The Story Collider

Story Collider, Inc.

Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science stories to tell. Every year, we host dozens of live shows all over the country, featuring all kinds of storytellers - researchers, doctors, and engineers of course, but also patients, poets, comedians, cops, and more. Some of our stories are heartbreaking, others are hilarious, but they're all true and all very personal. Welcome to The Story Collider!

  1. Thalassophobia: Stories about fear of the ocean

    5h ago

    Thalassophobia: Stories about fear of the ocean

    In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers come face to face with one of their deepest fears: the ocean. Part 1: When the children’s TV show host Carly Ciarrocchi is assigned a scuba diving episode, she’s forced to confront a lifelong fear of the ocean. Part 2: Growing up, Darcie Little Badger was wary of the ocean. But when she takes an oceanography class in college, she begins to question her fears. Carly Ciarrocchi (she/her) is an Emmy-nominated host, writer, musician, and producer. A true multi-hyphenate, she has spent most of her career in children's media, making and hosting TV shows and podcasts with collaborators like Universal Kids, Disney+, Nick Jr, Nat Geo Kids, Sprout, Tinkercast, Sesame Workshop and the LEGO Foundation. She's a Moth Story Slam winner and has told tales with Stories from the Stage (PBS), Generation Women, the Artichoke, The Tell, Soup and Stories and more. She teaches clown-theatre classes at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective. In everything she does, she hopes to create the conditions for people of all ages to access their most authentic state of play. www.carlyciarrocchi.com Darcie Little Badger is a Lipan Apache writer with a PhD in oceanography. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Elatsoe, was featured in Time Magazine as one of the best 100 fantasy books of all time. Her second fantasy novel, A Snake Falls to Earth, received a Newbery Honor and is on the National Book Awards longlist. Her third novel, Sheine Lende, is the prequel to Elatsoe and has received six starred reviews. Darcie is married to a veterinarian named Taran. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    29 min
  2. Best of Story Collider: Love and Technology

    Jun 26

    Best of Story Collider: Love and Technology

    In this week’s Best Of episode, we present stories from people who navigated our changing relationship to technology. Part 1: As a kid, Samy Kamkar discovers his superpower -- hacking. Part 2: When Jordan Bush's father-in-law-to-be is diagnosed with cancer shortly before her wedding, she finds a creative way to help him attend. Samy Kamkar is a hacker-turned-security researcher building tools to highlight security implications of everyday technologies. Exiled from computers and the Internet as a teenager by court-order for developing the fastest-spreading virus of all time, his work post-ban has been cited by the NSA, triggered hearings on Capitol Hill, and has advanced the security from the device in your pocket to the ones surveilling you from the sky. Jordan is finishing up her dissertation in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research focuses on when and where lizards fight over territories. She asks that you not confuse her obsession with lizards as a general interest in all reptiles - she does not like snakes, keep your snakes to yourself. After graduating, she has a real goal of becoming a professor at a liberal arts college, and a secret goal of becoming a science journalist and children's book author. She currently lives in Knoxville, TN with her wonderful husband, two babies, and two dogs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    35 min
  3. Above and Beyond: Stories about the lengths we go to for loved ones

    Jun 19

    Above and Beyond: Stories about the lengths we go to for loved ones

    In this week’s episode, both storytellers discover just how far people will go for the ones they love. Part 1: When Bailey Swilley’s dad goes into cardiac arrest, she watches her mom care for him and starts to reevaluate what love really looks like. Part 2: At rock bottom, Pam Stepansky turns to her dad for support with her alcoholism. Bailey Swilley is a writer, comedian and storyteller from Memphis, Tennessee. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and hosts the monthly storytelling show We ❤️ a Theme at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn. In 2026, she is performing a new show, A BABY FOR ME? NO THANK YOU, PLEASE!. Follow her on Instagram @heybailay for future show dates. Pam Stepansky is a writer, stand-up comedian, and actor who splits her time between New York City and Puerto Rico. A mostly-Jewish millennial from Long Island, she blends snark, sincerity, and joie de vivre into a creative perspective that’s as dazzled as it is befuddled by the facts of life. She lives with her husband, Adam, and their spirited tuxedo cat, Gumbo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    32 min
  4. Gluten: Stories about the love of bread

    Jun 12

    Gluten: Stories about the love of bread

    In this week’s episode, storytellers share stories about carbs, control, and the unexpected ways bread shapes our lives. Part 1: When everyone in Rich Tackenberg’s family is diagnosed with celiac disease, he’s forced to confront a terrifying possibility: life without his emotional support carb. Part 2: During the pandemic, Aditya Surendran sets out to conquer making a 36-hour baguette. Rich Tackenberg has now lived in Los Angeles longer than he grew up in New York. He is a Managing Director in executive search, specializing in media, entertainment, and nonprofit placements. He has been married to an amazing woman for almost twenty five years and is most proud of not screwing that up. At least not yet.  Aditya Surendran is a lawyer, comedian, and storyteller. How stories explore the mundane suburbs in search of laughs and deep meaning—though deep meaning is optional. A successfully launched Kickstarter now means you can get his book, CheeseDosa: The Book! on his site and through most national retail chains. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    27 min
  5. Trying: Stories about fertility

    Jun 5

    Trying: Stories about fertility

    In this week’s episode, we’re bringing you two stories about navigating the uncertainty, hope, and heartbreak of trying to have a baby. Part 1: After a pregnancy loss, Annie Tan channels her grief into rescuing an injured mockingbird. Part 2: Kibby McMahon is convinced she can will her way into pregnancy, but her body refuses to follow the plan. Annie Tan is an educator, activist, writer and storyteller from Manhattan's Chinatown. Annie’s work has been featured in Huffington Post, New Republic, PBS’ Asian Americans, RISK! and twice on The Moth Radio Hour on NPR. Annie is writing a memoir about connecting with her immigrant parents despite not sharing a common fluent language. Find more at annietan.com. Dr. Kibby McMahon is a licensed clinical psychologist, researcher, and digital health entrepreneur who’s obsessed with the emotional complexities of relationships. She earned her BA from Columbia University and her PhD in clinical psychology from Duke University, where her NIMH-funded research focused on how regulating our own emotions helps us connect more deeply with others. She has held research and clinical roles at Duke University Medical Center, Columbia University, Weill Cornell Hospital, and the Max Planck Institute. Dr. Kibby is a family caregiver and breast cancer survivor- experiences that reshaped how she understands vulnerability, resilience, and what it means to care for others while holding yourself together. These threads came together when she co-founded KulaMind, a digital mental health company that supports loved ones of people with mental illness through evidence-based skills, coaching, and AI-powered tools. She also hosts the podcast "A Little Help for Our Friends," which explores the invisible emotional labor of loving someone who is struggling with mental health or addiction. She lives in New York with her tornado of a son, a fluff of a dog, and a partner-in-crime husband. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    31 min
  6. Best of Story Collider: Leaving Home

    May 28

    Best of Story Collider: Leaving Home

    In this week’s Best Of episode, we present two stories of people who had to leave home to find a new home. Part 1: When Ph.D student Ali Mattu's girlfriend tells him she is moving to New York City, he has to make some tough decisions about where home is. Part 2: Arlo Pérez Esquivel struggles to define his boundaries with his father while he is pursuing his education in another country. Ali Mattu is a cognitive behavioral therapist who helps kids and adults with anxiety disorders. Through YouTube, Dr. Mattu teaches a global audience how to use psychological science to achieve their goals. He’s created over 100 videos for his YouTube channel, The Psych Show, which have been seen over 1,400,00 million times. He has been interviewed by the New York Times, appeared on Buzzfeed, MTV, CBS, NBC, PBS, and has the honor of being referenced, and not made fun of, on HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Dr. Mattu is a licensed clinical psychologist and was an assistant professor at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He presently serves on the Board of Directors of The Story Collider and creates curriculum for the Pop Culture Hero Coalition. He has served in a variety of leadership roles within the American Psychological Association. Arlo Pérez Esquivel was raised in Mexico until the age of 16, when he left for the United States. There, he moved across multiple states, and lived in the homes of different friends and relatives in order to finish his education. During this constant movement, Arlo developed a passion for street photography. His work attempts to investigate the “sense of place” by capturing people, their environment, and the relationship between the two. He is now a Digital Associate Producer for NOVA on PBS, currently working on a ten-part digital series on how life and science are done in Antarctica. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    36 min
  7. In Memory Of: Stories about honoring loved ones

    May 22

    In Memory Of: Stories about honoring loved ones

    In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers reflect on the ways we try to hold onto the people we love. Part 1: Gwendolyn Napier is left heartbroken when harsh Atlanta weather destroys the trees planted to honor her family members. Part 2: Bimini Wright looks back on her childhood spent aboard a research boat, studying tuna alongside her larger-than-life fisherman father. Gwendolyn J. Napier aka “Miss LuvDrop”. Native of Atlanta, Georgia. Retired Educator from Fulton County Schools. Founder of LuvDrop Productions - The “Heart of Storytelling” sharing One Story at a Time. Fun Educational Entertainer - Storyteller, Singer, Poet, Drummer, Workshop Facilitator and more. She has been performing as a Storytelling Artist for over 16 years. Performing and Teaching Artist for the Georgia Council Of the Arts Registry. Performing Year-Round Storytelling Artist and Docent for the Wrens Nest House Museum in Atlanta, Retired Atlanta Ambassador for the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Children and currently serving as the President of the Georgia Storytelling Network. She has performed in many Venues celebrating Juneteenth as the Historic Portrayal of Harriet Ross Tubman in “The Annual Atlanta Parade” for the last 8 years, Clarkston Georgia Juneteenth Events, Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival, Georgia Storytelling Network Conference, National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc. Conference and Festival, Acworth Storytelling Festival, National Storytelling Network, Story Collider, Trees Atlanta, Roswell Roots Festival also including Schools, Churches, Libraries, and Performing Arts Theatres. Miss Napier has portrayed many other historical Women in History as Harriet Tubman, Bessie Coleman, Mahalia Jackson, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Shirley Chisholm, Maria Van Burton Brown and more. Member of Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia, National Associations of Black Storytellers, Inc. including the Adopt-A-Tellers Program, Georgia Storytelling Network, & the National Storytelling Network.  Bimini Wright is a writer, performer, and actor based in Brooklyn. She grew up in the tropical rainforests of Australia before trading it for the concrete jungle of New York. Her work spans theater, journalism, comedy, and live performance, with stories that blend humor, vulnerability, and sharp observation. She is also, at times, a professional mermaid and the reigning Miss Subways 2025. When she’s not onstage or on the page, she can be found crafting something weird and hanging out with her adopted pet pigeon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 min
  8. Balaena: Stories about whales

    May 15

    Balaena: Stories about whales

    In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers share tales about whales. Part 1: As a child, Brittany Munson dreams of growing up to be a whale trainer. Part 2: As a marine scientist focused on living creatures, Maya Santangelo is convinced that diving to explore an old whaling shipwreck in the Antarctic will be boring. Brittany Munson is a Lead Educator at the California Science Center, where she engages public audiences in exploring various science topics and activities. With a degree in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara, she has chased her passion for the ocean from the coral reefs of the Bahamas to the icy waters of Alaska, where she spent two seasons as a naturalist. Most recently, she served as a Lead Science Communication Fellow aboard E/V Nautilus, sharing deep-sea exploration with the world in real-time. When she isn’t advocating for marine life or planning her next expedition, you can find Brittany tending to her indoor jungle as a devoted plant mom or salsa dancing on Sunday nights. She calls Long Beach home. Maya Santangelo is a professional nerd, diver, and marine scientist. Working in the dive and expedition industry for more than 15 years, Maya's experiences as the 2016 Australasian Rolex Scholar of the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society cemented a passion for science communication and ocean education to enhance meaningful travel experiences. Since 2017, Maya has worked as an Undersea Specialist with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, diving and filming underwater around the world to share what would otherwise be out of sight, out of mind. With a focus diving in the Antarctic for the past 6 years, she has become especially interested in researching and educating about marine conservation through fisheries management and sustainable seafood choices. Alongside this role, Maya works above and below the surface to research the habitat use of the critically endangered school shark, the diet and trophic ecology of the widely distributed leopard seal, and the remote population of manta rays in French Polynesia’s Marquesas Islands. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    26 min
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About

Whether we wear a lab coat or haven't seen a test tube since grade school, science is shaping all of our lives. And that means we all have science stories to tell. Every year, we host dozens of live shows all over the country, featuring all kinds of storytellers - researchers, doctors, and engineers of course, but also patients, poets, comedians, cops, and more. Some of our stories are heartbreaking, others are hilarious, but they're all true and all very personal. Welcome to The Story Collider!

Information

  • Creator
    Story Collider, Inc.
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    726
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 610280
  • Show Website
    The Story Collider

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