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
Galaxies Are Older Than We Thought — That's A Big Deal
If you ask a physicist or cosmologist about the beginnings of the universe, they'll probably point you to some math and tell you about the Big Bang theory. It's a scientific theory about how the enti…
00:11:50 |
Fri 26 May 2023
When Your Body Rejects The Kidney It Needs
In February 2021, pandemic restrictions were just starting to ease in Hawaii, and Leila Mirhaydari was finally able to see her kidney doctor. Transplanted organs need diligent care, and Leila had bee…
00:11:46 |
Wed 24 May 2023
Two Squirrely Responses To Climate Change
Kwasi Wrensford studies two related species: the Alpine chipmunk and the Lodgepole chipmunk. The two have very different ways of coping with climate change. In this episode, Kwasi explains to host Em…
00:12:19 |
Mon 22 May 2023
The Physics Behind The Perfect Gummy Candy
This week for our science news roundup, superstar host of All Things Considered Ari Shapiro joins Short Wave hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber to discuss the joy and wonder found in all types of…
00:09:17 |
Fri 19 May 2023
Why You Can't Tell Your Race From A DNA Test
Race is a social construct — so why are DNA test kits like the ones from 23andMe coded like they reveal biological fact about the user's racial makeup? This episode, Short Wave Scientist in Residence…
00:12:37 |
Wed 17 May 2023
Long COVID Scientists Try To Unravel Blood Clot Mystery
The COVID-19 public health emergency has ended, but millions across the globe continue to deal with Long COVID. Researchers are still pursuing basic questions about Long COVID — its causes, how to te…
00:13:22 |
Mon 15 May 2023
Move over, humans—lemurs have rhythm, too
There's a lot for scientists to learn about the origins of humans' musical abilities. In the last few years, though, they've discovered homo sapiens have some company in our ability to make musical r…
00:12:01 |
Fri 12 May 2023
We Need To Talk About Teens, Social Media And Mental Health
This week, the American Psychological Association issued its first-of-kind guidelines for parents to increase protection for children online. It comes at a time of rising rates of depression and anxi…
00:13:12 |
Wed 10 May 2023
What Could We Do With A Third Thumb?
Today on the show, we meet a prosthetic designer and a neuroscientist fascinated with understanding how the brain and body might adapt to something we haven't had before — a third thumb. Dani Clode a…
00:11:24 |
Mon 08 May 2023
Some people get sick from VR. Why?
Another week comes by, and luckily so does our roundup of science news. This time, we've got some questions about better understanding our health: Why do some people get motion sickness from virtual …
00:10:20 |
Fri 05 May 2023
Will Artificial Intelligence Help — Or Hurt — Medicine?
A doctor's job is to help patients. With that help, often comes lots and lots of paperwork. That's where some startups are betting artificial intelligence may come in. The hope is that chatbots could…
00:12:00 |
Tue 02 May 2023
Shoring Up The Future With Greener Batteries
Today on the show, next-generation energy innovators Bill David and Serena Cussen challenged us to think about the future of clean energy storage. They spoke to Emily Kwong at the 2023 annual meeting…
00:13:08 |
Mon 01 May 2023
SUPERBLOOM: An Upside To The California Downpours
California's wet winter has devastated many local communities. It has also benefited some of the state's endangered ecosystems. Those benefits are on full display in California's largest remaining gr…
00:14:37 |
Fri 28 Apr 2023
Worm Blobs In The Bowels Of The Earth
In the toxic waters of Sulphur Cave in Steamboat Springs, Colo. live blood-red worm blobs that have attracted international scientific interest. We don special breathing gear and go into the cave wit…
00:14:50 |
Wed 26 Apr 2023
The News Roundup Goes Intergalactic
It's our latest roundup of science news! This time, with Ailsa Chang of NPR's All Things Considered, who joins us to discuss three stories that take us on a journey through space — from the sounds of…
00:12:02 |
Mon 24 Apr 2023
Fire And Ice: Linking Intense Wildfire And The Melting Arctic
In the Arctic Ocean, sea ice is shrinking as the climate heats up. In the Western U.S., wildfires are getting increasingly destructive. Those two phenomena are thousands of miles apart, but scientist…
00:12:13 |
Fri 21 Apr 2023
The Race To Protect Millions Of People From Melting Glaciers
Melting glaciers are leaving behind large, unstable lakes that can cause dangerous flash floods. Millions of people downstream are threatened.
In today's episode, NPR Climate Desk reporter Rebecca He…
In today's episode, NPR Climate Desk reporter Rebecca He…
00:14:33 |
Wed 19 Apr 2023
Where are the whales? Scientists find clues thousands of miles away
Endangered North Atlantic right whales are disappearing from their native waters, a serious danger for a species with only 340 animals left. The mystery behind this change took NPR's climate reporter…
00:12:30 |
Mon 17 Apr 2023
Are Rats Running This Podcast?
This week, New York City crowned Kathleen Corradi its first rat czar. The new position is part of a multipronged approach from city officials. Reporter and New Yorker Anil Oza called up rodentologist…
00:14:04 |
Fri 14 Apr 2023
Peep The Delightful Science Of Chickens
When Tove Danovich decided to dabble in backyard chicken keeping, she embraced a tried and true journalistic practice — reading everything there is to find on the subject. In her search, she found p…
00:12:40 |
Wed 12 Apr 2023
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