Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Kenneth Catania to talk about his new book, "Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved." They discuss Ken's groundbreaking research into some of planet Earth's most bizarre and incredible creatures, including star-nosed moles, electric eels, and more.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by historian Janice Nimura to talk about her new book, "The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Women Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine." She shares the story of Elizabeth Blackwell and her younger sister Emily, the first and second women in America to receive an M.D. (medical degree).

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by The Guardian’s Dani Anguiano to talk about her new book, “Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy.” Dani tells the harrowing details of the November 8, 2018 Camp Fire that claimed the lives of 85 people and destroyed virtually every home in Paradise, California. They also discussed the reality of wildfires and the necessity of prescribed burns, how cl...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Michelle Nijhuis, author of "Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction." They discuss the nuanced efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to global conservation, including the good, the bad, and the colonialist.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science writer Annalee Newitz to talk about their newest book, "Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age." They discuss the fascinating history of once-thriving metropolises, how/why they were abandoned, and the important contributions of those who were far too often erased from our collective memories.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics, Dr. Frank Wilczek, to talk about his newest book, "Fundamentals: Ten Keys to Reality." They discuss the fundamental physics underlying the known universe, science's most burning unanswered questions, and the essential search for meaning that lies at the heart of humankind.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Technology, Law, and Policy, April Falcon Doss. They talk about her new book, "Cyber Privacy: Who Has Your Data and Why You Should Care." Informed by her time spent both at the NSA and serving as counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, April explains what happens to our data onl...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dave Farina (Professor Dave Explains) to talk about his new book, "Is this Wifi Organic? A Guide to Spotting Misleading Science Online." They talk about the business of YouTube, the importance of basic science education, and how we can protect ourselves from pseudoscience.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by infectious disease scientist Dr. Rita Colwell, who served as the first female director of the National Science Foundation and continues to engage in academic research at the age of 86. They talk about her newest book, "A Lab of One's Own: One Woman's Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science." In addition to describing the incredible barriers faced...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science writer Riley Black ("Written in Stone," "My Beloved Brontosaurus," "Skeleton Keys"), who shares her experience as a transgender woman in paleontology. She also talks about cool new fossil discoveries that will blow your mind.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by economist, NYU Professor of Public Service, and cofounder of the Coleridge Initiative Dr. Julia Lane to talk about her newest book, "Democratizing Our Data: A Manifesto." They discuss how big data can be used safely and transparently as a powerful governmental tool for social justice, representation, and equity.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Pia Sörensen, Senior Preceptor in Chemical Engineering and Applied Materials at Harvard University. They talk about her new book, "Science and Cooking: Physics Meets Food, From Homemade to Haute Cuisine." From diffusion to pH, fermentation to viscosity, they discuss the physical, chemical, and biological processes underlying our favorite culinar...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Carol Hay, philosopher and author of "Think Like a Feminist: the Philosophy Behind the Revolution." They discuss the core philosophy of feminism, diving deep into topics like historical oppression of women, the importance of trans inclusion, and why intersectionality matters.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by materials scientist, author, and science communicator Dr. Ainissa Ramirez. They talk about her new book (and winner of the 2021 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books), The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another. From clocks to light bulbs to silicon chips, they dig into the myriad ways such groundbreaking inventions...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by NYU professor of journalism and pediatrics Dr. Perri Klass to talk about her new book, "A Good Time to Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future." They examine the profound impact that medical advancements like vaccines have had on infant mortality and public health. Also discussed: the often-overlooked women and minority practit...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the chair of Columbia University's psychology department, Dr. Carl L. Hart. They talk about his newest book, "Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear." Discussed topics include: public misunderstanding about responsible drug use versus addiction, the racist underpinnings of the war on drugs, and how evidence-based policy could im...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the founder and creative director of Morbid Anatomy, Joanna Ebenstein. They talk about her newest book, "Anatomica: The Exquisite and Unsettling Art of Human Anatomy." Together, they dig into the art, history, and science behind visual representations of the human body, including how anatomical representations remind us of our own mortality.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Susan Tyler Hitchcock, Senior Editor of Books at National Geographic Partners. They talk about the new National Geographic Almanac 2021, with a special focus on the art, photography, science, history, culture, and travel packed within its stunning pages.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by award-winning science writer, broadcaster, and podcaster (Genetics Unzipped), Dr. Kat Arney. They talk about her newest book, "Rebel Cell: Cancer, Evolution, and the New Science of Life's Oldest Betrayal."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by UCLA evolutionary biologist and co-host/co-creator of the Biology of Superheroes Podcast, Dr. Shane Campbell-Staton. They talk about the evolution of pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, the biology of superheroes, how the poaching of elephants during the Mozambiquan civil war has led to increased tusk loss, and the dark history of science that shapes modern...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Katie Mack, theoretical astrophysicist and author of "The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)." They talk about the formation of the universe by the big bang, how we know its current trajectory, and possible scenarios for its final destruction. In reflecting on the ultimate eschatological question, Katie and Cara grapple with humanity's...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by award-winning investigative journalist Brian Deer to talk about his new book, "The Doctor Who Fooled the World: Science, Deception, and the War on Vaccines." They discuss the incredible story of how Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent research sparked an anti-vax movement that swept the globe.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by award-winning science journalist Angela Saini to talk about her book "Superior: The Return of Race Science." They discuss the deep roots of scientific racism from taxonomy to eugenics and beyond, including its present-day incarnations. They also talk about emergent themes of her previous book, "Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong- and the New Rese...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Roy A. Meals to talk about his new book, "Bones: Inside and Out." They discuss the structure and function of bone, its iconographic role in art, music, and culture, and our own relationship with this dynamic, yet persistent substance.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science reporter, producer, and Radiolab co-host Lulu Miller to talk about her new book, "Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life." Lulu shares the incredible story of taxonomist David Starr Jordan, and in doing so, opens up the conversation to the power and consequences of imposing order on the world around us in t...