Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are currently promoted as a panacea for improving human-nature relations. Yet the way of amplifying and mainstreaming NbS beyond scientific demonstrator projects into policy contexts is still bearing shortcomings, in particular in the uncertain futures of a post-COVID-19 world. Successful NbS amplification may be achieved by (1) using multi-scalar action to balance dif

Why, in the midst of the global Coronavirus pandemic, do so many people seem resistant to the recommendations of established medical experts? In this chapter, I explore possible structural causes of this resistance in the U.S. context. I argue that in the “post-truth” era, attempts to encourage people to wear face masks and get vaccinated confront challenges pertaining to how scientific knowledge

This dissertation analyzes and evaluates several major productions by Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855). It focuses on three works Kierkegaard authored under pseudonyms – Either / Or (1843), Fear and Trembling (1843), and Philosophical Fragments (1844) – and the non-pseudonymously authored Works of Love (1847). The dissertation argues that for Kierkegaard, Christian f

In this study, we demonstrate an acoustofluidic device that enables single-file focusing of submicron particles and bacteria using a two-dimensional (2D) acoustic standing wave. The device consists of a 100 μm × 100 μm square channel that supports 2D particle focusing in the channel center at an actuation frequency of 7.39 MHz. This higher actuation frequency compared with conventional bulk acoust

The clinical utility of microfluidic techniques is often hampered by an unsatisfying sample throughput. Here, the effect of inertial forces on acoustofluidic particle sorting at high sample throughputs is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Polystyrene particles are acoustically prefocused to obtain precise trajectories. At increased flow rates it is observed that the particle stream is

While the association between economic freedom and long-term economic growth has been well documented, the parallel research literature on the distributional consequences of economic freedom is full of conflicting findings. In this paper, we take a step toward reconciling these two bodies of literature by exploring the within-quintile growth consequences of changes in three separate elements of ec

In this 20-year anniversary editorial of ephemera, we discuss independent publishing by situating it in a changing academic landscape – one scarred by despair but also leavened by hope. Twenty years ago, the goal of publishing an open access peer-reviewed journal was a radical political gesture in itself. Today, the model of open access publishing has been appropriated, hollowed out, and commodifi

This issue celebrates 20 years of ephemera. We, the editorial collective, feel this anniversary provides the opportunity to debate the pasts, presents and futures of critical publishing. Today, most academic journals are owned by commercial publishing houses and organized according to journal rankings and impact factors. Yet ephemera remains stubbornly independent of these global capitalist forces

The plastic industry is dependent on fossil fuels in various ways that result in strong “carbon lock-in” throughout the value chain and large and growing CO2 emissions. The industry must decarbonize to reach global net-zero pledges. Although a few initiatives have been launched, they primarily focus on plastic waste. Current research has investigated mitigation potential on different parts of the

To the best of our knowledge, "sweet mini bell" peppers have not been extensively investigated. In this study, we evaluated the bioaccessible phenolic compounds released during intestinal digestion and identified and quantified the microbial metabolites derived from phenolic compounds bioconversion during the in vitro colonic fermentation. A total of 66 phenolic compounds were determined. The resu

Seventy five percent of the world's food crops benefit from insect pollination. Hence, there has been increased interest in how global change drivers impact this critical ecosystem service. Because standardized data on crop pollination are rarely available, we are limited in our capacity to understand the variation in pollination benefits to crop yield, as well as to anticipate changes in this ser

An ambient pressure cell is described for conducting synchrotron-based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements during atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. The instrument is capable of true in situ and operando experiments in which it is possible to directly obtain elemental and chemical information from the sample surface using XPS as the deposition process is ongoing. The setup is

Borders have gone far beyond their traditional static function of merely demarcating nation-states. Alongside physical border barriers, such as walls and barbwire fences, new technologies driven by sophisticated legal innovations have contributed to the multiplicity of border controls. These legal techniques have turned the border into an individualised moving barrier, conceptualized as a “shiftin