Procedural Dogma
Cases where adherence to the process became far more important than the actual outcome. We look at specific moments when a rigid checklist completely overrode common sense and better evidence. We then trace how that blind obedience actively generated failure instead of ensuring public safety.
How NASA Erased the Original Apollo 11 Telemetry Data Tapes
The original, unconverted recordings of the Apollo 11 moonwalk are gone. An internal investigation confirmed they were systematically erased and recycled by NASA logistics officers in the early 1980s to cover a severe tape shortage and reduce storage costs.
The 1924 Iodine-Cognition Anomaly – A 90-Year Data Failure
For ninety years, the US military held two halves of a public health miracle in separate offices. A simple clerical shortcut on a punch card erased the one piece of evidence that connected a 15-point national intelligence jump to a spoonful of salt.
RAF Akrotiri and the UK’s Denial of US Access
The United Kingdom denied granting the US access to RAF Akrotiri during the 2026 Iran war. We investigate how civilian flight trackers and hostile intelligence exposed a fatal divergence in records.
The Quiet Return to EU Rules
While political rhetoric promised a bonfire of European regulations, the geographic and commercial reality forced a quiet retreat. The UK has built a legal machine designed to copy EU rules by default.
Why Brexit Regulation Could Not Function
The UK attempted to replicate complex EU regulatory agencies from scratch, but locked itself out of the necessary safety data. The result was a £2 billion bill for industry and the indefinite recognition of the EU's CE mark
The Failed Bonfire of EU Laws
The 2022 Retained EU Law Bill was designed to allow thousands of regulations to expire automatically. This was abandoned months later when the government realised it did not know what it was deleting.
Vitamin D – How a Calculation Mistake Shaped Global Guidance
The global Vitamin D standard was built on a confirmed calculation error. Corrected mathematics points to a higher dose, yet the official guideline remains unchanged.
The Cornish Pasty Claim About an Arsenic Handle
The legend claims the crimp was a disposable handle against arsenic. However, archival photos show miners using ‘crib bags’ instead. We test this theory against estimated daily energy needs to see if the story is history or fakelore.
Cornish Pasty – The Ingredient Audit
The law insists on beef, yet 1862 wage logs prove the miner could not afford it. We audit the ‘pig economy’ to reveal how the PGI protects an upmarket feast rather than the working-class reality.
How the HFEA Licenses ‘Saviour Sibling’ Cases
A small committee decides if families may try to create a ‘saviour sibling’. The law says child welfare comes first. The standards are unpublished. We open the black box and test whether a humane system can also be a transparent one.