ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 195

99.9999% chance humans are causing global warming, and other science-based facts on climate change for Earth Day

By Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise Climate change is real and increasingly a part of our daily lives. New research and studies out in just the past six months highlight the latest facts about the human-caused shift to our global weather systems and its effects on our planet. First among them, there’s no longer any question that rising …

Appeals court rules House chaplain can reject secular prayers

By Tal Alexrod A federal appeals court handed a legal victory to House Rev. Patrick J. Conroy on Good Friday when it ruled he cannot be forced to let an atheist offer a secular prayer on the chamber floor. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit dismissed a claim brought by Dan Barker, co-president …

Sri Lanka blames local Islamist extremist group for Easter bombings that killed 290

By Joanna Slater, Amantha Perera, and Shibani Mahtani Sri Lanka on Monday accused a local Islamist extremist group, the National Thowheed Jamaath, of being behind a string of Easter bombings at churches and hotels that killed at least 290 people. Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said the group, whose name roughly translates to National Monotheism Organization, …

Anti-vax parents lose in NY court, face steep fines for not vaccinating

By Beth Mole A Brooklyn judge on Thursday rejected the petition from five anonymous anti-vaccine mothers who attempted to block the city’s recent vaccination mandate amid the largest measles outbreak the city has seen in several decades. And the city wasted no time enforcing its upheld order. As the judge made his decision Thursday, city health officials doled out the …

This Tiny Knee Bone Had Nearly Vanished As Humans Evolved. It’s Coming Back

By Yasemin Saplakoglu A tiny bone hidden in the tendon of the knee started to disappear over the course of human evolution … or so scientists thought. Now, a new study finds that this so-called fabella (Latin for “little bean”) is making a comeback. The bone, which is a sesamoid bone, or one that’s embedded …

Planet’s ocean-plastics problem detailed in 60-year data set

By Matthew Warren Scientists have uncovered the first strong evidence that the amount of plastic polluting the oceans has risen vastly in recent decades — by analysing 60 years of log books for plankton-tracking vessels. Data recorded by instruments known as continuous plankton recorders (CPRs) — which ships have collectively towed millions of kilometres across …

Christian Bigot: If Pete Buttigieg Gets Elected, People Like Me “Will Be Hated”

By Hemant Mehta It’s been fascinating listening to anti-LGBTQ Christians flip out over the popularity of Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. They act like he would get gay cooties all over the Oval Office if he won the election, while trapping the nation under the spell of his rainbow wand. The latest bigot to speak out is Peter LaBarbera of the group …

You’ve changed my life for the better

I just wanted to thank Mr. Dawkins for being outspoken and passionate against the harms of religion, as well as teaching science and the beauty of evolution, especially in America where it is so desperately needed. I want to thank him for helping me crawl out of the dark religious hole I was suffering in …

Most ancient type of molecule in universe detected in space

By Nicola Davis The most ancient type of molecule in our universe has been detected in space, scientists have revealed, backing up theories of how the early chemistry of the universe developed after the big bang. The positively charged molecule known as helium hydride is believed to have played a starring role in the early …

Pete Buttigieg Faces Anti-Gay Protesters at Iowa Campaign Rallies

By Jeff Taylor Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg faced down anti-gay hecklers at two different campaign stops in Iowa on Tuesday. The protesters came in from out of state in both cases, and at one event yelled at various points about abortion and the Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, often invoked as symbols of …