Maria Popova on Turning Matter Into Meaning episode artwork

EPISODE · May 12, 2026 · 49 MIN

Maria Popova on Turning Matter Into Meaning

from The Nature Of with Willow Defebaugh · host Maria Popova

How do we stay open amid uncertainty? In this episode, Willow sits down with Maria Popova, writer and founder of The Marginalian, for a conversation about meaning, wonder, and the unknown. They explore Maria’s idea that “selfing” sits at the root of much of our suffering and how wonder can be an antidote. Moving between the scientific and poetic, the historical and the personal, they trace surprising connections across time in Maria’s new book, Traversal. This conversation is an invitation to loosen our grip on certainty and let ourselves be astonished by the marvels of existence. For more about Maria Popova and The Marginalian: https://www.themarginalian.org For Reweaving the Rainbow: https://substack.com/@reweavingtherainbow Reweaving the Rainbow: Science, Poetry, and the Magic of Nature: https://atmos.earth/ecological-wisdom/reweaving-the-rainbow/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Maria Popova on Turning Matter Into Meaning

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This episode was published on May 12, 2026.

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How do we stay open amid uncertainty? In this episode, Willow sits down with Maria Popova, writer and founder of The Marginalian, for a conversation about meaning, wonder, and the unknown. They explore Maria’s idea that “selfing” sits at the root of...

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