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Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Cara Santa Maria
Climate Change
Mental Health
Science Communication
Science Journalism
Colonialism
PFAS
Feminism
Public Health
Psychology
Coral Reefs
Monsters
Animal Research
Neuroscience
Systemic Racism
Native Bees
Transgender Activism
Zoning
Ethics Of Animal Testing
Women's Health
Covid-19

Dr. Cara Santa Maria is a clinical health psychologist, television presenter, and science communicator. Since 2014, her podcast Talk Nerdy has been a place for conversations with interesting people about interesting topics.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes617Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Natural SciencesScienceSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Talk Nerdy

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by author, and Professor Emerita of History at Rutgers University-Newark, Dr. Beryl Satter. They discuss her newest book, Cash on the Block: The Broken Promise of Reinvestment in Black Urban Neighborhoods... more

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by www.ednabonhomme.com/about, Dr. Edna Bonhomme. They discuss her latest book, www.ednabonhomme.com/tending-to-our-wounds. Follow Edna: www.instagram.com/bonhomme/

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In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by writer, and Stony Book University professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies, Angela Jones. They discuss Angela’s latest book, Sex in Public: The Transformative Social Power of Our Erotic Lives.... more

YouTube

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by author and award-winning freelance journalist, Roberta Kwok. They discuss Roberta’s latest book, Lost in Curiosity: Field Notes from Scientists' Adventures into the Unknown. Follow Roberta: @robertakwo... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Angela Jones
Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University
Episode: Sex in Public w/ Angela Jones
Roberta Kwok
Science writer and author of Lost in Curiosity
Science journalism - MIT Night Science Journalism Program; author of Lost in Curiosity
Episode: Lost in Curiosity w/ Roberta Kwok
Roopika Risam
Professor of Digital Humanities and Social Engagement at Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Episode: Data and Colonialism w/ Roopika Risam
Valerie Fridland
Professor of Linguistics, University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
Episode: Accents w/ Valerie Fridland
Maria Tatar
John L. Loeb Research Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures and of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: Arachnomania w/ Maria Tatar
Zoe Nyssa
Associate Professor of Anthropology at Purdue University; author of Rarities, Conservation Science in a Time of Unintended Consequences
Purdue University
Episode: Rarity w/ Zoe Nyssa
Jessica Riskin
Professor of history at Stanford University, author of The Power of Life
Stanford University
Episode: Power of Life w/ Jessica Riskin
Roxanne Khamsi
Author and science communicator; book author of Beyond Inheritance
Author and science journalist (The Atlantic, Nature Medicine, New Scientist, etc.)
Episode: We Are All Mutants w/ Roxanne Khamsi
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of New Hampshire; author of The Edge of Space-Time
University of New Hampshire
Episode: Intersectional Cosmology w/ Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Host

Cara Santa Maria
Host of Talk Nerdy; science communicator with a focus on accessible explanations and thoughtful interviews.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • All good science

    Great podcast for current science, medical, historical and related cultural topics. Mostly interviews of recent authors. Always based on good science and academic research.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    grdavis53
    United States6 months ago
  • Lots of interesting perspectives and engaging conversations. Love the diversity of guests featured here.

    Podchaser
    5
    parikhg01
    7 months ago
  • A very unique and special podcast that people should listen to.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Larian
    a year ago
  • Science is the limit

    You should cover the HPV Vaccine that came out to help prevent cervical cancer that was so popular in 2010 or 2011. Despite the Catholic Church being opposed to it, a lot of women in that community got it, including an ex friend with benefits.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Ray Reesey
    United States2 years ago
  • Science communication is all about timing

    The ads would have changed to Nevada ads when we all moved out here, not when James told you we all moved out here.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ray Reesey
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guest lineup spans science, humanities, and policy; great for researchers and curious listeners.
Hosts bring thoughtful questions and clear explanations.
Consistently strong interviews with experts and authors.
High-quality, evidence-based conversations with diverse experts.
Some listeners criticize interruptions or pacing in certain episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Arachnomania w/ Maria Tatar
Q: What specifically turned you to spiders?
She describes how her interest started with The Heroines with Thousand and One Faces and the myth of Arachne, where a spider becomes a symbol of weaving truth into textiles, linking artistry, storytelling, and social commentary.
Arachnomania w/ Maria Tatar
Q: How does one become a professor of folklore and mythology, for example?
Tatar explains that her path combined a shift from German literature to folklore and mythology, driven by an interest in how stories function across cultures, and by the realization that fairy tales and myth were not just children's literature but powerful, interdisciplinary sources of meaning.
Rarity w/ Zoe Nyssa
Q: Before you sat down to really write this book versus after, how have you been changed by your own scholarship?
Nyssa reflects on how the process rewired her approach to research, emphasizing patience, humility, and a willingness to let questions lead rather than forcing predetermined answers, which now informs how she teaches students and engages with organizations.
Rarity w/ Zoe Nyssa
Q: Did you work from bottom-up or top-down when you built the book's structure and themes?
She explains she begins with optimistic outlines but continually revises as interviews and findings emerge, using a steady, anthropologist's lens to focus on group dynamics, care, and how disciplines organize themselves, before converging on a single, linear framework for the narrative.
Rarity w/ Zoe Nyssa
Q: I know sometimes we go to podcasts to hear stories, and while I do want to hear some of the stories, read the book to get the stories. But how does one sit down and say, I'm going to write a book about this thing that could be thousands of pages? How do you even choose?
Nyssa describes starting with outlines, then allowing serendipity and ongoing fieldwork to reshape the book's focus, using a modular, century-spanning framework to tell a cohesive story, and accepting that not every piece can be covered in depth while ensuring the narrative remains linear and meaningful.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Frequently Asked Questions About Talk Nerdy

What is Talk Nerdy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thought-provoking interview show centered on science, culture, and how knowledge shapes society. Episodes feature in-depth conversations with researchers, authors, and journalists who illuminate topics from data, linguistics, and folklore to conservation, medicine, and criminal justice. A distinctive thread is connecting rigorous academic insight with accessible storytelling, often exploring how power, culture, and policy interact with science. Noteworthy is the breadth of disciplines and the willingness to tackle controversial or interdisciplinary ideas through thoughtful dialogue and narrative context, making complex subjects relatable for curious listeners who want evidence-based perspectives.

Listeners who enjoy rigorous yet approach... more

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How many listeners does Talk Nerdy get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Talk Nerdy has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Talk Nerdy?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Talk Nerdy:

1. The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
2. Skeptics with a K
3. Cognitive Dissonance
4. Skeptoid
5. The Skepticrat

How many episodes of Talk Nerdy are there?

Talk Nerdy launched 12 years ago and published 617 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Talk Nerdy?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Talk Nerdy?

Recent guests on Talk Nerdy include:

1. Angela Jones
2. Roberta Kwok
3. Roopika Risam
4. Valerie Fridland
5. Maria Tatar
6. Zoe Nyssa
7. Jessica Riskin
8. Roxanne Khamsi

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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