TRC #709: 100 Men vs. 1 Gorilla + Evidence of Alien Life on an Exoplanet?
Release Date: 05/20/2025
TRC #737: The Odyssey Movie Review
The Reality Check
Darren and Adam bring you a different type of show today as they have a discussion about the Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey. They discuss the film’s merits and faults, technical achievements, their favourite parts of the film, other Christopher Nolan films and IMAX cameras.
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TRC #736: Book Review: Death in a Shallow Pond by David Edmonds + The Decoy Effect
The Reality Check
Darren explores issues of moral philosophy in his review of Death in a Shallow Pond: A Philosopher, a Drowning Child, and Strangers in Need by David Edmonds. In this analysis he looks at this classic thought experiment, its implications, criticisms and rebuttals to them. Adam examines the Decoy Effect, a psychological marketing strategy designed to encourage you to buy the most expensive thing, even if you wouldn’t otherwise be inclined to do so.
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TRC #735: Why Is Superman Dressed Like That? + Europe Heat Deaths vs. US Gun Deaths
The Reality Check
Superman’s costume is iconic, but why does he dress like that? We just assume that superheroes should be wearing tight fitting outfits, tights and a cape, but it wasn’t always like this. Adam looks at what Superman, a hero created in the 1930s, is really meant to look like, as well as what inspired future superhero outfits. With soaring temperatures in Europe and across the world, Darren looks at air conditioning in Europe. He dives into the often repeated claim that you’re more likely to die from heat in Europe than from gun violence in the United States. What does this statement really...
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TRC #734: AI Privacy Threats + Goodhart’s Law and Fast Food Order Status Screens
The Reality Check
Are you concerned about AI threats to your privacy? If you aren’t, Darren’s got a few reasons why you should be! Images of fingerprints and keys, wifi signals and more could leave you vulnerable to bad actors using AI. Adam wonders why the order status screens at McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants often have inaccurate information. The problem leading to this is due to a problem known as Goodhart’s Law.
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TRC #733: What Did Dinosaurs Sound Like? + Book Review: Chokepoints by Edward Fishman
The Reality Check
Did tyrannosaurus rex roar? Adam looks at what sound they, and other dinosaurs, may have made and just why animals roar at all. Darren gives us a book review of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare, by Edward Fishman, which looks at the history of economic sanctions, what they are, how they’re used and what their impact is.
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TRC #732: Our Windy Solar System + Classroom Windows on the Left Side
The Reality Check
Is it windy on other planets and celestial bodies in our solar system? Darren looks at just what wind is and how much of it occurs on the surface of our various neighbours. Adam looks into whether or not windows are always on the student’s left side in a classroom, and why that might be.
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TRC #731: Movie Franchise “Use It Or Lose It” Clauses + Anthropic’s Mythos
The Reality Check
Sometimes movie studios release low quality franchise films and one excuse for this might be that if they don't release a movie every X or Y years, they will lose the rights. Adam looks into these reversion rights, colloquially referred to as "Use It or Lose It" clauses, which force studios to make a film or lose the right to make the one they're banking on. Darren then gives us an overview of Anthropic's Mythos, an AI tool so powerful that anyone with access to it could use it to uncover security vulnerabilities, which has led to them holding off on releasing the product.
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TRC #730: How Old Are Sharks? + Jim Carrey: Clone, Doppleganger or Mask?
The Reality Check
Sharks are so old. How old are they? They’re so old that you’ll be shocked to hear of all of the things that haven’t been on earth as long as sharks. Darren gives us a unique history of the earth by exploring the ages of very old things and contrasting them to the very long time that sharks have been around. Adam looks at a recent appearance of Jim Carrey that has fans wondering if he’s been replaced with a clone, a double or a makeup artist in an elaborate mask.
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TRC #729: Digital Devices in Schools + Books Reviews: Enshittification & Breakneck
The Reality Check
What impact do digital devices like laptops, tablets and smart phones, both inside and outside of the classroom, have on childrens’ ability to learn? Adam questions the assumption that these devices are always positive, and examines the research on the topic. Darren gives us two book reviews. First up is Enshittification by Cory Doctorow, which examines what seems to make good companies kind of terrible, and then it’s Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang, which looks at what factors make the US and China different.
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TRC #728: Does Moltbook AI Matter? + Family Feud Surveys
The Reality Check
There has been a lot of news lately about Moltbook AI, a network of Artificial Intelligence agents who are interacting with each other in great numbers in a virtual space. Darren separates fact from fiction as he explores many fascets of this emerging technology and what it could mean for the future. Then Adam looks into just how the surveys they use to get answers for the game show Family Feud really work. There has been a lot of news lately about Moltbook AI, a platform where Artificial Intelligence agents are interacting with each other in great numbers. Darren separates fact from fiction...
info_outlineWho would win in a fight, 100 men or 1 gorilla? If you’re thinking that question is too vague then you’ll love Darren’s analysis of the situation. Adam looks at claims that we’ve found evidence of alien life on an exoplanet called K2-18B. I’m not saying it’s aliens but… listen to the episode to find out!