Cardinal Roger Mahoney quite graciously forgives those who are angry with him for covering up the rape of children.

Continuing their back and forth on the subject of how science and philosophy inform morality, Massimo Pigliucci responds to Michael Shermer's last by annotating the post with his thoughts.

Scientists believe they are closer than ever to solving the mystery of dark matter.

While the news media goes crazy over the choosing of a new Pope, Frank Bruni points out at the New York Times how the Pope doesn't have much relevance for your everyday Catholic.

An article in the Harvard Crimson urges atheists to be more open and vocal, that doing is the only way to bring more acceptance.

A Kansas bill would require teachers to misinform students about climate change.

A new study raises questions about religion as a deterrent against criminal behavior finding that often enough religion simply provides a justification for the criminal.

According to a recent poll by the Center for American Progress, Americans are largely in agreement, DOMA is discriminatory.

On the predictability of evolution: separate bacteria populations may respond to environmental pressures in identical ways.

Come across a vaccine denier? Save and keep this image to show anyone the relative morbidity numbers for various infectious diseases both before and after the introduction of the vaccine.

Last week I linked to commentary by Jerry Coyne on physicist Max Tegmark's silly comments about the purported happy relationship between science and faith. This week Tegmark responded to criticism of his piece by decrying the "angry atheists."

A bill making its way through the Oklahoma legislature would make it so that children insisting that people lived with dinosaurs can get an A in science class.

Astronomers have located the tiniest exoplanet yet found.

Dolphins may call each other by name.

A new study suggests that it may be fear that drives kids' paranormal experiences.

Ethan Siegel laments the hyped stories about this or that claim to radically overturn some bit of settled science and cause us to totally re-think what we know.

How did a 2,000 year-old Roman brick from what is now England make it to Washington state in the US, and how do we know?

Is the "modern human brain" quite a bit older than we tend to think?

Bees can sense the electrical fields of flowers.

Check out the 3 radical new brain-mapping tools that scientists are looking to get funding for.

A Higgs researcher says that the nature of the Higgs suggests that an "alternate universe" may ultimately destroy the one we inhabit.

Jerry Coyne examines one option for replacing religiously based ethics with a secular ethics.

Jared Diamond is a famous scientist and author of multiple books including Guns, Germs, and Steel for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. Lots of people find him to be a trustworthy source of information. But is that confidence well-placed?

Carl Zimmer delves into a recent paper on the possible shapes of animal brains.

An interesting visual illusion challenges notions of self and whether we perceive the here and now.

Early human burials varied widely in their precise details but most were simple.

How the Religious Right is helping to de-educate America's youth.

Acupuncture for allergies? Recent news reports say yes. An examination says no.

Who are the most likely candidates to be the next Pope? What are their positions on freedom of religion, the separation of church and state, science? Read!

Was RNA the messenger for DNA or itself the origin of life on Earth?