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
TASTE BUDDIES: Umami And The Redemption Of MSG
We're continuing our celebration of taste with another episode in our "Taste Buddies" series. Today: Umami.
In the early 1900s a Japanese chemist identified umami, but it took a century for his work t…
In the early 1900s a Japanese chemist identified umami, but it took a century for his work t…
00:14:57 |
Tue 26 Jul 2022
TASTE BUDDIES: Pucker Up! It's The Science Of Sour
This week Short Wave is celebrating our sense of taste with an entire week of themed episodes, covering everything from sugar and spice to what's beyond our classic ideas of taste. It's a series we'r…
00:15:54 |
Mon 25 Jul 2022
The Accelerated Approvals Process: Are Drugmakers Fulfilling Their Promises?
The Food and Drug Administration allows faster drug approvals based on preliminary study data if the drug fulfills an unmet medical need. But the speedy approval comes with a promise that the drugmak…
00:12:35 |
Fri 22 Jul 2022
Russia's War In Ukraine Is Hurting Nature
The war in Ukraine is devastating that nation's rich, natural environment - from chemical leaks poisoning water supplies and warships killing dolphins to explosions disrupting bird migrations. NPR En…
00:11:45 |
Thu 21 Jul 2022
Keeping Score On Climate: How We Measure Greenhouse Gases
Host Emily Kwong wants to keep an eye on her carbon footprint. Most of it consists of greenhouse gas emissions from driving her car or buying meat at the grocery store. But it's not so obvious how to…
00:14:42 |
Wed 20 Jul 2022
Venus And The 18th Century Space Race
In the 18th century the world was focused on Venus. Expeditions were launched in pursuit of exact measurements of Venus as it passed between Earth and the Sun. By viewing its journey and location on …
00:09:44 |
Tue 19 Jul 2022
How Clarice Phelps Put Her Mark On The Periodic Table
As a kid, Clarice Phelps dreamed of being an astronaut, or maybe an explorer like the characters on Star Trek. And while her path to a career in science was different than what she expected, it led h…
00:12:12 |
Mon 18 Jul 2022
The Universe's Baby Pictures (Squee!) From The James Webb Space Telescope
Earlier this week we got a look at one of the highest-profile scientific photo dumps of all time. The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful telescope ever sent into space, and it is produci…
00:13:34 |
Fri 15 Jul 2022
Making Space Travel Accessible For People With Disabilities
This week NASA released some of the sharpest images of space ever from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope's camera gives us a glimpse into distant galaxies and a picture of the makings of …
00:14:01 |
Thu 14 Jul 2022
Real Life 'Goonies'? A Mysterious Shipwreck Found Off the Oregon Coast
For centuries, mysterious blocks of beeswax and Chinese porcelain have washed up on the Oregon coast, leading to legends of pirates, treasure, and a sunken Spanish galleon. It became known as the Bee…
00:13:49 |
Wed 13 Jul 2022
BA.5: The Omicron Subvariant Driving Up Cases — And Reinfections
BA.5 is now the dominant SARS-CoV-2 subvariant in the United States. It's driving up COVID cases and hospitalizations across the country.
It's also causing quicker reinfections. More people appear to…
It's also causing quicker reinfections. More people appear to…
00:08:00 |
Tue 12 Jul 2022
Everything On A Bagel: A Conversation With Daniels
Directing Duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, (collectively: Daniels) are known for their first feature film Swiss Army Man and DJ Snake's and Lil Jon's music video "Turn Down For What." This year,…
00:14:58 |
Mon 11 Jul 2022
Tiny Critter Week Finale: Nudibranchs Do It Better
We're wrapping up Tiny Critter Week with a reprise of one of our favorite episodes — nudibranchs. In this episode, Maddie and Emily got super nerdy, diving into the incredible world of nudibranchs. T…
00:13:40 |
Fri 08 Jul 2022
Liquid Gold: The Wonder Of Honey
Honey bees know a lot about honey, and humans are starting to catch up. Scientists are now looking at how the chemicals in honey affect bee health. With the help of research scientist Bernarda Calla,…
00:11:40 |
Thu 07 Jul 2022
Spiders Can Fear Other Spiders
If you're not so fond of spiders, you may find kindred spirits in other spiders! Researcher Daniela Roessler worked with jumping spiders and found that they know to get away from the presence of othe…
00:12:42 |
Wed 06 Jul 2022
Against All Odds, The Pumpkin Toadlet Is
Being small has its advantages ... and some limitations. One organism that intimately knows the pros and cons of being mini is the pumpkin toadlet.
As an adult, the animal reaches merely the size of …
As an adult, the animal reaches merely the size of …
00:12:29 |
Tue 05 Jul 2022
Tiny Critters On The Way This Week
Hey, Short Wavers!
We're off today, but wanted to give you a sneak peek into this week's episodes. To inject a little levity into your (and our) lives, we're celebrating some of the smaller animals in…
We're off today, but wanted to give you a sneak peek into this week's episodes. To inject a little levity into your (and our) lives, we're celebrating some of the smaller animals in…
00:00:32 |
Mon 04 Jul 2022
If Monkeys Could Talk...
... Could a monkey host this podcast?
Aaron Scott and Resident Neuroscience Nerd Jon Hamilton discuss the vocal capabilities of our primate relatives. From syllables and consonants to rhythm and pitch…
Aaron Scott and Resident Neuroscience Nerd Jon Hamilton discuss the vocal capabilities of our primate relatives. From syllables and consonants to rhythm and pitch…
00:13:36 |
Fri 01 Jul 2022
Micro Wave: Scientists Discover GINORMOUS Bacteria
The Caribbean is home to gorgeous beaches, mangroves and ... the biggest bacteria known to humankind. Find out exactly how big from science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce in this Micro Wave. Then…
00:08:38 |
Thu 30 Jun 2022
Climate Change Is Tough On Personal Finances
A majority of people say they have experienced extreme weather in the last five years, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan …
00:11:52 |
Wed 29 Jun 2022
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