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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

14:00

Cryptocurrency Is An Energy Drain

Short Wave ·

2022/04/25

As cryptocurrencies become increasingly popular, the environmental impact of the technology is gaining more attention. Local, state and national governments are trying to figure out how to regulate the massive amounts of energy that some cryptocurrencies consume.Short Wave host Aaron Scott and producer Eva Tesfaye are joined by Planet Money reporter Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi who unpacks what cryptocurrencies are, how the technology works and why it all sucks up so much energy. Check out the episodes of

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14:28

Fresh Banana Leaves — An Indigenous Approach To Science

Short Wave ·

2022/04/22

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 Salvador, and plants like the banana tree, brought from Asia to Central America — in science. Jessica, an environmental scientist, talks with Emily about how important it is to make sure that Indigenous people and their knowledge are centered as humans work to save or restore land in the era of climate change.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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10:22

The Indicator: How Green Laws Stop Green Projects

Short Wave ·

2022/04/21

The United States has a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Without serious changes to lifestyles, that means dramatic investments in green energy. But environmental laws can actually get in the way. Today, our colleagues at NPR's daily economics podcast, The Indicator from Planet Money, compare the threats to two bats on opposite ends of the planet. The bats show the tension between local and global environmentalism and how building a green economy is forcing people to have tough

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15:46

The Science Behind The Delta-8 Craze

Short Wave ·

2022/04/20

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 even gas stations.Dr. Katelyn Kesheimer, a researcher at Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, joins the show to demystify Delta-8. In this encore episode, we'll learn what it's made of, where it comes from, why it's so popular, and why science and the federal government are falling so far behind the cannabis industry. Email the

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14:12

TASTE BUDDIES: Y U Salty?

Short Wave ·

2022/04/19

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, "Taste Buddies," Scientist-in-Residence Regina G. Barber goes on a salty flavor journey with scientist Julie Yu. Along the way, Julie explains salt's essential role in our daily lives and how it affects our perception of food. Follow Regina on Twitter @ScienceRegina. Email Short Wave at ShortWave@NPR.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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14:04

The Pandemic Is Damaging Health Workers' Mental Health

Short Wave ·

2022/04/18

A recent study found that working surge after surge in the pandemic, a majority of American health care workers experienced psychiatric symptoms — including depression and thoughts of suicide. And yet, mental health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee found that very few got help for these symptoms.If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text the word home to 741741.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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13:12

Can Skiing Survive Climate Change?

Short Wave ·

2022/04/15

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 and skiiers. NPR correspondent Kirk Siegler first covered the issue 15 years ago as local station reporter in Aspen. Now he returns to that world-renowned destination and tells Short Wave co-host Aaron Scott about one resort's efforts to push the nation toward clean energy while it continues catering to the carbon-generating, jet-set crowd. Check out

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13:41

Addressing Water Contamination With Indigenous Science

Short Wave ·

2022/04/14

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, contaminating some of the unregulated wells that Ranalda and many others relied on for cooking, cleaning and drinking water. Today on the show, Ranalda talks to host Aaron Scott about her path to becoming an environmental chemist to study the extent of contamination in her home community using a blend of western and Diné science methods.Learn more

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12:10

Voices From A Ukrainian Hospital Damaged By Russian...

Short Wave ·

2022/04/13

In the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv at least half a dozen hospitals have been damaged by Russian attacks. The Emergency Department of City Hospital No. 2, located on the ground floor, was instantly destroyed. In addition, the shock wave shattered windows across all nine floors of the building, showering everything with broken glass. Correspondent Ari Daniel talks to Emily about the attack and brings Short Wave the voices of three people who were there for the attack and the aftermath.Feel

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21:57

Planet Money: How Manatees Got Into Hot Water

Short Wave ·

2022/04/12

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 went extinct as their habitat dwindled and boats threatened their lives. But power companies noticed something: manatees were hanging out near their power plants, seeking out warm water. So, the power companies teamed up with environmentalists to turn the warm waters near power planets into manatee refuges — saving manatee lives and the power

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12:29

Lemurs Will Rock You

Short Wave ·

2022/04/11

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 have some company in our ability to make musical rhythm. Producer Berly McCoy brings the story of singing lemurs to host Aaron Scott. She explains how their harmonies could help answer questions about the beginnings of our own musical abilities, and what all of this has to do with Queen.Learn more about sponsor message choices:

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9:49

War In Ukraine Sets Back Tuberculosis Treatment

Short Wave ·

2022/04/08

According to the World Health Organization, Ukraine has the fourth highest incidence of tuberculosis in Europe — and one of the highest rates of multidrug resistant TB anywhere in the world. The country had been making progress but then came the pandemic, and now the war. Reporter Ari Daniel says doctors worry about increased spread of this contagious and deadly disease.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:59

TASTE BUDDIES: The Origins Of Umami

Short Wave ·

2022/04/07

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 talks with producer Chloee Weiner about why it took so long for umami to be recognized as the fifth taste.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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10:12

The Indicator: Destroying Personal Digital Data

Short Wave ·

2022/04/06

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.Algorithms are the secret sauce for many tech platforms. With user data, they can help a company tailor a subscriber's experience and make the product better. But what happens when the data that feeds an algorithm is obtained through less than legal means?We learn about the curious case of Kurbo, the weight loss app for kids that the feds say illegally

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10:30

When To Consider Another COVID-19 Booster

Short Wave ·

2022/04/05

This week, U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisors will meet to discuss long-term COVID vaccine strategy. This follows the recent FDA authorization and CDC recommendation of a second booster available for people 50 and older and some immunocompromised people. Going forward, will the strategy change from counting boosters to making a COVID vaccine a seasonal shot? Allison Aubrey talks to Emily Kwong about the latest on boosters, what's known about the vaccination timeline for younger

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11:48

What We Gain From Dark Night Skies

Short Wave ·

2022/04/04

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. Today on the show, we visit cultural astronomer Danielle Adams in the world's first international dark sky city. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein also joins us to explain why access to dark night skies is so important.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:09

What Octopus Minds May Tell Us About Aliens

Short Wave ·

2022/04/01

Octopuses! They are escape artists, they camouflage in all kinds of surroundings, and they are incredibly intelligent creatures--and that intelligence evolved completely separately from humans'. That separate evolution makes them the perfect animal to study for Dominic Sivitilli, a PhD candidate in astrobiology and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Washington.Short Wave co-host Aaron Scott and Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) camera person Stephani Gordon visited Dominic's lab to learn

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11:55

The Peculiar Physics Of The Wiffle Ball

Short Wave ·

2022/03/31

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 we explain why the design of the Wiffle ball guarantees that you don't need a strong arm to throw a variety of pitches. More about Jenn Stroud Rossmann's work on Wiffle Balls here:https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/09/wiffle-ball-physics/539982/Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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14:59

The Community Scientists Who Helped Discover A New...

Short Wave ·

2022/03/30

When a team of exoplanetary treasure hunters joined forces with professional astronomers, they discovered a whole new world. Short Wave host Emily Kwong talks with astronomer Paul Dalba and community scientist Tom Jacobs about how their collaboration led to the recent observation of a new Jupiter-like exoplanet.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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13:01

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

Short Wave ·

2022/03/29

This month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill to make daylight saving time permanent. Now sleep scientists are weighing in and are suggesting the opposite — that standard time might be a better choice. Correspondent Allison Aubrey talks to host Emily Kwong about the pros and cons of adopting permanent daylight saving time or year-round standard time.You can follow Emily on Twitter @EmilyKwong1234 and Allison @AubreyNPR. Email Short Wave at ShortWave@NPR.org.Learn more about sponsor message

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1,540 results

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