Main Page

Welcome to RationalWiki!

About RationalWiki Our purpose here at RationalWiki includes: Analyzing and refuting pseudoscience and the anti-science movement; Documenting the full range of crank ideas; Explorations of authoritarianism and fundamentalism; Analysis and criticism of how these subjects are handled in the media. We welcome contributors, and encourage those who disagree with us to register and engage in constructive dialogue. We have 7,975 articles for your enjoyment. Random featured article[What is this?] The Lenski Affair Center: Ara-3, the bacterial population that evolved to use citrate. The Lenski affair was a poorly conceived stunt by Andrew Schlafly of Conservapedia to denigrate the groundbreaking research of National Academy of Science member Richard Lenski, in which Lenski and his student Zachary Blount actually observed evolution happening. Schlafly's stunt backfired completely and led to one of the best responses to creationism to date. It is now one of the most famous incidents in creation/evolution circles on the Internet. The fame of "the affair" left the safe confines of the Internet in September 2009 when it received a brief mention in Richard Dawkins' book The Greatest Show on Earth following a longer discussion of the results themselves. This article documents the situation as it unfolded on Conservapedia and RationalWiki, with the letters from Andy Schlafly and subsequent replies from Richard Lenski. Participate in RationalWiki RationalWiki portal: See our guide for newcomers! A brief history of RationalWiki... Share how you found RationalWiki! For general chatter that doesn't fit anywhere else, the Saloon Bar is the place to go. Essay portal: Essays written by individual users covering a wide range of subjects. Comment on the talk pages or write your own. Debate portal: Informal debates covering political and philosophical issues. Participate freely or start your own. Writing articles: Read up on what a RationalWiki page is and our community standards. Take a look at the help pages if you're having trouble. We also keep a list of useful links. Our to do list is where we pile up ideas for articles. See if anything piques your interest!

Featured Content Need to know What Is Going On? We present regularly updated selections of the finest lunacy the Internet has to offer. Participate in the dialogue. What is going on... …in the world?(talk) "Actual" "news" from the "real world." …in the Blogosphere?(talk) Quality blog posts, editorials, videos, and social media activities that relate to RationalWiki's mission. …in the Clogosphere?(talk) Craziness from the clogged-up fringes of the Internet. …with the Elections?(talk) News about elections from around the world. …at RationalWiki?(*hic*) Our own main back-page. Portals and Articles[See more content] Science • Empiricism • Plate tectonics • Common descent • HAARP • Lenski affair • Historical and operational science • Genetically modified food • Non-Overlapping Magisteria • Charles Darwin • Great man theory Logic • The Fine Art of Baloney Detection • Science was wrong before • Loaded language • Lewis Trilemma • Adding epicycles • Nazi analogies • Modal logics • Circular reasoning • Bullshit • How do you know? Were you there? Atheism • New Atheism • Atheist bus campaign • Secular humanism • Rational Response Squad debate with Way of the Master • Agnosticism • Pascal's wager • His Dark Materials • Atheist professor myth • Secular religions • Atheism Creationism • 101 evidences for a young age of the Earth and the universe • Intelligent design • Evidence against a recent creation • Modern Science in the Bible • Flat Earth • Intelligent design and academic freedom • Answers Research Journal • IslamicAwakening.com • Eye • McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education Pseudoscience • Cryonics • Non-materialist neuroscience • Climate change • Pseudoscience • Alt-right glossary • Pseudomathematics • Naturopathy • Climategate • Creationism • COVID-19 pandemic Conspiracy • Project Blue Beam • Holocaust denial • Freeman on the land • Flat Earth • Shakespeare authorship • Desiree Jennings • Chemtrails • Armenian genocide denial • Adolf Hitler • Gamergate Denialism • Ozone layer • Rape of Nanjing • Lead • Denialgate • Conspiracy theory • Republican Party • Nation of Islam • Gamergate • Flat Earth • Holocaust Paranormal • Ghost Hunters • Seán Manchester • Electronic voice phenomenon • Near-death experience • Zombies • Deliverance ministry • Vampire • Craig Weiler • Bigfoot • Steve Quayle Politics • Mobocracy • International relations • European Union • Instant Runoff Voting • Hugo Chávez • Saddam Hussein • Undocumented immigration • Cancel culture • Vladimir Putin • Fascism