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
Building A Shark Science Community For Women Of Color
As a kid, Jasmin Graham was endlessly curious about the ocean. Her constant questioning eventually led her to a career in marine science studying sharks and rays. But until relatively recently, she h…
00:11:13 |
Mon 19 Jul 2021
The Joy Of Ice Cream's Texture
July is National Ice Cream Month — and Sunday, July 18 is National Ice Cream Day (in the US)! Flavors range from the classics — vanilla and chocolate — to the adventurous — jalapeño and cicada. But f…
00:14:02 |
Fri 16 Jul 2021
Three Guidelines To Understanding The Delta Variant
Delta is quickly becoming the dominant coronavirus variant in multiple countries. The variant has spread so fast because it is more contagious than the variants that came before it. At the same time,…
00:14:14 |
Thu 15 Jul 2021
What Science Fiction Gets Wrong About Space Travel
Contrary to sci-fi depictions in shows like Iron Man and Star Wars, getting from point A to point B in space is a tough engineering problem. NPR Science Correspondent Geoff Brumfiel explains how spac…
00:12:29 |
Wed 14 Jul 2021
The Ripple Effects Of A Huge Drop In Cancer Screenings
At the height of the pandemic, routine cancer screenings declined by 90 percent. Screenings are resuming and doctors are diagnosing later-stage cancers — cancers that might have been caught earlier. …
00:07:53 |
Tue 13 Jul 2021
The Mysterious Ice Worm
On the mountaintop glaciers of the Pacific Northwest lives a mysterious, and often, overlooked creature. They're small, thread-like worms that wiggle through snow and ice. That's right, ice worms! NP…
00:13:29 |
Mon 12 Jul 2021
Micro Wave: What Is 'Brain Freeze'?
Summer's here. Time for a cool treat. So, you grab a popsicle from the freezer. Ahh ... that's better. Until, out of nowhere, a sharp sudden pain rushes to your forehead. You've got brain freeze!
We t…
We t…
00:09:25 |
Fri 09 Jul 2021
FEMA Has An Equity Problem, Part Two: Race
FEMA acknowledges that the way it distributes aid often benefits some people more than others--and those who receive less aid are those people with the fewest resources to begin with. Rhitu Chatterje…
00:11:46 |
Thu 08 Jul 2021
Teens Ask, We Answer: What's Up With COVID Vaccines?
People between the ages of 12 and 17 are now eligible to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and health officials expect this age group will soon be able to receive the Moderna one. So, health reporter P…
00:14:01 |
Wed 07 Jul 2021
FACT SMACK: Bats! They're Cooler Than Birds
With the help of ecologist Rodrigo Medellín, the "Bat Man of Mexico," Rasha Aridi (former Short Waver) presents the case for why bats are the best and coolest flying creatures out there!
Are you a sc…
Are you a sc…
00:12:47 |
Mon 05 Jul 2021
'Arrival': How To Talk To Aliens
(Encore episode) The 2016 movie Arrival, an adaptation of Ted Chiang's novella Story of Your Life, captured the imaginations of science fiction fans worldwide. Field linguist Jessica Coon, who consul…
00:13:08 |
Fri 02 Jul 2021
FEMA Has An Equity Problem
When a disaster like a hurricane or wildfire destroys a house, the clock starts ticking. It gets harder for sick people to take their medications, medical devices may stop working without electricity…
00:12:47 |
Thu 01 Jul 2021
The Climate Crisis Is A Public Health Crisis
A recent study published in Nature found that 37 percent of heat-related deaths are due to climate change. Dr. Renee Salas is seeing this in the emergency room of Massachusetts General Hospital. She'…
00:12:13 |
Wed 30 Jun 2021
Organic Chemistry Helped Me Embrace My Identities
As a kid, Ariana Remmel had a hard time figuring out where they fit in. So they found comfort in the certainty and understanding of what the world was made of: atoms and molecules and the periodic ta…
00:11:53 |
Tue 29 Jun 2021
Lessons Learned From Hindered Contact Tracing Efforts In The U.S.
Early in the pandemic, contact tracing was viewed as one of the best options to quell the spread of coronavirus infections. The idea was to have public health workers track down people who tested pos…
00:14:28 |
Mon 28 Jun 2021
FDA Approves Aducanumab — A Controversial Drug For Alzheimer's
The FDA has approved a new drug for Alzheimer's. But a lot of experts are skeptical about whether the drug works. Rhitu Chatterjee talks with science correspondent Jon Hamilton about the controversia…
00:11:52 |
Fri 25 Jun 2021
Climate Change Is Threatening The U.S. West's Water Supply
The past year has been the driest or second driest in most Southwestern U.S. states since record-keeping began in 1895. Climate Correspondent Lauren Sommer reports that farms and cities have begun im…
00:12:09 |
Thu 24 Jun 2021
Loving Sally Ride
Tam O'Shaughnessy and Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, shared a passion for getting girls involved in STEM. It led them to co-found Sally Ride Science, a company focused on equit…
00:14:39 |
Wed 23 Jun 2021
COVID-19 Vaccines, Boosters And The Renaissance In Vaccine Technology
Health Correspondent Allison Aubrey updates us on the Biden Administration's goal to have 70 percent of U.S. adults vaccinated by the July 4. Plus, as vaccine makers plan for the possibility that COV…
00:10:35 |
Tue 22 Jun 2021
Behold! The Anus: An Evolutionary Marvel
The anus is an evolutionary marvel. But how and when did this organ evolve into what it is today? Today on Short Wave, Maddie gets to the bottom of these questions with The Atlantic's science writer …
00:10:20 |
Mon 21 Jun 2021
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