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
- 1344
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Why These Tiny Particles Are A Big Deal
For much of the pandemic, some scientists had been pushing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recognize that the coronavirus is spread through aerosols--very small particles that can l…
00:13:29 |
Thu 22 Oct 2020
Randall Munroe's Absurd Scientific Advice For Real-World Problems
Randall Munroe, the cartoonist behind the popular Internet comic xkcd, finds complicated solutions to simple, real-world problems. In the process, he reveals a lot about science and why the real worl…
00:10:36 |
Tue 20 Oct 2020
Quantum Mechanics For Beginners
Monika Schleier-Smith, associate professor of physics at Stanford University, studies quantum mechanics, the theory that explains the nature of the itty bitty parts of our universe: atoms, photons, a…
00:10:56 |
Mon 19 Oct 2020
The Tricky Business Of Coronavirus Testing On College Campuses
We hit the road with NPR Education Reporter Elissa Nadworny. She's been on a weekslong road trip to get an up-close view of how colleges across the U.S. are handling the pandemic. On today's show, sh…
00:13:35 |
Fri 16 Oct 2020
Micro Wave: You Mite Want To Shower After This
Today's episode is about how you're never alone.
That's because there are tiny mites that live on your skin — including your face. They come out at night and mate. And we're not totally sure what the…
That's because there are tiny mites that live on your skin — including your face. They come out at night and mate. And we're not totally sure what the…
00:11:11 |
Thu 15 Oct 2020
Gender Discrimination And Harassment At Sea
Back in December, we brought you two episodes on the MOSAiC expedition. With hundreds of scientists from 20 countries, the German-led polar research mission is the largest in history. But the mission…
00:13:33 |
Tue 13 Oct 2020
Butterflies Have Hearts In Their Wings. You Won't Believe Where They Have Eyes
Adriana Briscoe, a professor of biology and ecology at UC Irvine, studies vision in butterflies. As part of her research, she's trained them to detect light of a certain color. She also explains why …
00:12:48 |
Mon 12 Oct 2020
Micro Wave: Does Talking To Plants Help Them Grow?
Environmental scientist Heidi Appel explains how plants detect sound — and whether talking to yours could help them grow big and strong.
Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always se…
Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always se…
00:10:21 |
Fri 09 Oct 2020
What Coronavirus Test Results Do — And Don't — Mean
Even though we've been living with the pandemic for months, there's still lots of confusion about coronavirus tests and what the results do — and don't — mean. NPR correspondent Rob Stein explains th…
00:10:43 |
Thu 08 Oct 2020
The Fattest Bear Wins!
In honor of Fat Bear Week coming to a close, Short Wave is revisiting our episode on black bear hibernation. (Fat Bear Week is the annual tournament celebrating some of the fattening bears of Katmai …
00:13:31 |
Tue 06 Oct 2020
The Nobels Overwhelmingly Go to Men — This Year's Prize For Medicine Was No Exception
From who historically wins the awards, to how they portray the process of science and collaboration, host Maddie Sofia and NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce discuss the many problems wit…
00:13:54 |
Mon 05 Oct 2020
Micro Wave: Why Some Fruits Ripen Faster In A Paper Bag
Pomologist Juan Carlos Melgar explains two key factors to why some fruits ripen faster in a paper bag — and others don't.
Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always send by emailing …
Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always send by emailing …
00:09:30 |
Fri 02 Oct 2020
Want To Dismantle Racism In Science? Start In The Classroom
Some of the most prestigious scientists in history advanced racist and eugenicist views. But why is that rarely mentioned in textbooks? Today on the show, we speak with science educators building an …
00:13:26 |
Thu 01 Oct 2020
Fueled By Climate Change, Hurricanes Are Causing Industrial Accidents. Who's Liable?
Fueled by climate change, hurricanes are becoming stronger and more frequent. Those storms have repeatedly led to spills and fires at chemical manufacturing plants along the Gulf Coast.
But can comp…
But can comp…
00:14:56 |
Tue 29 Sep 2020
The CDC Doesn't Know Enough About Coronavirus In Tribal Nations
A recent CDC report estimates Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are 3.5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than white people, and those under 18 are more likely to test positive.
This report is the…
This report is the…
00:14:38 |
Mon 28 Sep 2020
Micro Wave: Mighty Mice, Drugs And Hopes For Space Voyagers
NPR Science Correspondent Jon Hamilton gives us an update on those mighty mice that went into space this past winter. The results could have big implications for the future of space travel.
Check out …
Check out …
00:09:41 |
Fri 25 Sep 2020
A Short Wave Guide To Joe Biden's Coronavirus Plan
With election season underway, we present a Short Wave guide (with some help from our friends at NPR Politics) to Joe Biden's plan to combat the coronavirus. Political correspondent and NPR Politics …
00:13:25 |
Thu 24 Sep 2020
ICYMI: 200+ Short Wave Episodes Are Waiting For You
In case you missed our announcement last week, Short Wave is temporarily shifting production schedules. We're publishing episodes in your feed four times each week instead of five. That means we'll b…
00:01:10 |
Wed 23 Sep 2020
Preparing For Perimenopause: You Don't Have To Do It Alone
Perimenopause, the period of transition to menopause, is still a largely misunderstood chapter of reproductive life. It brings about both physical and mental health changes that doctors rarely educat…
00:13:40 |
Tue 22 Sep 2020
How Hackers Could Fool Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence might not be as smart as we think. University and military researchers are studying how attackers could hack into AI systems by exploiting how these systems learn. It's known …
00:10:08 |
Mon 21 Sep 2020
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