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
Why Big Numbers Break Our Brains
In celebration of our 1000th episode, we're wrapping our heads around big numbers. Educational neuroscientist Elizabeth Toomarian talks about why humans' evolutionarily-old brains are so bad at compr…
00:11:34 |
Wed 03 Jan 2024
Asian Glow Might Have A Major Upside
Ever gotten a scarlet, hot face after drinking? Or know someone who has? Many people felt it as they ring in the New Year with champagne toasts. That's because this condition, commonly called "Asian …
00:13:40 |
Mon 01 Jan 2024
This Year's Top Science Stories, Wrapped
2023 was filled with scientific innovation, exploration and new discoveries. A few of the biggest threads we saw unraveling this year came from the James Webb Space Telescope, the changing climate an…
00:08:20 |
Fri 29 Dec 2023
A year in music science: wonder, volume and animals that groove
As 2023 comes to a close, Short Wave teamed up with our friends at All Things Considered to round up some of our favorite stories of the year — this time, about the science behind music. First, scien…
00:10:56 |
Thu 28 Dec 2023
Life Could Be Different ... And Maybe Better?
Are people ever satisfied? Two social psychologists, Ethan Ludwin-Peery and Adam Mastroianni, fell down a research rabbit hole accidentally answering a version of this very question. After conducting…
00:12:43 |
Wed 27 Dec 2023
This Holiday, Dig Into Some Of The Hilarious Science Of Christmas BMJs Past
Would you survive as a doctor in The Sims 4? What's an appropriate amount of free food to take from a public sample station before it's greedy? And how much do clock towers affect sleep? These are th…
00:13:02 |
Mon 25 Dec 2023
LED Lights Make You Sick? We Found Out What Causes It
LED light bulbs are the future. They're better for the environment and the pocket book. But for some people, certain LEDs lights — particularly holiday lights—are also a problem. They flicker in a wa…
00:13:47 |
Fri 22 Dec 2023
Once A Satirical Conspiracy, Bird Drones Could Soon Be A Reality
Millions of people in the U.S. are bird watchers. But a couple of years ago a satirical conspiracy theory gained popularity because of an absurd claim: That those birds were also watching people.
Now…
Now…
00:14:25 |
Thu 21 Dec 2023
Climate Talks Call For A Transition Away From Fossil Fuels. Is That Enough?
For the first time in its history, the United Nations climate conference concluded with a call to transition away from fossil fuels. But not all of the nearly 200 countries present at the meeting, kn…
00:14:20 |
Wed 20 Dec 2023
Want To Be Greener This Holiday Season? Try Composting!
Does thinking about the trajectory of the climate make you have a panic spiral? If so, we have the perfect podcast for you: The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast from NPR member station KCRW. The whole conc…
00:13:25 |
Mon 18 Dec 2023
More Plant And Fungi Emojis, Please!
A team of conservation biologists from Italy recently found that current emoji options are sorely lacking when it comes to life outside of vertebrates in the animal kingdom. Sure, there are multiple …
00:08:37 |
Fri 15 Dec 2023
When AI Goes Wrong
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used throughout the world to predict the future. Banks use it to predict whether customers will pay back a loan, hospitals use it to predict which patien…
00:14:16 |
Thu 14 Dec 2023
Why it's so hard to resist holiday sales (and how to try)
Malls are designed to overwhelm our brains. Add the stress of holiday shopping, and a quick trip to pick up presents could turn into an hours-long shopping spree thanks to all the ways stores use res…
00:14:14 |
Wed 13 Dec 2023
How Glaciers Move — And Affect Sea Level Rise
Glaciers like the ones in Greenland are melting due to climate change, causing global sea levels to rise. That we know. But these glaciers are also moving. What we don't know is just how these two pr…
00:13:41 |
Mon 11 Dec 2023
Feeling Lonely? Your Brain May Process The World Differently
The U.S. is in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. And for a lot of people, the feeling is even more pronounced during the holidays. In addition to its emotional impact, chronic loneliness and social…
00:15:24 |
Fri 08 Dec 2023
A Star Is Born ... And Then What? Journey Through The Life Cycle of a star
Soon after the sun sets on winter nights, if you live in the northern hemisphere you can look into the sky and find the Orion constellation near the eastern horizon. Astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry …
00:14:36 |
Wed 06 Dec 2023
Don't Call It Dirt: The Surprising Science Of Soil
It's easy to overlook the soil beneath our feet, or to think of it as just dirt to be cleaned up. But soil wraps the world in an envelope of life: It grows our food, regulates the climate and makes t…
00:11:31 |
Mon 04 Dec 2023
These Penguins Take 10,000 Little Naps A Day — Seconds At A Time
Sleep. It's an essential biological function that has long intrigued scientists. Researchers have studied everything from mice to fruit flies in the lab to get a better understanding of what happens …
00:10:14 |
Fri 01 Dec 2023
The International Race To Create Human Eggs And Sperm In The Lab
In which we meet the pioneers of one of the most exciting — and controversial — fields of biomedical research: in vitro gametogenesis, or IVG. The goal of IVG is to make unlimited supplies of what Ha…
00:15:17 |
Wed 29 Nov 2023
Monday Night Football And Pursuing Two Careers With John Urschel
As kids, some of us dream of multiple careers: being an astronaut AND the next president. Or digging up dinosaurs AND selling out concert stadiums. As we get older, there's pressure to pick one path.…
00:14:49 |
Mon 27 Nov 2023
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of NPR ([email protected]). This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.