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
- 1345
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
What We Gain From Dark Night Skies
For many of us, seeing stars in the night sky is challenging because of light pollution. But there are some communities that are trying to change that. Today on the show, we visit cultural astronomer…
00:11:48 |
Mon 04 Apr 2022
What Octopus Minds May Tell Us About Aliens
Octopuses! They are escape artists, they camouflage in all kinds of surroundings, and they are incredibly intelligent creatures--and that intelligence evolved completely separately from humans'. Th…
00:14:09 |
Fri 01 Apr 2022
The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball
Shall we play a game - of Wiffle ball? Invented in 1953, this lightweight alternative to a baseball is perfectly suited for back yard romping. Today we explain why the design of the Wiffle ball guar…
00:11:55 |
Thu 31 Mar 2022
The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet
When a team of exoplanetary treasure hunters joined forces with professional astronomers, they discovered a whole new world. Short Wave host Emily Kwong talks with astronomer Paul Dalba and community…
00:14:59 |
Wed 30 Mar 2022
To Be DST, Or Not To Be. That Is The Question.
This month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill to make daylight saving time permanent. Now sleep scientists are weighing in and are suggesting the opposite — that standard time might be a be…
00:13:01 |
Tue 29 Mar 2022
Indoor Air Quality is Cool for Schools
The benefits of indoor air quality in schools are substantial, but American school buildings are old and many face major challenges when it comes to upgrades.
Science and health correspondent Maria G…
Science and health correspondent Maria G…
00:12:35 |
Mon 28 Mar 2022
Hal Walker: The Man Who Shot The Moon
In addition to flying, landing, and returning from the moon in 1969 — NASA's Apollo 11 crew helped with a series of scientific experiments. One of them was to leave a special instrument with lots of …
00:13:15 |
Fri 25 Mar 2022
Can Nuclear Power Save A Struggling Coal Town?
A struggling Wyoming coal town may soon go nuclear with help from an unlikely partner, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates. NPR Correspondent Kirk Siegler takes us to Kemmerer, Wyo., where Gates' p…
00:12:47 |
Thu 24 Mar 2022
Should Bulldogs Exist?
Cute, wrinkly faces aside, bulldogs have myriad health problems. Science points to purebred breeding practices as the reason. NPR Science correspondent Lauren Sommer talks to host Aaron Scott about h…
00:11:49 |
Wed 23 Mar 2022
COVID-19 Cases Rise In The U.K., U.S. Watches For New Wave
The omicron outbreak has slowed dramatically in the U.S. But cases are rising in Britain due to an omicron subvariant. There are signs the U.S. could also see a bump in cases in the coming weeks.
Sta…
Sta…
00:07:43 |
Tue 22 Mar 2022
Parents Of Transgender Youth Fear Texas' Anti-Trans Orders
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate certain gender-affirming care as possible child abuse, leaving parents of transgender y…
00:15:48 |
Mon 21 Mar 2022
How Art Can Heal The Brain
Arts therapies appear to ease a host of brain disorders from Parkinson's to PTSD. But these treatments that rely on music, poetry or visual arts haven't been backed by rigorous scientific testing. No…
00:14:20 |
Fri 18 Mar 2022
Fighting Misinformation With Science Journalism
On December 31, 2021, The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify posted an episode with an interview with physician Dr. Robert Malone full of misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. This sparked …
00:14:40 |
Thu 17 Mar 2022
What Mount Kilimanjaro Has To Do With The Search For Alien Life
Understanding how life survives in extreme Earth environments could point to ways life can survive on other worlds. Astrobiologist Morgan Cable talks to host Emily Kwong about how her missions here o…
00:12:58 |
Wed 16 Mar 2022
Humble Pi: Enjoying When Math Goes Awry
Over the last 24 hours, some of us Short Wavers celebrated Pi Day the only way we know how: eating some yummy pie and thinking math thoughts. Here on the show, many of us are math enthusiasts. But no…
00:12:11 |
Tue 15 Mar 2022
Genetic Fact Vs. Fiction And Everything In Between With Janina Jeff
Geneticist Janina Jeff is back on the show to talk with host Emily Kwong about season 2 of her podcast In Those Genes. They talk about rhythm, aging and navigating what can be ascribed to our genes a…
00:14:39 |
Mon 14 Mar 2022
A Physics Legend Part Two: Chien-Shiung Wu's Granddaughter Reflects
Growing up, Jada Yuan didn't realize how famous her grandmother was in the world of physics. In this episode, we delve into the life of physicist Chien-Shiung Wu from her granddaughter's perspective.…
00:13:55 |
Fri 11 Mar 2022
A Physics Legend Part One: How Chien-Shiung Wu Changed Physics Forever
In the 1950's, a particle physicist made a landmark discovery that changed what we thought we knew about how our universe operates. And Chien-Shiung Wu did it while raising a family and an ocean away…
00:12:24 |
Thu 10 Mar 2022
TASTE BUDDIES: Science of Sour
Pucker up, duderinos! Short Wave's kicking off a series on taste we're calling, "Taste Buddies." In today's episode, we meet Atlantic science writer Katherine Wu and together, we take a tour through …
00:15:19 |
Wed 09 Mar 2022
Checking In On Our Pandemic Habits: What To Lose And What To Keep?
Over the last few years, we've all found different ways to cope with the pandemic. Some people started drinking more, moving less, maybe eating more. Now that the pandemic is at a lull, health expert…
00:10:38 |
Tue 08 Mar 2022
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