analyzing literary works from a social representations perspective—an approach that is critical not only to understanding commonsense knowledge about AI but also to examining the cultural material that ultimately feeds AI itself. © 2027 Lilian Negura.

Abstract During the Decade of Ocean Science, oceans and the deep sea have gained attention for their vital ecological roles, prompting increased scientific investment. However, this growing body of research has not effectively reached the public, especially regarding deep-sea ecosystems. Public perception studies are limited, particularly those focused on the deep sea. This article compares findings from a U.S. study with previous research in Portugal on social representations of the deep sea. A total of 521 U.S. participants completed tasks assessing representations, perceptions, and attitudes. Results mirror the Portuguese study, revealing vague and conflicting representations. Both populations use contrasting terms (known vs. unknown, literal vs. abstract) to describe the deep sea. Despite cultural differences, similar results emerge: the deep sea is linked to education, science, and climate, while perceived threats reflect current concerns. Attitudes are generally positive toward preservation, economic use, and scientific exploration, contrasting earlier findings that showed skepticism toward economic exploitation. This study highlights the value of cross-cultural comparisons in understanding public views on complex environmental topics and supports the need for tailored communication strategies.

Abstract <jats:p>In 2019, a new infectious disease named COVID-19 emerged. Education went through a forced transition from face-to-face education to emergency remote education with limited time and resources. The meanings and impacts of this process on education and its stakeholders have not yet been systematised and discussed. A critical digital humanities perspective is urgently needed. This study aims to fill this gap by conducting a scoping review of 60 articles indexed on Scopus and/or Web of Science that addressed emergency remote education and analysing the results from the perspective of the digital humanities. The main findings, methodologies, and limitations of these studies were identified, organised, and systematised. Results indicate that emergency remote education was conducted by replicating face-to-face strategies, and digital affordances that could potentially be utilised to improve the overall experience were neglected. Despite claims of the opportunities that technologies offer for education, integrating them in a meaningful way is challenging: stakeholders attempted to reproduce the familiar, material educational world in digital media. At the same time, issues of digital equality and literacy continue to affect the education arena. The relevance of this research lies in systematising new evidence that should feed discussion regarding the need to bring a humanist view to the digital sphere, a challenge that digital humanities can only meet if they overcome technological and social deterministic approaches.</jats:p>