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
U.S. Renews Its Commitment To Addressing Climate Change
President Biden is hosting dozens of world leaders for a virtual climate summit on Thursday and Friday. The administration is trying to regain ground lost by pulling out of the Paris climate agreeme…
00:13:45 |
Fri 23 Apr 2021
Medicine And The Horseshoe Crab
Horseshoe crabs have been around for 450 million years — nearly unchanged. And their blood has helped the medical world make some fascinating discoveries. Emily Kwong talks with Ariela Zebede about t…
00:13:44 |
Thu 22 Apr 2021
Micro Wave: Why Hair Turns Gray
Why does hair turn gray? Stress? Age? Genetics? We turn to dermatologist Dr. Jenna Lester for answers.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
00:11:16 |
Wed 21 Apr 2021
Half Of U.S. Adults Have Gotten A Vaccine — But Hurdles Remain For Herd Immunity
Today, NPR Health Correspondent Allison Aubrey offers perspective on how to think about the latest coronavirus news. On one hand, half of U.S. adults have been vaccinated and as of this week, everyon…
00:12:56 |
Tue 20 Apr 2021
A Classroom Where Math And Community Intersect
When you think of mathematicians, do you think of lone geniuses scribbling away at complex equations? This myth is one mathematician Ranthony Edmonds actively tries to dispel in her classroom as a po…
00:13:13 |
Mon 19 Apr 2021
Why Scientists Are Racing To Save Historical Sea Level Records
(Encore episode.) Archival records may help researchers figure out how fast the sea level is rising in certain places. Millions of people in coastal cities are vulnerable to rising sea levels and kno…
00:12:48 |
Fri 16 Apr 2021
Why Baltimore Is Suing Big Oil Over Climate Change
(Encore episode.) Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case brought by the city of Baltimore against more than a dozen major oil and gas companies including BP, ExxonMobil and Sh…
00:14:57 |
Thu 15 Apr 2021
A Rising Tide of Violence Against Environmental Activists
(Encore episode.) Global Witness documented that 212 environmental and land activists were murdered in 2019. Over half of those documented murders took place in Colombia and the Philippines, countrie…
00:14:37 |
Wed 14 Apr 2021
What Happens When The Tides Get Higher
(Encore episode.) As sea levels rise from climate change, coastal communities face a greater risk of chronic flooding. Climate scientist Astrid Caldas and her colleagues have looked at where it's hap…
00:10:39 |
Tue 13 Apr 2021
Debating When The 'Age Of Humans' Began
Humans have changed the Earth in such profound ways that scientists say we have entered a new geological period: the Anthropocene Epoch.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/ad…
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/ad…
00:13:27 |
Mon 12 Apr 2021
The Resurgence Of Psychedelic Psychiatry
Psychedelics like ketamine and psilocybin are getting a second look as a way to treat psychiatric problems like depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, even PTSD. NPR neuroscience correspondent…
00:12:45 |
Fri 09 Apr 2021
Smell Therapy
A curious symptom of COVID-19 that can stick with patients for a long time is loss of smell. Researchers don't know exactly how prevalent the loss of smell ism and while most people recover from it, …
00:12:33 |
Thu 08 Apr 2021
The Queen's Squeak
"Dialects" is one of those words tossed around a lot when talking about human language. They indicate where a speaker is from. But dialects aren't exclusive to humans; scientists have known for a whi…
00:11:25 |
Wed 07 Apr 2021
Vaccinations Are Up, But So Are COVID-19 Cases
More than 61 million people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We're also now averaging over 3 million shots per day. But at the same time, in at least 20 states, reported cases are o…
00:09:24 |
Tue 06 Apr 2021
How To Reach Out When Someone You Know May Be At Risk Of Suicide
Currently, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US. But research shows that suicide is preventable. Host Emily Kwong talks with NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee about the signs …
00:14:15 |
Mon 05 Apr 2021
Micro Wave: Are Seasonal Allergies Getting Worse?
We ask allergy expert Dr. Juanita Mora if seasonal allergies are getting worse. Plus, some quick tips for managing those pesky allergy symptoms.
Email the show at [email protected].
Learn more about sp…
Email the show at [email protected].
Learn more about sp…
00:09:29 |
Fri 02 Apr 2021
Meet The Dermatologists Advancing Better Care For Skin Of Color
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…
00:13:28 |
Thu 01 Apr 2021
Fulgurite: What A Lightning-Formed Rock May Have Contributed To Life On Earth
When lightning strikes the ground, it can leave behind a root-like rock called a fulgurite. Host Maddie Sofia talks with NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about what lightning and its fu…
00:09:02 |
Wed 31 Mar 2021
What We Can Learn From Microscopic Life In Antarctica
Our colleagues at the TED Radio Hour introduce us to wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman. She says the coldest continent is brimming with invisible life that can only be seen through microscopes, includ…
00:12:38 |
Tue 30 Mar 2021
Is The Future Quantum?
NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel takes us to IonQ, one of the companies betting on a quantum computing future. Along the way, Geoff explains what little researchers know about how we might ac…
00:13:18 |
Mon 29 Mar 2021
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of NPR ([email protected]). This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.