ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 103

See Curiosity’s Highest-Resolution Panorama of Mars Yet

By Ryan F. Mandelbaum If news from Earth has got you down, maybe this update from the Red Planet will take your mind off things. NASA’s Curiosity rover mission has produced an incredible 1.8-billion-pixel image of the surface of Mars. The image above doesn’t nearly do it justice, so be sure to watch the video below. You …

CRISPR treatment inserted directly into the body for first time

By Heidi Ledford A person with a genetic condition that causes blindness has become the first to receive a CRISPR–Cas9 gene therapy administered directly into their body. The treatment is part of a landmark clinical trial to test the ability of CRISPR–Cas9 gene-editing techniques to remove mutations that cause a rare condition called Leber’s congenital …

Former students win class-action against Grenville Christian College

By the Canadian Press An Ontario judge sided with a group of former students who sued a Christian boarding school over abuse they suffered decades ago. Justice Janet Leiper said Thursday that the now-defunct Grenville Christian College will have to pay yet-to-be-determined damages to the former students. The school in Brockville, Ont., advertised itself as an …

Antigay Roy Moore Suffers Humiliating Loss in Alabama Senate Race

By Neal Broverman Antigay Roy Moore, removed twice from his role as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, lost his second bid for the U.S. Senate. Moore was competing with several Republicans to be the GOP’s nominee to take on Democrat Doug Jones, who Moore lost to in 2017. Moore, a longtime fixture in Alabama …

A small space rock led to a big discovery — an X-ray-belching black hole

By Denise Chow The black hole appeared as a bright speck, a glowing spot against a cosmic backdrop, but one that easily could have been missed altogether — especially because astronomers weren’t even looking for it. Students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University and scientists associated with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission — an expedition to …

The Supreme Court Could Create a National Nightmare for Abortion Access

By Imani Gandy A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Louisiana in June Medical Services v. Russo could mean nightmare scenarios for abortion access not just in Louisiana, but in states across the country with Republican-held legislatures. The Court will hear arguments Wednesday in June Medical Services, a case about the constitutionality of Louisiana Act 620, an …

Self-Described “Humanist” Wins Democratic Primary for U.S. House Seat in Texas

By Hemant Mehta Carol Iannuzzi, a self-described “humanist,” won her Democratic primary last night in a race for the U.S. House from District 26 in Texas. She will face incumbent Rep. Michael C. Burgess this November. Iannuzzi comes from a family of activists, saying on her campaign website, “When my dad passed away in 2017, I felt the activist baton …

How a data-backed Christian nationalist machine helped Trump to power

By Katherine Stewart By his own account, Bill Dallas grew up in an unhappy household. His mother had been sexually abused by her father and had her first pregnancy aged 17. Dallas’s dad was an alcoholic and a depressive who died at 51. Dallas was an intense, obsessive child, dogged by feelings of inadequacy. You could …

Sneezing Dogs, Dancing Bees: How Animals Vote

By Elizabeth Preston Are humans the only animals that caucus? As the early 2020 presidential election season suggests, there are probably more natural and efficient ways to make a group choice. But we’re certainly not the only animals on Earth that vote. We’re not even the only primates that primary. Any animal living in a …

When a Pandemic Meets a Personality Cult

By Paul Krugman So, here’s the response of the Trump team and its allies to the coronavirus, at least so far: It’s actually good for America. Also, it’s a hoax perpetrated by the news media and the Democrats. Besides, it’s no big deal, and people should buy stocks. Anyway, we’ll get it all under control …