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Thursday, July 31, 2008

Hidden van Gogh

Using a new x-ray technique called synchrotron radiation induced x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have uncovered a woman's portrait hidden under Vincent van Gogh's painting "Patch of Grass". The technique measures mercury and antimony in the painting's pigments to lift hidden images from sub-surface layers of paint. Also, you can totally use it to see people naked. (I'm assuming.) Art historians and other people with seemingly useless degrees have noted that this discovery could reveal valuable information about the evolution of the world's great artists, but it seems more likely that the portrait was meant to be discovered by members of the Vincent van Gogh Superfan Club who received special decoder glasses in the mail. After all, underneath the portrait is this mysterious text: "Drink more Ovaltine." More details here.

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