Johanna Mayer

Host and Producer, Science Diction

Johanna Mayer is a podcast producer and hosts Science Diction from Science Friday. 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.

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.

Johanna Mayer appears in the following:

American Chestnut: Resurrecting A Forest Giant

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

The American Chestnut towered in forests, then disappeared. Now, it’s staging a comeback.

Vocal Fry: Why I’m Not Getting A Voice Coach

Tuesday, December 07, 2021

Vocal fry has been around for ages. So why are people suddenly so bothered by it?

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Juggernaut: Indian Temple Or Unstoppable Force?

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Jagannath Temple gave rise to the word “juggernaut.” But the ancient story of Jagannath is rather delightful.

Jargon: We Love To Hate It

Tuesday, November 02, 2021

Most people despise it. So why do we use it? And is all jargon bad?

Algebra: From Broken Bones To Twitter Feuds

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

When a high school student asked a question about algebra on TikTok, she unknowingly awoke an age-old debate in mathematics history.

Hurricane

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

The origin of the word, and why we name storms.

Knock On Wood And Tsunami

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

The origin of a superstitious phrase, and a Japanese word that’s staked its place in English.

The Rise Of The Myers-Briggs, Chapter 3: What Is It Good For?

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

The Myers-Briggs has arrived, but what does it tell us?

The Rise Of The Myers-Briggs, Chapter 2: Isabel

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Isabel turns her mother’s philosophy into a marketable product.

Delta Variant, Myers-Briggs Personality Test, Suicide in Communities of Color

Friday, August 20, 2021

In communities of color, the pandemic is leading to growing numbers of suicides. Plus, how the Myers-Briggs test was invented by a mother-daughter duo, and its complicated legacy.

The Rise Of The Myers-Briggs, Chapter 1: Katharine

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

A mother sets out to raise the perfect child.

Honeymoon: A Bittersweet Beginning

Tuesday, August 03, 2021

After the neurochemical bonanza of the honeymoon period fades, are we doomed to inferior love?

It'll Never Fly: When Gene Names Are TOO Fun

Wednesday, July 07, 2021

Spatzle, clown, and sonic hedgehog. And those are just the ones fit to print. 

What Do You Call A Tiny Octopus That’s Cute As A Button?

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Plus: What squid have to do with Instagram filters.

Language Evolves: It’s Literally Fine

Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Irregardless, the dictionary’s got your back.

Serendipity and Syzygy: Fortunate Accidents

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

How syzygy saved the Suez ship, and how a country's name ended up inside the word "serendipity"

Ambergris: How Constipation Becomes A Luxury Product

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

People used to eat it, too.

Orphans Delivered The World's First Vaccine

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

The world's first vaccination campaign involved a ship, some pus-filled sores, and 22 orphan boys.

Diction Dash: You Asked, We Answer

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Let’s play a game: Guess the meaning or backstory of a word.

SciFri Extra: The Origin Of The Word 'Introvert'

Saturday, March 20, 2021

It all started with a falling out between two famous psychologists.