In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Nick Haddad, Senior Terrestrial Ecologist in the Department of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University and Kellogg Biological Station. They discuss his newest book, "The Last Butterflies: A Scientist's Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature."

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by vice president and senior technical advisor of Underwriter Laboratories Inc. and founder of Air Quality Science Inc. as well as The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, Dr. Marilyn Black. They talk about the science of assessing indoor and outdoor air quality, including the toxic chemicals often released by products like 3-D printers and furniture treated with flame retardants.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by writer and historian Dr. Lydia Pyne to talk about her new book, “Genuine Fakes: How Phony Things Teach Us About Real Stuff.” Lydia describes the fuzzy line between what’s real and what’s fake, sharing stories about nature documentaries, art forgeries, fossil hoaxes, lab-grown diamonds, and everything in between.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by molecular cell biologist at the University of California Merced, Dr. Miriam Barlow. They talk about her research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including how they evolve, the impact on public health, and what we can do to prevent or mitigate the spread of infection.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Sora Kim, Life and Environmental Sciences professor at UC Merced. They talk about the importance of diversity, mentorship, and collaboration in STEM fields. They also discuss her fascinating research examining stable isotopes in fossilized shark teeth in an effort to better understand global climate change.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Joanna Andrecka, product marketing manager at Refeyn. They discuss an exciting new technology called mass photometry. This process uses light to analyze the mass of biomolecules in their native state, with no markers or labels.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by evolutionary psychologist Dr. Sarah E. Hill to talk about her new book, "This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences." They discuss the long history of scientific inquiry that ignores women's bodies and minds, as well as what new research is telling us about birth control's sweeping effects.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University. They talk about new book, “The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race.” Their conversation centers around the important role of dopamine in human behavior, relationships, and addiction.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara once again sits down with Caltech physicist Dr. Sean Carroll, this time to talk about his new book, “Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime.” They discuss what quantum mechanics is (and isn’t), its relation to psychology and philosophy, and how the many-worlds interpretation may just be the key to understanding the cosmos.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by novelist Laura Purcell to talk about her book, “The Poison Thread.” They discuss the science and psychology of Victorian England as well as the experiences of female characters living during the era.