Paleo Nerds
Alaskan artist Ray Troll and his friend, polymath David Strassman, host exciting interviews with paleontologists, scientists, and fellow paleo nerds from around the world.
Episodes
Ep #99 Gigantic Ichthyosaurs, Enormous Octopuses and the Importance of Museums with Makoto Manabe
Ray and Dave interview worldly traveled and renowned Japanese paleontologist and curator who was just appointed President and Director General of the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo
Ep #98 How one fossil can change everything with MOR's Scott Williams
Ray and Dave interview field paleontologist and museum leader, Scott Williams, Senior Director of Exhibitions at the Museum of the Rockies whose work has helped uncover major Late Cretaceous fossils Including the famous tyrannosaurid, “Jane.”
Ep #97 Paleo Nerds Journey to the Galápagos Islands with Naturalist Guide Sandra Masaquiza
After a Galápagos trip with his partner Stephanie and paleontologist friends Lee and Ashley Hall, Dave realized the group was so impressed by their tour guide and conservationist, Sandra Masaquiza, that she became the perfect candidate for the next Paleo Nerds guest.
Ep #96 Nanotyrannus vs. Juvenile T-rex Solved with James Napoli
Ray and Dave review the evidence with James Napoli, co-author of the new research paper that resolves the long-standing debate over whether Nanotyrannus represents a distinct species or a juvenile T-Rex.
Ep #95 From Fossils to Film and the Science of Motion with Stuart Sumida
Ray and Dave talk with vertebrate paleontologist and SVP President Stuart Sumida about sail-backed synapsids, pelycosaurs, and the world before dinosaurs while also diving into his work advising filmmakers and animators on how extinct animals should really move, look, and behave.
Ep #94 The Marvelous Mini-Monsters of Mazon Creek with Arjan Mann
Ray and Dave discuss the amazing biota of the Mazon Creek Lagerstätte with Arjan Mann, Assistant Curator of Fossil Fishes & Early Tetrapods at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois
Ep #93 Cretaceous Kansas Geology with Kate Andrzejewski
Ray gets schooled on the Cretaceous geology around the shores of Kansas Lake Kanopolis by paleontologist Kate Andrzejewski.
Ep #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.
Ep #91 The Incredible Paleo Impressionist Art of Doug Henderson
Ray 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.
Ep #90 Fossil Fish, Antarctic Adventures and Teaching Anatomy with Kerin Claeson
Ray Troll shares morning coffee in his Ketchikan lounge room with Dr. Karin Claeson, exploring fish evolution, anatomy, development, and variability across deep time.
Ep #89 Brachiopods Deserve Your Love with Dr. Susan Butts
Ray 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.
Ep #88 Unearthing Egg Mountain’s Dinosaur Nursery: Field Insights from Montana with John Scannella
Dave 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.
Ep #87 Anvil Sharks, Lampreys & Ratfish with Head-Sprouting Teeth featuring Vertebrate Paleontologist Michael Coates
Ray 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.
Ep #86 Painting Prehistoric Worlds and Dinosaur Dreams with Mark Hallett
Ray and Dave talk Sauropods, Smilodons, and Spielberg with artist and paleo visionary Mark Hallett, whose decades of work bring ancient worlds to life.
Ep #85 Mammoth Tusks, Gomphothere Shovels and Elephant Trunks with Advait Jukar
Ray and Dave explore the history of all things Elephantidae, including Mammoths, Mastodons, and Gomphotheres, with Advait Jukar, delving into their shovels, tusks, and trunks.
Ep #84 Turning to Stone: Earthlings on a Dynamic Granite Planet with Marcia Bjornerud
Ray 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.
Ep #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.
Ep #82 The Ultimate Paleo Vlogger, That We Know Of
Ray 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.
Ep #81 Paleo Nerds at Nebraska's Prairie Pompeii
Ray 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
Ep #80 Walking Egyptian Whales from the Sahara with Dr. Hesham Sallam
Dave 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.
Ep #79 Teen Rex and the Triumph of Turtles with Tyler Lyson
Ray and Dave come out of there shells to talk Turtles and the latest T-Rex discovery with Vertebrate Paleontologist Tyler Lyson.
Ep #78 The Business End of T-Rex with Pete Larson
Ray 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.
Ep #77 A Deep Dive Into the Paleostream with Artist Joschua Knüppe
Ray interviews the amazingly prolific German artist Joschua Knüppe who can quick draw an accurate dinosaur while the whole world watches online!
Ep 76 The Perfect Piscatorial Fossils of Paris with Dr. Alan Pradel
Dave 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!
Ep #75 The Fighting Finbacks of Seymour Texas with Chris Flis
Ray travels to the Permian and trolls the halls of the Texas Whiteside Museum of Natural History with museum director Chris Flis.
Ep #74 Resurrecting Dinosaurs One Chip at Time with MOR's Cassi Knight
Dave 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.
Ep #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.
Ep #72 The Incredible Cretaceous Ceratopsians of Laramidia with Scott Sampson
Ray 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
Ep #71 From Fins to Fingers and the Triumph of Our Fishapod Ancestors with Ted Daeschler
Ray and Dave discuss the evolution of tetrapods and finding their 'fishapod' ancestor's fossils in the high Arctic and Antarctica with paleontologist Ted Daeschler.
Episode #70 45 Million Years of Camel-Sheep-Pigs with Meaghan Wetherell
Ray 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.
Episode #69 Murderous Monster Mosasaurs ’n More with Mike Everhart
Ray 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.
Episode #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.
Episode #67 Dinosaurs Outnumber Us with Steve Brusatte
Ray and Dave have the most exciting discussion and eye-opening interview with the New York Times bestselling author and prolific paleontologist, Steve Brusatte.
Episode #66 The 32 Mysterious Symbols of Ice Age Art with Genevieve von Petzinger
Ray 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.
Episode #65 Shaping Humanity and the Paleo Art of John Gurche
Ray 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.
Episode #64 Australian Megafauna Fossils and Outback Geology Down Under with Dr. Adam Yates
Dave 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.
Episode #63 Cool Crap that Died with JP Cavigelli & Russell Hawley
Ray 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
Episode #62 The T-Rexpert Expert of the Tyrant King Dinosaur with Tom Holtz
Ray 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.!
Ep # 61 Bringing The Prehistoric Back to Life with Master Muralist Jay Matternes
Dave 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.
Episode #60 Sonic Signals Bouncing Off the Biggest Migration on Earth with Kelly Benoit-Bird
Dave 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.
Episode #59 Jasmina Wiemann: Better Paleo Through Modern Chemistry
Dave 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.
Episode #58 Hell Creek, Hell Yeah! Dave Digs Dinosaurs in Montana
Dave 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.
Episode #57 Two Paleo Podcasters walk into a den of Eurypterids
Dave and Ray interview Dave Marshall, the host and founder of the first Paleontological Podcast, "Palaeocast Podcast", now in it's 10th successful year.
Episode #56 Saving Ourselves From Ourselves with Kirk Johnson
Dave 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!
Episode #55 Dave and Ray didn’t go away
Ray and Dave talk about their latest adventures, Paleo News, and upcoming ideas for future guests.
Episode #54 A Dinosaur’s Leg and a Pterosaur Egg! Now it can be told. Robert DePalma Part Two
The 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.
Episode #53 The Very Day the Asteroid (almost) Killed Our Planet with Robert DePalma Part One
The nerds travel to the final day of the dinosaurs reign with paleontologist Robert DePalma and the legendary Tanis Site.
Episode #52: Your Mother Was a Vetulicolian and Your Father Smelt of Elderberries with Henry Gee
The Paleo Nerds cover the history of life on Earth with Nature Senior Editor Henry Gee
Episode #51 Botany, Bugs, and Beards with Dr. Ellen Currano
The nerds reconstruct ancient ecosystems with Paleobotanist Dr. Ellen Currano
Episode #50: The Past is All We Ever Have with Ken Lacovara
The nerds hit the prehistoric Jersey Shore with Ken Lacovara
Episode #49 Raptors red in tooth and claw with James Kirkland
The nerds talk Utahraptors with Utah State Paleontologist Jim Kirkland.
Episode #48 The Ends of the World with Peter Brannen
Author 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!
Episode #47 Locked in Time with Dean Lomax
Dr. 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!
Episode #46 The Colossal Wyoming Death Cave with Julie Meachen
The 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.
Episode #45 The Coastal Fossil Finder with Kent Gibson
While 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.
Episode #44 Polar Dinos and Super Crocs! with Greg Erickson
Greg Erickson is a very well-rounded paleontologist: he's studied Super Crocs, arctic duckbills and even "dated" (well, aged...) the prehistoric celebrity Sue.
Episode #43 Interplanetary Paleontology with Kenneth Williford
This 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!
Episode #42 The Scariest Moments with Brian Skerry
Brian 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.
Episode #41 A Gentleman’s Geology of Georgia with Cameron Muskelly
Youtube 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!
Episode #40 Who Dung It? with Karen Chin
Coprolites (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.
Episode #39 Hell Pigs: T. rex of the Tertiary with Scott Foss
What 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."
Episode #38 A Dog’s Day at the Tar Pits with Mairin Balisi
The 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.
Episode #37 Turning Trout into Salmon with Gerald Smith
Anyone 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!
Episode #36 The Call of the Parasaurolophus with Ashley Hall
Ashley 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!
Episode #35 Painting the Living Science of Paleontology with William Stout
Seeing 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.
Episode #34 One for the Bird Nerds with John Marzluff
Ravens 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!
Episode #33 The Sistine Chapel of Dinosaurs with ReBecca Hunt-Foster
ReBecca 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.
Episode #32 The Hot Blooded Dinosaur Revolutionary with Bob Bakker
Dr. 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.
Episode # 31 The Tantalizing Truth about Trilobites with Sam Gon III
Sam 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.
Episode #30 Diving into Hell’s Aquarium with Laura Wilson
Imagine 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.
Episode #29 Fighting Anti-Science with Facts and Fossils with Don Prothero
Don 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.
Episode #28 Mammoths, Mummies and Wolves (Oh My!) with Grant Zazula
Grant 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.
Episode #27 A Crash Course on the Great Alaskan Terrane-Wreck with Connie Soja
Connie 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!
Episode #26 Hunting for Sharks in a Dark National Park with JP Hodnett
JP 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.
Episode #25 Slothful Titans of the Tar Pits with Emily Lindsey
Emily 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!
Episode #24: Hunting Dinosaurs with a Camera with Louie Psihoyos
Louie is a photographer and documentary filmmaker, so what's he doing on a podcast about paleontology? Well, you can thank Jurrasic Park for that.
Episode #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.
Episode #22 How to See a Forest in a Handful of Dirt with Regan Dunn
Regan 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!
Episode #21 Out of the Ooze, Evolved to Cruise with Neil Shubin
The 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.
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!
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