Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

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 encephalopathy (CTE).

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 baffled and intrigued scientists and philosophers for centuries.

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 Southern California. They discuss earthquake safety, seismology, and the psychological biases that prevent us from accurate risk assessment.

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!