Sanity Check
Welcome to Sanity Check (formerly Created to Reign), a production of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. On this podcast, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, Dr. David Legates, and experts in science, economics, theology, ethics, and public policy strive to think Biblically about creation care, global warming, and the world’s poor.
US-India Big, Beautiful Deal?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to India highlighted a growing area of agreement between two of the world’s largest democracies: the need for abundant, reliable energy. As India’s economy expands and hundreds of millions continue moving into the middle class, demand for electricity, transportation fuels, and industrial energy is set to rise dramatically in the decades ahead.
In this episode, Vijay Jayaraj, a Research Associate with the Cornwall Alliance, examines the prospects for a deeper U.S.-India energy partnership and argues that both nations are increasingly embracing an energy strategy rooted in rea...
Another Climate Case Falls Short
After a string of high-profile climate lawsuits, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has delivered a ruling that supporters of sound energy policy may have reason to celebrate.
In this episode of Sanity Check, David Legates examines a lawsuit brought by twenty-three young activists challenging President Trump's executive orders aimed at expanding domestic energy production. The plaintiffs argued that policies supporting oil, gas, hydropower, and other energy resources violated their constitutional rights and threatened their future. Both the district court and the Ninth Circuit ultimately disagreed, concluding that the sweeping relief requested was beyond the proper role...
The Pacific's Climate Wild Card
El Niño may begin as a patch of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean, but its effects can be felt across the globe. In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates explores one of the most powerful climate phenomena on Earth and explains why forecasters are closely watching the possibility of a particularly strong El Niño developing in the months ahead.
What exactly is El Niño? Why are scientists watching the Pacific Ocean so closely this year? And how can changing ocean temperatures near South America influence rainfall in California, droughts in Aus...
Why Science is Deadly Without Christ
This episode of Sanity Check examines a question that sits at the heart of modern scientific culture: Can science remain ethical when divorced from a moral framework? Drawing from a standout presentation delivered at the recent Cornwall Alliance Spring Conference in Memphis, Daniel O’Malley argues that science can tell us what can be done, but not what should be done—and that without Christianity, science risks becoming untethered from truth, ethics, and human responsibility.Â
In this episode, David R. Legates reflects on his own experiences facing skepticism as a Christian scientist, from university audiences to media inter...
Why Climate Models Are Changing Course
For years, the most extreme climate scenarios shaped headlines, policy debates, and public fear—despite growing evidence that many of those projections were increasingly detached from real-world energy and emissions trends. Now, in a major shift ahead of the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report, climate modelers are quietly abandoning some of their most dramatic assumptions.Â
In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates breaks down the rise and fall of RCP8.5 and SSP5-8.5, the “worst-case” climate pathways that came to dominate public discourse, and explains why CMIP7 is moving in a different direction. From coal projectio...
What Does the "Green" Agenda do to the Developing World?
This episode is a bit different from our usual content. We are bringing you a lecture from our inaugural conference, "Heaven and Earth, the Struggle for Faith and Science in the Public Square." If you missed our conference, you're in luck, because we're bringing you a key lecture from our very own Vijay Jayaraj. He dismantles the "green" movement and demonstrates, with compelling evidence, how these protocols damage the developing world.Â
Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast%20created%20to%20reign/
Our work is entirely supported by donations from people l...
Is Capitalism Bad for the Environment? Part 3
In this episode, E. Calvin Beisner takes on three enduring claims about capitalism and the environment: that it depletes resources, imposes unjust costs, and prioritizes the short term at the expense of the future. Drawing on economic theory, historical evidence, and real-world data, he challenges the assumption that growth inevitably leads to scarcity and argues instead that human ingenuity, price signals, and market coordination expand—not exhaust—what we consider “resources.”Â
The discussion also tackles the concept of externalities, questioning whether environmental harm is truly a market failure or more often a failure of governance and property rights en...
The Myth of Environmental Tipping Points
The concept of “planetary boundaries” has become one of the most influential frameworks in modern environmental science—shaping global policy, corporate behavior, and public perception. But how solid is it, really?Â
In this episode of Sanity Check, Dr. David R. Legates examines the origins of the planetary boundaries model and walks through each of its ten proposed limits—from climate change and biodiversity loss to ocean chemistry and chemical pollution. Along the way, he raises critical questions about the scientific ambiguity behind so-called “tipping points,” the arbitrariness of defined thresholds, and the growing tendency to treat uncertain models as set...
Sue and Settle
What happens when lawsuits quietly shape public policy—without a full trial, public scrutiny, or legislative debate? In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates unpacks the controversial practice known as “sue-and-settle.”
What begins as a seemingly straightforward legal mechanism—citizens holding agencies accountable—can, in practice, become something far more complex. Through negotiated settlements between advocacy groups and federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, binding regulations can emerge behind closed doors, often bypassing the traditional rulemaking process and limiting public input.
This episode walks through how sue-and-settle works, why it’s been used under l...
How Solid Is the Data Behind Climate Claims?
How reliable are the measurements behind climate claims? In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates examines the data systems used to estimate Earth’s energy imbalance—particularly ocean temperature measurements from Argo floats. While widely treated as authoritative, these measurements rely on sparse sampling, interpolation, and assumptions that introduce significant uncertainty.
The result: the margin of error may exceed the signal itself, raising serious questions about the precision of current climate estimates and the confidence placed in them.Â
https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/argo/
https...
Greenwashing and Greenhushing
In this episode of Sanity Check, David R. Legates explores the rise of “greenhushing”—a growing corporate trend where companies pursue environmental initiatives but deliberately stay silent about them.
Contrasting it with the more familiar concept of greenwashing, this episode examines why major companies like Apple, HSBC, Nestlé, and Nike are pulling back from public climate messaging, even as many continue sustainability efforts behind the scenes. From regulatory pressure and legal risk to activist backlash and shifting political winds, “going green, then going dark” reflects a deeper tension between perception, policy, and profit.
Drawing on recent data...
Is Climate Change Driving Insurance Costs?
Are rising insurance costs really driven by climate change—or is that just the latest political narrative?
In this episode, Dr. David Legates takes apart the claim that extreme weather is driving a home insurance crisis. From hurricanes and droughts to wildfires in Maui and Los Angeles, he examines the data—and the stories behind the headlines.
The real drivers? Land-use changes, population growth, and poor policy decisions—not a surge in climate disasters.
This episode also explores how media narratives, rapid-response “attribution science,” and political incentives shape public perception before the facts are fully...
Is Capitalism Bad for the Environment? Part 2
In this episode, Cal Beisner takes on a common claim at the heart of modern environmental debates: that capitalism is inherently harmful to the natural world. Engaging directly with leading environmental critiques—especially those of Gus Speth—he examines whether capitalism is truly indifferent to nature or dependent on endless, unsustainable growth.
Drawing on economic reasoning, historical evidence, and a Biblical framework, this episode challenges the assumption that markets and environmental stewardship are at odds. Instead, it explores how responsibility, incentives, and human behavior—not abstract systems—shape environmental outcomes.
This is the first installment in a ser...
Introducing Sanity Check: A New Chapter for the Cornwall Alliance Podcast
In this special episode, producer Liza Claire introduces the Cornwall Alliance podcast’s new name: Sanity Check. After several years as Created to Reign, the show is relaunching with a clearer title and a renewed commitment to thoughtful, rational discussion about the environment, economics, and human flourishing.
What does a “sanity check” mean in science, engineering, and finance—and why is it a fitting name for this podcast? Liza Claire explains the reasoning behind the change, what listeners can expect moving forward, and what remains the same: careful analysis, sound economics, and a perspect...
Where’s the Beef? The Climate Debate on Your Plate
Is eating beef really bad for the planet?
Environmental activists often claim cattle are a major driver of climate change, deforestation, water shortages, and biodiversity loss. From methane emissions to land use, the beef industry has become a central target in the modern environmental movement.
But how much of this narrative holds up under scrutiny?
In this episode, David R. Legates examines the scientific claims behind the war on beef—looking at methane emissions, land use, water consumption, and pollution. He also explores what critics often leave out: how livestock fit into natural ca...
Dustbin of History—or Climate Comeback?
For more than fifteen years, the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding has been the legal foundation for sweeping federal greenhouse gas regulations—impacting everything from your car to the power grid. But what if the ruling that launched trillions of dollars in climate policy wasn’t the purely scientific document we were told it was?
With repeal now back on the table in 2026, new scrutiny reveals troubling questions about how the original decision was made, who shaped it, and whether politics—not science—drove the process from the startÂ
Was the Endangerment Finding a neutral assessment of climate...
Think Climate Alarmism is Dead? Go to a Blue State
With headlines declaring the end of climate extremism and federal withdrawals from global climate bodies making waves, many are celebrating what looks like a turning point. But is it really over?
In this episode, David R. Legates argues that while the federal government may be stepping back, the climate agenda is far from defeated. From sweeping state-level “NetZero” mandates to massive electrification plans, offshore wind expansion, hydrogen schemes, and the redesign of entire communities, the push for decarbonization is accelerating closer to home.
Drawing on personal experiences from the final days of the Soviet Union, Lega...
Does Capitalism Harm the Environment?
Is capitalism wrecking the planet—or is that the biggest environmental myth of our time?
From Naomi Klein in This Changes Everything to Karl Marx in Das Kapital, and even Pope Francis in Laudato Si', influential voices have argued that free markets are fundamentally incompatible with environmental protection. The claim is bold: if you care about the Earth, you must abandon capitalism.
But does history actually support that narrative?
In this episode, Cal Beisner launches a powerful new series examining the real-world environmental records of socialist and ca...
Use It or Lose It: How the Electric Grid Works
Most people think the electric grid is a giant battery—store power when there’s extra and pull it out when you need it. Simple. And completely wrong.Â
In this episode, David R. Legates explains how the electric grid actually works: a just-in-time system where electricity must be generated and consumed almost simultaneously. Using clear analogies, he walks through generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption—and shows why reliability depends on energy sources that can be used when needed.Â
The discussion also explores why wind and solar, which are non-dispatchable, cannot keep the lights on witho...
Blaming the Weather for Your Migraine
Migraines are a debilitating neurological condition affecting millions—and no one who has experienced one takes them lightly. In the United Kingdom alone, an estimated 10 million adults suffer from migraines, costing millions of lost workdays each year. So when headlines recently declared that scientists have pinpointed a reason migraines are on the rise, it sounded like an important public-health breakthrough.Â
But there was a familiar twist.Â
According to the popular press, the culprit is—of course—climate change. Rising temperatures, turbulent weather patterns, and even anxiety about climate change itself are now being blamed for an alleg...
Keep Your Hands in Your Own Pockets
$7.56 billion. 321 grants. One federal judge. And a big question: who should be spending your money?Â
In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner breaks down the Department of Energy’s attempt to cancel billions in clean-energy and climate grants—and why a federal court just forced those projects back onto the taxpayer’s tab. Were the terminations a long-overdue effort to stop wasteful spending? Or a politically clumsy move that handed the courts an easy win?Â
We unpack the legal ruling, the politics behind the grants, and the uncomfortable reality of gover...
NCAR, Alarmism, and the Federal Gravy Train
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has been called the “mothership” of climate science. So when reports claimed the Trump administration was planning to shut it down, the reaction was explosive—headlines screamed “destruction of knowledge” and “war on science.”Â
But is that what’s actually happening?Â
In this episode of Created to Reign, David R. Legates cuts through the hysteria to examine what the administration really said, what NCAR was created to do, and how decades of federal funding have fueled an entrenched climate alarmist narrative. Is science being silenced—or is ideological spending finally bei...
God Never Lost Control of Creation
Psalm 104 offers a bracing corrective to the modern habit of treating the world as fragile, chaotic, or fundamentally out of control. In this episode of Created to Reign, Cal Beisner walks through one of Scripture’s most vivid portraits of creation—not as a system teetering on the brink, but as a world actively governed, sustained, and ordered by God’s wise and joyful providence.Â
Adapted from Cal’s book Psalms of Promise, this episode explores what Psalm 104 teaches about God’s ongoing care for the natural world and humanity’s place within it. From daily provision to cosmic ord...
This New Company Lets You "Save the Planet" for $9.95
Some efforts are so disproportionate to their impact that they border on the absurd—like bailing out the ocean with a teaspoon. In this episode of Created to Reign, David R. Legates takes aim at one such effort: a Silicon Valley–style geoengineering startup selling “cooling credits” by launching weather balloons filled with sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere.Â
On paper, the idea borrows from real science—volcanic eruptions do cool the planet, after all. But when you scale the math, the economics, and the physics, the entire enterprise collapses into a case study in symbolic action masquerading as climate...
More on the Greenhouse Effect
In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. David Legates revisits the most controversial sentence he’s ever spoken: “Carbon dioxide contributes very little to the greenhouse effect.” That single line has earned him everything from eye-rolling to outright insults—but it also reveals how deeply misunderstood the science has become. Dr. Legates breaks down, in plain language, why CO₂ is only a minor player compared to other greenhouse gases, why the famous “1.5°C tipping point” is more politics than physics, and why doubling CO₂ isn’t the doomsday trigger many claim it to be. If you’ve ever wondered whether the...
Is The Science Really Settled?
Sometimes new research genuinely advances our understanding. Other times, long-standing claims quietly fall apart. In this episode of Created to Reign, David R. Legates walks through two major developments in the climate literature from late 2025—one newly published paper that challenges prevailing assumptions about sea-level rise, and one highly influential paper that was abruptly retracted after its conclusions proved unsound. Together, they raise serious questions about how confident policymakers and the public should be in the climate narratives driving global decisions.
https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/bare-ice-ablation-zone-greenland-ice-sheet-sea-level-rise/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07219-0...
Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
What wiped out the great American Chestnut Tree—human industry or nature itself? The answer might surprise you.
In this episode, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner revisits one of North America’s greatest ecological losses to reveal how the near-extinction of the American Chestnut wasn’t caused by human greed or deforestation, but by a natural fungal blight. He explores how this “Redwood of the East” once shaped American life, and how its disappearance challenges the common environmentalist claim that humanity is always to blame for nature’s tragedies.
Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%2...
What You Need to Know About Natural Asset Companies
What are Natural Asset Companies, and why did 24 states fight to stop them? In this episode of Created to Reign, David R. Legates explains how NACs would turn the ecological “value” of forests, watersheds, and other natural areas into tradable corporate assets—placing control of land use in the hands of investors rather than owners.
Proponents claim NACs unlock new money for conservation. Critics warn they threaten property rights, restrict access to land, raise food and energy prices, and open the door to globalist overreach.
Join us as we unpack why the New York S...
Try This Life-Changing Christmas Experience
In this special Christmas episode of Created to Reign, Cal Beisner steps away from the usual discussions of environmental stewardship and economic wisdom to explore a different kind of wonder. Drawing on Virgil’s Eclogue IV—a poem early Christians saw as foreshadowing the birth and kingdom of Christ—Cal traces how its imagery of peace, abundance, and restored creation resonates through history and culminates in one of the greatest musical works ever composed: Handel’s Messiah.
From Virgil’s prophetic verses to the scriptural epigrams that inspired Handel’s masterpiece, this episode invites you to “sing of great thing...
Roman Catholics Speak Out On Climate Change... Again.
Roman Catholic leaders are sounding the climate alarm again—but are their claims grounded in reality? In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner takes a hard look at the latest warnings, from Laudato Sà to the Claretian Missionaries’ “Glad You Asked” podcast, and tests them against the actual data on natural disasters, global temperatures, and the world’s energy use.
The episode breaks down why dire predictions of worsening hurricanes, droughts, floods, and fires don’t match long-term observational records, and why trillions spent on renewables have barely budged global dependence on fossil fuels. It als...
The German Idi-oddessy
Germany has long been considered an industrial powerhouse—but in recent years, its energy policies have charted a path that looks less like progress and more like self-inflicted decline. From shuttering reliable energy sources to binding one of its most prosperous cities to an aggressive net-zero mandate, Germany’s “energy transition” raises a serious question: is this bold environmental leadership, or a slow-motion economic unraveling?
In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. David Legates examines Germany’s rapid de-development—what led to it, why citizens of Hamburg voted to accelerate it, and what these decisions mean for industry...
Did Bill Gates Do a 180 or a 360?
Did Bill Gates really change his mind about climate change—or did he simply repackage the same old alarmism with softer language? In this episode of Created to Reign, Cal Beisner revisits Gates’s much-discussed COP30 “memo” and explains why the tech billionaire’s supposed turnaround may be less of a 180 and more of a full 360. From Gates’s past rhetoric to the fine print in his latest statements, Cal uncovers the qualifiers, the quiet continuities, and the strategic reframing behind the hype. Tune in for a clear-eyed look at what Gates actually said, what it really means, and why climate...
Richard and Jane's Second Podcast
In this episode, Dr. David Legates turns the microphone back over to Richard and Jane—the AI duo created with Google Notebook LM—for their second appearance on Created to Reign. This time, they tackle the Genesis creation account, exploring its literal interpretation and relationship to scientific inquiry. Based on a dialogue generated from Dr. Gregory Rummo’s essay, “Graciously Making the Case for a Literal Account of Creation,” this episode shows that when AI is grounded in biblical truth, even the “artificial” can sound remarkably authentic.
Visit our podcast resource page: https://cornwallalliance.org/listen%20to%20our%20podcast...
Should the EPA Do Away with the Carbon Dioxide Endangerment Finding? With Will Happer
Should the EPA repeal its 2009 ruling that declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a danger to public health? The answer could reshape America’s entire climate policy.
In this episode, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner sits down with renowned physicist Dr. Will Happer—emeritus professor at Princeton University and former JASON advisor to the U.S. government—to discuss the EPA’s proposal to rescind the so-called “Endangerment Finding.” Together, they unpack the scientific uncertainties, legal arguments, and economic implications behind the debate, exploring what’s really at stake for energy policy, environmental regulation, and human flourishing.
Visit our...
Should the EPA Do Away with the Carbon Dioxide Endangerment Finding? With Will Happer
Should the EPA repeal its 2009 ruling that declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases a danger to public health? The answer could reshape America’s entire climate policy.
In this episode, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner sits down with renowned physicist Dr. Will Happer—emeritus professor at Princeton University and former JASON advisor to the U.S. government—to discuss the EPA’s proposal to rescind the so-called “Endangerment Finding.” Together, they unpack the scientific uncertainties, legal arguments, and economic implications behind the debate, exploring what’s really at stake for energy policy, environmental regulation, and human flourishing.<...
Bill Gates Does a 180
Has Bill Gates had a change of heart on climate change? In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. David Legates explores the tech billionaire’s surprising “strategic pivot” — from alarmist rhetoric to emphasizing poverty reduction, innovation, and human welfare. Drawing on Gates’ own words and reactions from figures like Michael Mann and The Wall Street Journal, Dr. Legates asks: has Gates truly joined the ranks of climate realists, or is this just a softer shade of alarmism? Tune in for a thoughtful look at shifting narratives and what they mean for the future of the climate debate.
Sources...
Is Climate Change Responsible for Hurricane Melissa?
When Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean as a Category 5 storm, many rushed to blame its strength on manmade climate change. But is that claim supported by the data? In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. E. Calvin Beisner, President of the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, examines what history and science actually reveal about hurricanes and climate change. Join him as he challenges popular narratives, offers a Biblical perspective on God’s sovereignty over the weather, and reminds us that fear should never replace facts—or faith.
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Explaining Trump's Climate Policy
A new report from the National Academies claims that greenhouse gases are “threatening human health” — but is that really the strongest evidence to date, or another case of politicized science?
In this episode, Dr. David Legates examines the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, contrasts it with a more recent Department of Energy report, and explains why the so-called “climate consensus” is far less certain than we’ve been led to believe. He unpacks the data behind carbon dioxide, climate models, and extreme weather — and makes the case that adaptation, not fear-driven regulation, is the wiser path forward.
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Controlling the Weather?
On September 16th, Congress held a hearing titled “Playing God with the Weather—a Disastrous Forecast.” In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. David Legates examines what happened inside the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, chaired by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. From secret geoengineering experiments to billion-dollar climate “fixes” like spraying diamond dust into the stratosphere, Dr. Legates exposes how efforts to control the weather reveal deeper problems—scientific hubris, political theater, and the dangers of tampering with God’s creation.
https://oversight.house.gov/release/greene-opens-hearing-on-weather-and-climate-control/
https://over...
Throw Away Your Inhaler For Mother Earth
In this episode of Created to Reign, Dr. David Legates discusses the latest scandal. Apparently, living with asthma... ruins the planet? Listen to learn more.
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