Anecdotally Speaking cover image

Anecdotally Speaking

173 – Knowledge can come from any source with Maria Marenco

Jan 16, 2023
Maria Marenco, a mother who played a key role in the Apollo 11 mission, shares her inspiring journey. She reflects on how a young girl’s curiosity and a mother's determination contributed to one of humanity’s greatest achievements. The conversation highlights the critical importance of storytelling in science and how diverse perspectives can shape success. Marenco emphasizes the complex balance between genius and motherhood, as well as the essential lessons in safety and risk management from high-stakes environments, both in space and business.
28:59

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Maria Marenco emphasizes that knowledge can arise from unexpected sources, as exemplified by a child's critical role in NASA's Apollo missions.
  • The podcast highlights the often-overlooked contributions of figures like Margaret Hamilton, who played a vital role in ensuring the success of space exploration through innovative software engineering.

Deep dives

The Journey of Science Storytelling

A Spanish scientist and storytelling trainer, Maria Marenko, shares her journey as a scientific storyteller based in Stuttgart, Germany. Her fascination with science storytelling was sparked while working on the Apollo project, where she encountered significant historical figures and events. One notable example involves Margaret Hamilton, a mathematician who played a crucial role in developing software for NASA's Apollo missions. Hamilton was among the first to use the term 'software engineering' and faced numerous challenges in a male-dominated field, demonstrating persistence and dedication to her groundbreaking work.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode