Appeared the day he died! Looks so totally exactly like him!… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Libel Laws Threaten to Stifle Scientific Debate 
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BMJ: ‘Weak science sheltered from criticism by officious laws means bad medicine.’… Read the rest
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on Wearing the Burqa
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Neo-conservative Islamic codes spread like swine flu, an infection few seem able to resist.’… Read the rest
Saudi Arabia Still Treats Women Like Children
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It needs to stop requiring adult women to seek permission from men, not just pretend to stop it.’… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre and Evidence-based Revenge
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Taking revenge ends up making people feel worse, not better.… Read the rest
Jerry Coyne Reviews Unscientific America
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
For a book advocating science literacy, it offers surprisingly little evidence to support its claims. … Read the rest
Mooney and Kirshenbaum Jump the Shark
Jul 14th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They write an article for Newsweek all about what meanies Jerry Coyne and PZ Myers are. No, really.… Read the rest
Karen Armstrong Explains What Religion Is
Jul 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Religious doctrines make no sense unless accompanied by such spiritual exercises as yoga and a consistently compassionate lifestyle.’… Read the rest
Sudan: Women Whipped for Wearing Trousers
Jul 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Several Sudanese women have been flogged for dressing “indecently”, says a local journalist among them.… Read the rest
Cats Manipulate Humans by Purring
Jul 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Cats use a special ‘soliciting purr’ to annoy their humans into granting their every wish.… Read the rest
Knowledge of the Bible in Decline in UK
Jul 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That’s too bad, people are missing some good poetry and stories and rants.… Read the rest
Cristina Odone on Does God Hate Women?
Jul 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Woman in short skirt is not at fault, therefore God is not at fault. Eh?… Read the rest
Jimmy Carter on Religion and Misogyny
Jul 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief.… Read the rest
Ireland: Catholic Clergy Brace for Next Report
Jul 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Report will scrutinise how some of the country’s most senior prelates handled child abuse allegations.… Read the rest
Brother Murders Two Sisters for ‘Mingling’
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The brother shot them in front of their father, who quickly forgave the son for defending the family’s honour.… Read the rest
7 Somalis Beheaded for Abandoning Islam
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The mass beheadings follow many individual executions, amputations and stonings.… Read the rest
The Tyranny of Sharia in the Netherlands
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Everything in sharia law is discriminatory against women.’… Read the rest
Oh, Moses – I Thought You Were So Original!
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
You can’t believe he’s going to say it – but he does.… Read the rest
Pope Tells Obama What to Do
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why not after all? Obama is an elected head of state, and the pope is…a catholic.… Read the rest
Steven Pinker on Francis Collins
Jul 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It is not a matter of private belief, but public advocacy. The director of NIH is a public face of science… Read the rest
