The Funniest Page on the Internet

Cosmic Variance
By Sean Carroll
May 11, 2009 1:15 AMNov 5, 2019 8:19 AM

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

I was planning a mildly amusing joke about "Pastaeidolia," hoping that Phil would forgive me, after seeing this map of the Paris subway system (via Bioephemera).

I mean, the resemblance is unmistakable, no?

There's no way that can simply be a coincidence. But then I stumbled across the Flying Spaghetti Monster page at CreationWiki: The Encyclopedia of Creation Science. This is my new candidate for Funniest Page on the Internet. Marvel as they explain, with helpful charts and a compelling level of earnestness, why the FSM does not, in fact, deserve the same amount of respect as one should show to Creation Science.

Against professionals like that, we amateur humorists stand little chance.

Flying Spaghetti Monster Evolution Intelligent Design Creationism

Intended as parody Intended as science Intended as science Intended as a scientific model of intelligent design

Creator (the Flying Spaghetti Monster itself) assumed to exist and identified Creator assumed not to exist Creator (designer) inferred from the evidence but not identified Creator assumed to exist and specifically identified

Evidence for evolution claimed to be planted by the creator Evidence for evolution is not to be questioned Evidence for evolution challenged with academic arguments Evidence for evolution challenged with academic arguments

Creator makes things appear older than they are as a test of faith Accepts uniformitarian ages Generally accepts uniformitarian ages Rejects uniformitarian ages as based on unprovable presuppositions

Has no genuine support in the scientific community Has the support of the vast majority of scientists Has the support of (at least) thousands of scientists Has the support of (at least) thousands of scientists

Has no supporting evidence Has supporting evidence that is highly contested Has supporting evidence Has supporting evidence

1 free article left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

1 free articleSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.