Shows
Paleo NerdsEp #93 Cretaceous Kansas Geology with Kate AndrzejewskiRay gets schooled on the Cretaceous geology around the shores of Kansas Lake Kanopolis by paleontologist Kate Andrzejewski.
2025-12-311h 03Paleo NerdsEp #92 From Smok to Spinosaurus with Smithsonian Curator Hans-Dieter Sues
Ray and Dave talk with Smithsonian paleontologist Hans-Dieter Sues about the origins of reptiles, the rise of dinosaurs, and a lifetime unearthing Triassic treasures from around the world.
2025-11-251h 15Paleo NerdsEp #91 The Incredible Paleo Impressionist Art of Doug HendersonRay and Dave explore the mind of paleo artist Doug Henderson exploring his techniques, inspirations, and the breathtaking body of work that re-imagines ancient worlds.
2025-10-291h 01Paleo NerdsEp #90 Fossil Fish, Antarctic Adventures and Teaching Anatomy with Kerin ClaesonRay Troll shares morning coffee in his Ketchikan lounge room with Dr. Karin Claeson, exploring fish evolution, anatomy, development, and variability across deep time.
2025-09-241h 13Paleo NerdsEp #89 Brachiopods Deserve Your Love with Dr. Susan ButtsRay and Dave learn all about Brachiopods, one of the hardy survivors of the Big Five extinctions, with Susan Butts, Director of Collections and Research at the famous Yale Peabody Museum.
2025-08-271h 03Paleo NerdsEp #88 Unearthing Egg Mountain’s Dinosaur Nursery: Field Insights from Montana with John ScannellaDave goes out on a dig at the famous Egg Mountain site in western Montana with Dr. John Scannella, curator of paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies.
2025-07-301h 05Paleo NerdsEp #87 Anvil Sharks, Lampreys & Ratfish with Head-Sprouting Teeth featuring Vertebrate Paleontologist Michael CoatesRay and Dave explore jaws, fins and fossil fish while tracing the deep origins of vertebrate life with Dr. Michael Coates, Vertebrate Paleontologist and Chair of Organismal Biology and Anatomy Professor at the University of Chicago.
2025-06-271h 19Paleo NerdsEp #86 Painting Prehistoric Worlds and Dinosaur Dreams with Mark HallettRay and Dave talk Sauropods, Smilodons, and Spielberg with artist and paleo visionary Mark Hallett, whose decades of work bring ancient worlds to life.
2025-05-301h 04Paleo NerdsEp #85 Mammoth Tusks, Gomphothere Shovels and Elephant Trunks with Advait JukarRay and Dave explore the history of all things Elephantidae, including Mammoths, Mastodons, and Gomphotheres, with Advait Jukar, delving into their shovels, tusks, and trunks.
2025-04-301h 09Paleo NerdsEp #84 Turning to Stone: Earthlings on a Dynamic Granite Planet with Marcia BjornerudRay and Dave go rock hunting through billions of years of Earth's history with Marcia Bjornerud, a structural geologist, inspirational author, and Professor of Geosciences at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
2025-03-261h 17Paleo NerdsEp #83 Diggin' the Beasts of the Badlands
Ray and Dave talk about the amazing fossils and strata found in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, where park ranger Mattison Shreero explains how it all got there and why she absolutely loves her job.
2025-02-191h 03Paleo NerdsEp #82 The Ultimate Paleo Vlogger, That We Know OfRay and Dave discuss the wide-reaching influence of one of YouTube's paleo stars, Lindsay Nikole, who has millions of followers and incredible outreach with her remarkable video series, The History of Life on Earth, as we know it.
2025-01-291h 06Paleo NerdsEp #81 Paleo Nerds at Nebraska's Prairie PompeiiRay takes a road trip with fellow Paleo Nerds to visit the great death assemblage, the "Rhino Pompeii", at the Nebraska Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park
2024-12-181h 15Paleo NerdsEp #80 Walking Egyptian Whales from the Sahara with Dr. Hesham SallamDave travels to Cairo, Egypt, for a fascinating interview with Dr. Hesham Sallam, Egypt's leading paleontologist and founder of the country's first Vertebrate Paleontology Center. As a fellow Paleo Nerd, Dr. Sallam shares insights into his groundbreaking work, his efforts to bring more women into the field, and the thrilling discoveries shaping Egypt's prehistoric story.
2024-11-271h 00Paleo NerdsEp #79 Teen Rex and the Triumph of Turtles with Tyler LysonRay and Dave come out of there shells to talk Turtles and the latest T-Rex discovery with Vertebrate Paleontologist Tyler Lyson.
2024-10-301h 07Paleo NerdsEp #78 The Business End of T-Rex with Pete LarsonRay and Dave unearth the past with paleontologist Pete Larson, discussing Pete's paleo-nerd journey, his early discoveries, his commercial fossil enterprise, and his insights into controversial dinosaur debates.
2024-09-271h 17Paleo NerdsEp #77 A Deep Dive Into the Paleostream with Artist Joschua KnüppeRay interviews the amazingly prolific German artist Joschua Knüppe who can quick draw an accurate dinosaur while the whole world watches online!
2024-08-281h 07Paleo NerdsEp 76 The Perfect Piscatorial Fossils of Paris with Dr. Alan PradelDave flies across the pond and visits Dr. Alan Pradel, curator of fossil fishes at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France. Dr Pradel is an expert on early fishes and sharks. Très bon!
2024-07-311h 02
Rising Tide: The Ocean PodcastRay Troll Spawns ArtOn this episode of Rising Tide the Ocean Podcast we speak with world-famous Ketchikan Alaska-based artist and illustrator Ray Troll about his art – from Tee-shirts to wall murals - highlighting ocean life present and prehistoric (he summers in the ancient seas of Kansas). Combining the sensibilities of Gary Larson and Winslow Homer he can take your breath away with laughter and beauty. We discuss his 40-year retrospective art book – ‘Spawn Till You Die – The fin art of Ray Troll,” his upcoming documentary profile, his popular ‘Paleo Nerds Podcast’ and more. So, dive in.Links and additional...
2024-07-1528 minPaleo NerdsEp #75 The Fighting Finbacks of Seymour Texas with Chris FlisRay travels to the Permian and trolls the halls of the Texas Whiteside Museum of Natural History with museum director Chris Flis.
2024-06-261h 07Paleo NerdsEp #74 Resurrecting Dinosaurs One Chip at Time with MOR's Cassi KnightDave expands his paleo knowledge with a visit to the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana, during their exciting Dino's and MOR conference, however, Dave finds a professional Paleo Nerd, Cassi Knight, who's gem of a job is rarely publicized in the museum world.
2024-05-241h 03Paleo NerdsEp #73 Talking Headgear and Spike Tooths with Ed "Dr. Pronghorn" Davis
Ray and Dave learn about the amazing antlers and strange headgear of early hoofed mammals including today's Pronghorn Antelope along with more about the giant Spike Toothed Salmon.
2024-04-241h 15Paleo NerdsEp #72 The Incredible Cretaceous Ceratopsians of Laramidia with Scott SampsonRay and Dave double down with celebrated paleontologist, science communicator, and author, Scott Sampson. He’s the Executive Director of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California and is widely known as "Dr. Scott the paleontologist" on the PBS television series, Dinosaur Train
2024-03-201h 04Paleo NerdsEp #71 From Fins to Fingers and the Triumph of Our Fishapod Ancestors with Ted DaeschlerRay and Dave discuss the evolution of tetrapods and finding their 'fishapod' ancestor's fossils in the high Arctic and Antarctica with paleontologist Ted Daeschler.
2024-02-211h 10Paleo NerdsEpisode #70 45 Million Years of Camel-Sheep-Pigs with Meaghan WetherellRay and Dave have a fun and very lively interview with Paleontologist and Science Writer, Meaghan Wetherell, an expert on the camel/sheep/pig like Oreodonts and more recently new discoveries from the Holocene/Pleistocene Epochs.
2024-01-241h 05Paleo NerdsEpisode #69 Murderous Monster Mosasaurs ’n More with Mike EverhartRay and Dave talk to Mosasaur expert and "Oceans of Kansas" author Mike Everhart about the marine reptiles that once swam in the ancient ocean where Kansas is today.
2023-12-291h 10Paleo NerdsEpisode #68 Are we not fish?The Paleo Nerd podcasts hosts, Ray Troll and Dave Strassman, have an engaging and fun conversation about life, paleontology, and the argument that we are truly fishes, physically and metaphorically.
2023-11-2248 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #67 Dinosaurs Outnumber Us with Steve BrusatteRay and Dave have the most exciting discussion and eye-opening interview with the New York Times bestselling author and prolific paleontologist, Steve Brusatte.
2023-11-0156 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #66 The 32 Mysterious Symbols of Ice Age Art with Genevieve von PetzingerRay and Dave interview Genevieve von Petzinger, a paleo-anthropologist, speaker, author, and explorer who's been striving to unlock the mysteries of the world's oldest symbols.
2023-09-271h 14Paleo NerdsEpisode #65 Shaping Humanity and the Paleo Art of John GurcheRay and Dave talk to John Gurche, one of the world’s leading paleoartists, especially of early hominins. John is a world-class sculptor, painter, draughtsman extraordinairre, and author. He's an artist/scientist who doesn't blur the line between science and art.
2023-08-301h 04Paleo NerdsEpisode #64 Australian Megafauna Fossils and Outback Geology Down Under with Dr. Adam YatesDave is Down Under in Alice Springs, the red centre of Australia where he interviews Dr. Adam Yates to discuss the Geology of the Outback and the amazing Australian Megafauna! Dr. Yates is the senior curator of Earth Sciences at the Museum of Central Australia in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.
2023-06-141h 09Paleo NerdsEpisode #63 Cool Crap that Died with JP Cavigelli & Russell HawleyRay and Dave have a fun foursome conversation with the Casper Wyoming's Tate Geological Museum's master paleontologists, JP Cavigelli and Illustrator Russell J. Hawley
2023-05-241h 04Paleo NerdsEpisode #62 The T-Rexpert Expert of the Tyrant King Dinosaur with Tom HoltzRay and Dave chomp down on all things T-Rex, the King of dinosaurs with the king of paleontologists who studies them, the prolific and extremely interesting Thomas R. Holtz Jr.!
2023-02-221h 10Paleo NerdsEp # 61 Bringing The Prehistoric Back to Life with Master Muralist Jay MatternesDave and Ray talk to one of Ray's art heroes, the master muralist and anatomist Jay Matternes, the artist responsible for many of the iconic artworks seen in the Time-Life Books and National Geographic Magazine. He painted six HUGE murals over the course of 15 years that adorned the walls of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
2023-01-251h 05Paleo NerdsEpisode #60 Sonic Signals Bouncing Off the Biggest Migration on Earth with Kelly Benoit-BirdDave and Ray dive deep with Kelly Benoit-Bird to discuss the denizens of the not so deep, the Mesopelagics; the largest migration of vertebrates on planet Earth.
2022-12-281h 16Paleo NerdsEpisode #59 Jasmina Wiemann: Better Paleo Through Modern ChemistryDave and Ray's minds are blown by talking to molecular Paleobiologist, Jasmina Wiemann, who can now "see" into fossils more organic detail then ever before imagined.
2022-11-301h 15
The Saturday QuizDummies with David Strassman and Chuck WoodDavid Strassman has been entertaining audiences and revolutionising ventriloquism for decades. But what's his general knowledge like?Well... motorsport isn't a strong suit. And singers born in the former country of Yugoslavia isn't something he knows a great deal about. And a children's book series set in Connecticut eludes him.But other than that...Get tickets to David's shows here:https://www.davidstrassman.comAnd listen to his palaeontology podcast here:https://www.paleonerds.comThis podcast is made on the...
2022-10-2131 min
Hey Hey It's The PodcastHey Hey It's The Podcast: David Strassman interviewA very special episode of Hey Hey It's The Podcast is here! Join Criss Fresh, Mitch as they interview the legendary David Strassman. David entertained Australia so many times with his multiple appearances on Hey Hey It's Saturday and Ted E Bear and Chuck Wood became household names and beloved by all. David is currently touring Australia with the Chocolate Diet Tour. You dont want to miss seeing David and the crew live, you can find more info at Please subscribe to us on iTunes and you can find us at: Twitter: @heyheypodcast Instagram: @heyheypodcast and you can find David at...
2022-10-2027 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #58 Hell Creek, Hell Yeah! Dave Digs Dinosaurs in MontanaDave interviews field and lab manager from the Museum of the Rockies, paleontologist, Lee Hall. Dave and his son, Carson, spent an amazing 6 days in the Hell Creek formation digging up tons of dirt with a cadre of the most hard working volunteers and students of all things paleo.
2022-09-281h 14Paleo NerdsEpisode #57 Two Paleo Podcasters walk into a den of EurypteridsDave and Ray interview Dave Marshall, the host and founder of the first Paleontological Podcast, "Palaeocast Podcast", now in it's 10th successful year.
2022-08-241h 15Paleo NerdsEpisode #56 Saving Ourselves From Ourselves with Kirk JohnsonDave and Ray talk again with their very first Paleo Nerds guest, Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, about the state of our planet today.
Not to be missed!
2022-07-201h 19Paleo NerdsEpisode #55 Dave and Ray didn’t go awayRay and Dave talk about their latest adventures, Paleo News, and upcoming ideas for future guests.
2022-06-0120 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #54 A Dinosaur’s Leg and a Pterosaur Egg! Now it can be told. Robert DePalma Part TwoThe Nerds coerce Robert DePalma to reveal the Tanis site discoveries he couldn't talk about in Part One. DePalma's Tanis site documents the actual day the Asteroid hit and ended the reign of the Dinosaurs.
2022-04-2755 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #53 The Very Day the Asteroid (almost) Killed Our Planet with Robert DePalma Part OneThe nerds travel to the final day of the dinosaurs reign with paleontologist Robert DePalma and the legendary Tanis Site.
2022-04-081h 25Paleo NerdsEpisode #52: Your Mother Was a Vetulicolian and Your Father Smelt of Elderberries with Henry GeeThe Paleo Nerds cover the history of life on Earth with Nature Senior Editor Henry Gee
2022-03-301h 15Paleo NerdsEpisode #51 Botany, Bugs, and Beards with Dr. Ellen CurranoThe nerds reconstruct ancient ecosystems with Paleobotanist Dr. Ellen Currano
2022-03-161h 07Paleo NerdsEpisode #50: The Past is All We Ever Have with Ken LacovaraThe nerds hit the prehistoric Jersey Shore with Ken Lacovara
2022-03-021h 18Paleo NerdsEpisode #49 Raptors red in tooth and claw with James KirklandThe nerds talk Utahraptors with Utah State Paleontologist Jim Kirkland.
2022-02-221h 14Paleo NerdsEpisode #48 The Ends of the World with Peter BrannenAuthor Peter Brannen just happened to be driving through Kansas so Ray flagged him down to ask him about The Ends of the World, his recent book on mass extinctions, a fitting end to Season 3 of Paleo Nerds!
2021-10-131h 21Paleo NerdsEpisode #47 Locked in Time with Dean LomaxDr. Dean Lomax sold his Star Wars collection to fund his paleontology dreams. While some may gasp, his investment certainly paid off - his book Locked in Time has already come up a few times on the show already!
2021-10-061h 36Paleo NerdsEpisode #46 The Colossal Wyoming Death Cave with Julie MeachenThe Natural Trap Cave is a sinkhole death trap that contains a pile of fallen mammals that spans over 100,000 years and Julie Meachen has been studying this pile of bones since 2014.
2021-09-291h 03Paleo NerdsEpisode #45 The Coastal Fossil Finder with Kent GibsonWhile installing his Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline exhibit at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Ray had a chance to sit down with Kent Gibson who lent a very small fraction of his massive collection of coastal fossils to Ray's exhibit.
2021-09-221h 05Paleo NerdsEpisode #44 Polar Dinos and Super Crocs! with Greg EricksonGreg Erickson is a very well-rounded paleontologist: he's studied Super Crocs, arctic duckbills and even "dated" (well, aged...) the prehistoric celebrity Sue.
2021-09-151h 04Paleo NerdsEpisode #43 Interplanetary Paleontology with Kenneth WillifordThis episode of Paleo Nerds is truly out of this world! The Nerds talk to Kenneth Williford, Deputy Project Scientist for the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission. Blast off to the martian past!
2021-09-081h 23Paleo NerdsEpisode #42 The Scariest Moments with Brian SkerryBrian Skerry has logged over 10,000 hours underwater, capturing powerful images for National Geographic and has recently teamed up with James Cameron to continue bringing the captivating stories of the world's oceans to those of us stuck on land.
2021-09-011h 19Paleo NerdsEpisode #41 A Gentleman’s Geology of Georgia with Cameron MuskellyYoutube star Cameron Muskelly joins the Nerds to talk about the geologic treasures of Georgia and the southern United States. Cam is a paleo encyclopedia, so you're sure to learn something new!
2021-08-251h 04Paleo NerdsEpisode #40 Who Dung It? with Karen ChinCoprolites (or fossil poop to the layman) have come up repeatedly on the show so we are thrilled to finally have the Queen of Coprolites herself on the show! Karen Chin can interpret entire lifestyles from a thin slice of paleo dung.
2021-08-181h 11Paleo NerdsEpisode #39 Hell Pigs: T. rex of the Tertiary with Scott FossWhat had giant cheeks, protruding canines, dainty hooves and a giant, ridged back? The Hell Pig is almost like Frankenstein's monster, and Scott Foss tells us all about how these creatures utilized this unique combo of features to be the "T. rex of the Tertiary."
2021-08-111h 33Paleo NerdsPaleo Nerds on VacationDave and Ray both took advantage of their early vaccination status (the perks of being living fossils!) and got out for some traveling. Dave visited Montana and Ray drove across the country, both visiting a few Paleo Nerds along the way.
2021-08-0409 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #38 A Dog’s Day at the Tar Pits with Mairin BalisiThe Nerds return to the La Brea tar pits, this time to talk carnivores with Mairin Balisi! She studies what the dogs of the tar pits ate throughout their life and discusses dog evolution.
2021-07-281h 08Paleo NerdsEpisode #37 Turning Trout into Salmon with Gerald SmithAnyone familiar with Ray's art knows that fish are a focal point and salmon are central, so it's shocking that it's taken so long to have a salmon expert on the show! We're talking spike tooth salmon with Jerry Smith - Dive in!
2021-07-211h 20Paleo NerdsEpisode #36 The Call of the Parasaurolophus with Ashley HallAshley Hall has been obsessed with dinosaurs since she was a kid and now she spends her days educating the public at the Museum of the Rockies. She makes fossils fun!
2021-07-141h 11Paleo NerdsEpisode #35 Painting the Living Science of Paleontology with William StoutSeeing dinosaurs on the silver screen made Bill Stout a Paleo Nerd, so it's only fitting that he started his art career illustrating movie posters. His work spans from comic books to murals and has brought him all the way to Antarctica.
2021-07-071h 16Paleo NerdsEpisode #34 One for the Bird Nerds with John MarzluffRavens and crows have their own form of complex communication amongst themselves, and John Marzluff has studied how these birds pass information on an individual and even generational level. Ray gets to ask questions about his own raven experiment!
2021-06-301h 30Paleo NerdsEpisode #33 The Sistine Chapel of Dinosaurs with ReBecca Hunt-FosterReBecca Hunt-Foster is the Park Paleontologist at the Dinosaur National Monument. Yes, she has the iconic park ranger hat, but she spends her time tracing the footsteps of the dinos that walked Utah in the Late Jurassic.
2021-06-231h 19Paleo NerdsSeason 3 is Coming Soon!!!This season brings a lineup that won't disappoint! There's something for everyone as Ray and Dave discuss ancient salmon, corvids, and "hell pigs" with Paleo Nerds in the sciences, the arts, and even on other planets...
2021-06-1619 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #32 The Hot Blooded Dinosaur Revolutionary with Bob BakkerDr. Bob Bakker is widely known as the "Dinosaur Heretic". Over his long career, he has revolutionized our understanding of dinosaur behavior and overturned many outdated concepts. Get an insight into the mind of this bold maverick and expansive thinker in our season two finale.
2021-04-211h 28Paleo NerdsEpisode # 31 The Tantalizing Truth about Trilobites with Sam Gon IIISam Ohu Gon III, trilobite expert and Senior Scientist & Cultural Advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi. Sam looks to traditional Hawaiian cultural history as an example for a sustainable future.
2021-04-141h 26Paleo NerdsEpisode #30 Diving into Hell’s Aquarium with Laura WilsonImagine time traveling back to the Western Interior Seaway AKA "Hell's Aquarium." It's a fitting nickname for the shallow marine environment, full of fish with teeth so big they ate differently than modern fish.
2021-04-071h 18
Save What You Love with Mark Titus#9 - Ray Troll - Artist and host of Paleo NerdsRay Troll is an American artist. Ray’s work has been described as “scientific surrealism” a label that he’s okay with. He’s widely recognized for his obsessively detailed scientifically accurate artwork along with his offbeat, quirky sense of humor. Ray draws his whimsical inspiration from extensive field work, the latest scientific discoveries, & brings a street-smart, tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek sensibility to the worlds of ichthyology and paleontology. You can do a deep dive with Ray on his podcast, Paleo Nerds. Check out Ray Troll and his work:trollart.comPaleo Nerds Podcast: paleonerds.comFacebookInstagramSave What You Love with Mark T...
2021-04-051h 02Paleo NerdsEpisode #29 Fighting Anti-Science with Facts and Fossils with Don ProtheroDon Prothero has written 48 books and counting! And he has repeatedly gone to bat for science, using the facts of the fossil record to disprove creationist beliefs.
2021-03-311h 22Paleo NerdsEpisode #28 Mammoths, Mummies and Wolves (Oh My!) with Grant ZazulaGrant Zazula is a Paleo Nerd! His interest in archaeology is what attracted him to the Pleistocene and now he studies in the mighty Yukon, managing thousands of fossils that are byproducts of the mining industry.
2021-03-241h 28Paleo NerdsEpisode #27 A Crash Course on the Great Alaskan Terrane-Wreck with Connie SojaConnie Soja has extensively studied the paleontology of the Alexander terrane, a gigantic crustal fragment that underlies Ray's backyard of Southeast Alaska. In fact, she's reconstructed ancient environments around the globe!
2021-03-171h 19Paleo NerdsEpisode #26 Hunting for Sharks in a Dark National Park with JP HodnettJP Hodnett is a Paleo Nerd. But that's a given! He's a shark (and sauropod and cat) expert, so the Nerds get to go off the deep end, diving into incredible finds at Mammoth Cave and JP's day job at Dinosaur Park.
2021-03-101h 24Paleo NerdsEpisode #25 Slothful Titans of the Tar Pits with Emily LindseyEmily Lindsey is a paleoecologist who's been fascinated with giant ground sloths since the beginning of her career. She is now a curator and excavation director at the La Brea Tar Pits in LA!
2021-03-031h 21Paleo NerdsEpisode #24: Hunting Dinosaurs with a Camera with Louie PsihoyosLouie is a photographer and documentary filmmaker, so what's he doing on a podcast about paleontology? Well, you can thank Jurrasic Park for that.
2021-02-241h 21Paleo NerdsEpisode #23 In the Valley of the Tiny Titanosaurs with Luis Chiappe
Luis Chiappe is as famous for his barbecues as he his for his knowledge of prehistoric birds. Luis' discoveries include an incredible Sauropod nesting site and is currently the Vice President of the Natural History Museum of LA.
2021-02-171h 07Paleo NerdsEpisode #22 How to See a Forest in a Handful of Dirt with Regan DunnRegan Dunn is a paleobotanist who's work has taken her all over the world and has landed her in the hottest paleontology site in Hollywood - the La Brea Tar Pits. Learn how she uses the microscopic remains of plants to reconstruct entire ecosystems!
2021-02-101h 21Paleo NerdsEpisode #21 Out of the Ooze, Evolved to Cruise with Neil ShubinThe Nerds get to talk Tiktaalik with esteemed evolutionary biologist and author Neil Shubin. Neil uses molecular biology and gene expression to fill in the gaps left in the fossil record.
2021-02-031h 09Paleo NerdsEpisode #20 How to Kill a Dinosaur with Holly WoodwardPaleontologist 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!
2021-01-271h 14Paleo NerdsEpisode #19 My Favorite Fossil is the Next One with Chuck BonnerRay joins his old friend Chuck Bonner in Kansas where Chuck's family has collected exquisite fossils now on display around the world.
2021-01-201h 13Paleo NerdsEpisode #18 Eons of Epic Epochs with Fossil Librarian Kallie MooreThe Nerds sit down with Kallie Moore, cohost of the PBS youtube show Eons and fossil librarian at the University of Montana.
2021-01-131h 12Paleo NerdsEpisode #17 I’ll Have the Dinosaur, Please! with Jack Horner, the REAL Dr. Alan GrantWorld 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.
2021-01-061h 16Paleo NerdsSeason Two TeaserGet ready for a second season of Paleo Nerds: A Prehistoric Podcast with David Strassman and Ray Troll. Interviews with Paleontologists, Scientists and Artists who love dinosaurs just as much as they did when they were kids.
2020-12-1608 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #16 Walking with Whales with Bobby BoesseneckerThe 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!
2020-10-281h 16Paleo NerdsEpisode #15 Sleeping Through Extinction with Christian SidorDr. 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.
2020-10-211h 15Paleo NerdsEpisode #14 The Flight of the Cephalopods with Danna StaafDid you know we're in the middle of a Cephalopod Renaissance? Esteemed author Danna Staaf is ready to introduce you to our Squid Overlords!
2020-10-141h 17Paleo NerdsEpisode #13 Evolving Toward a Sense of Beauty with Carl SafinaWhat's the difference between humans and animals? Who decided there was a difference? Maybe there's less of a difference than we thought...
2020-10-071h 14Paleo NerdsEpisode #12 Life Finds a Way... and Then Medea Kills It with Peter WardThe 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.
2020-09-301h 01Paleo NerdsEpisode #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...
2020-09-231h 15Paleo NerdsEpisode #10: Comparative Science Fiction Anatomy with Gabriel SantosGabriel 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!
2020-09-161h 03Paleo NerdsEpisope #9: All Birds are Dinosaurs but Not All Dinosaurs are Birds with Paleontologinista Jingmai O’ConnorPaleontologista 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.
2020-09-091h 15Paleo NerdsEpisode #8: Know Your Prehistoric Marine Reptiles with Pat DruckenmillerThe nerds try and impress Dr. Pat Druckenmiller with their knowledge of marine reptiles. The key word being try.
2020-09-021h 07Paleo NerdsEpisode #7: Using Lasers to Stare Into the Eyes of a Pterosaur with Tom KayeTom 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.
2020-08-261h 05Paleo NerdsEpisode #6: What Came First, the Shark or the Ratfish? with Dr. Dominique DidierDr. 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.
2020-08-1954 minPaleo NerdsEpisode #5: Beating Your Art to the Grave with Paleo Artist Gary StaabGary Staab leaps on snakes, wrestles caiman, taxidermies road kill, oh and sculpts massive dinosaurs, realistic sharks and celebrity mummies.
2020-08-121h 12Paleo NerdsEpisode #4: Cheating the Tooth Fairy with Leif TapanilaDr. 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.
2020-08-051h 13Paleo NerdsEpisode #3: Smashing the Patriarchy like a Bone-Crushing Dog with STEMinist Amy AtwaterAs a paleontologist and science communicator, Amy Atwater has been challenging the conviction that all paleontologists look like Indiana Jones!
2020-07-301h 12Paleo NerdsEpisode #2: Channeling Your Childhood Superpower with Kirk JohnsonThe 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.
2020-07-211h 20Paleo NerdsEpisode #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.
2020-07-2154 min