December 5th is not a special day for most, but it does mark the 75th anniversary of the repeal of the 18th Amendment, which constitutionally prohibited the purchase, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol. The 25th Amendment was created specifically to invalidate it, and serves no other real purpose in the Constitution. The 75 years is more symbolic than anything else, since many states did not ratify th ...

The goal of science has always been to uncover the secrets of nature. This pursuit has, in the past, been the hobby of rich men who did it out of sheer pleasure and curiosity. As the cost of conducting experiments has increased, however, a devil's bargain was struck; science became increasingly about the ability to exploit discoveries for profit. Many of us are unaware that in the late 90s, a race was being ...

In case you were completely cut off from the whole world and haven't heard, a group of Islamic terrorists executed 170 people in cold blood in Mumbai, India last week, and many religious leaders in the Muslim community have come out condemning the attacks, while also vehemently denying there is anything about their faith that may be causing these violent outbreaks. If Islam is such a peaceful religion, why ...

On a normal day in February. Bernadette Soubirous, a 14 year old living in the small town of Lourdes in France, was gathering firewood with her sisters near a small grotto. She became aware of a presence, and claims a lady in a white robe with a golden rose on each foot appeared before her. Her sisters, who were present at the time, did not report seeing anything of the sort. Bernadette would return to the ...

Vampires have been part of human folklore in almost every culture and civilization. Creatures who suck life blood, energy, or souls have a long history of being cautionary tales against trusting strangers, against eating the dead, or simply an excuse to fear the dark. Although some cultures have very different ideas about how vampires operate, the modern Nosferatu legend is almost exclusively based on 18th ...

I am often reminded one does not win popularity contests when attempting to shatter the delusions of others. I can certainly appreciate the fact no one wants to believe that they might be wrong, especially if this belief represents a form of comfort. It is then that I carefully remind people the truth is not a matter of popularity; we have plenty of examples in history of when popular beliefs have been held ...

There are casualties in the struggle to answer fundamental questions about the universe. For a long time, it has been powerful religious institutions that have burned, sliced, chopped, eviscerated, and snuffed opposing world views that undermined their own. Some may claim the Inquisition and Crusades were political in nature, but it cannot be denied the strength of the Church's power and the continued desir ...

Yesterday, I argued the selective advantage of belief was too attractive for individuals in a community not to partake. But this advantage, as humans became more prosperous in the West, became increasingly marginal. In the 15th century, Europe began to experience newfound prosperity from the most unusual source: the aftermath of the Black Death. Over a third of the population is estimated to have been kille ...

Ggnothi seauton (Greek): It means know thyself, and it's something I've always taken to heart. I'm not always the most positive and easy going guy around. I've been known to kick some dust in the faces of my opposition. When you're in a fight, particularly one for the hearts and minds of your fellow human beings, you can sometimes lose sight of how the conflict changes you. When you have a website devoted t ...

In a small village in Nigeria, a little boy of 5 years of age is frightened and confused. His mother and father have abandoned him; their normally loving embrace will never be felt again. The other villagers are angry, and some of them throw stones at him. He does not cry. Part of him has accepted his fate, and the rejection of his loved ones is enough to make the boy numb. The only question in his mind is ...