The Reality Check – new website!
The Reality Check, Canada’s weekly podcast exploring scientific controversies and curiosities, is getting its own website: you can find them at their new home, www.trcpodcast.com. Check it out for all new episodes, episode discussions, archives and more.
You can also subscribe by:
- Subscribing here for free with iTunes
- Using this link in your browser, or other podcatching software.
I have been really enjoying your show. I do have a comment to make on TRC#209 “Laser Sniper Rifles”.
You got it nearly 100% correct, it’s a “game mechanic” or “Hollywood drama” effect.
The entire point to have a laser designator on a firearm is for use in “unconventional” positions or low light where use of the sight or scope is not possible and said use is nearly always short range.
However there is one item you got wrong and that is regarding the visibility of the laser beam. The more traditional red lasers really only show up in, as you said, misty/smoke filled environments, however the newer (more powerful) green lasers do have beams that are visible in low light.
As a certified firearms instructor I would be more than happy to help review any future firearms “reality checks” if you wanted to run them by me for additional thoughts.
Hi there.
Was just listening to episode 209 with the discussion on influencing child gender. At about 19 minutes in, one of you mentioned China and the well known gender preference there. ( sorry I can’t tell from the voiced who is who
) One of you brought up ethical issues. lol. I have lived in China since ’99 and have a detail to add about that. In mainland China, it is actually illegal for doctors to use ultrasound to tell parents the sex of their child. The reasons should be obvious and it goes without saying that people with enough money and connection get around the legalities but, nevertheless, the offficial govt. policy is that doctors, nurses, etc. are prohibited by Chinese law from informing the parents of the sex of their child.
p.s.
I came to China to study Chinese martial arts and heard Evan on the Hiyaa! podcast which I also listen to regularly. Great show and a very enjoyable “crossover” edition.
Just listened to the latest episode about the Atacama Humanoid and I think you missed something. Dr. Novela of the SGU wrote about it on Neurologica Blog. He points out that besides being human, the analysis could have misrepresented the living age of the specimen because of a process during mummification where bone density is increased. Taking that into account the specimen was probably a fetus of around 20 weeks. Also, there was a hole in the back of the skull indicating trauma. This most likely was the result of an illegal abortion (abortion is strictly illegal in Chile) where a hook is inverted into the cranium to pull the fetus out. This would also explain the elongation of the skull, as at that age skull bones are pliable.