The Smart Cookies podcast

Toby Jones has just finished his PhD at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where he is also teaching. His work focuses on the irruption of the Mongols onto the larger world scene focusing on their invasion of the Persianate world. The topic of his research is ‘Loyalty in the Turco-Mongol World' - through it he considers the Mongol invasions and their impact on the cultures around them.

We talk about Chinggis Khan, Mongol feasts, Conquest, Ruthlessness, their Sense of Humour and the Role of Women in Mongol Society... as well as a very unlikely, Medieval James Bond.

Bill McGuire is a Professor Emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London, a co-director of the New Weather Institute and was a contributor to the 2012 IPCC report on climate change and extreme events.

His books include A Guide to the End of the World: Everything you Never Wanted to Know and Waking the Giant: How a Changing Climate Triggers Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanoes. In his latest book Hothouse Earth: an Inhabitant’s Guide, Professor McGuire explains the science behind the climate crisis and presents an honest picture of the world we’re going to leave to our kids and grandkids…

We talk about the unknown dangers of Climate Breakdown, the Planet's Tipping Points, Denialism, COP27, Doomerism and a possible way out of the planetary mess we've created.

Mostafa Minawi is an associate professor of history at Cornell University and the director of the Critical Ottoman and Post-ottoman studies. He is the author of "The Ottoman Scramble for Africa: Empire and Diplomacy in the Sahara and the Hijaz", as well as the very recent "Losing Istanbul: Arab-Ottoman Imperialists and the End of Empire". His short video ‘The rise of the Ottoman Empire’ he made with TED-Ed has almost a million views on Youtube and is just the coolest introduction into the history of the Ottoman Empire.

We talk about the founding dream of Osman I, the Janissaries, the power of the Imperial Harems and the Golden Age of Istanbul.

Prof. Massimo Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His research interests include the philosophy of science, the nature of pseudoscience, and practical philosophies like Stoicism and New Skepticism. He is the author or editor of 16 books, including the best selling How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life.

In this episode we discuss how philosophy can help us lead better lives, the importance of virtues and his latest book, The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us about Our Search for Good Leaders

Dr. Mathias Nordvig is a visiting assistant professor of Nordic and Arctic studies at the Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures at University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). He teaches subjects on Viking history, Nordic mythology, folklore, Arctic culture and society, and Danish language. Dr. Nordvig earned his PhD in Nordic mythology in 2014 at Aarhus University in Denmark, his native country...

In this episode, we talk about persistent stereotypes we hold about the Vikings, the (in)accuracy of their portrayal on film and TV, and of course, about the easiest way to piss of your average Viking when sitting next to one.

Dr. Peter Struck is Professor and Chair of the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his A.B. at the University of Michigan and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His primary research interests are in the history of ideas about the construction of meaning, with specialties in myth, literary criticism, and divination.

His book Birth of the Symbol: Ancient Readers at the Limits of Their Texts won the C. J. Goodwin Award from the American Philological Association for best book in Classical Studies.

We discuss the nature and functions of Myths, the delightful dysfunctionality of the celestial Olympian family and of course Xena, the warrior princess.

Dr. Delfi I. Nieto-Isabel is a Scholar and Historian who holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics, a BA in History and a PhD in Medieval Cultures from the University of Barcelona. She has been awarded a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship to carry out her research project ILLITTERATAE at Queen Mary University of London.

We talk about Women's Spirituality, Mysticism, the Inquisition and the accusations of Witchcraft in the Middle Ages.

Dr. John Aberth is a medieval historian, author and professor. He received his M.A. in Medieval Studies from the University of Leeds in England and his Ph.D. in Medieval History from the University of Cambridge. Professor Aberth is the author of ten books on Medieval History, focusing mostly on the Black Death of the late Middle Ages.

In this episode we talk about the origins of the bubonic plague, the devastation it caused during the Middle ages, the many unsuccessful ways it was treated, and also about its similarities to the epidemic of our time, Covid-19.

Dr Jonathan Mijs is a Dutch sociologist who earned his PhD at Harvard University and is currently teaching at Boston University. His research describes the beliefs people hold about economic inequality, its causes and political consequences. It especially highlights the process through which citizens - especially young ones - learn about inequality and come to make sense of poverty and wealth.

His works have been featured in The Guardian, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, The Independent and a myriad of scientific journals.

In this episode we're trying to dissect the many reasons why it's so hard for us to believe that inequality is mostly undeserved, and what we can do about that.

Dr. Julia Rucklidge is a Professor of Clinical Psychology in the School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing at the University of Canterbury and the Director of Te Puna Toiora, the Mental Health and Nutrition Research Lab.

Her TEDx talk, ’The surprisingly dramatic role of nutrition in mental health’ has been viewed over 4 million times, and she recently co-authored a book, The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, which was released in 2021.

This is a conversation about the "mental health epidemic" of our day, as well as about the connection between nutrition and mental health.

We also discuss the best ways to start eating (and feeling) better.