Johanna Mayer

Host, Science Diction

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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16:43

A Drop To Drink

Millions of people rely on the Great Lakes for clean drinking water. What happens when water access is threatened?

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What You Said: Your Favorite Memories Of The Great Lakes

From loons to canoes to migrating wildlife, the Great Lakes have it all.

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34:06

How The Fashion Industry Is Responding To Climate Change

More and more industries are responding to climate change. Will fashion brands follow suit?

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34:45

Why AI Is A Growing Part Of The Criminal Justice System

From facial recognition to emotion detection to risk assessments, AI is guiding the decisions of police departments and courtrooms across the country.