more accomadationism from Michael Ruse

check out this 6 part series of videos on youtube covering Genesis as the ancient Hebrew understanding of cosmology. how can such an absolutely wrong understanding of the universe be divinely inspired???

complexity explained: the evolution of intelligence and consciousness

the first critically evaluated edition of the Qur'an will be out soon and will annotate the many differences in the early manuscripts we have.

evidence indicates humans' early tree-dwelling ancestors were also bi-pedal

hilarious: David Thorne responds to a request for his signature on a permission slip so that his child can attend an Easter play.

the worst science journalism of the year: Darwin completely wrong (again).

the most sophisticated arguments for a god's existence don't argue for a god that means anything to anyone's life. so, why care if god exists or not? (note that this is a different question than "why care about religion")

this odd article was posted to the Center for Inquiry website and is being roundly criticized. for instance, here and here.

is the Bible more violent than the Qur'an?

the unseen and unknowable has no place in science.

want to get something scanned by a scanning electron microscope (SEM)? one company has put out a call for people to send in their stuff to be scanned.

the origins of the milky way.

Wisconsin lawmakers introduce legislation that would repeal religious exemptions for child abuse and neglect.

"alternative" medicine's dangers for the future of medicine.

Luke at Common Sense Atheism put together this list of atheists who are posting good content to youtube.

the LHC has achieved the highest energy beam ever.

a Missouri lawmaker wants women to have to provide a reason for their seeking an abortion before they can obtain one.

child abuse scandal shatters Irish faith in the Catholic Church. meantime, a Vatican official says that abuse claims could overload the staff of 10 (yes, only 10!) who handle such cases. this is important as Ireland's Cardinal already admits that the Church's response to the abuse has been "hopelessly inadequate." the pope has apologized but it's what he didn't say that deserves to be highlighted. not to be left out of the fray, in another classic commentary, The Onion has Ratzinger forgiving the abused. to say that the abuse survivors are disappointed is an epic understatement.
does this mean the end for the church in Ireland?

"shaming" her in-laws costs a 19 y/o Afghan girl her nose and ears.

yet another danger of religion: death by human stampede.

is divine command morality even moral at all?

does William Lane Craig make the doctrine of The Trinity coherent?

Cassini sends back ravishing new photos of Saturn's rings.

Dan Dennett and Linda LaScola have released their findings (pdf) on research into atheist clergy. Dennett comments on the research in the Washington Post. lots of reaction to the research around the internet: here, here, here, here, and here.

what makes us unique? not genes so much as the surrounding sequences.

could liquid methane and ethane on Titan harbor life without water?

the negative reviews just keep pouring in: Massimo Pigliucci spanks Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini's book What Darwin Got Wrong.

Scientologists forced me to have two abortions, ex-disciple says.

physicists show Quantum Mechanics applies to the motion of large objects.

homophobic high school cancels prom instead of letting openly lesbian couple attend; humanist organization saves the day by putting on a prom for the students.

traditionally staunch Catholics, Latinos are more and more divorcing Catholicism.

the red in Jupiter's spot is not what astronomers thought. more. here too.

asteroid mission may offer clues into life's origins.

Flores, "Hobbit" island, was colonized much earlier than previously...

pregnant male pipefish abort babies from anattractive females.

Jupiter-sized exo-planet resembles planets in our solar system.

the ESA's Plank satellite has released images of cold dust that reveal large-scale structure in the Milky Way (to say nothing of the pictures being absolutely gorgeous!).

PZ Meyers on the evolution of snakes.

there's been some additional discussion on the recent pledge of allegiance decision. check it out here and here.

are science and religion compatible?

NASA finds shrimp where no advance life should be: 600 feet beneath Antarctic ice.

more reaction to the Texas State Board of Education textbook stupidity. check it out here, here, and here.

on the evolution of morality.

why "everything has a cause" is a terrible argument for god.

the pics are in: Mars Express snapped some pics of Phobos on its way by a couple weeks ago and now the pics are in. do i need to say they're incredible?

a new fossil amphibian provides the earliest widespread evidence of terrestrial invertebrates.

global warming is making birds smaller.

did world religions help bring about complex societies?