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
Minneapolis' Bold Plan To Tackle Racial Inequity And Climate Change
Racial discrimination shaped the map of Minneapolis. Then city zoning locked many of those patterns into place. Maddie talks with NPR climate reporter Lauren Sommer about Minneapolis' bold plan to ta…
00:12:43 |
Thu 25 Jun 2020
The Science Behind That Fresh Rain Smell
Scientists have known for decades that one of the main causes of the smell of fresh rain is geosmin: a chemical compound produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. But why do the bacteria make it in the fir…
00:11:03 |
Wed 24 Jun 2020
Tech Companies Are Limiting Police Use of Facial Recognition. Here's Why
Earlier this month, IBM said it was getting out of the facial recognition business. Then Amazon and Microsoft announced prohibitions on law enforcement using their facial recognition tech. There's gr…
00:14:29 |
Tue 23 Jun 2020
There Is No 'Second Wave'
America is still stuck in the first one. Maddie and Emily examine how the idea of a 'second wave' of coronavirus might have taken hold.
NPR science correspondent Nurith Aizenman's report on why the f…
NPR science correspondent Nurith Aizenman's report on why the f…
00:08:56 |
Mon 22 Jun 2020
A Kazoo And The Evolution Of Speech
Encore episode. Researchers discovered that this simple instrument could offer insights into the evolution of human speech. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong talks with primatologist Adriano Lameira ab…
00:12:40 |
Fri 19 Jun 2020
The Inseparable Link Between Climate Change And Racial Justice
Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson wrote a Washington Post op-ed about the ways the fight around climate change and racial justice go hand in hand. Host Maddie Sofia talks with her about that a…
00:12:51 |
Thu 18 Jun 2020
How Many People Transmit The Coronavirus Without Ever Feeling Sick?
It's called asymptomatic spread. Recently a scientist with the World Health Organization created confusion when she seemed to suggest it was "very rare." It's not, as the WHO attempted to clarify.
NPR…
NPR…
00:10:32 |
Wed 17 Jun 2020
We Don't Know Enough About Coronavirus Immunity
Does getting the coronavirus once make you immune to it or could you get it again? Many are looking to antibody tests for answers. The logic is: if I have antibodies for the coronavirus, I must be im…
00:12:27 |
Tue 16 Jun 2020
The Fight Over A Weedkiller, In The Fields And In The Courts
A federal court recently ordered farmers to stop spraying one of the country's most widely used herbicides, dicamba. NPR's food and agriculture correspondent Dan Charles tells us the ruling has turne…
00:12:19 |
Mon 15 Jun 2020
Coronavirus 'Long-Haulers' Have Been Sick For Months. Why?
That's what they call themselves: long-haulers. They've been sick for months. Many have never had a positive test. Doctors cannot explain their illness any other way, and can only guess at why the vi…
00:14:32 |
Fri 12 Jun 2020
Spinosaurus Makes Waves
We chat with National Geographic Explorer and paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim about his team's discovery of the Spinosaurus, the first known swimming dinosaur. The years-long journey to uncover the foss…
00:14:30 |
Thu 11 Jun 2020
How Tear Gas Affects The Body
In protests around the country, law enforcement agencies have used tear gas to disperse crowds. But is it safe? ProPublica environment reporter Lisa Song speaks with Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong a…
00:12:29 |
Wed 10 Jun 2020
People Are Volunteering To Be Exposed To The Coronavirus...For Science
In this episode, Maddie Sofia talks with Invisibilia's Alix Spiegel about the bioethics of conducting human challenge trials with the aim of producing a viable coronavirus vaccine. We hear from James…
00:10:50 |
Tue 09 Jun 2020
Science Is For Everyone — Until It's Not
Encore episode. Brandon Taylor's story has a happy ending. Today he's a successful writer whose debut novel 'Real Life' received glowing reviews earlier this year. But his success only underscores wh…
00:14:21 |
Mon 08 Jun 2020
Code Switch: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die
The last few weeks have been filled with devastating news — stories about the police killing black people. So today, we're turning the mic over to our colleagues at NPR's Code Switch. Now, as always,…
00:23:18 |
Sat 06 Jun 2020
Coronavirus And Racism Are Dual Public Health Emergencies
Across the country, demonstrators are protesting the death of George Floyd and the ongoing systemic racism that is woven into the fabric of the United States. The protests come in the middle of an un…
00:14:45 |
Fri 05 Jun 2020
#BlackBirdersWeek Seeks To Make The Great Outdoors Open To All
Happy #BlackBirdersWeek! This week, black birders around the world are rallying around Christian Cooper, a black man and avid birder, who was harassed by a white woman while birding in Central Park. …
00:12:09 |
Thu 04 Jun 2020
Meet The 'Glacier Mice.' Scientists Can't Figure Out Why They Move.
In 2006, while hiking around the Root Glacier in Alaska, glaciologist Tim Bartholomaus encountered something strange and unexpected on the ice — dozens of fuzzy, green balls of moss. It turns out, o…
00:11:22 |
Wed 03 Jun 2020
The Key To Coronavirus Testing Is Community
In San Francisco, the coronavirus has disproportionately affected Hispanic and Latinx communities. This is especially true in the Mission District — a neighborhood known for its art and food culture.…
00:15:33 |
Tue 02 Jun 2020
The World Is Constantly Running Out Of Helium
Encore episode. Helium is the second-most common element in the cosmos, but it's far rarer on planet Earth. As part of our celebration of the periodic table's 150th birthday, correspondent Geoff Brum…
00:13:24 |
Mon 01 Jun 2020
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