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
- 1342
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Nature Quest: Are Flowers Blooming Early?
Welcome!! This is the first episode of Nature Quest, a monthly Short Wave segment that answers listener questions about your local environment. This month, we hear from a listener in California who's…
00:12:36 |
Tue 22 Apr 2025
Should Humans Live On Mars?
As global warming continues and space technology improves, there is more and more talk about the growing possibility of a sci-fi future in which humans become a multiplanetary species. Specifically, …
00:14:14 |
Mon 21 Apr 2025
Good Vibrations: How Fiddler Crabs Mate
The male European fiddler crab attracts his mate by performing a courtship dance. New research published in the Journal of Experimental Biology says that dance isn't just notable for its visuals — it…
00:09:00 |
Fri 18 Apr 2025
How Nature Makes A Complex Brain
A recent series of studies suggests that the brains of birds, reptiles and mammals all evolved independently — even though they share a common ancestor. That means evolution has found more than one w…
00:12:58 |
Wed 16 Apr 2025
Your Allergies May Be Getting Worse
Plants are blooming right now – and so are people's allergies. And if it feels like those pesky symptoms are getting worse ... you're probably right. Wednesday, a review published in the journal The …
00:07:27 |
Tue 15 Apr 2025
All Hail The Butt Flicker
Did you know there's an insect that can fling its pee 40 times faster than a cheetah accelerates? We did — thanks to a comic from the Bhamla Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Since 2020, p…
00:12:09 |
Mon 14 Apr 2025
How Do Astronomers Find Exoplanets? Wiggles!
Dune. Star Wars. Alien. Science fiction movies love alien worlds, and so do we. But how do scientists find planets outside our solar system in real life? One way is by looking for the stars that wigg…
00:12:41 |
Fri 11 Apr 2025
Could Psychedelics Become Tripless?
This week, we've heard from researchers trying to untangle the effects of the "trip" that often comes with psychedelics and ketamine from the ways these drugs might change the human brain. For part t…
00:12:58 |
Wed 09 Apr 2025
What If You Took The "Trip" Out Of Ketamine?
What if you could get all the potential benefits of ketamine without the "trip"? For part two of our series on psychedelics, we look at how some researchers are trying to disentangle the "trip" from …
00:12:10 |
Tue 08 Apr 2025
Why The Trip Complicates Psychedelic Research
Researchers are studying psychedelics as a possible treatment for conditions like depression, PTSD and substance use disorders. But they don't know exactly how these drugs work.
Getting the answer to…
Getting the answer to…
00:11:54 |
Mon 07 Apr 2025
Could Running Change Your Brain?
Running an entire marathon takes a lot of energy. Neuroscientist Carlos Matute knows this: he's run 18 of them. He wondered how runners' bodies get the energy they need to make it to the finish line.…
00:07:35 |
Fri 04 Apr 2025
Tornado Alley: Home Of Extreme Winds
Each year, the United States has about 1,200 tornadoes. Many of them happen in tornado alley, a very broad swath of the U.S. that shifts seasonally. This area gets at least ten times more tornadoes t…
00:11:08 |
Wed 02 Apr 2025
The Iguanas That Rafted To Fiji
Most iguanas are indigenous to the Americas. So how did the Fijian species end up on the island, nearly 5000 miles away in the South Pacific? According to a new study in the journal PNAS, it was prob…
00:09:18 |
Tue 01 Apr 2025
Is AI Ready For Robots?
It seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere in our virtual lives. It's in our search results and our phones. But what happens when AI moves out of the chat and into the real world? NPR scienc…
00:12:42 |
Mon 31 Mar 2025
Rare Narwhal Footage Shows New Tusk Activities
What are the narwhals up to? Generally, we don't really know! They are mysterious creatures. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce talks about new, rare drone footage scientists captured of …
00:12:09 |
Fri 28 Mar 2025
The Algae That Thrive in Arctic Darkness
Microalgae are tiny organisms that convert energy from sunlight into fuel. The arctic ecosystem depends on them. In springtime, the algae bloom brilliant shades of green and draw tiny crustaceans, fi…
00:13:34 |
Wed 26 Mar 2025
Climate Change + Baseball = More Home Runs
Baseball season is nigh! From Yankee stadium in New York to Dodger stadium in Los Angeles, teams around the country will face off Thursday to mark the start of the 2025 MLB season. And when we here a…
00:12:08 |
Tue 25 Mar 2025
What Scientists Got Wrong About COVID-19
Early in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists predicted the SARS-CoV-2 virus would mutate slowly. They were wrong. Hundreds of thousands of viral mutations and multiple seasonal waves l…
00:11:52 |
Mon 24 Mar 2025
What Experts Say About ADHD-Tok
Ever diagnosed yourself with a mental health disorder based on a TikTok video? If so, you're not alone. "I personally don't think that there's anything more human than wanting to understand yourself …
00:09:07 |
Fri 21 Mar 2025
What's In Your Personal Care Products?
Ever scan the ingredient list of your favorite personal care products like shampoos or lotions and think, what are these complicated chemicals? And are any of them bad for me? We definitely have. And…
00:15:45 |
Wed 19 Mar 2025
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.