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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

32:38

TRC #508: Politicians Use Songs Without Permission? +...

The Reality Check ·

2018/07/29

Cristina looks into whether politicians can use a song without first obtaining the artist’s permission. The answer may surprise you. Next, Adam looks into the great Pacific garbage patch and whether banning plastic straws is the answer. Lastly, Darren brings you his important triennial PSA on why you should always wear sunscreen.

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23:46

TRC #507: Review: Stumbling On Happiness + 5MWaA:...

The Reality Check ·

2018/07/22

Darren gives us his review of Daniel Gilbert’s book ‘Stumbling On Happiness’. Next, we offer up another episode of a new crossover podcast with Stuart Robbins called “5 minutes with an astronomer.” In this episode Stuart tackles Lagrangian points. Last, Cristina looks into the evidence for claims that ingesting collagen has benefits for your skin.

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28:31

TRC #506: Open Plane Door Mid Flight? + 5MWaA:...

The Reality Check ·

2018/07/14

First Pat looks into recent news about Michael Rapaport’s mile high heroics and asks “could someone really open an airplane door mid flight?” Next the crew introduces a new crossover podcast with Stuart Robbins called “5 minutes with an astronomer” with an episode about parallax. Subscribe and leave a review! Last, Adam looks into headlines that the United States is the 10th most dangerous country to be a woman.

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29:16

TRC #505: Memory Palaces + Donating Used Clothing

The Reality Check ·

2018/07/07

While Pat and Cristina enjoy some vacation time, Darren and Adam take the helm and welcome back special guest, Professor Jim Davies. Jim joins the dynamic duo to talk about the ‘Memory Palace’, an imaginary location in your mind where one can store mnemonic images. Next up, Darren digs into used clothing donation stats and ponders the best strategy when it’s time to part with those MC Hammer pants you’ve been keeping buried in your closet.

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26:50

TRC #504: IV Therapy + Baby Foreskin Beauty Cream? +...

The Reality Check ·

2018/06/30

Adam kicks off this week’s show by looking into the trend of IV Therapy when used outside of legit medical procedures. Cristina goes head first down a rabbit hole after hearing that a beauty cream Oprah endorses may contain baby foreskin in its formulation. Finally, Darren digs into the stats behind a recent headline claiming that nearly half of Canada's incarcerated youth are Indigenous. Wishing our Canadian and U.S. Checkers a safe and happy Canada Day & July 4th holiday!

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24:26

TRC #503: Implicit Bias Training + Mexican World Cup...

The Reality Check ·

2018/06/25

Happy Summer Solstice, Checkers! This week, Darren explores whether implicit bias training really works in the wake of Starbucks recently closing their stores to provide racial-bias training to its employees. Cristina takes time out of watching the World Cup to check a claim that Mexican fans triggered an earthquake when celebrating Mexico’s victory over defending champion Germany. Finally, Adam looks into the validity of a story suggesting a Saudi Arabian fashion show used drones to model clothes

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27:02

TRC #502: Mashup: Dunning-Kruger Effect + Matilda...

The Reality Check ·

2018/06/16

A mashup episode all about ‘effects’. Darren discusses the sometimes misunderstood cognitive bias called the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Inspired by the movie Hidden Figures, Cristina digs into the Matilda Effect and highlights some groundbreaking women scientists who were famously and shamelessly snubbed for their achievements. Pat explains an illusion known as the McGurk Effect which demonstrates the interaction between hearing and vision in speech perception.

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32:17

TRC #501: Mail Bag + Einstein Rejection Letter +...

The Reality Check ·

2018/06/09

With all the hoopla of episode 500 done, the TRC crew gets back to business. First we reach into our mailbag for a couple of listener’s letters. Next Darren looks into the authenticity of a rejection letter Albert Einstein supposedly received from the University of Bern. Cristina asks can grapefruit juice be lethal when mixed with drugs? Lastly Adam checks out recent headlines that the U.S Government lost 1,500 immigrant children.

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38:46

TRC #500: Segments That Were True + Name That: Spot...

The Reality Check ·

2018/05/25

The Reality Check celebrates its 500th episode in style! First the crew looks back on segment topics that sounded fishy but actually turned out to be true. Next, Pat tests the gang’s ability to ‘spot the fake’ in another addition of everybody’s favourite mostly guessing game. Lastly, we reflect on 500 episodes. We couldn’t have done it without you, dear listeners. Well, we could have but it probably would have been a little weird and certainly not as much fun.

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36:35

TRC #499: Yanny vs Laurel + Video Compression ft Dr....

The Reality Check ·

2018/05/19

This week, the crew (minus Adam) come at you live from TRC Studio in Toronto! Cristina takes a poll of Checkers ahead of taping the show to see who is on Team Yanny or Laurel then breaks down what experts are saying about the “audio illusion” currently dividing the internet. Dr. Stuart Robbins takes a fascinating deep dive into HD, video and image compression and how it relates to conspiracies. Finally, Darren looks into a long-standing claim that 5% of the world is related to Genghis Khan.

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30:31

TRC #498: Bulverism Fallacy + Dr. Oz + Delayed Onset...

The Reality Check ·

2018/05/12

Another fact-filled show is here! First, Darren digs into his skeptical toolbox to bring us an interesting overview of Bulverism Fallacy. But that’s probably because he wants you to think better to act better. Adam looks closely at everyone’s favourite peddler of pseudoscience Dr. Oz and asks, how often is he pretty much full of it? Finally, Cristina explores the research into delayed onset muscle soreness and tries to answer why we feel sore 2 days after exercise.

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31:11

TRC #497: Mosquitoes Choosy Biters? + Humboldt: Value...

The Reality Check ·

2018/05/06

Spring is finally here, Checkers! Does it seem like you get bitten by mosquitoes way more than others around you? Cristina explores whether the pesky bloodsuckers are choosy about who they bite. Next, Darren ponders the sensitive topic of life and death and offers suggestions of questions to ask ourselves when tragedy strikes. Lastly, Adam looks into Barbra Streisand’s supposedly cloned dogs and asks what’s involved in cloning pets.

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31:34

TRC #496: Snake Bites + Are Nature Documentaries...

The Reality Check ·

2018/04/28

A fact-astic new episode of TRC is here! First, Darren doles out some surprising stats about snake bite deaths. Next, Cristina digs into how nature documentaries are filmed to determine what’s real and what’s fake. Lastly, Adam talks about his recent experience getting a vasectomy and what the medical procedure is, and isn’t.

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24:37

TRC #495: Treason Tags + The Atacama Mummified...

The Reality Check ·

2018/04/22

Hey, Checkers, the TRC crew is back with a mixed bag of facts! First, Pat brings us an entertaining segment after investigating an image macro dubbed ‘treason tags’ making the rounds on social media. Next, Adam takes a second look at the claim that the Atacama Mummified Skeleton found in Chile was not of this world. Lastly, Darren goes down a rabbit hole to school us on Godwin’s Law.

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30:46

TRC #494: Talking Clean Meat With Paul Shapiro

The Reality Check ·

2018/04/15

This week’s show is dedicated to an interview with author and animal protection advocate Paul Shapiro. Adam and Darren talk with Paul about cellular agriculture and his Washington Post bestseller book ‘Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World.’

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39:44

TRC #493: Cadbury’s War On Easter? + Jordan Peterson...

The Reality Check ·

2018/04/08

This week, Adam looks into a viral post suggesting that confectionery company Cadbury is waging war on Easter. Next Darren takes a deep dive into Jordan Peterson and his book ‘12 Rules For Life’. Lastly Cristina checks into headlines suggesting that Lebron James gained 7 pounds during a single basketball game. Enjoy!

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32:49

TRC #492: Gun Violence In Canada Increasing? + Name...

The Reality Check ·

2018/04/01

Happy Spring Equinox, Checkers! This week, Adam questions whether gun violence in Canada is really increasing by targeting the facts. Pat challenges the crew to an Easter-ish version of everybody’s favourite mostly guessing game. Lastly, Darren warns us about an online passport service taking advantage of unsuspecting Canadians.

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28:27

TRC #491: Hawaiian Islands + Euthanasia Drugs In Dog...

The Reality Check ·

2018/03/25

Aloha Checkers! The whole crew is here for a brand new show. Back from a trip to Hawaii, Darren discusses how the islands that make up the State came to be. Cristina, once again, looks into the question: are euthanasia drugs showing up in dog food? Lastly, Adam looks into some recent headlines claiming that Amelia Earhart’s bones have been found.

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46:41

TRC #490: Mashup: Brian Tomasik on Wild Animal Suffering

The Reality Check ·

2018/03/17

Brian Tomasik from Reducing-Suffering.org discusses ethics, animal welfare and far-future scenarios from a suffering-focused perspective. Here is his interview from 2015 presented in its entirety for the first time. This was one of the more controversial interviews on TRC and generated quite a bit of conversation. As always, we’re interested to hear what you think. The crew will be back next week with a freshly minted show. Enjoy!

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20:46

TRC #489: Busting History Myths With Professor Buzzkill

The Reality Check ·

2018/03/03

Did Mussolini make the trains run on time? Was Rosa Parks just ‘too tired’ to give up her seat? The crew is off this week so Cristina and Pat seize the opportunity to chat with fellow podcaster, author and historian extraordinaire Professor Buzzkill, aka Joseph Coohill. Joe schools us on history myths, ‘good’ evidence, and some interesting topics he’s covered on Professor Buzzkill: History 101.

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