Smart Girl Dumb Questions

What is Rhythm? Melody? Harmony? Do we all have these elements ingrained in us? Will AI make better music than humans can? What is a Weenus? And would Kendrick or Drake be a better collab? Five-time Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier joins Nayeema to unpack the science and soul of sound. From Collier's early viral videos to performances with legends like Herbie Hancock to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Jacob reveals what he’s learned about emotion, math, and meaning along the way – and how he turns live audiences into one giant choir (available as a plug-in for any musician to play with). Plus, Jacob breaks down why infinity plagues him and how low-fidelity and high-constraints can create unexpected magic. For more of this wiggly music, check out jacobcollier.com and his latest album, “Light for Days” music on Spotify or Apple. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" nayeema.raza101@gmail.com  Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If someone pays for love, is it easier to find? Does it twist the power dynamic? Do professional matchmakers take a Hippocratic Oath? And how long do they think you should wait before….? Fourth-generation matchmaker, Maria Avgitidis joins Nayeema to unpack the economics of love, from the 12 Date Rule to the $150,000 price tag of high-end matchmaking, and explore how dating has evolved from community introductions to algorithms and apps. Maria reveals why texting “doesn’t count,” why your mom is a better matchmaker than your best friend, and how your apartment may be keeping you single.   Plus, Maria shares the one “IKEA test” every couple should take before moving in together. For more Matchmaker Maria, check out her book and her podcast: Ask a Matchmaker. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" - nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympian and author Alexi Pappas joins us this week to tackle one of Nayeema’s (and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s) pressing questions: Why are all these people running? What are they running from? Or where are they running toward? And do they just pee in their pants while running? Together the two friends unpack the science of athletic “peaking,” the power of the marathon, practical tips for your running form, and why run clubs are the new dating apps. From the origins of the marathon to post-Olympic depression, Alexi opens up about her journey, her mental health, and what it means to live life as a verb, not a noun. IMPORTANT: I want your “dumb questions" so please EMAIL ME: nayeema.raza101@gmail.com  New episodes every Tuesday! Please sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Stay curious, stay hot!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York’s 27,000 doormen see everything. These social anthropologists know more secrets than your therapist does. So what stories do they have? Can they tell if someone's having an affair? Or about to break up? What does how we tip say about us? And do they think the city is getting safer or more dangerous? Nayeema talks to Daryl and Joe, two veterans in the front-of-building business who are masters at the "ocular patdown,” moodreading and secret-keeping to figure out what people are like when they get home, and *think* no one’s watching. Send us your secrets — or at least your “dumb questions" - nayeema.raza101@gmail.com  Also the new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Leave us a REVIEW and obvi: stay curious, stay hot!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Nye the Science Guy taught an entire generation to love science and the scientific method so … what went wrong? Is the debate around science just healthy skepticism or is it a clear and present danger? What’s the next major scientific discovery AI can unleash? And can space science undivide America? Nayeema talks to Bill Nye, the engineer, comedian, “Science Guy” and CEO of the Planetary Society. On the agenda: other life in the cosmos, aircraft engineering and whether any one person’s actions matter in the face of big problems like climate change. Also: are Bill Nye and former SGDQ guest Neil deGrasse Tyson frenemies?  Make sure you follow this episode up with our deep dive with Bill's Planetary Society colleague Casey Dreier, findable below this one in your feed! And if you scroll down further, you can find our favourite 11 year olds there too. PS: our new season continues every week! Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to stay curious!  And send us your dumb Qs! Or help Bill Nye out with his burning question: Where did human life come from? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com or leave us a review!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hit “follow” on this show so you don't miss Bill Nye the Science Guy next week. Today, Nayeema ask Bill’s colleague Casey Dreier: do we really need to go to space? Is it worth billions of dollars? How does it make my life better? What's more important: space science or dudes on the moon? And can’t Elon Musk just do all the space science things for us?  Casey Dreier is the Chief of Space Policy at the Planetary Society — the independent nonprofit founded by Carl Sagan and now led by Bill Nye. From the Drake Equation to NASA budget wars, he explains to Nayeema how exploring the cosmos has been critical to everything from GPS to semiconductors, and he hints at the nuclear innovations that could come next. It’s a critical conversation at a time when the government is shut down and there is a looming threat to cut NASA’s ~$25 billion budget and move a lot of the money that's there to human space flight instead of space science. If you’re cosmos-curious: The Planetary Society is made possible with the support of individuals across the globe. You can be part of it by heading to planetary.org/join and you can find more of Casey’s cosmic knowledge over on Planetary Radio’s The Space Policy Edition podcast or in his newsletter.  And be sure to check out Neil deGrasse Tyson's SGDQ episode on YouTube or scrolling down in this podcast feed. Hit follow/subscribe to not miss Bill Nye next week, like/comment/review and please share the show with your mom and other friends. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, as well as wherever you get your podcasts. Also: help Casey out: do you have a theory on how kids learn time? Or have other dumb Qs? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do actually successful Grammy-winning DJs sleep? What do music producers do? Should they date the musicians they produce? And is Diplo ever getting back together with Skrillex for Jack U? Nayeema turns her curiosity (and flirt) onto Diplo, aka Thomas Wesley Pentz, the Grammy-winning musician and DJ whose hits range from house to country and Bollywood to Brazilian favelas, and who has collaborated with everyone from Madonna to M.I.A. and Rihanna.  They discuss why he’s becoming obsessed with running and all things abs, how he balances his electronic and country personalities, why he’s over Burning Man and doubling down on Major Lazer and whether he is the Forrest Gump of music. Also: how Diplo approaches his craft, his kids and, yes, his dating life. Plus, he shares what dating famous people has taught him about relationships. And fact checks: Brian Epstein (no relation) was the Beatles manager, George Martin was the Beatles producer, and Fidel Castro is not Justin Trudeau's dad. Make sure you’re following Nayeema and the show on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, as well as wherever you get your podcasts. Also: help Diplo out: do you know how manatees drink water? Or have other dumb Qs? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com or leave us a review!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are we falling in love less? Is it feminism’s fault? Or the reality of getting older? Would Esther Perel rather date in 1955, 1985 or 2025? And does the future belong to tradwives or digitally arranged marriages, powered by AI?  Nayeema sits down with renowned psychotherapist, author and a big supporter in launching @smartgirldumbquestions – Esther Perel – to break down the evolution of modern romance, our obsession with self-love, and why crushes are hard to come by after your 20s.  Throughout, Esther offers her signature insight into how to keep relationships alive and why the quality of our connections do more for our longevity than anything else. You can find more of her wisdom on the Where Should We Begin? podcast on YouTube, Apple or Spotify.  And more of Nayeema’s vulnerability and dating woes on Smart Girl Dumb Questions (including some podcast footsie with Diplo). Be sure to follow/subscribe so you don’t miss out! Find us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. And like/review/share this podcast with your friends! Speaking of friends: help Esther out. Do you know why some people are good at directions? And the rest of us aren't? Or have other dumb Qs? Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The curiosity party is back, with new episodes every Tuesday. Nayeema returned from summer break (why don't adults get those?) with a spicy line up Qs we all have and guests who can help answer them. Follow ⁠Smart Girl Dumb Questions⁠, review the show and SHARE this show with your bestie, your mom and that group chat you've muted. And check out our Last Dumb Question street series on ⁠IG⁠ or ⁠TikTok⁠. Your LDQs are also welcome, just email nayeemaraza101@gmail.com. Stay curious. Stay hot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens to our bodies and brains when we fall in love? And when we break up? Is orgasm linked to fertility? Who came up with the idea of marriage? And did capitalism just kill our sex drive?  Nayeema’s taking a break from summer break to ask the dumbest questions she has to the nerdiest evolutionary biologist she could find: Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute and author of an epic forthcoming book The Intimate Animal. They talk kissing, shaky bridges and scientific studies. Also: porn-watching pandas, monogamous penguins and, um, something about a pig farmer? It’s basically the Discovery Channel on today’s Smart Girl Dumb Questions. PS: our new season starts later this month! Make sure you’re following us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.  We’d love to hear your ideas, suggestions and feedback! Email nayeema.raza101@gmail.com or leave us a review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would NYC Mayor Eric Adams rather be trapped in an elevator with Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, or Curtis Sliwa? What’s his relationship with President Trump and/or Turkish Airlines? Why should New Yorkers trust him with another 4 years? What would he do with it? And how much has he delivered when it comes to policing crime, relieving medical debt, and building affordable housing? Nayeema wants to get behind headlines and memes to understand who’s running for Mayor. She’s inviting the candidates on SGDQ to answer her direct (and dumb) questions. First up: incumbent Mayor Eric Adams. Let us know what you think after the episode: nayeema.raza101@gmail.com or @smartgirldumbquestions on IG, and send us the questions you’d like to ask! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did we get these two political parties? And, when most Americans don’t like either of them is the answer … to have more? Will Elon’s Musk recently announced “America Party” work? Or do we need an “Animal Lovers Party” instead?  Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to the nerdiest expert she could find: Lee Drutman. He’s a fellow at New America and author of the book Breaking The Two Party Doom Loop. They discuss the beef between Jefferson and Washington (um, I mean, Jefferson and Hamilton), Venn diagrams, and whether the US is really the world’s best democracy.  Find more of Lee’s thoughts, writings and Venn diagrams on his substack Undercurrent Events  Follow Lee on X at @leedrutman. Follow Nayeema @nayeemaraza or on X too – and you can find the show on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions.  Finally: YOU could be on a future episode – send your dumbest questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is anxiety the internet’s fault, your mom’s fault, or your food’s fault? Why does there seem to be a greater mental health crisis in the USA than other countries? Is therapy the answer … or is functional medicine? And is all other medicine … dysfunctional? Also where did MAHA come from? Nayeema asks the most direct (and dumb) health questions she could think of to the most pragmatic, open-minded, and research-based doctor she could find: Dr. Ellen Vora, board-certified psychiatrist and author of The Anatomy of Anxiety. They discuss gut health, the limits of medication, how our feelings manifest physically, and how our physical and social health show up in our mental health. Dr. Vora also talks about the great divide over American healthcare and how the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped everything.  Five things you may want to know more about: Finnish study on where in our body we feel what That stress, worry, anxiety article we talk about The glasses we tried on and sexier splurgier version (ELLEN10 for 10% off)  Our partner, Noom — they help you feel good in your body at every stage The Tamsen Fadal episode Follow Ellen Vora on IG at @ellenvoramd. Follow Nayeema @nayeemaraza or on X too – and you can find the show on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions.  Finally: YOU could be on a future episode – send your dumbest questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Iranians think? Are they more or less into the Ayatollah (and nukes) after the last two weeks? Did the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites … take out the nuclear targets? How would we know? Also: why do all Iran’s proxies start with “H”? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to the foremost Iran expert she could identify: Dr. Vali Nasr, a professor and former dean at John Hopkins SAIS, former senior advisor to the US State Department, and the author of several books on foreign policy and Iran including Iran’s Grand Strategy.  Follow Dr. Nasr on X @vali_nasr. Follow Nayeema on IG or X too – and you can find the show on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions.  Finally: YOU could be on a future episode – send your dumbest questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will having kids make my life or ruin it? How can two independent, career-minded people navigate marriage? What is a contraction? And is childbirth hellish … or like an MDMA high?  Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she can think of to her most grown-uppest friends, New York Times bestselling cookbook author Alison Roman and Emmy-nominated director Max Cantor to understand if you’re ever going to feel ready for kids, and how you go from a thirst-trap or a DM slide to love, marriage and a baby carriage. Alison Roman is a writer, chef and Bon Apetit/New York Times Cooking alum behind the books Dining In, Nothing Fancy, and Something Sweet. Max Cantor is an Emmy-nominated TV and commercial Director. Follow us on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions. And you can find Nayeema on IG or X too Finally: YOU could be on a future episode of “CSI: Dumb Questions” – send your dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is anything real about reality tv? And does going on it boost your business? Also: when it comes to fashion, why are buttons on one side for dudes and another for chicks? Are clothes sexist? And what will tariffs do to the price of a T-shirt?  Nayeema asks reality TV, fashion and Scientology questions to the freshly transparent designer and RHONY personality Rebecca Minkoff.  Check out Rebecca’s podcast, Superwomen and her book Fearless. Follow @smartgirldumbquestions on IG, TikTok & YouTube. You can find Nayeema on IG or X too.  Finally: send YOUR dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com. You might end up in a future episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With recent crashes, close calls and control center outages: is it getting more dangerous to fly, or are we just paying more attention? Also: do pilots have walkie-talkies? What’s on their cockpit screens? Do these 30-90 second blackouts at Newark Airport matter? And how few air traffic controllers are … too few? Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she could think of to the best-sourced reporter she could find: New York Times investigative journalist Kate Kelly.  On the agenda: How does seeing how the sausage is made (or control towers are staffed) change Kate’s own travel plans? Who’s to blame for all this: Joe Biden, Donald Trump ... Ronald Reagan …the pandemic … or just: the system? And who’s gonna fix it? Check out Kate’s reporting here.  And thanks to LiveATC for helping us dig up that pilot-air traffic controller audio! Follow @smartgirldumbquestions on IG, TikTok & YouTube. You can find Nayeema on IG or X too.  Finally: send YOUR dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com. You might end up in a future episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we in a trade war with China? Will BTC replace USD? What’s the latest on tariffs? And are millennials the most screwed generation? Also: can I blame the economy for my difficult dating life? Nayeema asks the dumbest Qs she could think of to the most famous economist she could find: Nobel Laureate and former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. For more of Paul’s wisdom after the episode, head to his Substack, where he breaks down economic news daily. And for more Smart Girl Dumb Questions on money matters, scroll to our episode with Mark Cuban and the one with The Points Guy(s)!  Follow on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions. And you can find Nayeema on IG or X too Finally: YOU could be on a future episode — send your dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is TSA PreCheck faster than Clear? Who pays for all these “free” miles? And is it ever okay to take off your socks on a plane?  Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she could find to the savviest travellers she knows: Brian Kelly (a.k.a. The Points Guy) and Nicky Kelvin, the aviation geek who is a senior director of content at The Points Guy. Also in this episode: child vandalism, T5 small claims court and secrets of, per the title Brian’s book, “How to Win At Travel.”  Follow on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions. And you can find Nayeema on IG or X too Finally: YOU could be on a future episode of “CSI: Dumb Questions” – send your dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is beauty in the eyes of the beholder, or in the eye of the Kardashian industrial complex? What is Instagram face? How do we all agree what’s in or out? And why oh why are thin brows back in?! Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she could think of to Brooke DeVard, a beauty insider who worked at Ford Models, Vogue, Ralph Lauren and Instagram before leaving it all to pursue her Naked Beauty podcast and business full time. On the agenda: What products you need and which are scammy. Why (and if) gen z looks older than millennials. Oh, and salmon sperm.  Follow us on IG, TikTok & YouTube @smartgirldumbquestions. And you can find Nayeema on IG or X too Finally: YOU could be on a future episode of “CSI: Dumb Questions” – send your dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices