Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by her old high school pal, psychologist and science communication expert Dr. Asheley Landrum. They discuss why a large portion of the public doesn't believe the scientific consensus on topics like climate change, evolution, vaccines, and COVID-19. From pseudoscience to conspiracy theories to extreme denial of reality, Asheley dives deep into the distr...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science reporter Zach St. George to talk about his book "The Journeys of Trees: A Story About Forests, People, and the Future." They discuss the phenomenon of forest migration as well as the sometimes misguided yet passionate and heartfelt efforts of environmental activists to secure a lusher, greener future for us all.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science writer Dr. Emily Willingham to talk about her newest book, "Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis." Emily guides Cara through a demystification of the so-called male member, including its imposed relationship to dominance, masculinity, and the vagina (or other counterparts in nature).

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined once again by UCLA librarian and Death Salon director Megan Rosenbloom to talk about her new book, "Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin." They discuss the rare practice known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, in which published works are covered with the tanned flesh of deceased people. They...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science journalist and editor at The Conversation, Bijal Trivedi, to talk about her newest book, "Breath from Salt: A Deadly Genetic Disease, a New Era in Science, and the Patients and Families Who Changed Medicine Forever." They discuss the history of cystic fibrosis as well as the incredible advancements in its treatment that may one day provide a...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Reuters senior reporter David K. Randall to discuss his newest book, "Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague." In telling of the similarities between the 1900 plague and today's coronavirus pandemic, he shares stories about racism, science, and the individual personalities who shaped public policy for better...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Ben Cohen, a sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal and author of "The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks." They talk about whether and when the "hot hand" is a cognitive bias or an actual phenomenon, including its effect on the player who thinks they are on a streak.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Caitlin Doughty (mortician, death positive activist, and author of "Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? And Other Questions About Dead Bodies." They talk about the denial of death in modern western culture, ways to improve mortality salience, and of course, whether or not your cat will actually eat your eyeballs when you die.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Mara Hvistendahl, Pulitzer Prize finalist, investigative reporter for the Intercept, and author of “The Scientist and the Spy: A True Story of China, the FBI, and Industrial Espionage.” Mara tells the thrilling story of a Chinese company’s conspiracy to steal trade secrets from Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer as well as the ethical dangers of America’s...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the President and CEO of the Society for Science and the Public, as well as the publisher of Science News, Maya Ajmera. They talk about the Society’s mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of science. They also discuss the challenges of such a mission in America’s current landscape of fake news, distrust in scientific institutions, an...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the author of “Hacking Planet Earth: How Geoengineering Can Help Us Reimagine the Future,” Thomas Kostigen. They discuss the hype and the promise of technological advancements leading the fight against anthropogenic climate change.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by neurologist Dr. R. Douglas Fields to talk about his new book, "Electric Brain: How the New Science of Brainwaves Reads Minds, Tells Us How We Learn, and Helps Us Change for the Better." They discuss the discovery of brain waves in the 1920s and how this incredible science has more recently led to innovation in understanding human behavior, treating...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science writer and psychologist Dr. Maria Konnikova to talk about her newest book, "The Biggest Bluff: How I learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win." They discuss her journalistic interest in game theory which ultimately led her to learn to Texas Hold 'Em, resulting in an incredible transformation to a professional poker player with over a...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by author, broadcaster, and scientist Dr. Adam Rutherford to talk about his newest book, "How to Argue With a Racist: What Our Genes Do (and Don't) Say About Human Difference." They discuss the racist history of academic science and psychology, what ancestry DNA tests can and can't tell you about your past, and of course, how to argue with a racist.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara chats with comedian and author Dr. Helen Pilcher about her newest book, "Life Changing: How Humans are Altering Life on Earth." They talk about everything from de-extinction to fascinating animal adaptations to the fate of the planet if we as a species don't act quickly to right some of our most egregious wrongs.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with Dr. Carolyn White, professor of anthropology and director of the Historic Preservation Program at the University of Nevada, Reno. They talk about her newest book, "The Archaeology of Burning Man: The Rise and Fall of Black Rock City."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with science journalist Emily Anthes about her newest book, "The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape our Behavior, Health, and Happiness." They talk about the newest research in architectural and design science, including how we can make this strange time we're all spending indoors a little more happy and healthful.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by art historian Dr. Jack Hartnell to talk about his new book, "Medieval Bodies: Life and Death in the Middle Ages." They discuss the fascinating history of medicine as expressed through medieval works of art.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Drs. Jennifer Hirsch (Professor of Sociomedical Sciences) and Shamus Khan (Chair of the Sociology Department) of Columbia University to talk about their new book, "Sexual Citizens: A Landmark Study of Sex, Power, and Assault on Campus." They discuss the findings of the ongoing SHIFT (Sexual Health Initiative to Foster Transformation) project, includ...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science journalist and editor Keith Cooper to talk about his new book, "The Contact Paradox: Challenging Our Assumptions in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence." They talk about the history of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), and how attempts at understanding potential alien civilizations may help us better know ourselve...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science journalist and author Gaia Vince to talk about her newest book, "Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time." They discuss the importance of viewing the human evolutionary story as one that is inextricably linked with culture and kinship, and so much more.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by University of Arizona dendrochronologist Dr. Valerie Trouet to talk about her new book, "Tree Story: The History of the World Written in Rings." They talk about the mysteries of planet Earth lying deep within the rings of trees, revealing evidence of climate change, wildfires, hurricanes, and even human activity.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by world-renowned National Geographic photographer, Joel Sartore. They talk about his impactful Photo Ark project, including his newest book on the series, the limited Earth Day edition of "The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Harvard University science historian Dr. Anne Harrington to talk about her newest book, "Mind Fixers: Psychiatry's Troubled Search for the Biology of Mental Illness." They take a fresh look at the history of mental illness, including the early asylum system, psychiatry's current relationship with neurobiology, and what the future of assessment, diag...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Eva Holland, the author of "Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear." They talk about her experience navigating the waters of cognitive-behavioral therapy to face her crippling fear of heights, all while exposing some of her deepest vulnerabilities.