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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

65:38

Phallacy w/ Emily Willingham

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/11/02

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).

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70:26

Books Bound in Human Flesh w/ Megan Rosenbloom

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/10/26

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 bust myths, address medical ethics, and get downright spooky just in time for Halloween!

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72:36

Cystic Fibrosis w/ Bijal Trivedi

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/10/19

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 path to curing a host of rare genetic diseases.

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73:07

Bubonic Plague w/ David K. Randall

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/10/12

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 or worse.

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64:18

The Hot Hand w/ Ben Cohen

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/10/05

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.

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68:59

Death Denial w/ Caitlin Doughty

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/09/28

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.

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63:58

Industrial Espionage w/ Mara Hvistendahl

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/09/21

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 counterintelligence efforts.

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65:18

Science News w/ Maya Ajmera

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/09/14

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, anti-vaccine rhetoric, and politicization of scientific principles.

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55:44

Hacking Planet Earth w/ Thomas Kostigen

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/09/08

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.

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66:47

Electric Brain w/ R. Douglas Fields

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/08/31

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 disease, and beyond.

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68:31

Biggest Bluff w/ Maria Konnikova

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/08/24

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 quarter of a million dollars in winnings.

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97:14

How to Argue with a Racist w/ Adam Rutherford

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/08/17

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.

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82:19

Life Changing w/ Helen Pilcher

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/08/10

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.

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64:53

Archaeology of Burning Man w/ Carolyn White

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/08/03

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."

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63:29

Great Indoors w/ Emily Anthes

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/07/27

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.

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80:36

Medieval Bodies w/ Jack Hartnell

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/07/20

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.

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65:40

Campus Sexual Assault w/ Jennifer Hirsch & Shamus Khan

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/07/13

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, including themes of power, education, and consent.

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61:10

Aliens w/ Keith Cooper

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/07/06

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 ourselves.

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92:43

Social Evolution w/ Gaia Vince

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/06/29

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.

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61:25

Tree Rings w/ Valerie Trouet

Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria ·

2020/06/21

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.

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