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PODCAST

The Reality Check

The Reality Check

Canada"s weekly podcast that explores a wide range of controversies and curiosities using science and critical thinking.

science natural sciences

All Episodes

54:42

TRC #585: Talking Food and Space with Drs. Robbins...

The Reality Check ·

2020/04/24

What would happen if the moon was made of cheese? Could you pop popcorn in space? We mastered the time zones and finally got our favourite two Stus together for a fun and informative show! Dr. Stuart Robbins is a research scientist who studies planetary geophysics and Dr. Stuart Farrimond is a medical doctor turned science communicator and expert on food science. We talk about food, we talk about space, and we talk about food in space.

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24:57

TRC #584: Why Didn’t We Quarantine Pre-COVID-19? +...

The Reality Check ·

2020/04/19

Cristina examines why we didn’t need to quarantine during previous outbreaks like SARS or the Swine Flu like we do with COVID-19. Adam answers a question on many people’s minds right now...how is your phone being tracked? Does Sarah Connor’s idea of putting a phone in a bag of chips to protect her from being tracked in The Terminator work? Finally, Darren tells us why we should all read Toby Ord’s, “The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity” right now.

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24:20

TRC #583: Planning A Mission To Pluto With Dr. Stuart...

The Reality Check ·

2020/04/10

Let’s take a break from COVID-19 and talk about space! This week we bring you a great interview with friend-of-the-show and our 5th Beatle, Dr. Stuart Robbins. Stuart is a research scientist who studies planetary geophysics and is part of a team looking into the feasibility and cost of a future Pluto orbiter mission.

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24:42

TRC #582: COVID-19 Risk Of Death + Tom Nook Greedy...

The Reality Check ·

2020/04/04

Just can’t get enough coronavirus and Animal Crossing talk? We’ve got you covered! This week Darren checks in on you and asks: what are the actual chances of dying from COVID-19? As usual, it’s complicated. Next Adam looks into whether Tom Nook from the game Animal Crossing is a greedy capitalist villain, keeping players buried under ever-increasing debt.

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24:36

TRC #581: Should You Try DIY Sanitizer? + Science x...

The Reality Check ·

2020/03/30

Cristina looks into the proliferation of homemade hand sanitizer tutorials and whether it’s safe to even be promoting the practice. Adam brings us a segment he planned to do during TRC’s live show at Toronto Comicon this year...from a safe distance; how does the science in the latest Sonic The Hedgehog movie stack up? Finally, Darren answers a question from a cuboid who asks, ‘is there an influenza virus separate from the influenza disease? Is calling COVID-19 a virus not accurate?

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32:32

TRC #580: COVID-19 Vs Flu + WHO COVID-19 Mythbusting...

The Reality Check ·

2020/03/21

How is everyone holding up out there? This week the whole crew is back...sort of. Darren tapes solo from his post-travel quarantine to bring us an in-depth look at COVID-19 versus the seasonal flu. Cristina shares some recent COVID-19 mythbusting from the WHO so we...ahem...won’t get fooled again. Adam rounds out the show by looking at the recent stockpiling of toilet paper and asking, ‘is there really a toilet paper shortage?’

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25:06

TRC #579: Mad Mike’s Rocket Crash + Mercury...

The Reality Check ·

2020/03/14

With half the crew in isolation, we take a reprieve from coronavirus news. First, Adam digs into headlines about daredevil "Mad Mike" Hughes who died in a homemade rocket accident intended to “prove” the Earth is flat. One of our two favourite Stuarts, Dr. Stu Robbins, brings us a relatively compelling look into the precession of Mercury. Finally, Darren brings us an interesting overview of revealed preferences, a major theory of consumption behaviour.

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42:07

TRC #578: Does 9-1-1 need 9-1-1? + Why Is Bagged Milk...

The Reality Check ·

2020/02/29

Producer Pat schools us on 9-1-1 and emergency numbers worldwide after a personal experience dealing with a medical emergency opens his eyes. Cristina finds a way to tie the Toronto Raptors into her segment, when she looks into why bagged milk is a Canuck thing. Finally, while the COVID-19 situation is changing by the minute, Adam gives us a general overview of coronavirus disease and debunks some of the more ubiquitous myths.

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38:58

TRC #577: Talking Close Relationships with Dr. Cheryl...

The Reality Check ·

2020/02/12

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk is an Associate Professor at Carleton University in the Department of Psychology. She runs the “Positive Activities in Intimate Relationships Lab.” Adam and Darren sit down for a fascinating chat with Cheryl about relationships, love, and how to make those relationships better through play and leisure.

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29:22

TRC #576: 10,000 Steps? + Transgender Violence A U.S....

The Reality Check ·

2020/01/31

Cristina flexes her critical thinking muscles and investigates the legitimacy of why 10,000 steps a day is promoted as the magical number to stay healthy and fit. Adam looks at statistics to check claims that fatal anti-transgender violence is a national epidemic in the U.S. Lastly, Darren gives an overview of Pedro Domingos’ book, “The Master Algorithm”, a thought-provoking look at machine learning.

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30:11

TRC #575: Impeachment + Future Of Work +...

The Reality Check ·

2020/01/19

Producer Pat kicks off the show by clearing up some misconceptions about impeachment and looking at what it means to be impeached. Darren looks into the future of work and the key game changers covered in a report by foresight organization Policy Horizons Canada. Lastly, Adam tries to find any scientific evidence to support the purported benefits of eating one’s placenta after giving birth.

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41:48

TRC #574: Year End Wrap Up

The Reality Check ·

2020/01/11

Happy New Year, Checkers! The crew rings in the first show of 2020 with a laughter-filled look back at last year. First, a little navel gazing while we chat about our favourite segments. Next, Producer Pat challenges the panel to a sneaky 2019 themed game of ‘Name That’. Lastly, Adam fact checks how well we did with our 2019 predictions, before we take out the proverbial crystal ball and do it all again for 2020.

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34:22

TRC #573: Arizona Vortex + Home Alone Booby Traps +...

The Reality Check ·

2019/12/22

Darren sucks us into a segment about vortexes after a recent trip to Arizona leaves him scratching his head over their mystical ‘enhanced energy’ claims. Cristina looks behind the movie magic in “Home Alone” using science to assess the real life consequences of the booby traps 8 year old Kevin sets up for the Wet Bandits. Adam rounds out the show with a detailed look at Thomas Abt’s book “Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence”, which uses an evidence based approach to look at

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37:04

TRC #572: Blue Light Lens Mania + Donating...

The Reality Check ·

2019/12/01

Cristina set her focus on some dubious sales pitches being made about blue light filtering lenses. Next, with Giving Tuesday right around the corner, Darren talks to us about giving to charities effectively. Adam closes out the show with a look at organizing consultant and author Marie Kondo and her new online store.

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37:48

TRC #571: Did China Ban Video Games After 10PM? + Did...

The Reality Check ·

2019/11/16

Adam looks into some curious headlines suggesting that China has banned video games after 10PM. Cristina looks closely at how Portugal is doing 18 years after decriminalizing drugs. Darren explores the assumptions and mistakes humans make when dealing with people via Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking To Strangers.

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33:35

TRC #570: Lead In Canada’s Water + Flu Shot +...

The Reality Check ·

2019/11/10

Adam takes a deep dive into a recently published, Canada-wide investigation highlighting dangerous levels of lead in drinking water in the Great White North. ‘Tis the season to get the flu shot. Darren breaks down what a flu vaccine is made of and why. Finally, Cristina takes on a widely-shared social media post warning people about criminals throwing eggs at car windshields.

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32:58

TRC #569: Did Eagles Rack Up Roaming Charges? + Kids...

The Reality Check ·

2019/11/02

This week, we kick off the show with Adam addressing listener email about his Hilary Clinton vs NASA segment. Cristina looks into a curious headline about migrating Russian eagles running up huge data roaming charges. Adam asks, are kids these days really worse than kids of days gone by? Finally, Darren revisits an oldie but a goodie, Peter Singer’s Practical Ethics.

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38:33

TRC #568.5: Halloween Debate On Ron Corbett Unscripted

The Reality Check ·

2019/10/30

Boo! A little extra candy in your podcast feed this week. TRC’s Darren McKee appeared on CFRA News Talk Radio back in 2013 for a special Halloween episode of ‘Ron Corbett Unscripted’. He participated in a debate about ghosts, spirits and the paranormal.

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27:43

TRC #568: Halloween THC Candy + Blob With 720 Sexes +...

The Reality Check ·

2019/10/26

Cristina looks into the latest Halloween fear mongering to assess whether THC-laced candy is an especially big concern this year. Darren digs deep behind the headlines that a Paris zoo showcased a blob with 720 sexes. Adam explores whether Hillary Clinton’s account of writing to NASA as a kid and receiving a reply stating that women can’t be astronauts has a moon nugget of truth to it.

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35:08

TRC #567: Longest Word + Shag Harbour UFO Coin + OK...

The Reality Check ·

2019/10/19

This week, Darren’s perspicacity shines through when he drops some knowledge on the panel about the longest words in the English language. Next, Cristina learns that the Canadian Mint is issuing a coin commemorating ‘Canada’s Roswell’...wait, Canada has a ‘Roswell’? Lastly, Adam reexamines the recent OK sign controversies to establish whether it’s O-KKK after a listener writes in with a new theory.

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442 results

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