fix tests failing due to old environments

[timecode]

Proposed changes

Fixes tests failing due to old environments, specifically the macos-13 runner which has now been retired in github workflows. Python 3.8 and 3.9 are now end of life and may also be removed from the test suite to preserve completion time. Python 3.14 may also now be added to the suite.

Types of changes

• Bugfix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
• New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to not work as expected)
• Documentation Update

Checklist

• Lint and unit tests pass locally with my changes (if applicable)
• I have run pre-commit (pre-commit in the repo)
• I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my feature works
• I have added necessary documentation (if appropriate)
• Linked to the relevant github issue or github discussion

Further comments

These changes are based on updates made to my fork, which I believe would enhance the original repository. ❤️