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Talking Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria

Earlier this week I sat down with my friend Cara Santa Maria to chat on her excellent podcast, Talk Nerdy. The conversation was wide-ranging: we talked about the discovery of a new group of insects in which the females have what many are calling a “penis-like structure” (but which the researchers have labeled a gynosome), [...]

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Earlier this week I sat down with my friend Cara Santa Maria to chat on her excellent podcast, Talk Nerdy.

The conversation was wide-ranging: we talked about the discovery of a new group of insects in which the females have what many are calling a "penis-like structure" (but which the researchers have labeled a gynosome), about how scientists categorize the world and how that categorization influences culture, about why developmental psychologists ought to abandon baby studies and play with animals instead, and what it means to be both Jewish and atheist.

You can find it on the web, search for Talk Nerdy on iTunes or whatever podcast software you use, or listen to our episode right here.


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Give it a listen and let us know what you think - here in the comments, or on twitter. Use the hashtag #TalkNerdy.

Jason G. Goldman is a science journalist based in Los Angeles. He has written about animal behavior, wildlife biology, conservation, and ecology for Scientific American, Los Angeles magazine, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the BBC, Conservation magazine, and elsewhere. He contributes to Scientific American's "60-Second Science" podcast, and is co-editor of Science Blogging: The Essential Guide (Yale University Press). He enjoys sharing his wildlife knowledge on television and on the radio, and often speaks to the public about wildlife and science communication.

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