Social Sciences

Scientists have unearthed photographs taken in countries including China during third plague pandemic, which killed 12 million people between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. Credit - Centre for the Study of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh/ reference number GB 237 CSWC47/LS8/45

16 January 2018

Skeleton teeth and historical photography are retelling the story of the plague

New portraits of the evolution of some of history’s deadliest pandemics have been created through analysis of thousands of skeletons and new collections of historical photographs - and the results could indicate how similar diseases may evolve in the future.

Aggression is common in all animals and can help preserve the species. Image credit - Pixabay/ Gellinger

social sciences

05 December 2017

Lifting the red mist with research on aggression

For most people a bit of healthy aggression can give them a competitive edge, but in some it can spill over into violence and now scientists are hoping to unravel why.

Time lapse, slow motion and even music can alter our perception of how quickly time passes. Image credit – Unsplash/ Josh Calabrese

social sciences | health

24 October 2017

Movies and music play with our minds by bending time

Movie directors regularly manipulate the passage of time in films to entertain their audiences, but researchers are trying to unravel the effect this can have on our brains.

Brain activity recordings enable scientists to understand why some people struggle to read social cues. Image credit - Pexels/ Burst

social sciences

18 October 2017

Boosting social skills with brain scanning

Most people know even from a distance whether a couple is flirting or fighting, but brain researchers are studying why some, including those with autism, struggle to read these social cues.

The Explorathon Extravaganza brought researchers and the public together for an interactive, fun-filled night in Glasgow's Riverside Museum. Image credit - Explorathon - Researchers' Night Scotland

social sciences

03 October 2017

Super-sour sweets give the next generation a flavour of science

Could you keep a super-sour sweet in your mouth for three minutes without spitting it out? That was the challenge faced by youngsters in Glasgow on 29 September as researchers and the public came together to celebrate science at the Explorathon Extravaganza at the city’s Riverside Museum.

Adam Jan Alexander Ohnesorge discovered his ancestor had been a prisoner of war, which ignited his research. Image credit – European Union, EUCYS 2017

social sciences | science in society

27 September 2017

Chance discovery from war book inspired 2017 EU young scientist award winner

An unlikely connection to a book about First World War prisoners provided the inspiration for a study that won its 20-year-old author top prize in the 2017 European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).

Dr Matteo Bonfanti says that we cannot rely on repressive measures alone to solve terrorism. Image credit - Dr Matteo Bonfanti

social sciences | interview

06 July 2017

Understanding links between terrorists and organised crime can thwart attacks – Dr Matteo Bonfanti

Investigators should capitalise more on the fact that terrorist cells often work with criminal organisations to achieve their goals, according to Dr Matteo Bonfanti, a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Adolescents born after 1995 may spend as much time socialising with friends on social media as they do face-to-face. Image credit: CC0

health | social sciences

30 June 2017

Social media peer pressure used to help adolescents live healthier lives

By identifying the most influential kids in small social media circles, researchers can create positive peer pressure that persuades young people to live healthier lives.

Low socio-economic status takes 2.1 years off life. Credit: ‘Camden town 2’ by Misterzee is licensed under CC BY 3.0

health | social sciences

24 April 2017

Blood samples give clues to social inequality

More than a decade’s worth of blood samples in Portugal and Ireland are being analysed to look for clues about the health impacts of socio-economic inequalities on children.

Most of the research on migrants entering the EU has focused on men. Image credit – Agelos Kalodoukas

social sciences

13 April 2017

The invisible women of Europe’s migration crisis

The plight of a growing number of female migrants remains undocumented as studies focus primarily on men, despite the fact that women are often more vulnerable, dealing with unwanted pregnancies, sexual assault and associated illness and mental health problems.