Editorial

<jats:p>Science advances by asking questions, testing ideas, and sharing results. The value of research is reflected in many different ways. Some studies lead directly to new technologies or industrial applications. Others improve existing methods, provide a better understanding of natural processes, or create a basis for future work. Each of these contributions has its place in scientific progress. The papers collected in this issue illustrate this diversity. They come from different disciplines and address different scientific questions, yet they share a common purpose, to produce knowledge that can be used, developed, and built upon.</jats:p>