Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Latest Episodes:

How to Argue with a Racist w/ Adam Rutherford Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

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.

Life Changing w/ Helen Pilcher Aug 10, 2020

Show notes

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.

Archaeology of Burning Man w/ Carolyn White Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

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."

Great Indoors w/ Emily Anthes Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

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.

Medieval Bodies w/ Jack Hartnell Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

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.

Campus Sexual Assault w/ Jennifer Hirsch & Shamus Khan Jul 13, 2020

Show notes

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.

Aliens w/ Keith Cooper Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

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.

Social Evolution w/ Gaia Vince Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

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.

Tree Rings w/ Valerie Trouet Jun 21, 2020

Show notes

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.

Photo Ark w/ Joel Sartore Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by world-renowned National Geographic photographer, Joel Sartore. They talk about his impactful Photo Ark project, including his newest book on the series, the limited Earth Day edition of "The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animals."