Short Wave
New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — in just under 15 minutes. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join hosts Emily Kwong and Regina Barber for science on a different wavelength.
If you're hooked, try Short Wave Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/shortwave
- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 1344
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
We Hate To Tell You This, But Some Leeches Can Jump
Generally, we at Short Wave are open-minded to the creepies and the crawlies, but even we must admit that leeches are already the stuff of nightmares. They lurk in water. They drink blood. There are …
00:12:48 |
Mon 29 Jul 2024
What Chimpanzee Gestures Reveal About Human Communication
Chimpanzees are humans' closest living relatives. But does much of their communication resembles ours? According to a new study published earlier this week in the journal Current Biology, chimpanzees…
00:09:20 |
Fri 26 Jul 2024
Dancing Yeti Crabs, Morphing Cuttlefish, Other Stories From The Deep Sea
As a kid, Sabrina Imbler loved the ocean. They'd swim and snorkel, following around parrotfish in the water. Later, they tried to learn everything they could about the brightly-colored tropical fish …
00:13:10 |
Wed 24 Jul 2024
Outer Space Changes You, Literally. Here's What It Does To The Human Body
Lower gravity. Higher radiation. No ER access. These are just a few of the challenges that humans face in outer space. Emily and Regina talk to a NASA astronaut (and astronaut scientist) about the im…
00:14:22 |
Tue 23 Jul 2024
The Brain Makes A Lot Of Waste. Here's How It Cleans Itself Up
Scientists have long studied the relationship between sleep and the brain, and why poor sleep is linked to neurological diseases like Alzheimer's. NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton talks to host…
00:13:12 |
Mon 22 Jul 2024
How An Ambitious River Rerouting Plan Could Change India's Weather
More than a hundred years ago, a British engineer proposed linking two rivers in India to better irrigate the area and cheaply move goods. The link never happened, but the idea survived. Today, due t…
00:13:45 |
Fri 19 Jul 2024
The Magic — And Science — Of Synchronous Firefly Displays
Every year for two weeks between mid-May and mid-June, Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to a fairy-tale-like display of flashing lights. These rhythmic performances happen all because…
00:13:50 |
Wed 17 Jul 2024
This Mysterious Energy Is Everywhere. Scientists Still Don't Know What It Is
The universe — everything in existence — is expanding every second! It's only been about a hundred years that humanity has known this, too — that most galaxies are traveling away from us and the univ…
00:14:46 |
Tue 16 Jul 2024
The Dubious Consent Question At The Heart Of The Human Genome Project
The Human Genome Project was a massive undertaking that took more than a decade and billions of dollars to complete. For it, scientists collected DNA samples from anonymous volunteers who were told t…
00:14:12 |
Mon 15 Jul 2024
Teens Are Following Skincare Trends On TikTok. Some Dermatologists Are Wary
TikTok is fuel for many trends, including a skin care craze among teens, pre-teens — okay, and us. The "glass skin" trend calls for a multi-step routine, often involving pricey products. It's all in …
00:09:13 |
Fri 12 Jul 2024
Like Humans, These Ants Can Perform Leg Amputations To Save Lives
Some ants herd aphids. Some farm fungi. And now, scientists have realized that when an ant injures its leg, it sometimes will turn to a buddy to perform a lifesaving limb amputation. Not only that — …
00:13:48 |
Wed 10 Jul 2024
The Invisible Substance That Structures Our Universe
The universe is so much bigger than what people can see. Visible matter — the ground, the Sun, the screen you're reading this on — makes up only about 4 or 5 percent of our known universe. Dark matte…
00:14:27 |
Tue 09 Jul 2024
Sharks Often Get A Bad Rap, But Oceans Need Them
It's that time of the year again: Shark Week. The TV program is so long-running that if you're under 37, you've never known a life without it. In honor of this oft misunderstood critter, we revisit o…
00:10:56 |
Mon 08 Jul 2024
From Cars To Leaf Blowers: Noise Pollution's Toll On Human Health
When's the last time you were in a place that was quiet — really quiet? No roadway noise, construction work or even the hum of a refrigerator. Our world is full of sounds, some of which are harming o…
00:12:53 |
Fri 05 Jul 2024
Researchers Are Figuring Out How African Ancestry Can Affect Certain Brain Disorders
Black Americans have been underrepresented in most genomic studies of neurological disorders. As a result, scientists don't know much about whether African ancestry affects a person's risk for these …
00:13:23 |
Wed 03 Jul 2024
Could '3 Body Problem's Aliens Exist? The Science Behind Netflix's New Hit
Before the '3 Body Problem' became a bestselling book and a smash TV show ... it was a physics concept, with big implications for how we understand planetary orbits. In this episode, we learn about t…
00:14:29 |
Tue 02 Jul 2024
Want Juicy Barbecue This Fourth Of July? Cook Low And Slow
Perfecting your grilling technique ahead of the Fourth of July? Chefs will tell you that cooking is not just an art — it's a science. And the spirit of summer barbecues, NPR science correspondent Syd…
00:11:48 |
Mon 01 Jul 2024
Move Over Norse Mythology, There's A New Loki In Town — A Dinosaur
A brand new species of ceratops, or horned dinosaur, was recently discovered in northern Montana. The dinosaur is called Lokiceratops rangiformis, after the Norse god Loki, and is believed to have li…
00:09:14 |
Fri 28 Jun 2024
The Human Brain Is Hardwired To Recognize Faces. But What If You Can't?
Humans are hardwired to see faces — even in inanimate objects. We have a lima bean-shaped part of our brains dedicated to facial recognition. But this process isn't always straightforward. Science jo…
00:12:41 |
Wed 26 Jun 2024
Some Stars Explode As They Die. We Look At Their Life Cycle
This summer, scientists have their eyes and telescopes trained on the small constellation system T Coronae Borealis. They think it will explode as part of a periodic nova — a once-in-a-lifetime event…
00:14:41 |
Tue 25 Jun 2024
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