ScienceDaily: Science & Society News

Light reveals new details of Paul Gauguin's creative process Posted: 14 Feb 2015 03:45 PM PST French artist Paul Gauguin is well known for his colorful paintings, but he also was a highly experimental printmaker. Little is known, however, about how he created his complex graphic works. Now a team of scientists and art conservators has used a light bulb, an SLR camera and computational power to uncover new details of Gauguin's process -- how he formed, layered and re-used imagery to make 19 unique graphic works.

Grant preparation takes collective 67 more years than before, despite simplified NHMRC process Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:40 AM PST A new study shows the time Australian researchers spent applying for National Health and Medical Research Council project grants last year increased by a collective 67 years, despite the funding body streamlining its application process.

'Drink less' campaigns should focus on why and how Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:37 AM PST Campaigns to get young people to drink less should focus on the benefits of not drinking and how it can be achieved, a new study suggests.

Using big data to detect disease outbreaks: Is it ethical? Posted: 09 Feb 2015 11:34 AM PST Personal information taken from social media, blogs, page views and so on are used to detect disease outbreaks, however, does this violate our privacy, consent and trust?

Feeling unloved? Like this post Posted: 09 Feb 2015 08:32 AM PST A new study suggests that people who are generally insecure in their relationships are more actively engaged on the social media site -- frequently posting on walls, commenting, updating their status or 'liking' something -- in hopes of getting attention.

HPV vaccination not linked to riskier sex, study finds Posted: 09 Feb 2015 08:32 AM PST Receiving the HPV vaccine does not increase rates of sexually transmitted infections in adolescent females, suggesting that vaccinating girls is not likely to promote unsafe sexual activity, according to new findings.

Using rooftop rainwater to make drinking water Posted: 09 Feb 2015 06:49 AM PST Climate change will lead to water scarcity in large parts of Africa. But there is hope – on African rooftops. Researchers in Norway are currently involved in the development of better water systems for Ghana, in order to ensure that people have more sustainable access to clean water.