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.
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- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 1344
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
This Is Canada's Worst Fire Season In Modern History. It's Not New
Canada is having its worst fire season in modern history. The fires have burnt more than 20 million acres, casting hazardous smoke over parts of the U.S. and stretching Canadian firefighting resource…
00:13:26 |
Wed 12 Jul 2023
The Only Nuclear-Powered Passenger Ship EVER
In the Port of Baltimore, a ship is docked that hasn't transported passengers for more than 50 years. It's the NS Savannah and it's designated a National Historic Landmark. That's because it was the …
00:11:54 |
Mon 10 Jul 2023
What Geologists Love — And Lament — About Cult Classic 'The Core'
20 years ago, the cult classic movie 'The Core' was released in theaters. From the start, it's clear that science is more a plot device than anything — but some scientists love it anyway. Today, Scie…
00:13:03 |
Fri 07 Jul 2023
Tick Check! Meet Your Backyard Bloodsuckers
We hope you had a restful holiday! Maybe even got outside for some relaxing fresh air. If so, you might've come across cute and not-so-cute critters like ticks. With ticks in mind, we're heading to B…
00:09:30 |
Wed 05 Jul 2023
The Chemistry Behind A Perfect Barbeque
Chefs will tell you, cooking is not just an art — it's a science. And the spirit of summer barbecues, NPR science correspondent Sydney Lupkin brings us this piece about how understanding the chemistr…
00:12:08 |
Mon 03 Jul 2023
Why This Gravitational Waves News Is A Big Deal
New gravitational waves, why orcas might be attacking boats and a new robot prototype inspired by animals: it's all in our latest roundup of science news, with All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro,…
00:08:37 |
Fri 30 Jun 2023
An unexpected forest in the ocean
Salomé Buglass discovered an unexpected kelp forest while studying underwater mountains in the Galapagos. Kelp—a type of seaweed—usually grows in shallower, cooler areas. So why was an entire kelp fo…
00:12:16 |
Wed 28 Jun 2023
A Smarter Way To Use Sunscreen
Sunscreen: we should all be using it, but we might not all be using it the right way. In fact, the type of sunscreen you use may not be nearly as important as using it effectively. With the help of a…
00:12:10 |
Mon 26 Jun 2023
Rethinking The Lab Rat
For generations, scientists have leaned on seven key species, including rats and mice, for research. They're called model organisms and they've been standardized over the year — removing as much indi…
00:12:39 |
Fri 23 Jun 2023
This Satellite Could Help Clean Up The Air
In pockets across the U.S., communities are struggling with polluted air — often in neighborhoods where working class people and people of color live. A new NASA satellite called Tropospheric Emissio…
00:11:06 |
Wed 21 Jun 2023
New Star Trek Season, Same Ol' Sci-Fi
Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered June 15 (streaming on Paramount+). So today, Short Wave Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber chats with two Trekkie phy…
00:14:42 |
Mon 19 Jun 2023
A Newly-Discovered Asteroid And What's Beneath The Ice On Enceladus
All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro returns to nerd-our with Short Wave hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber on three science headlines from space: a newly-discovered asteroid, a new moon-relate…
00:09:05 |
Fri 16 Jun 2023
Give Rivers Space: The Simple Flood Risk Fix
With much of California's massive snowpack yet to melt, downstream communities remain on high alert for flooding. Hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged during the record-breaking winter, which …
00:10:29 |
Wed 14 Jun 2023
Life Lessons From Supernovae
For many scientists, science isn't something they check in and out of — it permeates their whole lives. That's true for Sarafina El-Badry Nance, an astrophysicist and science communicator. In her new…
00:14:30 |
Mon 12 Jun 2023
How To Stay Safe Amid Wildfire Smoke
Smoke from Canadian wildfires is causing poor air quality in parts of the U.S. This smoke can have dangerous health effects because it carries fine particulates known as PM 2.5. With millions of peop…
00:12:07 |
Fri 09 Jun 2023
Behold! The Dulcet Tones Of Cosmic Rays
Teppei Katori loves two things: particle physics and music. Naturally, he combined the two. Today on Short Wave, Teppei talks to host Regina G. Barber about how he and his collaborators convert data …
00:11:43 |
Wed 07 Jun 2023
The Rise Of The Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs ruled the earth for many millions of years, but only after a mass extinction took out most of their rivals. Just how that happened remains a mystery — sounds like a case for paleoclimatolog…
00:14:27 |
Mon 05 Jun 2023
Helping A Man Walk Again With Science
This week's science news roundup reunites All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang with Short Wave hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber to dig into the latest headlines in biomedical research, also k…
00:09:38 |
Fri 02 Jun 2023
Why Melting Ice In Antarctica Is Making Hurricanes Worse In Texas
Ice in Antarctica is melting really quickly because of climate change. That's driving sea level rise around the world, and the water is rising especially fast in the seaside city of Galveston, Texas …
00:13:11 |
Wed 31 May 2023
What Happens When An Infant Loses Half Their Brain?
Mora Leeb was 9 months old when surgeons removed half her brain. Now 15, she plays soccer and tells jokes. Scientists say Mora is an extreme example of a process known as brain plasticity, which allo…
00:12:21 |
Mon 29 May 2023
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