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
The Two Sides Of Guyana: A Green Champion And An Oil Producer
For Guyana the potential wealth from oil development was irresistible — even as the country faces rising seas. Today on the show, host Emily Kwong talks to reporter Camila Domonoske about her 2021 tr…
00:15:59 |
Mon 01 Apr 2024
The Shy Rodents Lost To Science
Historic numbers of animals across the globe have become endangered or pushed to extinction. But some of these species sit in limbo — not definitively extinct yet missing from the scientific record. …
00:13:28 |
Fri 29 Mar 2024
Shots Are Scary. But They Don't Have To Be.
According to the CDC, about one in four adults has a fear of needles. Many of those people say the phobia started when they were kids. For some people, the fear of needles is strong enough that they …
00:13:19 |
Wed 27 Mar 2024
What's It Like To Live In Space? One Astronaut Says It Changes Her Dreams
Few humans have had the opportunity to see Earth from space, much less live in space. We got to talk to one of these lucky people — NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara. She will soon conclude her nearly seve…
00:12:14 |
Mon 25 Mar 2024
The Evolutionary Mystery Of Menopause ... In Whales
Across the animal kingdom, menopause is something of an evolutionary blip. We humans are one of the few animals to experience it. But Sam Ellis, a researcher in animal behavior, argues that this isn'…
00:09:42 |
Fri 22 Mar 2024
Syphilis Cases Are Rising In Babies. Illinois Has A Potential Solution
The number of newborns born with syphilis – a serious sexually transmitted infection – has skyrocketed 755% from 2012 to 2021. These babies have congenital syphilis, which is when the infection is pa…
00:13:03 |
Wed 20 Mar 2024
A Tale Of Two Bengali Physicists
When Shohini Ghose was studying physics as a kid, she heard certain names repeated over and over. "Einstein, Newton, Schrodinger ... they're all men." Shohini wanted to change that — so she decided t…
00:12:43 |
Mon 18 Mar 2024
Are We On The Brink Of A Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough?
Nuclear fusion could one day change the world by producing energy at lower costs than we generate it now — without greenhouse gas emissions or long-term nuclear waste.
If we can get it to work.
Peopl…
If we can get it to work.
Peopl…
00:12:38 |
Fri 15 Mar 2024
What We Know About Long COVID, From Brain Fog to Fatigue
"Long COVID has affected every part of my life," said Virginia resident Rachel Beale said at a recent Senate hearing. "I wake up every day feeling tired, nauseous and dizzy. I immediately start plann…
00:13:23 |
Wed 13 Mar 2024
The Science Of Atomic Bombs At The Heart Of 'Oppenheimer'
Coming down from the buzz of the Oscars, we're taking a look at Christopher Nolan's award-winning film 'Oppenheimer.' It chronicles the life and legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the first director of…
00:12:27 |
Mon 11 Mar 2024
The "Shocking" Tactic Electric Fish Use to Collectively Sense the World
Neuroscientist Nathan Sawtell has spent a lot of time studying the electric elephantnose fish. These fish send and decipher weak electric signals, which Sawtell hopes will eventually help neuroscient…
00:09:06 |
Fri 08 Mar 2024
The Recent Glitch Threatening Voyager 1
The Voyager 1 space probe is the farthest human-made object in space. It launched in 1977 with a golden record on board that carried assorted sounds of our home planet: greetings in many different la…
00:12:25 |
Wed 06 Mar 2024
The Evolution Of Cancer Treatment
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a first-of-its-kind cancer therapy to treat aggresive forms of skin cancer. It has us thinking of the long history of cancer. One of the first r…
00:13:58 |
Mon 04 Mar 2024
Could Dune Really Exist? What Scientists Think of Our Favorite Sci-Fi Worlds
The sci-fi film Dune: Part Two is out in theaters now. The movie takes place on the harsh desert planet, Arrakis, where water is scarce and giant, killer sandworms lurk just beneath the surface. But …
00:14:07 |
Fri 01 Mar 2024
Is It Possible To Feed The World Sustainably?
According to the United Nations, about ten percent of the world is undernourished. It's a daunting statistic — unless your name is Hannah Ritchie. She's the data scientist behind the new book Not the…
00:10:50 |
Wed 28 Feb 2024
In Light of The Alabama Court Ruling, A Look At The Science Of IVF
An Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos can be considered "extrauterine children" under state law has major implications for how in vitro fertilization, commonly called IVF, is performed.…
00:13:12 |
Mon 26 Feb 2024
Didn't Get A Valentine's Love Song? These Skywalker Gibbons Sing Love Duets
In the green tree canopies of forested areas in Myanmar, you might wake up to the sounds of gibbons singing love songs. Gibbons start their day with passionate duets and, though these love songs may …
00:09:04 |
Fri 23 Feb 2024
When The Sun Erupts
We are at the height of the Sun's activity in its eleven year cycle, known to astronomers as the solar maximum. This means that over the next several months there's going to be a lot of solar activit…
00:12:15 |
Wed 21 Feb 2024
The Life And Death Of A Woolly Mammoth
Lately, paleoecologist Audrey Rowe has been a bit preoccupied with a girl named Elma. That's because Elma is ... a woolly mammoth. And 14,000 years ago, when Elma was alive, her habitat in interior A…
00:13:44 |
Mon 19 Feb 2024
The U.N.'s First-Ever Analysis Of World's Migratory Species Just Dropped
Every year, billions of animals across the globe embark on journeys. They fly, crawl, walk or slither – often across thousands of miles of land or water – to find better food, more agreeable weather …
00:12:47 |
Fri 16 Feb 2024
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