Paleo Nerds

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.

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.

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.

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

Ray gets schooled on the Cretaceous geology around the shores of Kansas Lake Kanopolis by paleontologist Kate Andrzejewski. 

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.  

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.

Ray Troll shares morning coffee in his Ketchikan lounge room with Dr. Karin Claeson, exploring fish evolution, anatomy, development, and variability across deep time.

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.

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.

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.

Ray and Dave talk Sauropods, Smilodons, and Spielberg with artist and paleo visionary Mark Hallett, whose decades of work bring ancient worlds to life.

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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

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.

Ray and Dave come out of there shells to talk Turtles and the latest T-Rex discovery with Vertebrate Paleontologist Tyler Lyson.

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.

Ray interviews the amazingly prolific German artist Joschua Knüppe who can quick draw an accurate dinosaur while the whole world watches online!

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!

Ray travels to the Permian and trolls the halls of the Texas Whiteside Museum of Natural History with museum director Chris Flis.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ray and Dave have the most exciting discussion and eye-opening interview with the New York Times bestselling author and prolific paleontologist, Steve Brusatte.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dave and Ray interview Dave Marshall, the host and founder of the first Paleontological Podcast, "Palaeocast Podcast", now in it's 10th successful year.

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!

Ray and Dave talk about their latest adventures, Paleo News, and upcoming ideas for future guests.

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.

The nerds travel to the final day of the dinosaurs reign with paleontologist Robert DePalma and the legendary Tanis Site.

The Paleo Nerds cover the history of life on Earth with Nature Senior Editor Henry Gee

The nerds reconstruct ancient ecosystems with Paleobotanist Dr. Ellen Currano

The nerds hit the prehistoric Jersey Shore with Ken Lacovara

The nerds talk Utahraptors with Utah State Paleontologist Jim Kirkland.

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!