2024 was full of science news. There was a total solar eclipse, the Paris Olympics, elections in the United States and elsewhere, technological breakthroughs and many space launches. But perhaps above all, it was a huge year in health. So, today, we're talking through some of 2024's biggest health stories — from what's in our drinking water supply, to bird flu, obesity drugs and this year's record heat. They're also the stories we think will continue to be big in 2025. See you in the new year, Short Wavers! Questions or suggestions for what else we should cover? Email us at [email protected]! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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Hey, short wavers, it has been a year. So many big events have happened. I mean, recently we went through a whole election, and back in April, there was a total solar eclipse over the United States for the first time in years. Then there was the Paris Olympics, where athletes from around the world sought to get as close to define the laws of physics as possible.
And then there was the continued memification of life, like Mudang, the pygmy hippo, the internet is obsessed with, and honestly, I'm obsessed with too. It was part of my Halloween costume this year. And still, we realize some of the biggest evolving stories of the year, they're all related to human health.
So we're bringing some of our coolest science reporters around to talk about this year's biggest stories. One of those stories is what's in our drinking water supply, which we have Ping Huang on deck to talk through.
Yeah, I mean, there are so many buckets to look into, from forever chemicals to lead to fluoride.
And we'll get to all of them briefly before turning to Will Stone, who we have here to talk about bird flu, which we might need to know a lot more about next year. Right, Will?
Hey there. Yeah, unfortunately, it's looking like it.
Third, we have Sidney Lepkin to talk all things obesity drugs, which seem to have gotten more and more popular ever since we first heard the word ozempic.
Yeah, even though, as we'll get into later, Ozempic is a diabetes drug.
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