"They've twisted the data to make it look as though it supports the argument whereas it frankly does not," Berry said.
He said the very study Thornhill and Palmer cite states that 29 percent of US rape victims are under age 11.
In attacking Thornhill and Palmer's argument, Berry says that he and Coyne are "just doing a watchdog job."
"Bad science should die the death of bad science," he said. "My hope is that having put them in their place, everyone will put [the debate] away and will go home," Berry said.
But he doubts that the issue will disappear.
"My fear is that this isn't going to be the last of it. It seems to be a general phenomenon," he said.
He said he was troubled by the increase in deterministic theories, such as the recent studies suggesting the existence of genes for thrill-seeking and homosexuality, among other behaviors.
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