Synopsis
Canada's weekly podcast that explores a wide range of controversies and curiosities using science and critical thinking.
Episodes
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TRC #334: Blasphemy in Canada + Why Allergy Myths Persist + Does Cake Mix Really Need an Egg?
31/01/2015 Duration: 35minOn this week’s fun and fact-filled show, Darren kicks things off swearing Blasphemy is alive and well in Canada. Cristina breaks out in a segment about why debunked allergy myths continue to persist. Lastly, Adam mixes it up by asking if adding an egg to boxed cake mixes is a marketing ploy.
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TRC #333: Cali Causes Cancer? + Talking Transgender + The Most Bombed Country is…
23/01/2015 Duration: 43minAdam is back from his vacation/reconnaissance mission in California where he investigates why everything in the State purports to cause cancer or birth defects. Pat addresses gender identity in an interview with friend of the show Sebastien LeBel. Lastly, Darren drops the question, “Which is the most bombed country on Earth?” The answer may surprise you...
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TRC #332: Wind Chill + Bad Pharma Overview + Does Bottled Water Expire?
16/01/2015 Duration: 41minEven with Adam away, TRC delivers! Cristina blows in with an interesting breakdown of the Wind Chill Index, while Darren probes the book “Bad Pharma” by British physician and academic Ben Goldacre. Finally, Pat flushes out the truth behind why bottled water has an expiration date.
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TRC #331: Bad Luck & Cancer + Annual Predictions + Sushi & Wasabi
10/01/2015 Duration: 54minHappy New Year from TRC! On this week’s episode, Darren doubles down on whether cancer is mostly the result of bad luck, while Adam looks into his crystal ball for our Annual Predictions. Pat rounds out the show with the raw facts on sushi and wasabi and rings in 2015’s inaugural episode with some ‘Rap Bravado’. Check it…
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TRC #330: The Fourth Annual Holiday Parody Spectacular
02/01/2015 Duration: 43minWith half of the regular TRC crew off for the holidays, Pat and Cristina hijack the show for a fourth year running and revisit some of the best parodies and highlights of the year.
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TRC #329: Murder Down Under + Cake or Death + The Sitting Dead + #HomicideTheNorth
26/12/2014 Duration: 45minThe Reality Check panel delivers a morbidly merry episode this holiday season! Pat goes down under to see if Adelaide is worthy of its ‘murder capital’ rep, while Cristina presents the odds of dying on your birthday. Next, Adam relaxes into a segment about the dangers of sitting, and Darren investigates recent homicide rates in Canada.
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TRC #328: Superintelligence Overview + Guinness Two-Pour + Is Grumpy Cat a ‘100-millionaire’?
20/12/2014 Duration: 01h02sTRC drops another informative show with some hilarious outtakes! Darren takes over the world show with an in-depth overview of Nick Bostrom’s book Superintelligence, Cristina gives us a sobering look at whether the Guinness Two-Pour is a must or a myth, and Adam brings us a purr-fectly delivered segment about Grumpy Cat that had us all in stitches.
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TRC 327: Racial Disparity + Perception Quiz + The Cheerleader Effect
12/12/2014 Duration: 36minThis week’s show is #1! Dina stirs the melting pot and gives us a taste of racial disparity as it relates to education, employment, and the penal system, Darren tests our knowledge of key social issues in our own backyard, and Cristina kicks in with a segment about The Cheerleader Effect. Goooooooo TRC!
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TRC #326: Bates Method + Outlet Malls + Does Roomba Map a Room + Hope & Resurrection
06/12/2014 Duration: 42minThis week’s awesome episode kicks off with Pat focusing on The Bates Method. Cristina shops for facts about outlet malls, while Adam cleans up with a segment about Roombas. Lastly, Darren raises our awareness with a recent troubling news story.
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TRC #325: Cells On A Plane + Effective Donating Revisited + Sad Music
30/11/2014 Duration: 50minOn this week’s show, Adam rings in about whether we really have to turn off cell phones on a plane, Darren contributes by revisiting effective donating, and Cristina conducts a minor segment about why we listen to sad music when we’re sad.
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TRC #324: Serial Killer Myths + Name That: Weights and Measures + Is Chocolate Poison To Dogs?
22/11/2014 Duration: 36minAnother great episode! First Cristina slays a few misconceptions about serial killers, next Pat sizes up the panel's knowledge about weights and measures with another game of 'name that.' Lastly, Adam sniffs out the truth about dogs and chocolate.
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TRC #323: Mashup Episode: SkyMall + Mattress Doubles In Weight + Almond Joy's Got Nuts
14/11/2014 Duration: 43minElan is your DJ for this "humour" themed mash-up episode. Unfortunately it is also his last appearance as a regular panelist on the podcast.
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TRC #322: Fewer Kids Trick or Treating? + SFoSF: Coffee + BDSM Illegal? + Losing Elan
08/11/2014 Duration: 51minThe TRC boys deliver another great show with Adam kicking things off by slaughtering myths around trick or treating. Elan challenges the guys to a java-fuelled science fact or science fiction while Darren dominates a segment about the legalities around BDSM.
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TRC #321: Ebola + Google Traffic + Sexy Ebola Nurse Costume
01/11/2014 Duration: 45minOn this week's show, Darren explores whether it's time to hit the panic button on Ebola, Adam navigates us through how Google Traffic really works, and Pat examines whether the Sexy Ebola Nurse Costume is a trick.
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TRC #320: Bradford Hill Criteria + Cold Reading + Does The Earth Orbit The Sun?
25/10/2014 Duration: 54minWhat a show! First Elan loads our skeptical rifles with the Bradford Hill Criteria. Next, special guest Julian Janes gives us an excellent overview of the dark art of cold reading. Lastly, Darren asks does the earth really orbit the sun?
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TRC #319: Mothers' Milk Vs Mothers' Guilt + Red Wine Health Benefits + Green Eggs And Ham Banned?
17/10/2014 Duration: 45minCristina joins the panel to explore mothers' milk and asks whether some breastfeeding advocates take things too far. Next Adam examines recent news reports of the claim: red wine is better than going to the gym. Lastly, Pat looks at whether or not the book 'Green Eggs and Ham' was banned.
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TRC #318: Do Glasses Weaken Eyes? + Smoking in Movies = R-rating + Pluto A Planet Again?
11/10/2014 Duration: 34minEven when short-staffed, the guys deliver the skepticism. First Pat takes an arm's length look at whether wearing glasses weakens eyes. Next, Darren tries to get a grip on smoking in movies and its effect on ratings. But both those segments may be dwarfed by Adam's look into whether or not Pluto is again a planet.
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TRC #317: Programmer Productivity + Parody Websites + iPhone Bending
03/10/2014 Duration: 51minEpisode 317 of The Reality Check is really fantastic. Elan leads things off by looking into the claim that excellent programmers can be more than 10 times more productive than average ones. Next, Adam looks into some "parody" websites. Darren closes out the show by answering if it's true that the iPhone 6 bends.
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TRC #316: Three-Breasted Woman + Name That: Cryptozoology Edition + Cow Tipping
27/09/2014 Duration: 36minEpisode 316 is awesome. First Darren covers a salacious and titillating news story about a three breasted woman. Next Pat mystifies the panel with a new edition of "name that," all about cryptozoology. Lastly, Elan examines the underbelly of claims about cow tipping.
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TRC #315: Grounding Mats + Sweetener vs. Cocaine + Tooth Colour
20/09/2014 Duration: 44minThe core group of 4 is back together again to bring you another dose of premium skeptical content in episode 315 of The Reality Check. Elan leads things off by exploring the health claims of grounding mats. Next Adam analyzes yet another study comparing cocaine to sweetener. Darren closes out the show by answering what colour our teeth should be.