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
How To Talk About The COVID-19 Vaccine With People Who Are Hesitant
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Jasmine Marcelin has spent the last year talking to a lot of people about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Today on the show, in part two of a two part series, Dr. Marc…
00:16:00 |
Thu 06 Jan 2022
Doctor Finds Hope In Helping Inform And Vaccinate Her Community
On today's show, Emily Kwong checks in with infectious disease physician Dr. Jasmine Marcelin at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Jasmine spoke to Short Wave last year about how COVID-19 af…
00:12:37 |
Wed 05 Jan 2022
An Ode To The Manta Ray
A few months ago, on a trip to Hawaii, Short Wave host Emily Kwong encountered manta rays for the first time. The experience was eerie and enchanting. And it left Emily wondering — what more is there…
00:15:10 |
Tue 04 Jan 2022
The Science Of The Delta-8 Craze
The cannabis industry is where the chemistry lab meets agriculture. Delta-8-THC is chemically derived and the hemp industry's fastest growing product. It has been popping up in smoke shops, CBD shops…
00:15:28 |
Mon 03 Jan 2022
This New Year - Slow Down, It Doesn't Mean You're Lazy
Social Psychologist Devon Price says instead of viewing "laziness" as a deficit or something people need to fix or overcome with caffeine or longer work hours, think of it as a sign you probably need…
00:18:14 |
Fri 31 Dec 2021
2021: Celebrating The Joy Of Birds
Lot of people took up bird watching in some form during the pandemic, including Short Wave editor Gisele Grayson. She edited this episode about 2021's #BlackBirdersWeek — it about celebrating Black …
00:14:18 |
Thu 30 Dec 2021
Meet the Dermatologists Changing Their Field
Many skin conditions, from rashes to Lyme disease to various cancers, present differently on dark skin. Yet medical literature and textbooks don't often include those images, pointing to a bigger pro…
00:14:17 |
Wed 29 Dec 2021
Our Favorite Things: Math And Community In The Classroom
That's right — Day 2 of Short Wave's Favorite Episodes Week is pure math goodness! This encore episode, we revisit a conversation with mathematician Ranthony Edmonds. She reminds us that the idea of …
00:15:00 |
Tue 28 Dec 2021
Our Favorite Things, Short Wave-style
It's "My Favorite Things" week on Short Wave! Through December 30th, we'll dive into our archive to bring y'all some of our personal faves — including behind-the-scenes stories from the team.
First…
First…
00:11:38 |
Mon 27 Dec 2021
Octavia Butler: Visionary Fiction
Today we are wrapping up Science Fiction Week with a very special episode from our friends at NPR's history podcast Throughline.
As a part of their Imagining New Worlds series, they dive into the lif…
As a part of their Imagining New Worlds series, they dive into the lif…
01:04:56 |
Thu 23 Dec 2021
Want To Start Reading Sci-Fi And Fantasy? Here's A Beginner's Guide
Today we're bringing you a beginner's guide to reading science fiction and fantasy from our friends at NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and Life Kit.
So whether you're a longtime fan or a stranger in thes…
So whether you're a longtime fan or a stranger in thes…
00:19:39 |
Wed 22 Dec 2021
Sci-Fi Movie Club: 'Contact'
Today we're throwing back to one of our favorite Science Movie Club episodes: 'Contact' featuring Jodie Foster. It was a real crowd pleaser, especially among extraterrestrials and Carl Sagan fans, an…
00:13:08 |
Tue 21 Dec 2021
Happy Science Fiction Week, Earthlings!
It's Science Fiction Week on Short Wave, earthlings! So strap on your zero gravity suits and polish your light sabers because we're about to get nerdy ... starting with today's episode. It's one of o…
00:13:20 |
Mon 20 Dec 2021
Ellen Ochoa's Extraordinary NASA Career
Ellen Ochoa didn't get picked the first time she applied to become an astronaut--nor the second. But she eventually went to space four times. In this excerpt from the podcast Wisdom from the Top, h…
00:08:52 |
Sun 19 Dec 2021
Safety Precautions For The Holiday Season
The Omicron variant is spreading across the U.S. as the holidays are upon us. Science Desk reporter Maria Godoy has the latest on the variant and tips for reducing your risk of contracting the virus…
00:14:24 |
Sat 18 Dec 2021
The James Webb Space Telescope Is About To Launch
Soon the highly anticipated James Webb Space Telescope will blast off into space, hurtling almost a million miles away from Earth, where it will orbit the Sun. Decades in the making, scientists hope …
00:14:28 |
Fri 17 Dec 2021
Striving To Make Space Accessible For People With Disabilities
As spaceflight inches closer to becoming a reality for some private citizens, science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel chats with the New York Times disability fellow Amanda Morris about why one organiza…
00:13:27 |
Thu 16 Dec 2021
NIH Director Talks The Pandemic, Vaccine Hesitancy And Americans' Health
Dr. Francis Collins talks with health correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin about Americans' overall health, how tribalism in American culture has fueled vaccine hesitancy, and advises his successor o…
00:16:08 |
Wed 15 Dec 2021
The Winter Twindemic: Flu And COVID
The U.S. is approaching 800,000 COVID-19 deaths as the Omicron variant spreads and the Delta variant continues to circulate. Hospital admissions are up more than 20 percent over the last two weeks. …
00:12:44 |
Tue 14 Dec 2021
Concussions: How A Mild Brain Injury Can Alter Our Perception Of Sound
Headaches, nausea, dizziness, and confusion are among the most common symptoms of a concussion. But researchers say a blow to the head can also make it hard to understand speech in a noisy room. Emil…
00:12:55 |
Mon 13 Dec 2021
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