Our planet’s ecology and society are on a collision course, which manifests due to a contradiction in the assumptions of unlimited material growth fueling the linear economic paradigm. Our closed planetary ecosystem imposes confined amounts of space and a finite extent of resources upon its inhabitants. …

Anthocyanins do not have a toxic effect, they are safe for humans, and they are of interest as natural dyes. They are used in the food industry, cosmetics, perfumery and medicine. Nowadays, the question of the use of anthocyanins in solar cells is being widely considered. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) …

In light of recent developments of the onboard ballast water treatment, WMR has developed a new protocol for the assessment of ecotoxicological effects and aims to use it as a standardised test. This study looks into the validation of this short-chronic ELS fish toxicity test, by use of the embryonic …

Climate change accentuates heat waves in The Netherlands. This, in combination with high nutrient concentrations in Dutch surface waters, is intensifying the proliferation of toxic blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), a threat for the health of the population and ecosystems. Lakes are resources for recreational …

Sadness is now a design problem. The highs and lows of melancholy are coded into social media platforms. After all the clicking, browsing, swiping and liking, all we are left with is the flat and empty aftermath of time lost to the app. Sad by Design offers a critical analysis of the growing social media …

Water pollution by arsenic (As) is a problem in many areas of the world for both ecology and humans. To remove arsenic from surface water an environmental-friendly method called phytoremediation could be used. This method includes the usage of plants to accumulate toxins from any environmental soil, …

Cyanobacterial blooms can be toxic to humans swimming in affected waters. According to the European Bathing Water Directive bathing waters should be closed during cyanobacterial blooms. In the Netherlands, cyanobacteria monitoring in all official bathing water locations is usually performed every two …

Relatively new products which are mostly marketed by online communities and online influencers as healthy or having therapeutic effects are being sold across Europe and United States, online or local drugstores, without ensuring that these products go through any quality analysis. This introduces a threat …

Daily life is greatly influenced by fossil fuels. New technological inventions and the reduction of the ice coverage due to climate change makes it possible for humans to be present and undertake activities, such as gathering oil in previously inaccessible areas like the North Pole (Sagerup, Nahrgang, …

Exploring the politics of networks through and beyond social media Organized networks are an alternative to the social media logic of weak links and their secretive economy of data mining. They put an end to freestyle friends, seeking forms of empowerment beyond the brief moment of joyful networking. …