Short Wave
Episodes
New Discoveries In Underwater Plant Sex
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Plants living underwater can't count on pollinating insects to get it on. The prevailing theory has been that pollen moves underwater simply by floati...
Brain Cells In A Dish Play Pong And Other Brain Adventures
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The world of brain research had two incredible developments last week. Researchers have taught a dish of brain cells to play the video game Pong to he...
These Animals Will Mess You Up
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The natural world is filled with treats ... and tricks. Today, Internet zoologist and TikTok star Mamadou Ndiaye takes over to talk about some of thos...
Beyond Condoms!
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Contraceptive research has historically prioritized women because they bear the burden of pregnancy and most contraceptive options available today are...
Choose Your Own (Math) Adventure
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ever read those Choose Your Own Adventure books of the 80s and 90s? As a kid, Dr. Pamela Harris was hooked on them. Years later she realized how much ...
You're 50, And Your Body Is Changing: Time For The Talk
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Perimenopause, the period of transition to menopause, is still a largely misunderstood chapter of reproductive life. It brings about both physical and...
Pop Quiz! Short Wave Birthday Edition
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Short Wave hosts Aaron Scott and Emily Kwong quiz All Things Considered hosts Mary Louise Kelly and Sacha Pfeiffer on some science questions Short Wav...
Why Do We Laugh?
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Laughter: We do it spontaneously, we do it forcefully, we do it with each other and by ourselves. But why did we evolve to giggle in the first place? ...
We Baked A Cake For Our 3rd Birthday!
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Of course we have to have cake for Short Wave's third birthday! Sugar-ologist and biochemist Adriana Patterson talks to producer Berly McCoy to give u...
The Quest To Save The California Condor
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The California condor used to soar across the western skies of North America, but by the 1980s, the bird was on the edge of extinction — just 22 rem...
IVF Has Come A Long Way, But Many Don't Have Access
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Since the first successful in vitro fertilization pregnancy and live birth in 1978, nearly half a million babies have been born using IVF in the Unite...
The Scorpion Renaissance Is Upon Us
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scorpions: They're found pretty much everywhere, and new species are being identified all the time. Arachnologist Lauren Esposito says there's a lot t...
A New Drug For A Relentless Brain Disease
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
ALS is a disease that destroys the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord we need for voluntary movement. There is no cure, but now there is a newly...
Why Disaster Relief Underserves Those Who Need It Most
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When a disaster like Hurricane Ian destroys a house, the clock starts ticking. It gets harder for sick people to take their medications, medical devic...
Predicting Landslides: After Disaster, Alaska Town Turns To Science
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On August 18, 2015, in Sitka, Alaska, a slope above a subdivision of homes under construction gave way. This landslide demolished a building and kille...
Sustainable Seafood? It's A Question Of Data
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The last several decades have taken a toll on the oceans: Some fish populations are collapsing, plastic is an increasing problem and climate change is...
Why The Bladder Is Number One!
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When's the last time you thought about your bladder? We're going there today! In this Short Wave episode, Emily talks to bladder expert Dr. Indira Mys...
Grasslands: The Unsung Carbon Hero
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's in a grassland? There are all sorts of wildflowers, many insects, animals like prairie dogs, bison and antelope — and beneath the surface, th...
One Park. 24 Hours.
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's easy to take city parks for granted, or to think of them as separate from nature and from the Earth's changing climate. But the place where many ...
Asteroid Deflection Mission, Activate!
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In movies, asteroids careening towards Earth are confronted by determined humans with nuclear weapons to save the world! But a real NASA mission wants...
Rise Of The Dinosaurs
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dinosaurs ruled the earth for many millions of years, but only after a mass extinction took out most of their rivals. Just how that happened remains a...
Working With Tribes To Co-Steward National Parks
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of Short Wave's Summer Road Trip series exploring the science happening in national parks and public lands, Aaron talks to Nation...
Water Water Everywhere, But How Much Do You Really Need?
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The water advice is everywhere - how much to drink (8 cups a day - really?), what to drink, when to drink, and all its benefits. On this episode we pr...
Three Sisters And The Fight Against Alzheimer's Disease
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly a decade ago, Karen Douthitt and her sisters June Ward and Susie Gilliam set out to learn why Alzheimer's disease was affecting so many of thei...
How Muggy Is It? Check The Dew Point!
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, Lauren Sommer talked with Short Wave about the dangerous combination of heat and humidity in the era of climate change and how the heat ind...
How Freaked Out Should We Be About Ukraine's Nuclear Plant?
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The world has been warily watching the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. The nuclear complex is being held by Russian forces, while the plant its...
Heat Can Take A Deadly Toll On Humans
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Heat—it's common in summer in much of the world, but it's getting increasingly more lethal as climate change causes more extreme heat. NPR climate c...
What The Universe Is Doing RIGHT NOW
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A century ago, astronomers were locked in a debate about the scope of our universe. Were we it? The answer is no. There are other galaxies beyond the ...
When Should I Get My Omicron Booster Shot?
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Updated COVID boosters are now available that target the Omicron subvariant and many Americans 12 and older are eligible for the shot. Host Emily Kwon...
Name That Tune! Why The Brain Remembers Songs
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some songs can stick with us for a long time, even when other memories start to fade? Science reporter (and former Short Wave intern) Rasha Ari...
The Race To Rescue The Guadalupe Fescue
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Big Bend National Park in Texas is home to the only remaining Guadalupe fescue in the United States. The grass is tucked away in the Chisos Mountains,...
Short Wave Goes To The Circus
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Ruth has a pretty cool job: it takes a lot of strength, a lot of balance, and a surprising amount of physics. As a circus artist, Julia has per...
'Scallop Discos': How Some Glitzy Lights Could Lead To A Low-Impact Fishery
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scientists in the UK have discovered that if they take a pot meant for catching crabs and just add some bright lights, scallops flock through the door...
Surf's Always Up — In Waco, Texas
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some of the world's best artificial waves are happening hundreds of miles from the ocean—in Waco, Texas. They're so good, they're attracting top pro...
Happy Labor Day!
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're taking the day off for the Labor Day holiday! We hope you're also able to get some rest. We'll be back with another episode tomorrow.You can now...
Worm Blobs From The Bowels Of The Earth
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the toxic waters of Sulphur Cave in Steamboat Springs, Colo. lives blood-red worm blobs that have attracted scientific interest from around the wor...
The Stars That Settled The Great Debate
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It may seem obvious now that other galaxies lie beyond the Milky Way, but less than 100 years ago, some astronomers held a view of our universe that w...
Quiz Bowl! How Animals Sense The World
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do worms feel pain? How do otters experience the world? What are those pink appendages on the face of the star-nosed mole? We answer all these questio...
The Man Who Shot The Moon
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
NASA's Artemis Moon mission was supposed to launch Monday. But it was delayed due to a problem one of the rocket engines. When it launches, it will be...
988: An Alternative To 911 For Mental Health
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People experiencing a mental health crisis have a new way to reach out for help in the U.S. — calling or texting the numbers 9-8-8. Today, health co...
Experience The Quietest Place On Earth
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a crater at the top of a dormant volcano lies a place so quiet, the ambient sound is right near the threshold of human hearing. Visitors to the cra...
Artemis: NASA's New Chapter In Space
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Humans haven't set foot on the moon in 50 years, but NASA hopes to take one step closer with the launch of a new rocket and space capsule on Monday. T...
Searching The Ocean's Depths For Future Medicines
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Plunge into the ocean off the west coast of Ireland...and then keep plunging, down to where there's no light and the temperature is just above freezin...
Sweating Buckets... of SCIENCE!
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sweating can be unpleasant, but consider the alternatives: You could roll around in mud. You could spend all day panting. You could have someone whip ...
Micro Wave: How to Build a Sandcastle Dreamhouse!
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Grab your towels and flip flops, because we're heading to the beach. Whether you love playing in the sand, or dread getting it off your feet, building...
Eavesdropping On A Volcano
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Volcanoes are "talking" to us all the time. Scientists say the sooner we learn to interpret their normal chatter, the quicker we'll know when somethin...
A Rising Demand for Coal Amidst War in Ukraine
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Demand for coal in Europe is rising as Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens the country's vast natural resource and fossil fuel reserves - and subse...
Ode To The Manta Ray
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On a trip to Hawaii, Short Wave host Emily Kwong encountered manta rays for the first time. The experience was eerie and enchanting. And it left Emily...
How To Brew Amazing Coffee With Science
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The perfect cup of joe might be a matter of taste, but knowing the science behind the coffee-making process could help you elevate your at-home brewin...
The Radio Wave Mystery That Changed Astronomy
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 1967 Jocelyn Bell Burnell made a discovery that revolutionized the field of astronomy. She detected the radio signals emitted by certain dying star...
Tick Check! The Tiny Bloodsuckers In Our Backyards
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Short Wave is going outside every Friday this summer! In this second episode of our series on the National Park system, we head to Big Thicket Nationa...
The Brazilian Scientists Inventing An mRNA Vaccine — And Sharing The Recipe
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Moderna and Pfizer first came out with their mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, supply was limited to rich countries and they did not share the details ...
Twinkle, Twinkle, Shooting Star
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, we're re-airing our first episode with Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber. In it, Regina and plan...
How Monkeypox Became A Public Health Emergency
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The White House officially declared monkeypox a public health emergency in the United States last week. More than 7,500 cases of the virus have been c...
Carry The Two: Making Audio Magic With Math
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Math is a complex, beautiful language that can help us understand the world. And sometimes ... math is also hard! Science communicator Sadie Witkowski...
A Tale Of Two Parks And The Bats Within Them
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Buckle up! Short Wave is going on a road trip every Friday this summer. In this first episode of our series on the research happening in the National ...
Abortion Laws in Texas are Disrupting Maternal Care
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New abortion bans have made some doctors hesitant to provide care for pregnancy complications. That's led to life-threatening delays, and trapped fami...
The Secret History of DNA
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's been over 150 years since the first article was published about the molecular key to life as we know it — DNA. With help from expert Pravrutha ...
Wild Horses Could Keep Wildfire At Bay
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Under a 1971 Congressional Act, the Bureau of Land Management has the right to round up wild horses on public lands. Oftentimes, those horses are ship...
TASTE BUDDIES: The Controversial World Of Taste Science
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Not much is known about why people experience tastes differently and why some people can detect certain tastes and not others. There also might be oth...
Spice, Spice, Baby! Why Some Of Us Enjoy The Pain Of Spicy Foods
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we talk about spicy food and its intersection with pleasure and pain as part of our "Taste Buddies" series — Short Wave's ode to "taste." In ...
TASTE BUDDIES: No Sugarcoating How Sweet Affects The Brain
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our ancestors evolved the ability to taste the sweet goodness of foods like pastries and creamy chocolates. They were enticed to consume quick calorie...
TASTE BUDDIES: Feeling Salty?
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we're getting salty as we continue our series "Taste Buddies" — Short Wave's ode to taste buds. In this encore episode, Scientist in Residenc...
TASTE BUDDIES: Umami And The Redemption Of MSG
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're continuing our celebration of taste with another episode in our "Taste Buddies" series. Today: Umami.In the early 1900s a Japanese chemist ident...
TASTE BUDDIES: Pucker Up! It's The Science Of Sour
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week Short Wave is celebrating our sense of taste with an entire week of themed episodes, covering everything from sugar and spice to what's beyo...
The Accelerated Approvals Process: Are Drugmakers Fulfilling Their Promises?
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Food and Drug Administration allows faster drug approvals based on preliminary study data if the drug fulfills an unmet medical need. But the spee...
Russia's War In Ukraine Is Hurting Nature
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The war in Ukraine is devastating that nation's rich, natural environment - from chemical leaks poisoning water supplies and warships killing dolphins...
Keeping Score On Climate: How We Measure Greenhouse Gases
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Host Emily Kwong wants to keep an eye on her carbon footprint. Most of it consists of greenhouse gas emissions from driving her car or buying meat at ...
Venus And The 18th Century Space Race
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the 18th century the world was focused on Venus. Expeditions were launched in pursuit of exact measurements of Venus as it passed between Earth and...
How Clarice Phelps Put Her Mark On The Periodic Table
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a kid, Clarice Phelps dreamed of being an astronaut, or maybe an explorer like the characters on Star Trek. And while her path to a career in scien...
The Universe's Baby Pictures (Squee!) From The James Webb Space Telescope
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Earlier this week we got a look at one of the highest-profile scientific photo dumps of all time. The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful ...
Making Space Travel Accessible For People With Disabilities
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week NASA released some of the sharpest images of space ever from the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope's camera gives us a glimpse into ...
Real Life 'Goonies'? A Mysterious Shipwreck Found Off the Oregon Coast
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, mysterious blocks of beeswax and Chinese porcelain have washed up on the Oregon coast, leading to legends of pirates, treasure, and a s...
BA.5: The Omicron Subvariant Driving Up Cases — And Reinfections
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
BA.5 is now the dominant SARS-CoV-2 subvariant in the United States. It's driving up COVID cases and hospitalizations across the country. It's also ca...
Everything On A Bagel: A Conversation With Daniels
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Directing Duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, (collectively: Daniels) are known for their first feature film Swiss Army Man and DJ Snake's and Lil J...
Tiny Critter Week Finale: Nudibranchs Do It Better
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're wrapping up Tiny Critter Week with a reprise of one of our favorite episodes — nudibranchs. In this episode, Maddie and Emily got super nerdy,...
Liquid Gold: The Wonder Of Honey
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Honey bees know a lot about honey, and humans are starting to catch up. Scientists are now looking at how the chemicals in honey affect bee health. Wi...
Spiders Can Fear Other Spiders
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're not so fond of spiders, you may find kindred spirits in other spiders! Researcher Daniela Roessler worked with jumping spiders and found tha...
Against All Odds, The Pumpkin Toadlet Is
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Being small has its advantages ... and some limitations. One organism that intimately knows the pros and cons of being mini is the pumpkin toadlet. As...
Tiny Critters On The Way This Week
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, Short Wavers!We're off today, but wanted to give you a sneak peek into this week's episodes. To inject a little levity into your (and our) lives,...
If Monkeys Could Talk...
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
... Could a monkey host this podcast?Aaron Scott and Resident Neuroscience Nerd Jon Hamilton discuss the vocal capabilities of our primate relatives. ...
Micro Wave: Scientists Discover GINORMOUS Bacteria
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Caribbean is home to gorgeous beaches, mangroves and ... the biggest bacteria known to humankind. Find out exactly how big from science correspond...
Climate Change Is Tough On Personal Finances
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A majority of people say they have experienced extreme weather in the last five years, according to a nationwide survey conducted by NPR, the Robert W...
The Quest To Save The California Condor
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, the California condor soared across the western skies of North America. But by the 1980s, the bird was on the edge of extinction — jus...
The Public Health Implications Of Overturning Roe V. Wade
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday. We're revisiting an episode that may give us insight into pregnant people's lives in a post-Roe Un...
Let's Get Crafty With Agar Art!
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pull out your art supplies because it's time to get crafty--with agar! At the intersection of biology and art lies a creative medium that's actually a...
Dino-mite! Meet The Real Stars of 'Jurassic World: Dominion'
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Move over, T-Rex. There are new, (mostly) more accurate dinosaurs to squeal over in 'Jurassic World: Dominion', the sixth and reportedly final film of...
'Smell Ya Later, COVID!' How Dogs Are Helping Schools Stay COVID-free
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A Massachusetts elementary school welcomes "Huntah," the COVID-sniffing dog. Scientist-in-residence Regina Barber talks with NPR science reporter Ari ...
Good Things Come In Trees
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel better after walking down a street that's lined with lush, green trees? You're not alone! For decades, researchers have been studying...
Honoring Juneteenth
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hi Short Wavers, The team is off today in continued commemoration of Juneteenth, a holiday honoring the freedom of all Americans, by marking the emanc...
Science In The City: Cylita Guy Talks Chasing Bats And Tracking Rats
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Cylita Guy was a curious child who enjoyed exploring the beaches, parks and animals that shared her hometown of Toronto, Canada. She's an urban ecolog...
Can The Next School Shooting Be Prevented With Compassion?
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Uvalde school shooting has renewed questions of how to prevent the next shooting. For many who've opened fire in schools, the path to violence has...
War On Earth, Cooperation In Space
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts have lived side-by-side aboard the International Space Station. Host Aaron Scott talks with Scienc...
How Politics And Health Are Intertwined
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Political polarization is affecting Americans' health, according to a new study. Researchers find higher levels of premature death in Republican-leani...
Wok This Way: A Science Cooking Show
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's the most versatile pan in the kitchen? According to chef and cookbook author J. Kenji López-Alt, it's the wok! And along with spices, he sprin...
Pride Week: The Importance Of Inclusion In Sex Education
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sex can be a nerve-racking experience no matter what. That's especially true if you have no clue what to do, and since LGBTQ+ topics are often left ou...
Pride Week: How Organic Chemistry Helped With Embracing Identities
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a kid, Ariana Remmel had a hard time figuring out where they fit in. They found comfort in the certainty and understanding of what the world was ma...
Pride Week: Beginning Hormone Replacement Therapy
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Medical transition-related treatments like hormone replacement therapy are associated with overwhelmingly positive outcomes in terms of both physical ...
Pride Week: TikTok Queen Brings Math To The Masses
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kyne is the stage name of Kyne Santos, a math communicator and a drag queen. The former Canada's Drag Race contestant posted her first video explainin...
Pride Week: Loving Sally Ride
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tam O'Shaughnessy and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, met as kids in the early 1960s and developed an instant connection. Years later, ...