The Reality Check

With Valentines Day coming up we are taking this opportunity to revisit a romantic segment we did five years ago with Dr. Cheryl Harasymchuk. In this interview she discusses the work she does in the Positive Activities in Intimate Relationships (PAIR) Lab at Carleton University in which they study factors that promote and hinder positive activities in intimate relationships.

It is often said that cats are responsible for the death of countless birds. Adam looks at where these numbers come from and wonders whether they are all that accurate. Darren gives a review of four books which he recently read. He’ll share an AI and human summary of “My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel” by Ari Shavit, Enemies and Neighbors: Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017″ by Ian Black, “Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War” by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff, and “On Freedom” by Timothy Snyder.

It’s the 700th episode of The Reality Check podcast! On this special show we look back at the last 16 years to see how much things have changed since way back in 2008. Darren looks at the history of podcasts and how far we’ve come and then Adam looks at which false beliefs have become more or less over time since the show started.

When it comes to evolution many focus on what Jean-Baptiste Lamarck got wrong with his model of inheritance.  Darren looks at what he got right and considers his discoveries in light of the scientific understanding of the world of his time.  Adam, based on first hand anecdotal evidence of many cats and dogs, wonders what pets see when they looking at various types of TVs and computer monitors.

Why don't they just convert all of the unused office space to housing?  Adam looks at the challenges involved in converting office buildings to residential space.  Then Darren gives us a review of Ray Kurzweil's recent book The Singularity Is Nearer.

We have some very special guests on this week's episode as TRC alumni Pat and Cristina join us with some great segments.  Cristina looks at the truth behind a viral meme that says that famous actress Hedy Lamarr invented Wi-Fi, and gives us some background on this fascinating woman's life.  Then Pat delights us with everyone's favourite mostly guessing game Name That: Spot The Fake.

Could an AI rewrite its own code? Has it perhaps already done so? Darren looks at the story which suggests that an AI Scientist, developed by Sakana AI, was able to change its own source code. What exactly happened and are you worried enough about it? Then Adam investigates the truth behind a viral claim that we say “hello” on the telephone because of Graham Bell’s fiancée and assistant, Margaret Hello.

After having watched all six Sharknado films Adam decides to do some research into the science of these not at all ridiculous films, uncovering the truth about the plausibility and historical precedent for a tornado filled with living sharks. Darren gives us a book review of Renée DiResta’s Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality, which explores how powerful influencers are able to affect what people believe.

Could meditation ever be harmful? Darren examines the evidence to determine if meditation, which can have many benefits, might sometimes have a negative impact on people’s lives. Adam looks at the idea of cavemen and wonders if, as their name suggests, that they really spent all that much time in caves.

The podcast explores the differences between soap and detergent, discussing their cleaning effectiveness and skin-friendliness. They also review a book about free will, questioning its existence and implications. The hosts cover marketing strategies in product differentiation and dive deep into the concepts of determinism and free will, sparking debates and discussions.