Johanna Mayer is the host of Science Diction from Science Friday, a series that digs into the scientific origin stories behind our words and language. She spends a lot of time with the Oxford English Dictionary.
Before joining Science Friday, she worked as a freelance writer and taught English in Japanese public schools for two years on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. In addition to her classroom duties, she once ate 52 pieces of sushi in a single sitting.
When she’s not working, she’s probably baking a fruit pie. Cherry’s her specialty, but she whips up a mean rhubarb streusel as well.
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Why Does ‘Rocky Road’ Ice Cream Sound So Delicious?
How linguistic tricks can influence your choices at the ice cream freezer.
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5:08
New Science Diction Episode: Learn About The Fishy History Of Ketchup
Ketchup is an essential companion of American summer cuisine, but where did it come from?
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17:16
A Pandemic Precedent—Set in 1918
What can we learn from the United States’ response to the 1918 influenza pandemic?
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Science Diction: Quarantine
Quarantine is on all our minds lately. But the word goes all the way back to the time of the Black Death.
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6:07
The New ‘Science Diction’ Podcast Brings You: Vaccine
Here’s what cows have to do with your yearly flu shot.
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4:44
Introducing Our New Podcast: Science Diction
A new podcast from Science Friday looks at the scientific backstories behind words.
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Science Diction: Cobalt
‘Cobalt’ takes its name from a pesky goblin—and mischief is baked into its name.
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Science Diction: Dinosaur
The origin of the word ‘dinosaur,’ and the story of its self-sabotaging inventor.