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Consuming the Promise of Salvation: The Construction of an Ideal Life by Mary Kay Cosmetics and goop
No full textBuilding on existing scholarship about religion in popular culture and its relationship to capitalism, this study examines the connection of modern wellness and beauty brands to spiritual wellbeing through material manifestations of the body as a place for improvement in American society. In doing so, the paper examines spiritualized consumption as a way of alleviating women’s anxieties and helping them approach salvation, tracing its roots to Evangelical and Calvinist movements. While from Evangelicalism comes the idea of grace and salvation being available to all, from Calvinism comes a societal anxiety arising from the doctrine of predestination that modern individuals seek to placate. This project interrogates this intersection of religion, capitalism, and femininity through two case studies. Mary Kay Cosmetics, the evangelical makeup brand, exemplifies how the ideas of grace and salvation for all manifest themselves in specific prescriptive performances of femininity and consumption as a way of achieving a personal relationship with God, or a life of abundant happiness. While Mary Kay Cosmetics demonstrates evangelical qualities in its framing of spiritual consumption, goop, the Gwyneth Paltrow lifestyle brand, demonstrates qualities arising from Calvinism. Goop started as a newsletter before growing and morphing into a lifestyle brand ubiquitous with holistic wellness. Moreover, it responds to American women’s anxieties about belonging and salvation, as the company’s marketing strategies present women with a life of aspiration, as they can buy pieces of Paltrow’s perfect holistic lifestyle, but can never reach the pinnacle of wellness. It is through the consumption of their products imbued with spiritual meaning that Mary Kay and goop enable women to quell anxieties, approach salvation, and find a degree of meaning in this spiritualized economy
The Spread and Acceptance of Misinformation: Why is it so Easy to Believe And Share Fake News?
No full textMisinformation has become a pervasive issue on social media, where false or misleading content spreads rapidly due to psychological and technological mechanisms that drive engagement. This literature review examines the spread and acceptance of misinformation through three key processes: validation, emotions, and reinforcement through likes and shares. Validation through social influence explains why individuals are more likely to accept misinformation when it aligns with their pre-existing beliefs and is reinforced by group consensus (Rubin, 2022; Talwar et al., 2019). Social media algorithms create echo chambers, amplifying ideologically congruent content and reinforcing belief in false narratives (Shringare et al., 2024). Emotional arousal, particularly from high-intensity emotions such as anger and fear, increases susceptibility to misinformation by overriding analytical thinking (Zollo et al., 2015; Martel et al., 2020). Misinformation designed to provoke strong emotional responses spreads more widely than neutral or fact-based content, as demonstrated by studies on emotional contagion and impulsive sharing (Horner et al., 2021; Beauvais, 2022). Lastly, social validation through engagement metrics (likes, shares, and comments) reinforces the credibility and visibility of misinformation, creating feedback loops where popular misinformation is perceived as trustworthy (Jones et al., 2023; Traberg et al., 2024). This review highlights the intersection of psychological, social, and technological factors in misinformation dynamics. Understanding these mechanisms provides insight into why misinformation is easily believed and shared and offers potential strategies for mitigating its influence on social media platforms
Mass Hysteria: A New Case?
No full textThis paper explores mass hysteria in the attempt to answer the question: is the recent increase in the development of tic-like behavior, similar to Tourette’s Syndrome, in the context of social media a new case of mass hysteria? In order to answer the research question, this paper provides a literature review on both historical and more recent studies about mass hysteria which found women are more affected than men, age is not a factor, and individual conditions such as mental health may play a role in development but due to effect sizes are not significant. A look is then taking into account the effect it has on a community showcasing an increased use of resources and a decrease in trustworthiness. A case of possible mass motor hysteria that looks to be spreading on social media is evaluated to not have inclusive evidence and alternate explanations of Munchausen, malingering, and conversion disorder are explored. Finally, I suggested further research on social media and social media communities, mass hysteria spread through media, age, risk factors, and mass hysteria experience
Take a Second – Make a Second: Modeling the Atomic Transition that Defines the Time Standard
No full textIn 1967, the 13th General Conference on Weights and Measures decoupled the time standard from astronomical observations. They instead defined the length of the second in terms of the unperturbed ground-state hyperfine transition frequency of the cesium-133 atom. The confidence in this frequency, ∆ν_Cs = 9 192 631 770 Hz, stems from a deep understanding of the physics underpinning the atomic clock that measured this value: the classical cesium standard. This paper examines the physical principles of the classical cesium standard, with an emphasis on modeling transitions between two ground-state hyperfine energy levels
From Red Handprints to Revitalization: Culturally Significant Approaches to Advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
No full textHypergolic Ionic Liquids
No full textConventional rocket propellants, such as hydrazine derivatives, are toxic and volatile. Research fields have focused on developing safer alternatives. One of these alternatives is hypergolic ionic liquids (ILs). These innovative materials have shown promising properties. For instance, low volatility ILs spontaneously ignite upon contact with an oxidizer. The search for an ideal hypergolic IL is not without its challenges. For one, both the cation and anion of ILs are tunable. Most modifications to the cation/anion improve one property but inhibit another. The tunability of ILs paves the way for survey studies of a host of different cation and anion combinations to find one with ideal properties. Another challenge is that IL decomposition and combustion mechanisms are not well understood. This challenge opens the door to mechanistic studies of ILs, informed by FTIR and computational chemistry techniques. A third challenge comprises inconsistencies and oversights in measuring ignition delay time, an important fuel performance metric. This last challenge has called into question the hypergolicity of ILs. Considering these challenges, it is unclear whether ILs will replace hydrazine in the future
Targeting XPO1-Mediated Nuclear Export in Multiple Myeloma: Effects on CAR-T Therapy and the Tumor Microenvironment
No full textConstruction of a Landfill in a Sand Tank Physical Model
No full textLandfills are widely relied on, but, if poorly managed, can cause negative environmental impacts such as groundwater contamination. Contaminants can leach through underlying geologic substrates into aquifers. Understanding the possible impacts of landfills on groundwater and the environment requires a comprehensive understanding of hydrogeologic systems. Physical models of hydrogeologic systems, including sand-tank models that display the flow of water and contaminants through different substrates, can improve a student’s ability to conceptualize the hazards of landfill systems. I created an educational model to show the relationship between groundwater and landfills. The model represents the Rice County Landfill and the stratigraphy beneath the landfill. Physical models like this are shown to deepen understanding and promote interest among students. Greater understanding of hydrogeologic systems and the flow of contaminants to the environment will lead to better landfill design, management, and increased regulation. More informed regulation will protect humans and the environment for generations to come
Evaluating the Effectiveness of SfM Photogrammetry for the Development of 3-D Digital Learning Models of Geologic Outcrops
No full textStructure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry is a modelling technique that is used to generate 3-D models. Specifically, SfM coupled with Multi-View Stereo (MVS) photogrammetry can create digital terrain models of geologic outcrops. The accuracy, ease, and efficiency of the photogrammetry methods was assessed for developing models for curriculums and virtual field trips. I collected images from an exposed strip of rocks part of an outcrop in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Overlapping photographs were taken at multiple angles with a DSLR camera and uploaded to Agisoft Metashape Professional. A final scaled textured mesh digital model was generated. The textured mesh has the capabilities of zooming in and out on geologic features and measuring the length of a denoted portion of the model. Measurements found with the ruler function in Metashape were compared to real measurements of the Cannon Falls outcrop. A linear regression fit to this data confirmed the accuracy of the SfM method. Additionally, the model is most defined where rocks have defined structures and are bare of vegetation. SfM is cost effective, easy-to-learn, relatively fast, accurate, and accessible. This technique can be used as a replacement or aide in classrooms to assist in the development of 3D spatial visualization skills for students of all learning levels