

The Reality Check
The Reality Check
Canada's weekly podcast that explores a wide range of controversies and curiosities using science and critical thinking.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 30, 2016 • 30min
TRC #417: Advertorial + Balance Eggs On Equinox + Is Psychology In Crisis? + Did NASA Change Your Zodiac Sign?
Pat starts the show with a bit of sleuthing about a recent advertorial. A flu stricken Cristina looks into the idea that you can balance an egg on its end during the Equinox. Darren examines whether the field of psychology is in crisis. Adam checks into headlines claiming that NASA has changed the zodiac signs.

Sep 24, 2016 • 30min
TRC #416: Trisodium Phosphate in Kid's Cereal? + Vicks VapoRub + Bottle Flip Physics
On this week's show, we take on 2 Checker requests. First, Pat explores the claims in a viral video about trisodium phosphate in kid's cereal. Next, Cristina looks at the effectiveness of vapour rubs. Finally, Adam checks the physics of the viral water bottle flip trick making the rounds.

Sep 17, 2016 • 24min
TRC #415: 22 Push-up Challenge + Name That: Hoax Edition + Are Parents Naming Their Kids After Pokémon?
Darren explores whether the recent 22 Push-up Challenge making the rounds actually helps veterans. Pat tests the panel's knowledge on hoaxes with another edition of Name That. Finally, Adam looks into whether parents are really naming their babies after Pokémon.

Sep 10, 2016 • 28min
TRC #414: Talking To Dogs + How Saintly Was Mother Teresa? + Kids' Dream Jobs Study
It's TRC's 8th birthday! This week, Darren digs into recent headlines that suggest science has confirmed our canine friends understand us. Cristina examines the controversy swirling around the canonization of Mother Teresa. Finally, Adam looks at how a study came up with the 10 most common childhood dream jobs.

Sep 2, 2016 • 28min
TRC #413: Helium Infused Beer? + Stuart Robbins On Proxima B, SETI Signal, New Horizons + Scrooge McDuck's Money Bin
Is helium infused beer really a thing? Pat looks into the science behind a video making the social media rounds. Our favo(u)rite astronomer stops by to answer our questions about the recent exoplanet discovery, mysterious SETI signal, and the latest on New Horizons. Finally, Adam dives in to determine whether Scrooge McDuck could swim in his money bin. Cheers!

Aug 26, 2016 • 27min
TRC #412: Do People Read Past A Headline? + Should You Floss? + Is Cancer A Modern Disease?
Cristina looks into some research asking whether people share articles that they haven't actually read. Next Darren check into recent headlines suggesting that maybe you shouldn't bother flossing your teeth. Lastly, Adam examines whether cancer is a modern disease.

Aug 20, 2016 • 27min
TRC #411: Olympic Medal Counts + Name That: Olympics + Is Air Conditioning Sexist?
Darren looks into who is really winning the Olympics and whether the way we count medals is fair. Pat tests the panels knowledge of the Olympics with a game of name that. Adam checks out the idea that air conditioning is sexist.

Aug 8, 2016 • 28min
TRC #410: Iraq Bans Bomb Detectors + Redheads and Pain + More Celebrity Medical Advice
Pat takes a look into the history of the ADE-651 bomb detectors used in Iraq. Next, Darren explores whether people with read hair feel more pain. Lastly, those wacky celebrities are at it again! Cristina fact checks Khloe Kardashian's advice that you should put vitamin E on your V.

Aug 1, 2016 • 39min
TRC #409: Melania Trump vs Science + Pokemon Go + Our Mathematical Universe
Cristina takes us back to high school to explore the probability that Melania Trump plagiarized part of Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic convention speech. Adam travels across the land searching far and wide to debunk recent news stories about Pokémon Go. Finally, Darren takes an in depth look at the non-fiction book Our Mathematical Universe by Swedish-American cosmologist Max Tegmark.

Jul 25, 2016 • 21min
TRC #408 - 8 Glasses Of Water A Day + 2016 Celebrity Deaths + Do Cell Phones Cause Cancer?
Darren explores the idea that you should drink eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy, Cristina looks at whether 2016 has been atypically bad for celebrity deaths and Adam checks into whether cell phones cause cancer.


