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.If you're hooked, try Short Wave Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/shortwave
1482 episodes transcribedWith parts of the U.S, Canada, Spain and France all ablaze with wildfires, you might be wondering: Are wildfires on the rise? If so, know that you min...
Leopard sharks have nearly vanished from the waters in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The country is one of the largest shark fishing nations in the world. No...
There’s the flu vaccine. The covid shot. The RSV shot… What if all of these—and more—could be combined into one universal vaccine? That’s what immunol...
Did you know that when you pick up avocados at the supermarket, make avocado toast at home or order guacamole in your burrito, you’re probably consumi...
Synthetic peptides are getting some serious hype, from fitness influencers on your FYP to people seeking new options for chronic conditions. And while...
What’s small, round and could give you explosive diarrhea? Cyclospora parasites. The diarrheal disease they cause is wreaking havoc on thousands this...
A race started by President Trump is leading to the rapid construction of new, experimental nuclear reactors. If they work, they could power data cent...
Yamal and Messi aren’t the only stars of the World Cup finals. If you’ve been watching any of the games, you’ve probably stared directly at a huge, un...
At Short Wave, we love a good brain. Which is why we’ve had a lot of conversations over the years with NPR’s neuroscience reporter, Jon Hamilton. Jon’...
What if there were a great ape species that could live over 1,000 years? That’s basically Heliconius in the butterfly world. The insects live around 2...
In the age of AI, what differentiates humans from robots? What makes humans … human? To find answers, many people are studying consciousness: our capa...
Maybe you’ve wondered about it late at night as a mosquito buzzes in your ear. Or when you kick over a rock and watch dozens of little critters crawl...
A valuable NASA satellite observatory is falling to Earth faster than scientists expected. It’s called the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, or “Swift”...
Every dog lover’s greatest fear is inevitably losing their pet to time. We want our furry pals to stick around as long as they can. That wish may soon...
Taking an air taxi to the airport may become as simple as ordering a ride share today. In our first episode in our summer series Tech Camp, we explore...
Independence Day is approaching!Imagine if someone has procured illegal fireworks from a couple of states over. Are you:1. first in line to light them...
The U.S. generates 292 million tons of trash each year – and that trash has to go somewhere. Sometimes, that’s to an incinerator, where it’s burned a...
In the grand scheme of things, Lyme disease is a fairly new scientific discovery. It was first traced back to ticks in the late 70s and early 80s. The...
For many, being able to work from home is a boon: saving time on your commute, working in your sweatpants, throwing in a load of laundry before a meet...
There’s an object in space 25 times the size of Jupiter that’s stumped scientists for years. They haven’t been able to figure out if it’s a planet or...
