Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Miriam Laker-Oketta, Research Director at GiveDirectly. They talk about her work in tropical medicine, international health, and research methods, as well as the evidence-based model used by the non-profit, GiveDirectly: putting cash directly in the hands of people living in poverty.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Natasha Datoo, a pediatric palliative care physician at Canuck Place Children's Hospice. They talk about the power of communication, the importance of a whole-person approach to care, as well as common misunderstandings about palliative medicine.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by UCLA Egyptologist Dr. Kara Cooney to talk about her new book, "The Good Kings: Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World." They discuss power, privilege, and patriarchy in ancient Egypt, with a special focus on how they relate to modern authoritarianism.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by historian Dr. Lisa T. Sarasohn to talk about her new book, "Getting Under Our Skin: The Cultural and Social History of Vermin." They discuss how our view of lice, fleas, bedbugs, and rats evolved with the advent of modern science, as well as the tendency to dehumanize, ostracize, and perpetrate violence against those deemed to be "other."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Emma Asiedu-Akrofi, the Executive Director of the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women's Empowerment. They talk about how society benefits when girls have access to opportunities, including a reduction in poverty and increased social justice overall. Follow Emma's work: @JACentre4Girls

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by paleontologist Dr. Elsa Panciroli to talk about her book, "Beasts Before Us: The Untold Story of Mammal Origins and Evolution." They discuss how many of us have our timelines all wrong, as mammals have been evolving since far before the asteroid impact that rendered the dinosaurs extinct.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined once again by science writer Dr. Emily Willingham to talk about her newest book, "The Tailored Brain: From Ketamine, to Keto, to Companionship, A User's Guide to Feeling Better and Thinking Stronger." They discuss how our cognitive needs are not one-size-fits-all while applying much-needed skepticism to the gimmicks and tricks often offered by the self-help industry.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Jessica Nordell, the award-winning author of "The End of Bias: A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias." They discuss the evidence behind unconscious (also known as implicit) bias, including what we can do to work toward a more egalitarian society.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by award-winning investigative journalist Katie Worth to talk about her new book, "Miseducation: How Climate Change Is Taught in America." Kate reveals how the fossil fuel industry, libertarian think-tanks, legislators, and textbook publishers across the country are sowing doubt and distrust about the climate crisis, resulting in a young populace suffused with denialism.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by University of Sydney Professor of Animal Behavior Dr. Ashley Ward to talk about his new book, "The Social Lives of Animals." From termites to fish to chimpanzees, they discuss the ways animals form societies, communicate with one another, and engage in culture.