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
- 1345
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Three Sisters And The Fight Against Alzheimer's Disease
Nearly a decade ago, Karen Douthitt and her sisters June Ward and Susie Gilliam set out to learn why Alzheimer's disease was affecting so many of their family members. Since then, each sister has fou…
00:11:38 |
Tue 20 Sep 2022
How Muggy Is It? Check The Dew Point!
Last week, Lauren Sommer talked with Short Wave about the dangerous combination of heat and humidity in the era of climate change and how the heat index can sometimes miss the mark in warning people …
00:09:40 |
Mon 19 Sep 2022
How Freaked Out Should We Be About Ukraine's Nuclear Plant?
The world has been warily watching the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. The nuclear complex is being held by Russian forces, while the plant itself is being run by an increasingly ragged and ex…
00:13:03 |
Fri 16 Sep 2022
Heat Can Take A Deadly Toll On Humans
Heat—it's common in summer in much of the world, but it's getting increasingly more lethal as climate change causes more extreme heat. NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer talks with Short Wave's …
00:10:52 |
Thu 15 Sep 2022
What The Universe Is Doing RIGHT NOW
A century ago, astronomers were locked in a debate about the scope of our universe. Were we it?
The answer is no. There are other galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and they are speeding away from us. An…
The answer is no. There are other galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and they are speeding away from us. An…
00:11:15 |
Wed 14 Sep 2022
When Should I Get My Omicron Booster Shot?
Updated COVID boosters are now available that target the Omicron subvariant and many Americans 12 and older are eligible for the shot. Host Emily Kwong and health correspondent Allison Aubrey talk ab…
00:10:49 |
Tue 13 Sep 2022
Name That Tune! Why The Brain Remembers Songs
Why do some songs can stick with us for a long time, even when other memories start to fade? Science reporter (and former Short Wave intern) Rasha Aridi explains the neuroscience behind that surprisi…
00:13:24 |
Mon 12 Sep 2022
The Race To Rescue The Guadalupe Fescue
Big Bend National Park in Texas is home to the only remaining Guadalupe fescue in the United States. The grass is tucked away in the Chisos Mountains, high above the Chihuahuan Desert. These mountain…
00:12:59 |
Fri 09 Sep 2022
Short Wave Goes To The Circus
Julia Ruth has a pretty cool job: it takes a lot of strength, a lot of balance, and a surprising amount of physics.
As a circus artist, Julia has performed her acrobatic Cyr wheel routine around the…
As a circus artist, Julia has performed her acrobatic Cyr wheel routine around the…
00:12:31 |
Thu 08 Sep 2022
'Scallop Discos': How Some Glitzy Lights Could Lead To A Low-Impact Fishery
Scientists in the UK have discovered that if they take a pot meant for catching crabs and just add some bright lights, scallops flock through the door like it's Studio 54. Scallops are normally fishe…
00:14:40 |
Wed 07 Sep 2022
Surf's Always Up — In Waco, Texas
Some of the world's best artificial waves are happening hundreds of miles from the ocean—in Waco, Texas. They're so good, they're attracting top professionals, casual riders and a science corresponde…
00:11:34 |
Tue 06 Sep 2022
Happy Labor Day!
We're taking the day off for the Labor Day holiday! We hope you're also able to get some rest. We'll be back with another episode tomorrow.
You can now chat us up on Twitter @NPRShortWave. We'd love t…
You can now chat us up on Twitter @NPRShortWave. We'd love t…
00:00:21 |
Mon 05 Sep 2022
Worm Blobs From The Bowels Of The Earth
In the toxic waters of Sulphur Cave in Steamboat Springs, Colo. lives blood-red worm blobs that have attracted scientific interest from around the world. We don special breathing gear and go into the…
00:13:13 |
Fri 02 Sep 2022
The Stars That Settled The Great Debate
It may seem obvious now that other galaxies lie beyond the Milky Way, but less than 100 years ago, some astronomers held a view of our universe that was a little more ... self-centered. In the 1920s,…
00:10:36 |
Thu 01 Sep 2022
Quiz Bowl! How Animals Sense The World
Do worms feel pain? How do otters experience the world? What are those pink appendages on the face of the star-nosed mole? We answer all these questions and more in this quiz show episode of Short Wa…
00:13:58 |
Wed 31 Aug 2022
The Man Who Shot The Moon
NASA's Artemis Moon mission was supposed to launch Monday. But it was delayed due to a problem one of the rocket engines. When it launches, it will be a giant step towards sending humans back to the …
00:13:57 |
Tue 30 Aug 2022
988: An Alternative To 911 For Mental Health
People experiencing a mental health crisis have a new way to reach out for help in the U.S. — calling or texting the numbers 9-8-8. Today, health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee joins Scientist in Res…
00:12:53 |
Mon 29 Aug 2022
Experience The Quietest Place On Earth
In a crater at the top of a dormant volcano lies a place so quiet, the ambient sound is right near the threshold of human hearing. Visitors to the crater say they can hear their own heartbeats. This …
00:13:12 |
Fri 26 Aug 2022
Artemis: NASA's New Chapter In Space
Humans haven't set foot on the moon in 50 years, but NASA hopes to take one step closer with the launch of a new rocket and space capsule on Monday. Today, science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce …
00:11:38 |
Thu 25 Aug 2022
Searching The Ocean's Depths For Future Medicines
Plunge into the ocean off the west coast of Ireland...and then keep plunging, down to where there's no light and the temperature is just above freezing. That's where underwater chemist Sam Afoullouss…
00:10:07 |
Wed 24 Aug 2022
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