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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

13:37

Can Optimism Be Learned? (Like Right Now?)

Short Wave ·

2020/04/29

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 optimism." We'll look at what it is, the research behind it, and how it might come in handy in certain circumstances, like maybe a global pandemic?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:12

The Lightbulb Strikes Back

Short Wave ·

2020/04/28

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, The Alchemy of Us, those inventions are shaping us, too.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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11:24

The Hard Truth About Ventilators

Short Wave ·

2020/04/27

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't end up surviving. NPR Science Desk correspondent Jon Hamilton tells us about how these machines work, and how, for patients who do survive, recovery can be a long road.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:46

Contact Tracing Is Key To Reopening. We're Not There Yet

Short Wave ·

2020/04/24

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. NPR health policy reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin explains how it works, and why it's a key part of the fight against the pandemic. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:17

How Infectious Disease Shaped American Bathroom Design

Short Wave ·

2020/04/23

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 how infectious diseases like tuberculosis and influenza shaped American bathroom design. And, we explore how the current pandemic could inspire a new wave of innovation in the bathroom.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:40

Animal Slander! Debunking 'Birdbrained' And 'Eat Like...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/22

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 biologists Corina Newsome and Alejandro Rico-Guevara. Follow Maddie and Emily on Twitter. Their usernames are @maddie_sofia and @emilykwong1234. Plus, send us your animal slander—and questions and praise—by emailing the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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11:58

On Earth Day, What You Can Do For The Environment

Short Wave ·

2020/04/21

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, we consulted two folks who have been thinking about this deeply and developing strategies for over a decade: Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, two architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:29

Coronavirus Models Aren't "Wrong." That's Not How...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/20

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 are built and how they're used by public health experts. We also look at one influential model forecasting when individual states might begin to reopen. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:13

When The Military Fights A Pandemic At Home

Short Wave ·

2020/04/17

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 war does — and does not — prepare members of the armed services for a pandemic at home.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:29

Every Moon, Ranked

Short Wave ·

2020/04/16

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 about some of her favorites. Here's her full list for Popular Mechanics. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:23

Where Did The Coronavirus Start? Virus Hunters Find...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/15

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 reporter Emily Kwong talks about leading theories on where this coronavirus came from, the work of virus hunters, and the rise of emerging zoonotic diseases.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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11:12

The Science of Making Bread

Short Wave ·

2020/04/14

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 for when things go wrong with your bread dough. And she offers some advice for first-time bakers everywhere.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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10:44

How To Talk About The Coronavirus With Friends And...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/13

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 Atlantic: 'How To Talk About The Coronavirus.'Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:55

The "7 Day COVID-19 Crash"

Short Wave ·

2020/04/10

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 not be the virus.For more reporting on the coronavirus and other science topics, follow Maddie and Geoff on Twitter. They're @maddie_sofia and @gbrumfiel.Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:30

Science Is For Everyone. Until It's Not.

Short Wave ·

2020/04/09

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 when Brandon walked away from a graduate biochemistry program in 2016. He tells host Maddie Sofia why he left, and what he misses.Read his essay in BuzzFeed, 'Working In Science Was A Brutal Education. That's Why I Left.'Find and support your local public radio station at donate.npr.org/short. Email the

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9:37

Science Movie Club: 'Twister'

Short Wave ·

2020/04/08

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 Atmospheric Administration, breaks down the science in the film. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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12:37

Puerto Ricans Are At Risk From The Coronavirus And A...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/07

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 culturally relevant public health information in Spanish. Maddie talks with Mónica Feliú-Mójer of the group CienciaPR about their science communication efforts.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:52

The Peculiar Physics Of Wiffle Balls

Short Wave ·

2020/04/06

Wiffle Balls are a lightweight alternative to baseballs, better suited for backyards then sports stadiums. The design of the Wiffle Ball guarantees you don't need a strong arm to throw a curve ball. But how does that happen? Engineering professor Jenn Stroud Rossman explains.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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10:25

How The Coronavirus Could Hurt Our Ability To Fight...

Short Wave ·

2020/04/03

Now is when we'd normally be getting ready for fire season. And this upcoming one could be tough for states like California, which had an especially dry winter. The spread of the coronavirus however is complicating preparation efforts. Maddie talks with Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on the New York Times climate team, about how the crisis we're in could hurt our response to another crisis just around the corner.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy

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11:55

Honeybees Need Your Help, Honey

Short Wave ·

2020/04/02

A deadly triangle of factors is killing off U.S. honeybees. Last year, forty percent of honeybee colonies died in the U.S., continuing an alarming trend. Entomologist Sammy Ramsey tells host Maddie Sofia about the "three P's" and what listeners can do to help our fuzzy-flighted friends.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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1,542 results

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