Paleo Nerds

paleonerds

A Paleo Nerd is a grown-up who still has the child-like wonder and love for dinosaurs, fossils, science, and paleontology.
Paleo Nerds follows Alaskan artist, Ray Troll, and his friend ventriloquist David Strassman, as they host exciting interviews with paleontologists, scientists and fellow paleo nerds from around the world. They take what would’ve been a boring science class and turn it into an exciting and extremely informative party.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

100 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes100

Newest first

Jan 27, 2021 · 1 hr 14 min
Episode #20 How to Kill a Dinosaur with Holly Woodward
Paleontologist Holly Woodward reads the microscopic stories left behind in dinosaur bones to tell characteristics like their age, sex, and general health. She's even used histology to "kill" a dinosaur!
Jan 20, 2021 · 1 hr 13 min
Episode #19 My Favorite Fossil is the Next One with Chuck Bonner
Ray joins his old friend Chuck Bonner in Kansas where Chuck's family has collected exquisite fossils now on display around the world.
Jan 13, 2021 · 1 hr 12 min
Episode #18 Eons of Epic Epochs with Fossil Librarian Kallie Moore
The Nerds sit down with Kallie Moore, cohost of the PBS youtube show Eons and fossil librarian at the University of Montana.
Jan 6, 2021 · 1 hr 16 min
Episode #17 I’ll Have the Dinosaur, Please! with Jack Horner, the REAL Dr. Alan Grant
World renowned paleontologist Jack Horner discusses bringing paleontology to the masses as the scientific advisor on the Jurassic Park franchise and how dyslexia may have helped him make discoveries.
Oct 28, 2020 · 1 hr 16 min
Episode #16 Walking with Whales with Bobby Boessenecker
The Nerds have a whale of a time with Bobby Boessenecker. Modern whales actually evolved from walking mammals! But how exactly does a huuuuuuge blue whale go from walking on land to swimming in the ocean? Find out!
Oct 21, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min
Episode #15 Sleeping Through Extinction with Christian Sidor
Dr. Christian Sidor tells the Nerds all about the ancestry of mammals, including a little creature that hibernated through the Permian-Triassic extinction, allowing reptiles to branch off and evolve into mammals.
Oct 14, 2020 · 1 hr 17 min
Episode #14 The Flight of the Cephalopods with Danna Staaf
Did you know we're in the middle of a Cephalopod Renaissance? Esteemed author Danna Staaf is ready to introduce you to our Squid Overlords!
Oct 7, 2020 · 1 hr 14 min
Episode #13 Evolving Toward a Sense of Beauty with Carl Safina
What's the difference between humans and animals? Who decided there was a difference? Maybe there's less of a difference than we thought...
Sep 30, 2020 · 1 hr 1 min
Episode #12 Life Finds a Way... and Then Medea Kills It with Peter Ward
The Nerds sit down with one of life's great thinkers, Peter Ward. He currently studies Mass Extinctions but nautiloids and ammonites are an ongoing passion.
Sep 23, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min
Episode #11 The Origin of Human Anatomy is in Old Dead Fish with John Long
"You're a fish!" Turns out that's not an insult, it's the truth! Professor John Long will explain why this is true AND discusses the origins of sex! And then he'll ride off on his motorcycle...
Sep 16, 2020 · 1 hr 3 min
Episode #10: Comparative Science Fiction Anatomy with Gabriel Santos
Gabriel Santos is a nerd. But, hey, if you're listening to this podcast so are you! He's studied the paleoparadoxical Desmostylians, but now he uses cosplay to demonstrate that science is everywhere, especially in pop culture!
Sep 9, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min
Episope #9: All Birds are Dinosaurs but Not All Dinosaurs are Birds with Paleontologinista Jingmai O’Connor
Paleontologista Jingmai O'Connor teaches the Nerds how to fly! Well, at least how dinosaurs evolved flight and eventually became the birds we live with today.
Sep 2, 2020 · 1 hr 7 min
Episode #8: Know Your Prehistoric Marine Reptiles with Pat Druckenmiller
The nerds try and impress Dr. Pat Druckenmiller with their knowledge of marine reptiles. The key word being try.
Aug 26, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
Episode #7: Using Lasers to Stare Into the Eyes of a Pterosaur with Tom Kaye
Tom Kaye uses lasers to see microscopic changes recorded in the rock surrounding fossils that reveal soft tissues, literally shaping what dinosaurs looked like when they walked the Earth.
Aug 19, 2020 · 54 min
Episode #6: What Came First, the Shark or the Ratfish? with Dr. Dominique Didier
Dr. Dominique Didier has touched and fondled more ratfish than anyone one, so what better person to discuss the evolutionary perfection and sex life of this living fossil.
Aug 12, 2020 · 1 hr 12 min
Episode #5: Beating Your Art to the Grave with Paleo Artist Gary Staab
Gary Staab leaps on snakes, wrestles caiman, taxidermies road kill, oh and sculpts massive dinosaurs, realistic sharks and celebrity mummies.
Aug 5, 2020 · 1 hr 13 min
Episode #4: Cheating the Tooth Fairy with Leif Tapanila
Dr. Leif Tapanila studies fossil invertebrates and clams, so why is he here to talk about Helicoprion (AKA the Buzz Saw Shark)? Turns out it's all Ray's fault.
Jul 30, 2020 · 1 hr 12 min
Episode #3: Smashing the Patriarchy like a Bone-Crushing Dog with STEMinist Amy Atwater
As a paleontologist and science communicator, Amy Atwater has been challenging the conviction that all paleontologists look like Indiana Jones!
Jul 21, 2020 · 1 hr 20 min
Episode #2: Channeling Your Childhood Superpower with Kirk Johnson
The Nerds talk to Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and long-time friend and collaborator of Ray's.
Jul 21, 2020 · 54 min
Episode #1: The Only Way to Know Where We’re Going is to Know Where We’ve Been.
Ray Troll and David Strassman swap childhood stories about becoming Paleo Nerds and reminisce about their most treasured finds in this exciting and refreshing debut recording.

Paleo Nerds

Episode #20 How to Kill a Dinosaur with Holly Woodward

Episode #19 My Favorite Fossil is the Next One with Chuck Bonner

Episode #18 Eons of Epic Epochs with Fossil Librarian Kallie Moore

Episode #17 I’ll Have the Dinosaur, Please! with Jack Horner, the REAL Dr. Alan Grant

Episode #16 Walking with Whales with Bobby Boessenecker

Episode #15 Sleeping Through Extinction with Christian Sidor

Episode #14 The Flight of the Cephalopods with Danna Staaf

Episode #13 Evolving Toward a Sense of Beauty with Carl Safina

Episode #12 Life Finds a Way... and Then Medea Kills It with Peter Ward

Episode #11 The Origin of Human Anatomy is in Old Dead Fish with John Long

Episode #10: Comparative Science Fiction Anatomy with Gabriel Santos

Episope #9: All Birds are Dinosaurs but Not All Dinosaurs are Birds with Paleontologinista Jingmai O’Connor

Episode #8: Know Your Prehistoric Marine Reptiles with Pat Druckenmiller

Episode #7: Using Lasers to Stare Into the Eyes of a Pterosaur with Tom Kaye

Episode #6: What Came First, the Shark or the Ratfish? with Dr. Dominique Didier

Episode #5: Beating Your Art to the Grave with Paleo Artist Gary Staab

Episode #4: Cheating the Tooth Fairy with Leif Tapanila

Episode #3: Smashing the Patriarchy like a Bone-Crushing Dog with STEMinist Amy Atwater

Episode #2: Channeling Your Childhood Superpower with Kirk Johnson

Episode #1: The Only Way to Know Where We’re Going is to Know Where We’ve Been.