"Tourette's tics are involuntary, and there are lots of difficult things about them. But it’s also interesting to recognise them as creative springboards and take that as a starting point for how we use creativity and humour to create a more accessible and socially just world"

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"I guess that rising to such immense levels of wealth is a deeply dehumanising process. It appears to require you to regard other people as being of lesser worth – financially, intellectually and maybe morally"

What do Iranians really believe? Talking to atheists and religious minorities explodes the lie of a homogenous Islamic Republic

"I’m concerned that the media cycle following the Baftas reinforced ideas about Tourette's that a lot of work has been done to try and undo, and it can feel exhausting"

Iran is richer in religious diversity than the government would like you to think. The official census claims that 99.5 per cent of the country is Shia Muslim. In fact, the country has millions of Sunnis, Baha'is, Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, atheists and agnostics

Inside Crustafarianism, the AI religion

"#ISwear is helping people connect with the reality of living with Tourette’s. There are many, many challenges, often created by systems and environments and attitudes that aren’t built to accommodate our bodies and minds"

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Are we pushing our bodies too far? Five experts explore the pressures we’re putting on our bodies, and where we should draw the line

Iran is richer in religious diversity than the government would like you to think

"The Epstein files include correspondence with dozens of scientists, many of whom flirted with or directly engaged with Epstein’s grim, scientifically illiterate narcissism. It isn’t that difficult to figure out why"

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"Jeffrey Epstein had apparently bought into a eugenic fantasy, telling scientists and guests that he wanted to re-seed humankind with his own DNA"

“When Iranians were going to the funerals of people who lost their lives during the protests, their families and loved ones, they didn’t read the Koran, they didn’t cry, they listened to music and started dancing”

"Tourette's tics are involuntary, and there are lots of difficult things about them. But it’s also interesting to recognise them as creative springboards and take that as a starting point for how we use creativity and humour to create a more accessible and socially just world"

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"The Islamic Republic aims to present a united front. But Iran’s actual social composition tells a different story. The government census claims that 99.5 per cent of the country is Shia Muslim. The best data we have from 2020 found that only 32 per cent called themselves Shia Muslims"

Jeffrey Epstein attempted to gather the best minds of science around him. His interests were rooted in a perverse, eugenic fantasy

From Iris Murdoch to Albert Einstein, join the ranks of the incredible freethinkers who have supported New Humanist's work for 140 years: newhumanist.org.uk/subscribe/

What do Iranians really believe? Talking to atheists and religious minorities explodes the lie of a homogenous Islamic Republic

"Jeffrey Epstein had apparently bought into a eugenic fantasy, telling scientists and guests that he wanted to re-seed humankind with his own DNA"

Love what you read in New Humanist? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter to make sure you never miss a story - from bold coverage of human rights around the world, to expert insight into the scientific developments set to transform our lives: newhumanist.org.uk/newsletter

Activist and performer Jess Thom on the challenges, creativity and humour of life with Tourette's

There's no doubt that social media comes with risks for young people. But is a ban the answer?

"Many people in Iran choose to hide their beliefs, including the millions of non-believers from Muslim backgrounds. In Iranian society, every single person has two identities”

There's no doubt that social media comes with risks for young people. But an expert in social media and adolescent mental health says a ban is not the answer

"Epstein’s scientific interests were not randomly distributed. They clustered around a specific set of obsessions – vaguely defined but headline-grabbing subjects like human enhancement, intelligence and evolutionary psychology. All of these have relevance to the field of eugenics"

Inside Crustafarianism, the AI religion

There's no doubt that social media comes with risks for young people. But is a ban the answer?

"Epstein had apparently bought into a eugenic fantasy, telling scientists and guests that he wanted to re-seed humankind with his own DNA"

Are we pushing our bodies too far? Five experts explore the pressures we’re putting on our bodies, and where we should draw the line

'Talking to Iranian atheists and religious minorities explodes the lie of a homogenous Islamic Republic.' Saleem Vaillancourt explores the diversity and depth of Iranian culture, thought, and belief as the U.S. war on the Islamic Republic intensifies. newhumanist.org.uk/articles/ira...

✨️ New online: Artificial intelligence agents seem to have created their own religion, Crustafarianism. But is that possible? @deborahhyde.bsky.social investigates

'The Islamic Republic aims to present a united front. But Iran’s actual social composition tells a different story. The government census claims that 99.5 per cent of the country is Shia Muslim. This used to be at least close to the truth.' newhumanist.org.uk/articles/ira...

'Amid airstrikes, shaky ceasefires and unrest, it is easy to overlook the question of who Iranians are... Understanding the Iranians... offers us a hint at their future.' Saleem Vaillancourt speaks with Iranian freethinkers in our latest issue, out now. Read more ⬇ newhumanist.org.uk/articles/ira...

Now in Purbeck Hall, @newhumanist.bsky.social editor Niki Seth-Smith is hosting Phoenix CS Andrews for a really illuminating conversation about how ‘fandom’ culture has spilled over to politics and daily life thanks to social media, and its dangerous and weird effects on society. #Humanists2026

I've taught quite a lot of Iranian students over the last three decades. Remember one telling me that 'Iranians have to pretend to be Muslims because of the regime. Lots of us are still Zoroastrians at heart.'

She is a goddess who walks among us.

Meet our humanist agony aunt! The wonderful Janet Ellis - veteran advice columnist and president of @humanists.uk - is here to solve your dilemmas on relationships, work and daily life. Send 100 words to [email protected] with subject line ASK JANET by June 20

"The Islamic Republic aims to present a united front. But Iran’s actual social composition tells a different story. The government census claims that 99.5 per cent of the country is Shia Muslim. The best data we have from 2020 found that only 32 per cent called themselves Shia Muslims"

Love what you read in New Humanist? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter to make sure you never miss a story - from bold coverage of human rights around the world to revelations about the scientific developments set to transform our lives:

"Jeffrey Epstein courted scientists, funded their research, and entertained them," writes @adamrutherford.bsky.social. But what, exactly, did Epstein want from these men of science?

Do you have a dilemma? Our humanist agony aunt Janet Ellis will answer your questions on relationships, work, daily life, and how to cope as the world goes crazy around us. Send 100 words to [email protected] with subject line ASK JANET by June 20. Questions will be published anonymously

The UK is set to ban young people from social media, joining a growing band of countries doing the same. But do these bans risk doing more harm than good? We asked the experts:

Activist and performer @touretteshero.bsky.social on how to celebrate the creativity and humour of Tourette's

Are we pushing our bodies too far? Five experts explore the pressures we’re putting on our bodies, and where we should draw the line

What do Iranians really believe? Talking to atheists and religious minorities explodes the lie of a homogenous Islamic Republic

Do you have a dilemma? Our humanist agony aunt Janet Ellis will answer your questions on relationships, work, daily life, and how to cope as the world goes crazy around us. Send 100 words to [email protected] with subject line ASK JANET by June 20. Questions will be published anonymously

Tourette syndrome hit the headlines this year following the success of "I Swear" - a film following the life story of activist John Davidson - and the ensuing Baftas fallout. Activist and performer Jess Thom offers her perspective on what happened, and on life with Tourette's: