Short Wave

It's Been A Minute: Digital Privacy In A Possible Post-Roe World

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're passing the mic to our friends at It's Been A Minute. Recently, they dug into how the anticipated repeal of Roe v. Wade will affect broad...

How To Keep Meat Juicy With Science

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you make the perfect stir-fry chicken without drying it out? Today, we answer that question with cookbook author and chef J. Kenji López-Alt a...

What Research Says About Mass Shootings

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parkland, Fla. Buffalo, NY. Uvalde, Texas. Every mass shooting in the U.S. raises calls for better policies to prevent such tragedies. There's evidenc...

Telehealth Abortions Are Changing The Culture Of Medicine

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Recent rule changes have increased access to abortion pills through the mail, using telehealth services. As many U.S. states gear up to restrict abort...

James Kagambi: The 62 Year Old Who Just Summited Everest

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The first all-black team of climbers reached the summit of Mount Everest last week, including the first Kenyan ever to do so. Today on the show Short ...

Dog Breeds Are A Behavioral Myth... Sorry!

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is your border collie a lethargic couch potato? Is your golden retriever bad with kids? Is your German shepherd too timid to guard your home?Turns out...

How Changes in Abortion Law Could Impact Community Health

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Depending how the Supreme Court votes on a pending case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, many pregnant people may lose the right to seek...

Why Abortion Access Is Important For A Healthy Community

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Abortion access has been leading political news in recent weeks. But what happens when we look at abortion as a health care tool that betters public h...

The Queen of Nuclear Physics (Part Two): Forming Chien-Shiung Wu's Story

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up, Jada Yuan didn't realize how famous her grandmother was in the world of physics. In this episode, Jada talks to Emily about the life of ph...

The Queen of Nuclear Physics (Part One): Chien-Shiung Wu's Discovery

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1950's, a particle physicist made a landmark discovery that changed what was known about how the universe operates. Chien-Shiung Wu did it whil...

TASTE BUDDIES: Why Bitter Tastes Better For Some

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Love the bitter bite of dark chocolate, leafy greens or black licorice? Your genetics may be the reason why. Today on the show, host Aaron Scott talks...

Who Else Can See Your Period Tracker Data?

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apps can be a great way to stay on top of your health. They let users keep track of things like exercise, mental health, the quality of their skin, an...

How Vaccine Misinformation Spread Through The Parenting World

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Any hour now, the U.S. is expected to officially mark one million lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health correspondent Allison Aubrey shares how...

The Importance Of The Vaginal Microbiome

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today on Short Wave, researcher Fatima Aysha Hussain talks to host Emily Kwong about how microbes in the vagina can impact health and how transplantin...

Who Would Be Most Affected By Roe Reversal

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If the U.S. Supreme Court rules in line with the draft decision leaked in early May, the decision to reverse Roe v. Wade affect a much broader group t...

A Climate Time Capsule, Part 2: The Start of the International Climate Change Fight

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1992, diplomats and scientists at the United Nations negotiated the first-ever treaty intended to tackle the climate change. This brought the issue...

A Climate Time Capsule (Part 1): The Start of the International Climate Change Fight

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1992, diplomats and scientists at the United Nations negotiated the first-ever treaty intended to tackle the scientific phenomenon now known as cli...

Stephanie's Story: How COVID Misinformation Affected One Family

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie was usually careful about her health and regular vaccinations. But then she got into sharing conspiracy-filled videos and fringe ideas. When...

The Turnaway Study: What The Research Says About Abortion

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A leaked draft opinion in the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has placed uncertainty on the future of abortion rights ...

Lessons From HIV On Ending The COVID Pandemic

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The world has come a long way since the COVID-19 pandemic began. There are now vaccines, at-home tests, masks and treatments. With all of these tools ...

When Our Star Erupts - The 1859 Solar Storm And More

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1859, astronomer Richard Carrington was studying the Sun when he witnessed the most intense geomagnetic storm recorded in history. The storm, trigg...

Emotions — They're Not Just For Humans

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists have discovered the underpinnings of animal emotions. As NPR brain correspondent Jon Hamilton reports, the building blocks of emotions and ...

Why You Should Give A Dam About Beavers!

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Beavers have long been considered pests by landowners and government agencies. But now, many are starting to embrace them. Today on the show, Host A...

Why Did The Scientist Cross The Road?...To Meet Kasha Patel!

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Kasha Patel decided to try out stand-up comedy, she was told to joke about what she knew. For her, that was science. Today on Short Wave, Kasha t...

All Tied Up: The Study of Knots

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climbing enthusiast and producer Thomas Lu has long wondered what makes knots such a powerful tool. Today, Thomas digs into the research with the help...

Planetary Scientists Are Excited About Uranus

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Probes to Uranus and to one of Jupiter's moons where conditions might support life; a better plan high-quality science on the moon--those are some of ...

U.S. COVID Case Increases Unlikely To Become A Surge

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

COVID cases are up due to the Omicron sub-variants and masking is likely to remain optional as the courts wrangle with the transportation mask mandate...

The Environmental Cost of Crypto

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cryptocurrencies may exist only in the virtual world, but their impact on our natural resources is huge. That's largely because the technology underpi...

Cryptocurrency Is An Energy Drain

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular, the environmental impact of the technology is gaining more attention. Local, state and national gover...

Fresh Banana Leaves — An Indigenous Approach To Science

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Jessica Hernandez's new book examines the role of displacement — Indigenous peoples like her father, who was displaced by the civil war in El Sa...

The Indicator: How Green Laws Stop Green Projects

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The United States has a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Without serious changes to lifestyles, that means dramatic investments in green ene...

The Science Behind The Delta-8 Craze

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the cannabis industry, the chemistry lab meets agriculture. A cannabis product called Delta-8 has been popping up in smoke shops, CBD shops and eve...

TASTE BUDDIES: Y U Salty?

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Salt has such a rich history that it was once (and is perhaps still) a sign of wealth. In this latest installment of our series on flavor and taste, "...

The Pandemic Is Damaging Health Workers' Mental Health

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A recent study found that working surge after surge in the pandemic, a majority of American health care workers experienced psychiatric symptoms — i...

Can Skiing Survive Climate Change?

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change poses an existential threat to the ski industry. A warmer climate means less snow and less now menas a shorter season for snowboarders ...

Addressing Water Contamination With Indigenous Science

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ranalda Tsosie grew up in the Navajo Nation, close to a number of abandoned uranium mines. The uranium from those mines leached into the groundwater, ...

Voices From A Ukrainian Hospital Damaged By Russian Attacks

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv at least half a dozen hospitals have been damaged by Russian attacks. The Emergency Department of City Ho...

Planet Money: How Manatees Got Into Hot Water

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share the mic with our colleagues at Planet Money to talk about one of our favorite aquatic creatures: manatees. Decades ago, manatees nearly...

Lemurs Will Rock You

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot for scientists to learn about the origins of humans' musical abilities. In the last few years, though, they've discovered homo sapiens h...

War In Ukraine Sets Back Tuberculosis Treatment

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

According to the World Health Organization, Ukraine has the fourth highest incidence of tuberculosis in Europe — and one of the highest rates of mul...

TASTE BUDDIES: The Origins Of Umami

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Japanese chemist identified umami in the early 1900s, but it took a century for his work to be translated into English. Short Wave host Emily Kwong ...

The Indicator: Destroying Personal Digital Data

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we present an episode of NPR's daily economics podcast, The Indicator from Planet Money. It's filled with one of our favorite topics: Data.Algo...

When To Consider Another COVID-19 Booster

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisors will meet to discuss long-term COVID vaccine strategy. This follows the recent FDA autho...

What We Gain From Dark Night Skies

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For many of us, seeing stars in the night sky is challenging because of light pollution. But there are some communities that are trying to change that...

What Octopus Minds May Tell Us About Aliens

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Octopuses! They are escape artists, they camouflage in all kinds of surroundings, and they are incredibly intelligent creatures--and that intelligenc...

The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shall we play a game - of Wiffle ball? Invented in 1953, this lightweight alternative to a baseball is perfectly suited for back yard romping. Today ...

The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New Planet

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When a team of exoplanetary treasure hunters joined forces with professional astronomers, they discovered a whole new world. Short Wave host Emily Kwo...

To Be DST, Or Not To Be. That Is The Question.

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill to make daylight saving time permanent. Now sleep scientists are weighing in and are suggestin...

Indoor Air Quality is Cool for Schools

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The benefits of indoor air quality in schools are substantial, but American school buildings are old and many face major challenges when it comes to u...

Hal Walker: The Man Who Shot The Moon

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In addition to flying, landing, and returning from the moon in 1969 — NASA's Apollo 11 crew helped with a series of scientific experiments. One of t...

Can Nuclear Power Save A Struggling Coal Town?

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A struggling Wyoming coal town may soon go nuclear with help from an unlikely partner, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates. NPR Correspondent Kirk S...

Should Bulldogs Exist?

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cute, wrinkly faces aside, bulldogs have myriad health problems. Science points to purebred breeding practices as the reason. NPR Science corresponden...

COVID-19 Cases Rise In The U.K., U.S. Watches For New Wave

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The omicron outbreak has slowed dramatically in the U.S. But cases are rising in Britain due to an omicron subvariant. There are signs the U.S. could ...

Parents Of Transgender Youth Fear Texas' Anti-Trans Orders

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate certain gender-affirming care as possi...

How Art Can Heal The Brain

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Arts therapies appear to ease a host of brain disorders from Parkinson's to PTSD. But these treatments that rely on music, poetry or visual arts haven...

Fighting Misinformation With Science Journalism

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On December 31, 2021, The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify posted an episode with an interview with physician Dr. Robert Malone full of misinfo...

What Mount Kilimanjaro Has To Do With The Search For Alien Life

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Understanding how life survives in extreme Earth environments could point to ways life can survive on other worlds. Astrobiologist Morgan Cable talks ...

Humble Pi: Enjoying When Math Goes Awry

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last 24 hours, some of us Short Wavers celebrated Pi Day the only way we know how: eating some yummy pie and thinking math thoughts. Here on ...

Genetic Fact Vs. Fiction And Everything In Between With Janina Jeff

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Geneticist Janina Jeff is back on the show to talk with host Emily Kwong about season 2 of her podcast In Those Genes. They talk about rhythm, aging a...

A Physics Legend Part Two: Chien-Shiung Wu's Granddaughter Reflects

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up, Jada Yuan didn't realize how famous her grandmother was in the world of physics. In this episode, we delve into the life of physicist Chie...

A Physics Legend Part One: How Chien-Shiung Wu Changed Physics Forever

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1950's, a particle physicist made a landmark discovery that changed what we thought we knew about how our universe operates. And Chien-Shiung W...

TASTE BUDDIES: Science of Sour

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pucker up, duderinos! Short Wave's kicking off a series on taste we're calling, "Taste Buddies." In today's episode, we meet Atlantic science writer K...

Checking In On Our Pandemic Habits: What To Lose And What To Keep?

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last few years, we've all found different ways to cope with the pandemic. Some people started drinking more, moving less, maybe eating more. ...

Dr. Thomas Insel On Why The U.S Mental Health System Has Failed And What Can Be Done

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For over a decade, Dr. Thomas Insel headed the National Institute of Mental Health and directed billions of dollars into research on neuroscience and ...

Emily Runs A Marathon

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2021, Short Wave host Emily Kwong ran her first marathon. In collaboration with our colleagues at Life Kit, Emily talks about her experience and d...

Silver Linings From The UN's Dire Climate Change Report

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) just released the second of three reports on climate change. Nearly 300 scientists...

How A Collection Of Threatened Bird Calls Swept The Australian Album Charts

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What bird has a ten-foot wingspan and breeds almost exclusively on a single island in the Pacific Ocean? Find out in this special quiz episode of Shor...

Orcas: Apex Predators Or Marine Park Stars?

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NPR science correspondent Lauren Sommer joins Short Wave host Emily Kwong to talk about a team of researchers who were the first to document a pack of...

What Led To The Massive Volcanic Eruption In Tonga

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scientists are piecing together what led up to a massive volcanic eruption in Tonga last month. NPR science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel joins the sho...

Twinkle, Twinkle, Shooting Star . . .

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the video games that Short Wave's Scientist in Residence has been playing a lot in the pandemic is Animal Crossing, in which bits of stars fall...

Schedule Those Doctor's Appointments!

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic is at a turning point. Hospitalizations in this country are down. Deaths are starting to decline. Some of the states that have had the st...

Do You See What I See?

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone sees the world differently. Exactly which colors you see and which of your eyes is doing more work than the other as you read this text is di...

Vacuuming DNA Out Of The Air

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A few years ago, ecologist Elizabeth Clare had an idea--what if she could study rare or endangered animals in the wild without ever having to see or c...

The Good and the Bad of TV Forensics

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Raychelle Burks is a forensic chemist and an associate professor at American University. She's also a big fan of murder mysteries. Today, we talk pop ...

How Women Of Color Created Community In The Shark Sciences

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a kid, Jasmin Graham was endlessly curious about the ocean. That eventually led her to a career in marine science studying sharks and rays. But unt...

How Many Senses Do We Really Have?

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You're likely familiar with touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing - but there are actually more than five senses. Emily Kwong speaks to neurobiologi...

Tracing A Fraught And Amazing History Of American Horticulture

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Abra Lee became the landscape manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, she sought some advice about how to best do the job. T...

How to Talk About Hair Like a Scientist

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have scalp hair. But why is human scalp hair so varied? Biological anthropologist Tina Lasisi wanted to find out. And while completing her PhD ...

How climate change is forcing cities to rebuild stormwater systems

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Deep below our city streets lie intricate networks of underground piping built to carry away excess rainfall run off. These stormwater systems mostly ...

The (Drag) Queen Of Mathematics

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kyne is the stage name of Kyne Santos, a drag queen math communicator. The former Canada's Drag Race contestant posted her first video explaining a ma...

Without Inventor James West, This Interview Might Not Have Been Possible

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For Black History Month, Short Wave is celebrating Black voices in STEM - bringing back some of our favorite conversations, as well as new guests wit...

The Complete Guide To Absolutely Everything (Abridged)

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At Short Wave, it's an unspoken goal to ask and answer every question under the sun — after all, science underpins the entire universe. Today, we th...

The Physics Of Figure Skating

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Triple axel, double lutz, toe loops, salchows — it's time to fall in love again with the sport of figure skating. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijin...

Chimp Haven Welcomes New Retirees

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2015, the National Institutes of Health ended invasive biomedical research on its hundreds of chimps. Since then, it's been gradually moving the an...

Science In The City: Cylita Guy Talks Chasing Bats And Tracking Rats

03 Feb 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 a scientist –...

Should Big Oil Pick Up The Climate Change Bill?

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is deciding whether a Baltimore case against more than a dozen oil and gas companies will be heard in state or fed...

Omicron Ebbing Gives Time to Boost Vaccinations

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As COVID-19 cases in the U.S. drop, the hospitalization rate remains high — as does the death rate. Experts say getting a COVID vaccine booster is k...

'Station Eleven': A Home At The End Of The World

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're bringing you an episode from our friends at NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. They review the new HBO Max miniseries Station Eleven, based on ...

Omicron Around The World: From "Zero COVID" To Rising Cases

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Omicron surge may have peaked in the U.S., but parts of the world are seeing crippling levels of cases. Jason Beaubien, NPR global health and deve...

Did E.T. Phone Us?

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A few years back, a radio telescope in Australia picked up a radio signal that seemed to be coming from a nearby star. One possibility? Aliens! NPR sc...

Megadrought fuels debate over whether a flooded canyon should reemerge

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1960s, the Bureau of Reclamation built a dam that flooded a celebrated canyon on the Utah-Arizona border. Today, it's known as Lake Powell — ...

What's Next For The Pandemic? Will COVID-19 Become Endemic Soon?

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many experts warn there will be more infections on the downslope of the omicron surge, but the U.S. is on the path to the virus becoming endemic — a...

Placebos Vs Parkinson's: The Power Of Joy

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. There is currently no cure, but scientists in...

Fighting Bias In Space: When There's A New Telescope, Who Gets To Use It?

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors are almost in place and soon it'll be a million miles away from Earth, ready to provide clues to the history ...

The Hodgepodge Of COVID Testing In The U.S.

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. government has launched a website where people can request up to four free coronavirus tests per household--shipping is scheduled to begin in...

A Clean Energy Future: How Hawaii Is Sparking The Push

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sixty percent of electricity in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels, like natural gas and coal. Today on the show, guest host Dan Charles talks with repo...

When Tracking Your Period Lets Companies Track You

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Health apps can be a great way to stay on top of your health. They let users keep track of things like their exercise, mental health, menstrual cycles...

The Debate About Pablo Escobar's Hippos

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pablo Escobar had a private zoo at his estate in Colombia, with zebras, giraffes, flamingoes - and four hippopotamuses. After Escobar was killed in 19...

How COVID Is Affecting Kids' Mental Health

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's likely the last week has been rough if you're either going to school or in a family with kids trying to navigate school, be it virtual or in pers...

Wingspan! It's Got Birds, Science, Caterpillars - An Ideal Night In

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wingspan is a board game that brings the world of ornithology into the living room. The game comes with 170 illustrated birds cards, each equipped wit...