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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Nick Cohen on the Degrading Saudi Connection *

Sep 24th, 2007 | Filed by

‘Saudi money is now a major source of income for London libel firms. School fees and second homes depend on it.’… Read the rest



Vatican Incredulous About Our Lady of Surbiton *

Sep 24th, 2007 | Filed by

Archbishop says the supposed revelations are highly questionable. Tsk.… Read the rest



Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on Muslim Obscurantism *

Sep 24th, 2007 | Filed by

‘They write to me, bright and ambitious students who feel spied on, coerced, hounded and tormented.’… Read the rest



Secularism not Allowed in UK Schools *

Sep 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

Daily ‘act of worship of a broadly Christian nature’ must remain mandatory in all state schools.… Read the rest



Jesus Must Remain Sacrosanct *

Sep 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

Jesus-irony is ‘like walking by a funeral and shouting obscenities at a family.’… Read the rest



Are Sacred Texts Sacred? *

Sep 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

‘In many respects, the Bible was the world’s first Wikipedia article.’… Read the rest



What Alex Knew *

Sep 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

A thinking bird would topple everything we’d previously assumed about animal intelligence.… Read the rest



US Election Campaigns are All About Narrative *

Sep 23rd, 2007 | Filed by

Once the narrative is determined, it’s virtually impervious to revision. … Read the rest



Women and Islam *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Houzan Mahmoud of the Organization for Women’s Freedom in Iraq. … Read the rest



Bad Media Coverage Carries a Cost *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

The media commentariat has not earned privileged early access to scientific knowledge and information. … Read the rest



Ben Goldacre on a Fishy Reckoning *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Nonsense research undermines the credibility of trial research in general.… Read the rest



Jesus and Mo Interpret a Goddy Revelation *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Put a grand on red, and see what happens.… Read the rest



Ian Hacking on ID as Degenerate Science *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

Degenerate programs paint themselves into smaller and smaller corners, skirting problems they’d prefer not to face. … Read the rest



Libel Laws Silence Bloggers *

Sep 22nd, 2007 | Filed by

A worrying precedent.… Read the rest



Keep Virgin Births and Gold Plates out of Politics *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

Christianity believes in resurrection yet it taunts Mormons about adding gold plates into the mix. … Read the rest



Life Sentence for Surjit Athwal Murder *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

‘The pair of you decided that the so-called honour of your family members was worth more than the life of this young woman.’… Read the rest



Ferzanna Riley on Growing up Terrorized *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

For 14 weeks we were held against our will and threatened with murder and gang rape unless we agreed to marriage.… Read the rest



There is no Atheist Pope *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

‘New Atheism’ isn’t all that new, either.… Read the rest



Mary Midgley Still Misunderstanding Dawkins *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

One crude mistake after another.… Read the rest



Peter Tatchell on Indifference to Human Rights *

Sep 21st, 2007 | Filed by

Palestinian Arabs get the support of progressives; Iranian Arabs swing from nooses in public squares.… Read the rest