Astrophysicist Dr. Leslie Rogers joins Cara to talk about exoplanets, specifically those that are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. They offer an exciting opportunity to learn about planetary bodies that are different from anything in our own solar system. Also discussed: why Kepler-452b likely isn't Earth's twin.
Science writer Brooke Borel joins Cara to discuss the differences between science journalism and science communication, as well as the ethical quandaries journalists sometimes face. They then turn the conversation to bed bugs, the topic of Brooke's new book, "Infested."
Cara is joined by independent author Steven Paul Leiva ("Traveling In Space") to talk about the power of storytelling, the difference between genre fiction and literary fiction, and why it's okay to be a nerd, even if you aren't all that into sci-fi.
Dr. Casey Handmer braves the broken A/C at Cara's apartment to inform her of the wonders of black holes, gravitational wave simulations, space robots, and the HYPERLOOP! "Interstellar" and "The Martian" thrown in for good measure.
Cara is joined by Megan Rosenbloom (Associate Director for Collection Resources, Norris Medical Library) to talk about the importance of library science in medical school and how she's working to change our perceptions of death through initiatives like the Death Salon.
Human rights activist Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar speaks out about growing up in Iraq under Sadam Hussein's oppressive regime, the global effects of extremism in the Middle East, and how we can help secular progressives in closed societies achieve freedom of expression and religion. Faisal is the founder of the Global Secular Humanist Movement and actively works with the civil rights crowd-sourcing platform Movements.org.
Global health scientist and science communicator Dr. Jessica Taaffe joins Cara to discuss the importance of health initiatives aimed at the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases worldwide, including HIV.
Cara is joined in studio by Dr. Gad Saad, an evolutionary psychologist who specializes in consumer behavior. They discuss what evolutionary psychology is and isn't, and what makes us universally human, regardless of culture or geography.
Cara is pleased to welcome science diplomat Dr. Marga Gual Soler to the podcast to discuss how evidence-based diplomacy can be used to achieve peace through the universal language of science.
Cara welcomes reporter Asher Price (the Austin American-Statesman) to the podcast to talk about his new book, "Year of the Dunk." It's Talk Nerdy's first foray into the science of sports! Exciting!
Dr. Steven Novella (The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe, NeuroLogica) joins Cara to talk about the history of the SGU and his 20+ year involvement in the skeptic movement. Also discussed: the importance of science-based medicine and the impact universal healthcare would have on the US.
Desi Doyen of the Green News Report talks with Cara about the culture of climate denialism in America, including who's really pulling the strings and how we can be empowered to effect change.
Dr. Chiara Mingarelli, Marie Curie Fellow in Theoretical Astrophysics at Caltech, gives Cara a primer on gravitational waves. She talks about using pulsar timing arrays to detect and analyze gravitational waves, and she throws in some black hole physics for good measure!
Seth Andrews (The Thinking Atheist) tells Cara stories about his past as a fundamentalist Christian. Also discussed: how to be an example to atheists and religious people alike, and atheist activism in the new media landscape.
Producer Jenny Churchill offers Cara a behind-the-scenes look at producing the news, including how we learn by making huge mistakes, what qualifies as news vs. opinion in our new media echo-chambers, and why car chases are just so damn fun to watch.
Cara sits down with USC graduate student Michael Lee to talk about all things astrobiology. What is it? What can it tell us about alien life? And how does studying our own ocean floor help us understand what might be lurking on Jupiter's moon Europa?
This week, Cara is joined in studio by one of #TalkNerdy's most requested guests, Jennifer Briney of the Congressional Dish Podcast. They discuss the dominant role corporate interests play in the American legislative process.
Cara sits down with Dr. Kevin Folta (Professor and Chair of Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida) to continue their conversation about genetically modified organisms. Especially poignant: the philosophy of activism denying opportunities for the developing world.
Cara chats with YouTuber Jaclyn Glenn about her departure from the Catholic Church and subsequent rise as an atheist advocate. Also discussed: hate comments on YouTube and how life would be different if there were no religion.
Dr. Shini Somara (TechKnow) sits down with Cara to talk about why computational fluid dynamics is so important. Also included: lots of airplane talk and Shini’s journey across the pond to communicate science to the American public.
Cara and Dannielle Owens-Reid (Everyone Is Gay and The Parents Project) talk about issues facing LGBTQ youth, including the special struggles of bisexual and pansexual individuals. They also open up about their own sexual identities and histories.
Cara and photographer Rachael Porter nerd out about the history of photography, the weird and wonderful Burning Man community, and the role of art in demystifying the true lives of scientists and engineers.
Cara talks nerdy with entomologist Aaron Pomerantz about his work at thenextgenscientist.com, exploring the Amazonian rainforest, and how researching bugs can have far-reaching implications--including global health benefits.
Cara sits down with actress, writer, and producer Taryn O'Neill (Granite Flats, After Judgment) to talk about her love of scifi and her STEM advocacy group SCIRENS. Also discussed: why we need more strong female characters on screen, including scientists and engineers. Hear hear!
Rocket scientist, explorer, and champion for women in engineering Natalie Panek connects with Cara across international borders to talk about how we can attract more women to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and then retain them. They also discuss the state of modern television as it relates to science literacy and what we can do about all that space junk orbiting planet Earth.
Cara speaks with Chris Mooney, Energy And Environment Reporter for the Washington Post, about all things climate change. Topics discussed include: how personality and psychology play into the decisions we make about the environment, how understanding liberal vs. conservative viewpoints can help us affect environmental change in a more meaningful way, and the difference between sea ice and land ice in ever-warming Antarctica.
Cara talks nerdy with master of teh interwebs Hank Green (SciShow, Crash Course, vlogbrothers, etc, etc, etc). He talks about his love affair with science, how crowd funding is changing the way we create really good content, why people can be so awful on the internet, and all the hard work YouTubers put into their craft. Also he is very funny.
Cara meets up with David Smalley (Dogma Debate Radio) to talk about how he lost his religion, southern hospitality, and the best approaches to sharing atheism with others.
Cara gets a lesson in quantum information theory from Caltech graduate student and entrepreneur Shaun Maguire. Shaun schools her in the real definition of quantum, along with how new developments in Stephen Hawking's black hole information paradox are rocking the physics world.
Cara speaks with Matthew Facciani, a PhD candidate in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina. Topics include: his work as a gender-equality activist, concerns about the simplicity of "new atheism," and the neuroscience of religiosity.
