Research into how people behave at mass gatherings shows that crowds act in a highly rational way.… Read the rest
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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Royal Family’s Support for Homeopathy is a Joke 
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BMA and MHRA have condemned Ainsworths and ‘Swine Flu Formula.’ Time the Royals did the same.… Read the rest
The Home Office Have Assembled Some Evidence
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ben Goldacre takes a look at it. He asks if it is a joke.… Read the rest
Prince Declares Mind Unchanged
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘This study hasn’t changed His Royal Highness’s views one bit.’… Read the rest
Holford Watch on the FSA and Organic Foods
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It is inappropriate to put figures about purported nutritional advantages of organic food into the public debate in the absence of any context.… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on Soil Association’s Bad Arguments
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
SA seek to undermine the public’s understanding of what a ‘systematic review’ is.… Read the rest
Police Beat Women Protesting Lubna Hussein Trial
Aug 4th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Hussein said she would take the issue all the way to Sudan’s constitutional court if necessary.… Read the rest
Andrew Brown Pitches a Fit at ‘Militant’ Atheists
Aug 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Clock strikes twelve.… Read the rest
Daughter Turns Atheist – Call the FBI
Aug 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Or an exorcist.… Read the rest
The Epistemology of Photoshopping
Aug 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bachelard, Lacan, Heisenberg, Peggy J Bowers – it all adds up.… Read the rest
Homeopathic ‘Pharmacy’ Sells Sugar Pills
Aug 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ainsworth’s, homeopaths to the royal family, sells sugar pills as swine flu treatment.… Read the rest
The Chiropractors’ World Unravels
Aug 3rd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
They are getting more attention than they wanted. Sad.… Read the rest
Oregon Faith-healing Father Gets 60 Days
Aug 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Convicted in the death of baby from illness that could easily have been cured with antibiotics. … Read the rest
Americans Have No Sense of Humour
Aug 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says BBC reporter on his way out the door.… Read the rest
Rosenhouse on Unscientific America Part 2
Aug 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Isn’t it obvious that the problem is the attitude that places religious faith in a privileged position relative to science? … Read the rest
Kara Neumann’s Father Convicted in her Death
Aug 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
But they are devout Christians who were faithful to their convictions, so…… Read the rest
Marjane Sur Tous les Fronts!
Aug 2nd, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Marjane Satrapi, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Bernard-Henri Levy protest the Iranian election.… Read the rest
The Huffington Post on Enemas v Swine Flu
Aug 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why bogus treatments and crackpot medical theories dominate HuffPo.… Read the rest
Debut of an Expatriate Blog
Aug 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The essence of foreignness is a difference in common sense.… Read the rest
Why Markets Can’t Fix US Healthcare
Aug 1st, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Because paying for your health care is a loss from the insurers’ point of view … Read the rest
