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
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
What to Know About The Measles Outbreak
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known to science – more contagious than Ebola, smallpox or COVID-19. Declining vaccination rates over the past few years, plus a recent outbr…
00:11:25 |
Tue 18 Mar 2025
Could 'Severance' Become Our Reality?
What if we had the ultimate work-life balance? This fundamental question underlies the hit Apple TV+ show Severance – now in its second season. Ahead of the season 2 finale this Friday, producer Rach…
00:13:23 |
Mon 17 Mar 2025
Love Fruit? Thank (Dinosaur) Mass Extinction
Move over, TikTokers. It's time to shine a spotlight on some of the earliest influencers around: dinosaurs. When these ecosystem engineers were in their heyday, forest canopies were open and seeds we…
00:11:30 |
Fri 14 Mar 2025
Let's Talk About (Biological) Sex, Baby
Biological sex is all over the news lately. Whether it's via President Trump's executive order affecting passport policy, moving trans inmates between prisons or shifting the requirements for women i…
00:14:37 |
Wed 12 Mar 2025
Is The Trump Administration Breaking Science?
In its first 50 days, the Trump administration made sweeping changes to scientific arms of the government like the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the National Institutes of H…
00:16:39 |
Tue 11 Mar 2025
The Great Antarctic Food Web Puzzle
Tourists to Antarctica are fueling research on some of the tiniest, most influential organisms on Earth: phytoplankton. These itty bitty critters make their own food and are the base of the food web …
00:13:14 |
Mon 10 Mar 2025
Stone Age To Bone Age?
Archeologists know early humans used stone to make tools long before the time of Homo sapiens. But a new discovery out this week in Nature suggests early humans in eastern Africa were also using anim…
00:08:27 |
Fri 07 Mar 2025
Will Bark For Science
On their second job ever, Collette Yee and her partner were assigned a difficult job: locate transient whale poop in the ocean before it sinks. Luckily, Collette was partnered with Jack, a blue heele…
00:13:41 |
Wed 05 Mar 2025
Reviving The Woolly Mammoth ... With Mice
You've heard of the woolly mammoth. But have you heard of woolly mice? These critters were genetically modified by the Dallas-based biotech company Colossal Biosciences to have the same "woolly" and …
00:10:14 |
Tue 04 Mar 2025
What It's Like Taking Alzheimer's Drugs
There are now two fully approved drugs on the market that can, sometimes, slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Both have been shown to slow down the mental decline of Alzheimer's by more…
00:12:51 |
Mon 03 Mar 2025
This Radio Wave Mystery Changed Astronomy
In 1967 Jocelyn Bell Burnell made a discovery that revolutionized the field of astronomy. She detected the radio signals emitted by certain dying stars called pulsars. This encore episode: Jocelyn's …
00:12:18 |
Wed 26 Feb 2025
Extracting Brains ... For Science
A year and a half ago, neuroscientist Kamilla Souza got the call she'd been waiting for: A baby humpback whale had died just offshore. She wanted its brain. That's because scientists know little abou…
00:11:27 |
Tue 25 Feb 2025
What Happens While You're Under Anesthesia?
Picture a relaxing scene. Maybe a beach in Tahiti, your toes in the sand, a cold drink in hand. Now imagine your favorite music playing in the background.
If Dr. Alopi Patel were your anesthesiologist…
If Dr. Alopi Patel were your anesthesiologist…
00:14:01 |
Mon 24 Feb 2025
This Is Your Brain On Dessert
Ever eat a full meal ... and find you still have room for dessert? If so, you're not alone. Sugar is a quick form of energy that many people crave — even when they're full. Today, hosts Emily Kwong a…
00:08:07 |
Fri 21 Feb 2025
Party In Peru: New Critters Just Dropped
What happens when a team of scientists and local Awajún guides go on a 38-day trip into the Alto Mayo region of Peru? Over 2000 species are identified, of course! Tucked in this lush landscape where …
00:09:59 |
Wed 19 Feb 2025
When AI Cannibalizes Its Data
Asked ChatGPT anything lately? Talked with a customer service chatbot? Read the results of Google's "AI Overviews" summary feature? If you've used the Internet lately, chances are, you've consumed co…
00:13:23 |
Tue 18 Feb 2025
Could This Particle 'Clean Up' A Cosmic Mystery?
Physics has a bit of a messy problem: There's matter missing in our universe. Something is there that we can't see but can detect! What could this mysterious substance be? A lot of astronomers are se…
00:14:17 |
Mon 17 Feb 2025
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