Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as one of the most valuable non-invasive technologies in forensic science, enabling subsurface imaging in investigations involving clandestine graves, missing persons recovery, concealed evidence, and mass fatality incidents. The technique transmits short electromagnetic pulses into the ground and records the reflected energy generated by contrasts in dielectric properties between subsurface materials. These reflections allow forensic practitioners to delineate buried anomalies with centimetre-scale accuracy while preserving the integrity of the crime scene. This review documents the evolution of GPR from its earliest forensic applications through to current state-of-the-art systems, focusing on core methodologies, data acquisition and processing protocols, and integrated approaches combining electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), LiDAR, and artificial intelligence. Case studies drawn from diverse settings, including volcanic caves, urban environments, ice-covered water bodies, and tropical forests, demonstrate both the operational versatility of GPR and the contextual limitations that practitioners must recognise. Signal attenuation in high-moisture soils, interpretive ambiguity in heterogeneous environments, and inconsistent operator training remain the principal constraints on GPR performance. These challenges highlight the need for standardised protocols, certified training, and evidence-based deployment criteria. Emerging technologies, including drone-mounted GPR arrays, convolutional neural network-based radargram interpretation, and three-dimensional (3D) subsurface reconstruction, are expected to improve detection precision, reduce field time, and extend operational capability in challenging forensic scenarios. By critically evaluating the published literature and identifying research priorities, this review demonstrates that GPR is not merely a useful adjunct but an increasingly indispensable tool in modern forensic investigations, with the potential to support ethical, time-efficient, and scientifically defensible recovery operations.
To realize high-value synergistic utilization of the three major solid wastes from thermal power generation (fly ash-FA, coal-fired slag-CS, desulfurization gypsum-DG), a Box-Behnken response surface model was established with CS, DG, and cement as factors and FA as the matrix. Unlike existing research focusing on single or binary solid waste composites, this study systematically optimized the synergistic blending ratios of the three wastes without additional activation. The 7d/28d strength models showed significant statistical validity (R2 = 0.9918/0.9979, p < 0.001). The optimal mix ratio (CS 21.38%, DG 10.96%, cement 16.15%, FA 51.51%) achieved 7d strength of 13.60 MPa and 28d strength of 19.07 MPa, with a model deviation rate below 2%. The statistical model results are deeply correlated with the mechanisms of hydration and microstructural evolution: cement and DG drive early-stage hydration reactions to form rapid-strength products, while CS continuously generates hydration gel through slow pozzolanic reactions to develop late-stage strength. XRD/SEM analysis confirmed significant formation of calcium-aluminum-silicate hydrate (C-(A)-S-H), calcium hydroxide (CH), and ettringite (AFt), verifying full activation of pozzolanic substances in FA and CS. This study innovatively overcomes bottlenecks in the simultaneous high-value utilization of three thermal wastes, providing a scientific pathway for optimizing cementitious materials from multi-source solid wastes.
In an increasingly digitalized society, successful aging requires effective social adaptation through Internet engagement, yet empirical evidence on how specific online behaviors affect older adults’ adaptation remains limited. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examines the associations between four Internet use types—informational, social, instrumental, and recreational—and social adaptation, and their mediating roles between psychosocial antecedents (Internet control beliefs and involvement) and adaptation outcomes. Using data from 388 Chinese older adults (aged 60–83), structural equation modeling revealed that only instrumental and recreational use showed significant positive associations with social adaptation, whereas informational and social use showed no substantial effects. Internet control beliefs and involvement predicted all four usage types, with their effects on adaptation fully mediated by instrumental and recreational activities. By elucidating these domain-specific pathways, the findings refine the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to digital engagement in aging populations. Accordingly, interventions aimed at enhancing digital inclusion and adaptive aging may benefit from promoting instrumental and recreational Internet use while supporting older adults’ perceived control and active involvement in the digital environment.
Wearable devices play a crucial role in real-time health monitoring by continuously tracking important physiological indicators such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature. This not only helps achieve personalized health management but also enables early disease warning. However, traditional rigid power sources (such as lithium-ion batteries) are difficult to adapt to the dynamic deformations of wearable devices in use, such as bending and stretching, and also pose certain safety risks. Therefore, developing flexible energy storage systems that combine high safety, good mechanical flexibility, and high energy density has become an important research direction. Flexible zinc-ion batteries are regarded as a promising solution due to their use of non-flammable aqueous electrolytes, abundant resources, low cost, and good mechanical adaptability. This article systematically reviews the latest progress of flexible zinc-ion batteries, covering key components (electrodes, electrolytes, packaging), device structure design, integration solutions with wearable sensors, and their applications in scenarios such as electrocardiogram monitoring, body temperature tracking, and motion monitoring. The article also explores the current challenges that still exist in terms of energy density, cycle life, mechanical-electrochemical stability, and biocompatibility. Finally, the development directions of future practical applications were prospected, with a focus on innovative material design, structural optimization, intelligent system integration, and the promotion of related standardization.
Groundwater availability has been a growing problem in the state of Kansas, where the High Plains aquifer (HPA) has been declining. Simultaneously, the Sunflower State is moving toward wind energy, investing in red meat production, and eyeing a proposal for the Kansas Aqueduct (a tremendous water transfer from eastern to semiarid western Kansas, a region with a distinct vulnerability to drought that overlies the HPA). What do Kansans think about these changes in their environment and infrastructure? Using a survey of the state’s residents (n = 864), we find that owning a private water well is a significant predictor of opposition to the colossal aqueduct, while living above the HPA predicts support for the water transfer. Well owners and women oppose the construction of coal-fired power plants, oil pipelines, hydraulic fracturing, and large corporate feedlots, while politically conservative ideologies predict support. Furthermore, well owners and women are nearly twice as likely to disapprove of fracking; conservatives have lower odds of fracking opposition. The Just Transition in Kansas is not only a question of how water, agribusiness, and wind and nuclear energy are developed, but also residents’ perceptions of these projects.
