The Reality Check

Oct 21 2024 400 ep. 33 mins 14.8k
The Reality Check Podcast artwork

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

  Science  Society & Culture
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TRC #698: Converting Office Space to House + Book Review: The Singularity is Nearer

Oct 21 2024 27 mins  
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.

TRC #697: Did Hedy Lamarr Invent Wi-Fi? + Name That: Spot the Fake

Sep 30 2024 31 mins  
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.

TRC #696: Did Sakana AI Change Its Own Code? + Who is Margaret Hello?

Sep 09 2024 32 mins  
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 a

TRC #695: The Science of Sharknado + Book Review: Invisible Rulers by Renée DiResta

Aug 25 2024 38 mins  
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 infl

TRC #694: Can Meditation Be Harmful? + Did Cavemen Live in Caves?

Aug 11 2024 33 mins  
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.

TRC #693: When Is Soap Not Really Soap? + Book Review: Determined

Jul 14 2024 30 mins  
What’s the difference between a bar of soap and the stuff we use to clean dishes, laundry and cars, and can you just use any of those in the shower? Adam tries to find out whether the stuff that’s fit for baby ducks if good enough for you skin. Darren gives us a review of Determined: The Science of Life Without Free Will by Robert Sapolsky, which asks interesting questions abou

TRC #692: Cultivating Critical Thinking + Letting Food Cool Before Refrigerating It

Jul 01 2024 37 mins  
We look at some fundamental ways of cultivating critical thinking on the latest show. Darren looks at some common cognitive biases and logical fallacies and how to use these in order to have a better more accurate understanding of the truth of the things we face every day. Then Adam looks at the science behind the belief that you should let your leftovers cool down at room temperat

TRC #691: Why Can’t AI Do Laundry and Dishes?

Jun 16 2024 19 mins  
Can we say that AI is going in the wrong direction, as it does our art and writing while we suffer doing laundry and dishes? It’s just Adam on the show this week as he overanalyzes a viral tweet by looking at how much the time and way we do chores has changed for the better over the centuries, while looking at what AI could do to improve the situation.

TRC #690: Early Mammals + Would You Rather Encounter a Man or a Bear in the Woods?

Jun 02 2024 32 mins  
What were the first mammals like? Darren examines what characterizes a mammal and explores the world of early mammals, who coexisted with the dinosaurs. Adam investigates the discourse around a viral question which asks “Would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?”, using some simple statistics to inform the issue.

TRC #689: The Science of Dune's Sandworms + AI Personal Assistants

May 20 2024 37 mins  
Could the huge Sandworms in Frank Herbert's Dune really exist? Adam looks at how scientifically plausible these odd creatures might be. In light of recent news about Open AI's GPT-4o and Google's Project Astra, Darren look at the latest advances in AI personal assistants, speculates where this could be leading and shares a passage from his book Uncontrollable on the topic.