The Reality Check

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TRC #551: Talking Brain Tumours With Dr. Stuart Farrimond Jun 14, 2019

Show notes

Stuart has been on the show many times discussing food science and food myths but this interview is different. Some Checkers may not know that the Doctor before his name is because he is a medical doctor. Two days before Stuart was scheduled to undergo surgery, he talked with Pat and Cristina about brain tumours, cancer, cancer treatment and his story.

TRC #550: Did NBA'er Manute Bol Coin 'My Bad'? + Unmarried People Happier? + Fortnite Vs The Doppler Effect Jun 08, 2019

Show notes

Cristina kicks off the show with a basketball related myth in honour of her beloved Toronto Raptors; did NBA legend Manute Bol really coin the phrase 'My Bad'? As the only TRC co-host who is not married, Darren scrutinizes an article citing research that suggests unmarried people are happier, probably just to rub it in. Finally, Adam vents his Fornite pet peeve that the game just doesn't get the Doppler Effect.

TRC #549: Forever Fries & Onion Tears With Dr. Stuart Farrimond + Name That: British Food Edition Jun 02, 2019

Show notes

Our favourite Food Scientist is back to tackle some of your most pressing food-related questions. Ever find a 3 week old fry under a car seat? Stuart breaks down why fast food seems to last forever without going bad. Next, he tells us about why onions make us cry and what we can do about it. Bonus question: why do we "rest" beef and chicken but not fish? Pat rounds out the show with a 3 vs 1 edition of everyone's favourite mostly guessing game "name that" where the crew teams up against Stuart.

TRC #548: Presidential War On Press? + Science Proves Hip Hop Is Most Influential Genre? + Energy Costs Vs Waste May 25, 2019

Show notes

Darren kicks off the show dropping a bombshell on the panel when he looks into reporting around the U.S. government seizing records for phone lines assigned to the Associated Press and its journalists. Cristina finds out if we can prove rap is the most important music since 1960 using Science. Finally, Adam revisits his segment on plastic vs cloth bags after a listener points out he may have failed to consider the consequences of plastic on our environment.

TRC #547: What Is A SIN? + Global Population Growth + Sonic Doll Made Of Human Skeleton? May 18, 2019

Show notes

This week Pat looks at the Social Insurance Number, what it is and who can ask for it. Darren ponders how many humans there are now, how many there were and how many there will be. Adam checks out rumours that someone made a life sized doll of a Sonic the Hedgehog character, Sally Acorn, built around a human skeleton.

TRC #546: Aura Readings + Stand-up Comedy NDAs + Who's Tracking Your Browsing History? May 11, 2019

Show notes

This week, Cristina is fired up about an article she saw in a recent fitness magazine glorifying aura readings and aura photography. Darren asks, "What's the deal with stand-up comedy NDAs?" after a comedy club posts a notice ahead of Louis CK's set. Finally, Adam scrutinizes how well websites track your browsing history.

TRC #545: What Gaslighting Is & Isn't + So-Called Facts + Loch Ness Monster Effect May 04, 2019

Show notes

With the term 'gaslighting' popping up everywhere (again), Adam looks into the origins of the term, what is and isn't considered gaslighting, and whether the cries that Trump is 'gaslighting America' fit the context. Cristina brings some needed levity after discovering an AskReddit thread listing people's most highly believable facts that turned out to be B.S. Finally, Darren explores how the idea of the Loch Ness Monster may have manifested in our collective consciousness.

TRC #544: Notre Dame & Ubisoft + Planetary Pictures with Stuart Robbins + Nature Doc Suffering Apr 26, 2019

Show notes

Adam is off this week but '5th Beatle' Dr. Stuart Robbins joins the rest of the crew LIVE at TRC studios! First, Pat looks into headlines that a video game called Assassin's Creed Unity could be used to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral. Stuart schools us on a topic that has been consuming his life for the last 18 months: planetary cartography. Lastly, Darren discusses controversial scenes depicting animal suffering in the new nature documentary 'Our Planet'.

TRC #543: The Dr. Katie Bouman Narrative + Another Segment About Cats + Measles Parties Apr 19, 2019

Show notes

Happy Pagan Spring Weekend! Darren kicks off the show by looking at recent media coverage around Dr. Katie Bouman and how she 'accidentally' became the face of the Black Hole project. Adam brings us another fur-midable look at cats and asks how many lives do cats really have? Finally, Cristina has to remind us why 'measles parties' are a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea.

TRC #542: Social Influencers Vs The FDA + Critical Thinking In Practice + Closest Planet To Earth? Apr 14, 2019

Show notes

My very excellent mother says it's a new TRC! Cristina kicks off the show with a look at the dicey world of social influencers and sponsored medical content. Next, Darren tells us more about his trip to Egypt and considers how to use critical thinking when faced with the social pressure to buy things while travelling. Lastly, Adam gets all math-y on us when he asks: on average, what is the closest planet to Earth?

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