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PODCAST

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. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Short Wave.

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All Episodes

13:20

Farming Releases Carbon From The Earth's Soil Into...

Short Wave ·

2020/08/18

Traditional farming depletes the soil and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But decades ago, a scientist named Rattan Lal helped start a movement based on the idea that carbon could be put back into the soil — a practice known today as "regenerative agriculture." NPR food and agriculture correspondent Dan Charles explains how it works and why the idea is having a moment. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy

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13:45

The Science Is Simple, So Why Is Opening Schools So...

Short Wave ·

2020/08/17

School districts, parents and teachers are all facing big decisions about how to return to the classroom this fall. NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey and education correspondent Cory Turner join Geoff Brumfiel to discuss what the science says about kids and COVID-19, what schools are doing to try to keep students and teachers safe and why there are so many differing approaches in school districts around the U.S. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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13:19

Save The Parasites

Short Wave ·

2020/08/14

Saving endangered species usually brings to mind tigers or whales. But scientists say many parasites are also at risk of extinction. Short Wave's Emily Kwong talks with Chelsea Wood, an Assistant Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington, who tells us about the important role parasites play in ecosystems and a new global plan to protect them.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:49

How To Know If A Hurricane Is Coming For You

Short Wave ·

2020/08/13

Federal forecasters are predicting a busy hurricane season this year — three to six of them could be major hurricanes. So how do you know if one is headed toward your community, and if so, how to prepare? There are maps and forecasts, but they're often confusing. NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher explains how to avoid the most common mistakes.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:18

1st U.S. Dog With COVID-19 Has Died, And There's A...

Short Wave ·

2020/08/12

Buddy, an adult German shepherd from Staten Island, was the first dog in the U.S. to test positive for the coronavirus. His death reveals just how little we know about COVID-19 and pets. Natasha Daly reported on Buddy's story exclusively for National Geographic.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:12

Gene-Altered Squid Could Be The Next Lab Rats

Short Wave ·

2020/08/11

The first genetically altered squid is here. NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how this breakthrough was made and why it's a game changer for scientists who study these critters.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:47

Why Herd Immunity Won't Save Us

Short Wave ·

2020/08/10

Herd immunity. It's the idea that enough people become immune to an infectious disease that it's no longer likely to spread. It makes sense theoretically. But as NPR's Geoff Brumfiel tells us, the reality — in this coronavirus pandemic and without a vaccine — is potentially full of risk and maybe even unachievable.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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9:29

Micro Wave: Spreading Warm Bread With Socks

Short Wave ·

2020/08/07

It's another Micro Wave! Today, what happens in your brain when you notice a semantic or grammatical mistake ... according to neuroscience. Sarah Phillips, a neurolinguist, tells us all about the N400 and the P600 responses. Plus, we dive into some listener mail — which you can send to us by emailing shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:24

Wearing A Mask Could Be Even More Important Than We...

Short Wave ·

2020/08/06

A new paper and growing observational evidence suggest that a mask could protect you from developing a serious case of COVID-19 — by cutting down on the amount of virus that takes root in your body. Katherine Wu reported on that evidence for the New York Times. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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11:55

How Gene Therapy Helped Conner Run

Short Wave ·

2020/08/05

Gene therapy has helped a 9-year-old boy regain enough muscle strength to run. If successful in others, it could change the lives of thousands of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. NPR's Jon Hamilton tells us about Conner and his family...and one of the scientists who helped develop the treatment, a pioneer in the field of gene therapy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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11:31

The Search For Ancient Civilizations On Earth ......

Short Wave ·

2020/08/04

Encore episode. Sarah Parcak explains how she uses satellite imagery and data to solve one of the biggest challenges in archaeology: where to start digging. Her book is called 'Archaeology From Space: How The Future Shapes Our Past'.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:09

Pregnancy And COVID-19: What We Know And How To...

Short Wave ·

2020/08/03

How dangerous is COVID-19 for pregnant women and their babies? The research has been scant and the data spotty. Dr. Laura Riley, the chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Obstetrician-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian, explains what we know at this point and what pregnant women can do to protect themselves.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:03

Coronavirus Q&A: Running Outside, Petting Dogs, And More

Short Wave ·

2020/07/31

What's the deal with wiping down groceries? How often should you sanitize your phone? Can you greet other people's dogs? In this episode, an excerpt of Maddie's appearance on another NPR podcast where she answered those questions and more. Listen to 'It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders' on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:50

Butterflies Have Hearts In Their Wings. You'll Never...

Short Wave ·

2020/07/30

Adriana Briscoe, a professor of biology and ecology at UC Irvine, studies vision in butterflies. As part of her research, she's trained them to detect light of a certain color. She also explains why they bask in the sunlight, and why some of them have 'hearts' in their wings. Plus ... you'll never guess where their photoreceptors are.She's written about the importance of teachers and mentors in diversifying the STEM fields. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message

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9:51

Mars Is The Place To Go This Summer

Short Wave ·

2020/07/29

The United Arab Emirates launched a mission to Mars earlier this month, followed by China days later. And tomorrow, NASA is scheduled to launch its own mission to the red planet that includes a six-wheeled rover called Perseverance, as well as a tiny helicopter. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong talks with NPR's Joe Palca, who explains why these launches are happening now and the goal of the missions when they get there.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy

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10:26

The Controversy Around COVID-19 Hospital Data

Short Wave ·

2020/07/28

Data are so more than just a bunch of numbers, especially when it's the data hospitals are reporting about COVID-19. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration made a sudden change to the way that information is shared. The process bypasses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raising concern among some public health officials. NPR's Pien Huang explains the recent controversy, and why the way COVID-19 hospital data are reported is such a big deal.Learn more about sponsor message

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11:46

Eavesdropping On Whales In A Quiet Ocean

Short Wave ·

2020/07/27

The pandemic has led to a drop in ship traffic around the world, which means the oceans are quieter. It could be momentary relief for marine mammals that are highly sensitive to noise. NPR's Lauren Sommer introduces us to scientists who are listening in, hoping to learn how whale communication is changing when the drone of ships is turned down.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:50

Why Shame Is A Bad Public Health Tool — Especially In...

Short Wave ·

2020/07/24

So much of dealing with the pandemic is about how each of us behaves in public. And it's easy to get mad when we see people not following public health guidelines, especially when it looks like they're having fun.But Julia Marcus of Harvard Medical School says there are pitfalls to focusing only on what we can see, and more empathetic ways to create new social norms. Julia's written about that for The Atlantic. Here's some of her recent work. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about

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15:53

CDC Employees Call Out A 'Toxic Culture Of Racial...

Short Wave ·

2020/07/23

Over 1,400 current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees are demanding that the organization "clean its own house" of what they're calling a "culture of toxic racial aggression, bullying and marginalization." NPR reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin broke this story and tells us what the response has been from CDC and former employees.Read the letter and Selena's reporting.Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR

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11:30

America's 'Never-Ending Battle Against Flesh-Eating...

Short Wave ·

2020/07/22

Sarah Zhang wrote about it for the Atlantic: a decades-long scientific operation in Central America that keeps flesh-eating screw worms effectively eradicated from every country north of Panama. Sarah tells the story of the science behind the effort, and the man who came up with it. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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1,542 results

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