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PODCAST

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Cara Santa Maria

Cara Santa Maria is a science communicator, television host, producer, and journalist. She is excited to present "Talk Nerdy," a place for conversations with interesting people about interesting topics.

science natural sciences

All Episodes

61:38

Dream Science w/ Sidarta Ribeiro

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/02/22

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Sidarta Ribeiro, professor of neuroscience and founder of the Brain Institute at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Natal, Brazil. They talk about his new book, "The Oracle of Night: The History and Science of Dreams." Topics include what dreaming is (and isn't), why we dream, and what contemporary neuroscience, biochemistry, and genetics can tell us about this ancient evolutionary experience.

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65:34

Heartbreak w/ Florence Williams

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/02/14

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Florence Williams to talk about her new book, “Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey.” They discuss what happens to your brain and body when grieving the loss of love, with a special focus on healing after loneliness.

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71:39

Coronavirus Vaccine w/ Brendan Borrell

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/02/07

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Brendan Borrell, author of “The First Shots: The Epic Rivalries and Heroic Science Behind the Race to the Coronavirus Vaccine.” They highlight the incredible global achievement of developing multiple mRNA vaccines effective against a deadly new virus. Also discussed: how America’s audacious goals were accomplished against a political backdrop of utter ineptitude and failed leadership.

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73:39

Healthcare and Covid w/ Anthony Harris

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/01/31

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Anthony Harris, owner of HFit Health and board-certified physician in occupational and environmental medicine. They talk about the American healthcare system with a special focus on COVID-19 and wellness disparities.

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79:25

Olfaction (Smell) w/ Jude Stewart

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/01/24

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by journalist Jude Stewart to talk about her new book, "Revelations in Air: A Guidebook to Smell." They talk about the biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, and even the art of olfaction, a sense about which we have so much more to learn.

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67:45

Sticky w/ Laurie Winkless

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/01/17

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by physicist and science writer Laurie Winkless to talk about her new book, "Sticky: The Secret Science of Surfaces." They discuss the role of friction in stickiness, why different surfaces stick differently, and how scientists and engineers use this information to create innovative materials.

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83:14

Biophysics w/ Raghuveer Parthasarathy

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2022/01/10

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by University of Oregon Biophysicist Dr. Raghuveer Parthasarathy to talk about his new book, "So Simple a Beginning: How Four Physical Principles Shape Our Living World." They discuss how the principles of self-assembly, regulatory circuits, predictable randomness, and scaling underpin all of life on Earth.

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58:03

Variable Stars w/ Stella Kafka

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/12/20

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Stella Kafka, the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). They talk about what variable stars are, why they matter, and how you can be involved in global citizen science efforts!

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72:39

Your Life Depends On It w/ Talya Miron-Shatz

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/12/13

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Talya Miron-Shatz, author of “Your Life Depends on It: What You Can Do to Make Better Choices About Your Health.” They discuss the power and purpose of medical decision-making, with a focus on improving our choices through increased comprehension, compassion, and self-efficacy.

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61:11

Conservation and Zoonosis w/ Sarah Olson

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/12/06

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by the director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Health Program, Dr. Sarah Olson. They talk about the link between human activity and emerging zoonotic pathogens, including her work on Ebola in hammer-headed fruit bats and coronaviruses in rodents.

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70:03

Pizzly Bears w/ Larisa DeSantis

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/11/29

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Larisa DeSantis, paleontologist and associate professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University. They talk about the devastating effects of climate change on both living and extinct species, as well as the remote possibility for a warming arctic full of "pizzly bears."

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71:45

How to Talk to a Science Denier w/ Lee McIntyre

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/11/22

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by philosopher Dr. Lee McIntyre to talk about his newest book, “How to Talk to a Science Denier: Conversations with Flat Earthers, Climate Deniers, and Others Who Defy Reason.” They discuss methods for communicating with folks victimized by post-truth propaganda, including conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric.

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62:12

Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy w/ Arik Kershenbaum

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/11/15

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Arik Kershenbaum to talk about his new book "The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy: What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens--And Ourselves." They discuss some of the defining features of life and how we might recognize them elsewhere in the universe.

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71:40

Science Vs. w/ Wendy Zukerman

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/11/08

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Wendy Zukerman, the host and executive producer of Gimlet Media's Science Vs, available on Spotify. They talk all things podcasting, science journalism, and America's obsession with the cult of personality.

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82:47

Genetic Lottery w/ Kathryn Paige Harden

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/11/01

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by University of Texas psychologist and behavioral geneticist Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden to talk about her new book, “The Genetic Lottery: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality.” They discuss the dark history of the eugenics movement, and how a better understanding of genetic science could lead to improved social justice.

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77:19

Hummingbirds w/ Jon Dunn

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/10/25

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by natural history writer, photographer, and wildlife tour guide Jon Dunn to talk about his newest book, "The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds." They talk about his journey across the globe to witness the beauty and splendor of different hummingbird species, as well as the lessons he learned about human greed and hubris along the way.

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64:35

Psychogenic Illness w/ Suzanne O'Sullivan

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/10/18

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by neurologist and author Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan to talk about her new book, “The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories of Mystery Illness.” They discuss the fascinating and complex phenomenon of psychogenic disease, including how changes to the culture of medicine could improve biopsychosocial wellness.

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69:50

Mental Immunity w/ Andy Norman

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/10/11

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Andy Norman, director of the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University and founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Initiative (CIRCE). They talk about his new book, “Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think.”

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60:05

Brazilian Pseudoscience w/ Natalia Pasternak

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/10/04

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Natalia Pasternak, Brazilian microbiologist, skeptic, and popularizer of science. They talk about her work fighting back against the blatant anti-science rhetoric of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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60:51

Fuzz, Stiff, Gulp, and More! w/ Mary Roach

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2021/09/27

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara has the opportunity to speak with her favorite living author, Mary Roach. They talk about her newest book, “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law,” as well as her illustrious career reporting on and writing about the quirky, profound, and bitingly funny vicissitudes of human experience.

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