STORRE

Odour perception plays a crucial role in various processes, yet the extent to which odour preferences are universal or shaped by cultural and ecological contexts remains debated. While some studies report substantial cross-cultural agreement in odour pleasantness, others highlight considerable variability. To address this question from a novel perspective, we collected data from 394 children and adults (68% children) across four distinct cultures (Hadza, Pakistani, Papuan, and Scottish). Part...

The flux of icebergs is most commonly constrained in the palaeo‐record by manually counting gravel clasts in sediment core X‐ray images—a trusted method in Quaternary science and palaeoceanography for nearly 40 years. In this study, we explore the reproducibility (user consistency and between‐user variability) of the traditional clast‐counting technique, something that has rarely been quantified. A participatory study was undertaken whereby 14 individuals counted gravel clasts (>2 mm) on X‐ra...

Meteorological drought is a major natural hazard in semi-arid regions, where high climate variability and strong dependence on precipitation intensify pressure on water resources and socio-economic systems. This study examined the spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological drought in the Wadi Sly basin (northwestern Algeria) over the period 1967–2022, using long-term monthly precipitation records from seven meteorological stations. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was calculat...

Optimisation problems arise across numerous domains, with metaheuristics being widely adopted due to their flexibility and ease of use. Although the metaheuristic framework is relatively simple, the search process is sufficiently complex that it is effectively a black box. Users are often forced to accept results at face value despite the risks of faulty implementations, non-determinism, and unintended biases. To address these limitations, this research introduces an explainability framewo...