Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by vice president and senior technical advisor of Underwriter Laboratories Inc. and founder of Air Quality Science Inc. as well as The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, Dr. Marilyn Black. They talk about the science of assessing indoor and outdoor air quality, including the toxic chemicals often released by products like 3-D printers and furniture tr...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by writer and historian Dr. Lydia Pyne to talk about her new book, “Genuine Fakes: How Phony Things Teach Us About Real Stuff.” Lydia describes the fuzzy line between what’s real and what’s fake, sharing stories about nature documentaries, art forgeries, fossil hoaxes, lab-grown diamonds, and everything in between.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by molecular cell biologist at the University of California Merced, Dr. Miriam Barlow. They talk about her research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including how they evolve, the impact on public health, and what we can do to prevent or mitigate the spread of infection.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Sora Kim, Life and Environmental Sciences professor at UC Merced. They talk about the importance of diversity, mentorship, and collaboration in STEM fields. They also discuss her fascinating research examining stable isotopes in fossilized shark teeth in an effort to better understand global climate change.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Joanna Andrecka, product marketing manager at Refeyn. They discuss an exciting new technology called mass photometry. This process uses light to analyze the mass of biomolecules in their native state, with no markers or labels.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by evolutionary psychologist Dr. Sarah E. Hill to talk about her new book, "This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences." They discuss the long history of scientific inquiry that ignores women's bodies and minds, as well as what new research is telling us about birth control's s...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University. They talk about new book, “The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race.” Their conversation centers around the important role of dopamine in human behav...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara once again sits down with Caltech physicist Dr. Sean Carroll, this time to talk about his new book, “Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime.” They discuss what quantum mechanics is (and isn’t), its relation to psychology and philosophy, and how the many-worlds interpretation may just be the key to understanding the cosmos.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by novelist Laura Purcell to talk about her book, “The Poison Thread.” They discuss the science and psychology of Victorian England as well as the experiences of female characters living during the era.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by author Craig Childs to talk about his new book, “Atlas of a Lost World: Travels in Ice Age America.” They discuss his intersecting interests of journalism, desert studies, adventure, and exploration. As an expert in ancient migration on foot, Craig also shares what it is like to retrace the steps of ancient people in the Americas.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with extragalactic astrophysicist and host of the Everyday Einstein podcast, Dr. Sabrina Stierwalt about the nature of the cosmos. They discuss galaxy formation, black holes, and the fact that we are not, as we often like to believe, the center of the universe.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by science journalist Kit Chapman to talk about his new book, "Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table." They discuss all things chemistry, including the fascinating history of its discoveries.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with conservation biologist and author Dr. Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson about her new book, "Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects." They talk about the ecological importance of insects as well as the steps we can take to conserve their habitat the world over.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by mathematician and former NFL player, John Urschel. They talk about his passion for mathematics, including his current work as a doctoral candidate at MIT and his new book, "Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football." They also discuss his love of football, motivations for retiring from the sport, and the painful reality of chronic traumatic encep...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Molly Strausbaugh, chemist and assistant director of the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). They talk about all things chemistry, including how the American Chemical Society's CAS serves scientists by providing a wealth of knowledge about the properties of every chemical you can imagine.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by philosopher and historian of science, Dr. Michael Ruse, to discuss his new book, "A Meaning to Life." They talk about the interplay between existential philosophy and Darwinian evolution, including his approach to atheism.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Annaka Harris, science editor, consultant, and author of the new book, “Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind.” They talk about her work in the world of science writing as well as mindfulness meditation. Then the conversation turns to the topic of consciousness, a fascinating deep dive into the mysterious construct that has...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the Head of Science at Synthego, Dr. Kevin Holden. They talk about new advances in genetic engineering technology, such as the CRISPR-CasX system. Also discussed: what the future holds for synthetic biology and related fields.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Alexis Pedrick, the manager of public programs at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They talk about all things rare earths, including the Rare Earth Elements Project at the institute. They also discuss the podcast Alexis co-hosts, Distillations.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara sits down with Dr. Lucy Jones, founder of the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society and author of the new book, “The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us (and What We Can Do About Them)”. They just so happened to record on the morning of July 5, 2019, between the magnitude 6.4 foreshock on July 4 and the magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 5, 2019...

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by UCLA biogeochemistry PhD student Rob Ulrich. They talk about his work as the founding president of Queers in STEM, including the institutional barriers faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in the sciences and allied academic fields. They also discuss the upcoming international LGBTSTEM Day on July 5th!

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Ana Humphrey, winner of the 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search. They talk about her $250,000 winning research calculating potential exoplanets using NASA’s Kepler data, as well as what’s next for this inspirational high school grad.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with fellow Texan Sahana Srinivasan, host of Netflix’s “Brain Child.” They talk about what is was like to lead a show while finishing her college degree. In addition, they discuss the role of inclusion and diversity in science media, as Sahana is the first Indian-American woman to host a science television show in the United States.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is once again joined in-studio by Katie McKissick, author and illustrator of Beatrice the Biologist. They talk about their mutual love of all things science and scicomm, including her newest book, “Everyday Amazing: Fascinating Facts About the Science that Surrounds Us.”

In this week’s episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by neuroscientist and author, Dr. Erin Clabough. They talk about her new book, “Second Nature: How Parents Can Use Neuroscience to Help Kids Develop Empathy, Creativity, and Self-Control.” Also discussed: Erin’s path to science and motherhood, as well as evidence-supported insights for parents.