Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Conor Knighton, CBS Sunday Morning correspondent and author of "Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park." They talk about the beauty, humanity, and hilarity of the most epic road trip across the US, from glaciers to the high desert, and most of the Hampton Inns between.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Mario Livio, astrophysicist and author of the new book "Galileo and the Science Deniers." They talk about the pernicious anti-science sentiment that has persisted from Galileo Galilei's time all the way to the present, including its effect on the planet and on human lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Susan Vinocour, the author of "Nobody's Child: a Tragedy, a Trial, and the History of the Insanity Defense." They talk about her history as both a lawyer specializing in child abuse and victims' rights as well as a clinical and forensic psychologist. In addition, they dive into the nebulous waters of insanity as a legal term and how it relates t...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by David Shariatmadari, editor at the Guardian and author of "Don't Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language." They talk about the science of modern linguistics, including a lengthy discussion of how language may be changing during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by ecologist and author of "The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World's Most Misunderstood Mammals," Dr. Merlin Tuttle. They talk about his lifelong work in bat conservation, including ways you can contribute to the preservation of bat species worldwide. They also discuss how fear has strained our relationships with bats and how this relat...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by philosopher and author of "Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness," Dr. Philip Goff. They talk about the role of consciousness in modern science, including the philosophy of panpsychism, a view that consciousness is ubiquitous within the natural world.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the founder, executive director, and host of For the Wild, Ayana Young. They talk about her mission to effect ecological change through conservation efforts, advocacy, and storytelling, all through the lens of intersectional social and environmental justice.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Kevin Hand, planetary scientist and astrobiologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, director of the Ocean Worlds Lab, and pre-project scientist for NASA's Europa Lander mission concept. They talk about his new book, "Alien Oceans: the Search for Life in the Depths of Space."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science writer Lydia Denworth to talk about her new book, "Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond." They discuss the science of friendship, from genetics to anthropology and beyond, as well as its extraordinary effects on our physical and mental health.

In this very special episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara celebrates her 300th episode with award-winning science communicator Ann Druyan. They talk about her life and work with her late husband Carl Sagan as well as her role as the creator, writer, and director of Cosmos: Possible Worlds (the new book and television series). Finally, they discuss the dire consequences of a planet without compassion, empat...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Ramesh Srinivasan, Professor in the UCLA Department of Information Studies and Director of the UC Digital Cultures Lab. They talk about his newest book, "Beyond the Valley: How Innovators around the World are Overcoming Inequality and Creating the Technologies of Tomorrow."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Lawrence Millman, world-renowned mycologist and author of "Fungipedia: A Brief Compendium of Mushroom Lore." They talk about his fascinating journey from Ph. D. in English Literature to explorer and ethnographer to global expert on fungi. And of course, there's a ton of mushroom talk.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, award-winning author of the new book, "The Angel and the Assassin: The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine." They talk about new discoveries in microglia research, revealing the role of these previously misunderstood cells in a wide range of neurological disorders.

In this special episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara sits down with Tony Gingiss, the CEO of OneWeb Satellites, just before OneWeb's second rocket launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They talk about OneWeb's mission to connect the world to the internet using a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites. Then, listen as Cara captures the sounds of the Soyuz rocket when it blasts off, carrying...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by magician and podcaster Kayla Drescher. They discuss the barriers women face in the world of magic, including how Kayla and her co-host Carisa are making waves through their podcast, Shezam! They also talk about Kayla's unique approach to performing, the science of magic, and why it is so fun to let go and enjoy a good trick.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Paul Kwaitkowski and Dr. Maria Aliberti-Lubertazzi. Paul is Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability Manager, and Maria is an adjunct faculty member at Rhode Island School of Design as well as an environmental scientist specializing in wetland and urban ecology. Together, we discuss the unique initiatives taking place at Moun...

In this week's episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Susanna Harris, a PhD candidate in microbiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the founder and CEO of PhD Balance, a collaborative community empowering graduate students to build their personal and professional resilience. They discuss the pressures of graduate school, including the entrenched institutional racism, sex...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Ben Orlin, teacher and author of the "Math with Bad Drawings" blog. They talk about the importance of mathematical literacy in modern society as well as ways we can improve math education. They also discuss his two new books, "Math with Bad Drawings: Illuminating the Ideas That Shape Our Reality" and "Change Is the Only Constant: The Wisdom of Calcu...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Hilary Scheppers and Daniel Couceiro, both of whom previously worked at Rainforest Expeditions in the Tambopata National Reserve of the Peruvian Amazon. Hilary is a former volunteer for the Macaw Project, focused on the conservation and management of large parrots in the Amazon rainforest. After her service, Hilary's poem Unbridled received an honor...

In this week's episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Thomas Seeley, professor of biology at Cornell University and international expert on bees. They talk about his new book, "The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honeybee in the Wild." Topics include honeybee physiology and behavior, backyard beekeeping, and what we can learn from wild bees to improve our relationship with these fasci...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with American Museum of Natural History astrophysicist and science popularizer Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson about his new book, “Letters from an Astrophysicist.” They venture behind Neil’s public persona to discuss the deeply personal correspondence that makes up the book, focusing on themes like faith, philosophy, and skepticism.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Lucinda Jackson, author of "Just a Girl: Growing Up Female and Ambitious." They discuss her personal experiences navigating the pernicious institutional sexism of academia and corporate America, as well as its implications for broader society.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by clinical psychologist, journalist, and author of the new book, "All the Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership," Dr. Darcy Lockman. They discuss the inequities of gendered labor that persist to this day, as well as the physical and psychological burden wives and mothers are all too often forced to carry.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Robert P. Crease, Chair of the Philosophy Department at Stony Brook University. They dive into the important topics covered in his newest book, "The Workshop and the World: What Ten Thinkers Can Teach Us About Science and Authority," including history's lessons for restoring society's trust in the scientific community.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Nick Haddad, Senior Terrestrial Ecologist in the Department of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University and Kellogg Biological Station. They discuss his newest book, "The Last Butterflies: A Scientist's Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature."