The Reality Check

Another fun and fact-filled episode comin’ at you! Our favourite resident food scientist and author Dr. Stuart Farrimond is back with a new book about the science of Spice. He schools us on how to make the perfect roast turkey just in time for your festive holiday dinners. Next, Adam looks into all the brouhaha over a cigar-shaped interstellar object that zoomed through our solar system and that some suggest may be an alien spacecraft.

Hey Checkers! First, a heartfelt thank you on this Remembrance Day to those who serve or have served to protect our freedoms. Adam kicks off this week’s show with an update on the anti-vax article that was published then quickly removed by the Toronto Sun newspaper. Cristina’s girlfriends inspire an update on beauty product claims where she explains industry laws and teaches us which claims to be leery of. Next, Darren continues his “Brief History…” series with a look at early life on Earth. Finally, Adam asks, “Would Donald Trump’s many children, born to immigrant mothers, be US citizens if it weren’t for birthright citizenship?”

Welcome to your weekly dose of TRC! Adam kicks things off by addressing a syndicated column filled with anti-vaccine misinformation and pseudoscience that was recently published in the Toronto Sun newspaper. “Physics Commando” Barry Panas schools us about errors in school textbooks after hearing a recent episode where Darren cites the Earth’s mass. Finally, Pat drops a bombshell on the panel with a segment everyone should hear regarding passwords and how to find out if you’ve been compromised without even knowing it.

This week, Darren goes back billions of years to give us a fascinating look at early Earth. Adam takes a deep dive into how recent academic journals in the field of “grievance studies” were successfully published despite being a hoax. After NBA star Lebron James raised some eyebrows when stating his 11 and 14 year olds drink wine, Cristina looks into whether there is any tangible evidence to support a well-held notion that exposing kids to alcohol helps mitigate alcohol-related harms and dependence as teens and adults.

Your weekly dose of fun and facts is here! We definitely had a lot of laughs taping the show this week. First, Producer Pat points his skeptical lens at the recent Banksy incident rocking the Art World to find out if Sotheby’s really got pranked, or did we all just get Banksied? Darren brings the panel’s mood way down with an overview of the bleak reality reported in the recent UN Climate Change Report. The panel shakes it off long enough for Adam to give us an objective analysis of whether the uptick in voter registration in the U.S. can be attributed to pop star Taylor Swift.

This week, Adam looks into rumours that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is really the son of former Cuban Communist leader Fidel Castro. Cristina blazes through some myths and misconceptions around The Cannabis Act which legalizes the recreational use of cannabis in Canada as of October 17. Finally, Darren wraps up the show with a closer look at Sean Carroll’s book, The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, Checkers! We bring you another fun and fact-filled show to digest alongside that slice of pumpkin pie. First, Darren looks at the history of abortion laws in Canada after a listener points out that our collective perception on a previous show was false. Cristina ponders how useless the long-standing spelling rule, “I Before E, Except After C” actually is. Finally, Adam investigates whether Twitter is shadowbanning some users, as they have recently been publicly accused of doing.  

This week, the RC crew are stoked to have Dr. Stuart Farrimond on the show. A former medical doctor turned science and medical writer, educator, and author, Stuart uses one of our favourite comfort foods, ‘Mac and Cheese’, as a vehicle to debunk cooking myths. Pat trolls us with another game of ‘Name That: Spot The Fake’ edition resulting in some entertaining banter. Finally, Darren looks into flu shot timing, and asks whether you can get a flu shot too early?

Happy Fall, Checkers! Darren is finally back where he belongs with The RC crew and kicks off the show asking whether fundamental value differences are as fundamental as they seem. Cristina tries to get to the bottom of rumours that suggest Apple will be ending MP3 music downloads on its iTunes platform in 2019. Finally, Adam looks into recent claims that Sony Music released “fake” Michael Jackson songs.

With Darren still away in Europe, the crew get sucked into a vortex of shenanigans when former beloved TRC co-host Elan Dubrofsky and guest Dina Xirlin stop by. Cristina kicks off the festivities with an update on a recent lawsuit against Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP and its unfounded product claims. Adam investigates whether hot dog companies are colluding with bun companies to sell more of both products. Dina schools us on the Ontario Sex Ed Curriculum amidst the current controversy stirred by Ontario’s new premier. Finally, Elan makes an earth-shattering discovery about 2 of his favourite old sitcoms.

Darren is still in Europe and Adam is still trying to cobble together internet access in his new rural home.  Fear not, 5th Beatle and our favourite astronomer fills in. This week’s show is dedicated to a single question from Checker, Mitchell, who asks: “are flat earthers for real?” Dr. Stuart Robbins tells us about the ‘evidence’ offered for a flat earth and the science that refutes it.

With Darren away in Europe and Adam moving, Cristina takes the helm for a water themed mashup.  First, Darren asks: is it better to boil hot water or cold water? Next, Adam taps into health claims lauding the benefits of Maple Water.  Finally, Pat flushes out the truth behind why bottled water has an expiration date.

This week, Cristina takes a hard look at the evidence behind cough medicine and whether it lives up to our ‘hacking’ expectations. Darren looks at what causes mosquito populations to flourish or shrink. Finally, Adam brings us another Amelia Earhart segment because this one just won’t ‘fly away’. (Too soon?) Welcome to another episode of TRC!

On this week’s show, we dip into TRC’s mail bag and highlight some of your fun feedback and questions. Producer Pat rounds out the show with a slippery edition of everyone’s favourite guessing game, ‘Name That.’ This week’s theme is water.

This week, Darren asks if there’s really a conspiracy to keep a conspiracy theorist from his right to free speech in light of the recent Alex Jones ban. Next up, Adam investigates whether China blacklisted the new “Christopher Robin” film in retaliation over internet memes comparing Chinese President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh. Cristina rounds out the show by raining on your Kombucha parade.

This week Producer Pat plays DJ bringing you a mashup show all about food labels.  First Cristina bites into a segment about misleading product claims and food labeling. Next, Pat explores a viral video about trisodium phosphate in kid’s cereal. Lastly, Darren checks into what the organic label really means.

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.

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.

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.

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.