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
Letters From The 1918 Pandemic
The 1918 flu outbreak was one of the most devastating pandemics in world history, infecting one third of the world's population and killing an estimated 50 million people. While our understanding of …
00:12:47 |
Mon 04 May 2020
How An Early Plan To Spot The Virus Fell Weeks Behind
In several major cities, public health officials work every year to monitor the flu. It's called sentinel surveillance. And as early as mid-February, the government had a plan to use that system to …
00:12:45 |
Fri 01 May 2020
How Bears Come Out Of Hibernation Jacked
Spring is in the air — and so are black bears coming out of hibernation. Rae Wynn-Grant, a large carnivore biologist, explains there's a lot more going on during hibernation than you might expect.
Lea…
Lea…
00:13:22 |
Thu 30 Apr 2020
Can Optimism Be Learned? (Like Right Now?)
Optimism is often thought as a disposition, something you're born with or without. So can it be learned? On today's show, Maddie talks with Alix Spiegel, co-host of NPR's Invisibilia, about "learned …
00:13:37 |
Wed 29 Apr 2020
The Lightbulb Strikes Back
Humans have a long history of inventions: electricity, telephones, computers, music — the list goes on. It's clear we're shaping the world around us.
But as Ainissa Ramirez explains in her new book, …
But as Ainissa Ramirez explains in her new book, …
00:12:12 |
Tue 28 Apr 2020
The Hard Truth About Ventilators
During the pandemic, ventilators have been considered a vital medical tool to treat critically-ill COVID-19 patients. But more and more evidence is suggesting that those who go on a ventilator — don'…
00:11:24 |
Mon 27 Apr 2020
Contact Tracing Is Key To Reopening. We're Not There Yet
The U.S. may need 100,000 people trained in the public health practice of contact tracing — tracking and isolating people who've been in contact with someone who tests positive for the coronavirus. N…
00:12:46 |
Fri 24 Apr 2020
How Infectious Disease Shaped American Bathroom Design
We're all spending more time these days at home — including our bathrooms. But why do they look the way they do? From toilets to toothbrush holders, bioethicist and journalist Elizabeth Yuko explains…
00:12:17 |
Thu 23 Apr 2020
Animal Slander! Debunking 'Birdbrained' And 'Eat Like A Bird'
Welcome back to "Animal Slander," the series where we take common expressions about animals and debunk them with science. Today on the show, we tackle "birdbrained" and to "eat like a bird" with biol…
00:13:40 |
Wed 22 Apr 2020
On Earth Day, What You Can Do For The Environment
Happy (early) Earth Day, Short Wave listeners. We've received many questions from you about climate change, specifically what can individuals and households do to reduce their carbon footprint. So, w…
00:11:58 |
Tue 21 Apr 2020
Coronavirus Models Aren't "Wrong." That's Not How They Work.
Scientific models of disease don't predict the future. They're just one tool to help us all prepare for it. NPR global health correspondent Nurith Aizenman explains how scientific models of disease a…
00:13:29 |
Mon 20 Apr 2020
When The Military Fights A Pandemic At Home
Last Tuesday, the military helped evacuate dozens of critically ill COVID-19 patients from overwhelmed hospitals in Queens. NPR's Rebecca Hersher says what happened that night shows how training for …
00:14:13 |
Fri 17 Apr 2020
Every Moon, Ranked
Science writer Jennifer Leman did it. She ranked all 158 moons in our solar system. The criteria? Interviews with NASA scientists, astronomers, and her own moonpinions. She talks to host Maddie Sofia…
00:12:29 |
Thu 16 Apr 2020
Where Did The Coronavirus Start? Virus Hunters Find Clues In Bats
Bats are critically important for ecosystems around the world. But they also harbor some of the toughest known zoonotic diseases, and are the likely origin point for this coronavirus. Short Wave repo…
00:12:23 |
Wed 15 Apr 2020
The Science of Making Bread
Social distancing has some of us taking up bread baking for the first time, including host Maddie Sofia. Chemist and baker Patricia Christie explains the science of making bread, including a few tips…
00:11:12 |
Tue 14 Apr 2020
How To Talk About The Coronavirus With Friends And Family
Liz Neeley, science communication expert and executive director of The Story Collider, shares some advice for how to talk to your friends and family about the coronavirus. Here's her article for The …
00:10:44 |
Mon 13 Apr 2020
The "7 Day COVID-19 Crash"
Some patients with COVID-19 are experiencing a crash after about a week of showing symptoms of the disease. The cause?
Well, as NPR's Geoff Brumfiel explains, doctors are starting to think it might no…
Well, as NPR's Geoff Brumfiel explains, doctors are starting to think it might no…
00:12:55 |
Fri 10 Apr 2020
Science Is For Everyone. Until It's Not.
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 what science lost …
00:14:30 |
Thu 09 Apr 2020
Science Movie Club: 'Twister'
No, tornadoes do not sound like a roaring lion. The 1996 drama 'Twister' got a lot of things wrong...and a few things right. Meteorologist Ali Burgos, an analyst at the National Oceanic and Atmospher…
00:09:37 |
Wed 08 Apr 2020
Puerto Ricans Are At Risk From The Coronavirus And A Lack Of Information
The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has the most older Americans per capita, making their population especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. A vital tool in preventing its spread there? Timely and cu…
00:12:37 |
Tue 07 Apr 2020
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