Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in studio by science journalist Dr. Lone Frank, author of "The Pleasure Shock: The Rise of Deep Brain Stimulation and Its Forgotten Inventor." They discuss her work as a Danish science communicator and her history in academic neurobiology.  Then, Lone tells Cara about the fascinating history of Robert G. Heath, the Tulane psychiatrist who performed controversial surgeries and experiments while developing a groundbreaking procedure that was surely ahead of its time.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with author Mark O'Connell about his new book "To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death." They talk about the process of writing a book, a well as the things he learned during his investigation of the fascinating and sometimes troubling transhumanist movement.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara chats with journalist and editor Melissa Dahl about her new book, “Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness.” They talk about what makes us shudder, from the sound of our own voices to the prospect of starting a conversation with strangers on the New York City subway.

It's the 200th episode of Talk Nerdy! To celebrate, Cara brings back the Ask Me Anything (AMA) format, with a twist! This week, Cara is joined in studio by friend of the show and host of the Ologies podcast, Alie Ward. She scans the brilliant questions provided by you, the Talk Nerdy listeners, and selects her favorites to turn the tables and interview Cara! They cover ground from space travel to science communication to Killer, of course! And Cara answers her famous final two questions. THANK YOU for an incredible 200 episodes! Talk Nerdy wouldn't be possible without the support of incredible listeners like you. Follow Alie @alieward and Cara @CaraSantaMaria.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in studio by astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker to talk about his new book, "What is Real? The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics." They talk about the important role philosophy plays in understanding the scientific process as well as what happens when you question one of the sacred cows of quantum physics, the Copenhagen interpretation.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara speaks with science journalist Alanna Mitchell about her new book, “The Spinning Magnet.” They examine magnetismʼs long history of discovery, including the hundreds of times the Earthʼs poles have flipped.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in studio by stand-up comedian David Huntsberger. They talk, among other random things, about the wonderful work he's doing on his science podcast, "The Space Cave."  Also discussed: the frustrating and fantastic world of freelance content creation.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara re-records her lost episode with scientist and author Laurie Winkless!  They bemoan the loss of Cara's laptop while discussing Laurie's new book, "Science and the City: The Mechanics Behind the Metropolis." Topics include how cities manage increasing water demand, Laurie's favorite feats of engineering, and a disgusting byproduct of human refuse, the "fatberg."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara sits down with Dr. Clifford Johnson, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Southern California. They talk about his new book, "The Dialogues: Conversations About the Nature of the Universe," a graphic novel that explains physics for everyday people.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by planetary scientist Dr. Amanda Hendrix to talk about her book, “Beyond Earth: Our Path to a New Home in the Planets” (coauthored by Charles Wohlforth). They dive deep into the fascinating moons of Saturn and all of the scientific (and potentially life-supporting!) information they have to offer.