400 episodes

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

The Reality Check The Reality Check

    • Science
    • 4.6 • 185 Ratings

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

    Aliens in Mexican Congress? + Book Review: Outlive by Peter Attia

    Aliens in Mexican Congress? + Book Review: Outlive by Peter Attia

    I’m not saying they’re aliens but … they’re aliens. Adam uses hard hitting science to evaluate the validity of these allegedly non human mummified remains which were presented to the Mexican Congress in the fall. A shocking discovery which puts into question everything we know about our world or a hoax? Darren gives us a review of Peter Attia’s book Outlive, an exploration of the science behind living a longer and better life.

    • 33 min
    AI News: Sora, Gemini 1.5 and Implications + Jailbreaks by Hiding Files in Cakes

    AI News: Sora, Gemini 1.5 and Implications + Jailbreaks by Hiding Files in Cakes

    Darren gives us a news roundup of some recent things happening in the world of AI including OpenAI's text to video tool Sora, Google Deepmind's Gemini 1.5, as well as what implications this and other upcoming technologies could have on our lives.  Adam tries to find out if there was ever anyone who really baked a file into a cake to break out of jail as many children's cartoons have lead us to believe.

    • 35 min
    Oppenheimer Movie Discussion

    Oppenheimer Movie Discussion

    We try something a little different on the latest episode of The Reality Check. Having recently seen the movie Oppenheimer Darren and Adam have a discussion about this great film. If you haven’t seen the movie already it might be a good idea to check it out before listening to the show!

    • 27 min
    Are Poinsettias Poisonous? + Mickey Mouse and the Public Domain

    Are Poinsettias Poisonous? + Mickey Mouse and the Public Domain

    Put down that poinsettia salad, checkers.  Darren looks into a popular myth that poinsettia plants are poisonous to animals, including people.  Then Adam looks into what's been going on with Mickey Mouse and Steamboat Willie as he explores trademark, copyright and what it means to enter the public domain.

    • 26 min
    Annual Predictions: 2024 Edition + Down Syndrome Strength + A Special Message From Pat and Cristina

    Annual Predictions: 2024 Edition + Down Syndrome Strength + A Special Message From Pat and Cristina

    This year we retire our annual prediction segment with a final look back at how accurate, or rather how innacurate, we were in our predictions of what would happen in 2023. Darren examines the validity of a popular claim that people with Down syndrome are stronger. Finally we end the show with a special announcement from Pat and Cristina.

    • 37 min
    A Chat With Author Darren McKee: Uncontrollable

    A Chat With Author Darren McKee: Uncontrollable

    The crew gets to interview TRC’s very own Darren McKee, author of the critically acclaimed book, ‘Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World’. We chat about the challenges of writing a first book, some of the key takeaways, and have a few laughs along the way.

    • 30 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
185 Ratings

185 Ratings

sc_78 ,

Great Podcast for the critical thinker

Fantastic podcast driven by dedicated critically minded hosts. It’s been one of my favorite podcasts for years.

MrCmonster ,

Very fun and educational

The podcast has gotten so much better over the years. Not that it was ever bad, it's just more refined now. It's one of only three podcasts that I absolutely must listen to every week without fail. It has become more mature and thoughtful lately, but it still keeps its original charm and irreverent sense of humor. I adore both sides. I love the outtakes and I'm sad when there aren't any. Keep up the awesome work everyone (Darren, Adam, Pat, Cristina, and guests)! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zawfer ,

Earnest, Lighthearted, and Useful

I found TRC by following their friend Stuart Robbins, my favorite pseudoscience-debunking astronomer. Debunking, myth-busting and truth seeking is the name of the game here, and the TRC crew plays it like a game. The scope of their subject matter is just about unlimited, although thankfully they don't care about celebrity gossip unless it's attached to some current, larger issue (ike their recent finger-wagging at Neil deGrasse Tyson). Because of their good humor, absence of malice, lack of partisanship and no ad hominem attacks ever, TRC is fun and lighthearted and I always learn stuff I didn't know I needed to know -- such as the fact that hippopotamuses can swim.

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