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Babies got beat: Why rhythm might be innate
6 februari 2026 · 8 min
Rhythm is everywhere. Even if you don’t think you have it, it’s fundamental to humans’ biological systems. Our heartbeat is rhythmic. Speech is rhythmic. Even as babies, humans can track basic rhythm. Researchers wanted to find out if there were more layers to this: Could babies also track melody and more complicated rhythms? So they played Bach for a bunch of sleeping newborns and monitored the babies’ brains to see if they could predict the next note. What they found offers clues about whether melody and rhythm are hard-wired in the human brain or learned over time. We also get into what powers the eating habits of some snakes and chameleons, and insights into the role of sleep in problem-solving. Lees meer
Have a scientific question you want us to answer? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Jordan-Marie Smith and Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineers were Jimmy Keeley and Hannah Gluvna.
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How do extreme G-forces affect Olympic bobsledders?
4 februari 2026 · 14 min
Olympic sliding sports – bobsled, luge and skeleton – are known for their speed. Athletes chase medals down a track of ice at up to 80 or 90 mph. With this thrill comes the risk of “sled head.” Athletes use the term to explain the dizziness, nausea, exhaustion and even blackouts that can follow a brain-rattling run. Untreated, this can turn into concussions and subconcussions. But there’s still a lot more to learn about this condition. So today, host Emily Kwong speaks with two experts about the medical research into sled head – and how the sport would need to change to protect athletes’ brain health. Lees meer
Check out more of NPR’s Olympics coverage.
Interested in more Olympic science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Autism: debunking Trump claims, and what scientists still don't know
3 februari 2026 · 13 min
Autism has a long history of misinformation that continues to today. The Trump administration has perpetuated some of this misinformation in the last year. Among other things, officials have claimed certain groups of people don’t get the condition and that taking Tylenol while pregnant causes autism to later develop in children. Today, NPR Science Correspondent Jon Hamilton sets the record straight with host Emily Kwong on what scientists do and don’t know about autism. Lees meer
If you liked this episode, check out our episodes on an Autism researcher’s take on Trump’s claims about Tylenol and a Fragile X treatment that may be on the horizon.
Interested in more science in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Damian Herring.
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Why research into ‘forever chemicals’ includes firefighters
2 februari 2026 · 11 min
PFAS make pans nonstick, clothes waterproof and furniture stain resistant. They're so ubiquitous, they're even inside of us. Now, researchers are looking for more insights in firefighters' blood. Lees meer
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Lessons and failures from the Challenger space shuttle explosion
30 januari 2026 · 14 min
On Jan. 28, 1986, NASA’s 25th space shuttle mission, Challenger, left the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Seventy-three seconds into flight, Challenger exploded over the Atlantic Ocean as millions of people watched. All seven people on board died. Now, forty years later, journalist Adam Higginbotham chronicles what went wrong. His book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space pieces together stories from key officials, engineers and the families of those killed in the explosion – and details how its legacy still haunts spaceflight today. Lees meer
Consider checking out our episode speaking to an astronaut while she’s in space.
Have a scientific question you want us to answer? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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How scientists predict big winter storms
28 januari 2026 · 10 min
This past weekend, Winter Storm Fern struck the States. Sleet, snow and ice battered Americans all the way from New Mexico to New York. Scientists predicted its arrival in mid-January, and in anticipation of the storm, more than 20 state governors issued emergency declarations. But how did scientists know so much, so early, about the approaching storm? NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher says it has to do with our weather models… and the data we put into them. Which begs the question: Will we continue to invest in them? Lees meer
Interested in more science behind the weather? Check out our episodes on better storm prediction in the tropics and how the Santa Ana winds impact the fire season this time of year.
Have a question we haven’t covered? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We’d love to consider it for a future episode!
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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by our showrunner Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones and Rebecca Hersher checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
News clips were from CBS Boston, Fox Weather, Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, and PBS Newshour.
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What drives animals to your yard? It's complicated
27 januari 2026 · 14 min
Listener Shabnam Khan has a problem: Every time she works in her garden, she’s visited by lizards and frogs. Shabnam has lived in the metro Atlanta area for decades, and she says this number of scaly, clammy visitors has exploded over the past few years. Frogs croak at night; lizards sun on the cement. And she wants to know, where did all of these animals come from? It turns out, there are a number of potential answers – from small-scale environmental changes like natural plants and new water sources to large-scale shifts like urbanization and development displacing local wildlife. On this month’s Nature Quest, host Emily Kwong and producer Hannah Chinn discuss the possibilities – and impacts – of these changes. Lees meer
If you live in the Atlanta area and are interested in volunteering with MAAMP (the Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Program), you can sign up for training here.
This episode is part of Nature Quest, our monthly segment that brings you a question from a fellow listener who is noticing a change in the world around them.
Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org telling us your name, location and a question about a change you’re seeing in nature – it could be our next Nature Quest episode!
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Iran offline: How a government can turn off the internet
26 januari 2026 · 13 min
There’s an ongoing, near-total blackout of the internet in Iran. The shutdown is part of a response by the government to ongoing protests against rising inflation and the value of the nation’s currency plummeting. Since protests began more than two weeks ago, only an estimated 3% of Iranians have stayed online through the satellite internet system Starlink. Doing so is a crime. So, today on the show: Iran offline. We get into how the internet works, how a government can shut it down and how scientists are monitoring the nation’s connectivity from afar. Lees meer
Check out more of NPR's coverage of Iran:
- Iran Protests Explained
- There's an internet blackout in Iran. How are videos and images getting out?
- Iran blocked the internet amid deadly protests. Some voices are still getting through
Interested in more science behind the headlines? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may tackle it in a future episode!
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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, edited by Rebecca Ramirez and fact checked by Tyler Jones. Robert Rodriguez was the audio engineer.
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The plight of penguins in Antarctica
23 januari 2026 · 9 min
A new study shows penguins are breeding earlier than ever in the Antarctic Peninsula. This region is one of the fastest-warming areas of the world due to climate change, and penguins time their breeding period to environmental conditions. That’s everything from the temperature outside and whether there’s ice on the ground to what food is available. Changes in those conditions could contribute to mating changes. Plus, answers to a debate about how ice melts and how dirty diapers train parents in the art of disgust. Lees meer
Have a scientific question you want us to answer? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Jason Fuller and Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineers were Kwesi Lee and Hannah Gluvna.
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A failed galaxy could solve the dark matter mystery
21 januari 2026 · 13 min
Cloud 9 is a failed galaxy. It’s a clump of dark matter, called a dark matter halo, that never formed stars. But this failure could be the key to a mystery almost as old as the universe itself: dark matter. Scientists don’t know what dark matter is, but Cloud 9 could offer new clues. Three researchers weigh in on this new discovery and why it could be a missing piece to the story on how the universe formed. Lees meer
Check out our episode with astrophysicist Jorge Moreno on the mysterious Great Attractor and our summer series on space.
Have a scientific question you want us to answer? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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Is ‘The Pitt’ accurate? Medical experts weigh in
20 januari 2026 · 14 min
Medical drama The Pitt is winning Golden Globes… and health care workers’ hearts. Medical experts say the show, which chronicles a fictional Pittsburgh hospital emergency department, is perhaps the most medically accurate show that’s ever been created. But what about The Pitt makes it so accurate… and does the second season hold up as well as the first? Stanford Global Health Media Fellow (and fourth-year medical school student) Michal Ruprecht joins Short Wave to discuss. Lees meer
Have a question about YOUR favorite show and whether science supports it? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Maggie Luthar.
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Come critter spotting with us on a cold winter's night
19 januari 2026 · 13 min
In today's episode, host Emily Kwong leads us on a night hike in Patuxent River State Park in Maryland. Alongside a group of naturalists led by Serenella Linares, we'll meet a variety of species with unique survival quirks and wintertime adaptations. We'll search out lichen that change color under UV light and flip over a wet log to track a salamander keeping warm under wet leaves. Emily may even meet the bioluminescent mushrooms of her dreams. Plus, we talk about community events to get outside, such as the City Nature Challenge and Great American Campout. Lees meer
Do you have a question about changes in your local environment? Email a recording of your question to shortwave@npr.org — we may investigate it as part of an upcoming Nature Quest segment!
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10 breakthrough technologies to expect in 2026
16 januari 2026 · 13 min
Wanna know where tech is headed this year? MIT Technology Review has answers. They compile an annual list called "10 Breakthrough Technologies". Today, host Regina G. Barber speaks with executive editor Amy Nordrum about the list, and they get into everything from commercial space stations and base-edited babies to batteries that could make electric vehicles even more green. We also do a lightning round of honorable mentions you won't want to miss out on! Lees meer
Check out the full list from MIT Technology Review.
Interested in more science? Check out our episode on last year’s top 10 technologies to watch and our episode on building structures in space.
Email us your questions at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited and fact-checked by Rebecca Ramirez. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
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When is your brain actually an "adult"?
14 januari 2026 · 14 min
There’s this idea that something happens in the human brain when we turn 25. Suddenly, we can rent a car without fees. Make rational decisions. We may even regret some of our past… indiscretions. All because we’re developed…right? Well, a recent paper in the journal Nature suggests that may not be the case. Neuroscientists found four distinct turning points in brain development across the human lifespan – and that the brain may be in its “adolescent” phase until about the age of 32. Lees meer
Interested in more of the science inside your brain? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.
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The ozone layer is still healing…thanks to science
13 januari 2026 · 12 min
In the mid-1980s, scientists published a startling finding–a giant hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. That’s the protective shield that blocks large amounts of harmful UV radiation. And without it, the rate of cancer, cataracts and crop failure would skyrocket. Today on the show, we dive into ozone science and examine how scientists successfully sounded the alarm and solved an Antarctic mystery. Lees meer
Check out our episode on an Antarctic plankton mystery. And, listen to our monthly series Nature Quest.
Interested in more atmospheric science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Becky Brown.
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These little microbes may help solve our big problems
12 januari 2026 · 12 min
Microbes are little alchemists that perform all manner of chemical reactions. A team of microbiologists co-founded a non-profit to try to harness those abilities to solve some of the world’s big problems — from carbon capture to helping coral reefs to cleaning up waste. Recently, the team turned their attention to the microbes living in people’s homes — on and in shower heads, drip pans, and hot water heaters. These rather extreme environments may have pressured microorganisms into surviving in ways that could be advantageous to humans. Science reporter Ari Daniel takes us on a treasure hunt in miniature. Lees meer
This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
Interested in learning more about the weird and wonderful world of microbes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Hot galaxies alert!
9 januari 2026 · 8 min
Most astronomers agree that young galaxy clusters should be relatively cool compared to older ones. But researchers recently found a very young cluster that’s hotter than the surface of the sun. More on why the finding is so shocking, plus elephant’s remarkable sniffing abilities and a new discovery about butterfly migration in this episode of Short Wave. Lees meer
Interested in more science news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Micro forests: an emerging climate hero?
7 januari 2026 · 12 min
Healthy forests help combat climate change, provide humans with drinking water and even improve mental and physical health. But it’s hard to imagine an entire forest in the middle of a big city. That’s where micro-forests come into play — public forests on a smaller scale, filled with native plants. They exist around the world, and producer Rachel Carlson went to visit the largest micro-forest in California. She joins host Emily Kwong to chat about what she saw. Lees meer
Interested in more of the science behind urban nature? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Behold a T-Rex holotype, paleontology's "gold standard"
6 januari 2026 · 12 min
What happens behind the scenes of a dinosaur exhibit? Short Wave host Regina Barber got to find out … by taking a trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. In the museum’s basement, she talked to a paleobiologist, checked out a farmland fossil find and even touched a 67 million-year-old bone. Because, as it turns out, there’s a lot of science that can be found in a museum basement. Lees meer
Learn more about the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s exhibit “The Stories We Keep”.
Interested in more archaeology and dino-related science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Did Earth’s Water Come From Space?
5 januari 2026 · 14 min
Choose your fighter for the origin of water on Earth! Was it always here or did it come to this planet from somewhere else in space? And, either way, what does this mean for other water worlds in our galaxy? To find out, we talk with Michael Wong, an astrobiologist and planetary scientist at Carnegie Science. He gets into scientists’ strongest candidates for the ways water could have come to our planet many, many years ago – including whether it could have been made here. Buckle up: This is a hot debate in astrobiology right now. Lees meer
If you enjoyed this episode, check out our Space Camp series and our episode on whether life started on the ocean floor..
Interested in more space science and more unresolved hypotheses about how the universe came to be how it is today? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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The trouble of zero
2 januari 2026 · 12 min
What better time to contemplate the conundrum that is zero than the start of a new year? Zero is a fairly new concept in human history and even more recent as a number. It wasn't until around the 7th century that zero was used as a number. That's when it showed up in the records of Indian mathematicians. Since then, zero has, at times, been met with some fear — at one point the city of Florence, Italy banned the number. Lees meer
Today, scientists seek to understand how much humans truly comprehend zero — and why it seems to be different from other numbers. That's how we ended up talking to science writer Yasemin Saplakoglu in this encore episode about the neuroscience of this number that means nothing.
Read more of Yasemin's reporting on zero for Quanta Magazine. Plus, check out our episode on why big numbers break our brains.
Interested in more math episodes? Let us know what kind of stories you want to hear from us in 2026 by emailing shortwave@npr.org!
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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Science In 2025 Took A Hit. What Does It Mean?
31 december 2025 · 13 min
Science in the United States took some big hits this year. The Trump Administration disrupted federal funding for all kinds of scientific pursuits. Administration officials say those changes were a step towards reinvigorating federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health. But many scientists disagree. NPR health and science correspondents Rob Stein and Katia Riddle chat with host Emily Kwong about what these cuts could mean for the future of science. Lees meer
Interested in more stories on the future of science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Climate Anxiety Is Altering Family Planning
30 december 2025 · 14 min
Gen Z and younger millennials are generally the most climate literate generations. As an age cohort that started learning about climate change in school, they're worried about how to plan for their future jobs, houses and, yes, kids. With climate-related disasters and global warming likely to worsen, climate anxiety is giving way to reproductive anxiety. So, what do experts say about how to navigate the kid question? Lees meer
On this encore episode of Nature Quest, Short Wave speaks to Alessandra Ram, a journalist covering climate change, who just had a kid. We get into the future she sees for her newborn daughter and ask, how do we raise the next generation in a way that's good for the planet?
Here are the resources recommended by the experts we interviewed for this story:
Action Tools and Community Resources
The High-Impact Climate Action Guide by Kimberly A. Nicholas
The Climate Mental Health Network and Climate Emotions Wheel
The Climate Café® Hub - for finding a local group
Books and Research Papers
Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question: Deciding Whether to Have Children in an Uncertain Future, by Jade S. Sasser
Parenting in a Changing Climate: Tools for cultivating resilience, taking action, and practicing hope in the face of climate change, by Elizabeth Bechard
Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World, by Kimberly A. Nicholas
The role of high-socioeconomic-status people in locking in or rapidly reducing energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions, Nielsen, K.S., Nicholas, K.A., Creutzig, F. et al.
Got a question about changes in your local environment? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org with your name, where you live and your question. You might make it into our next Nature Quest episode!
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Why Kratom Is At The Heart Of A Big Public Health Debate
29 december 2025 · 13 min
Kratom and 7-OH products are available in many smoke shops. But earlier this year, the FDA recommended certain 7-OH products be scheduled alongside opioids. This isn’t the first time kratom has come under scrutiny. Nearly a decade ago, the DEA wanted to make certain active ingredients in kratom controlled substances. Meaning products would go from being widely available to highly restricted. After a massive wave of protest, the DEA decided not to move forward. Producer Rachel Carlson joins host Emily Kwong to talk about what could happen this time around, and what scientists know – and don’t know – about kratom and 7-OH. Lees meer
Interested in more of the science behind drugs and supplements? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Why Drones Are Catching Whale Breaths
26 december 2025 · 10 min
Scientists in the Arctic are catching the exhaled breaths of whales to better understand their health. How? Drones. Whales breathe through their blowholes, which are the equivalent of nostrils on their heads. By studying the microbes in exhaled whale breaths, scientists are piecing together how deadly diseases spread in whale populations. Host Emily Kwong and producer Berly McCoy talk to All Things Considered host Juana Summers about what scientists can do with this information, from reducing stress on whales and monitoring ocean health to warning people who could be in close proximity to whales carrying zoonotic diseases. Lees meer
Interested in more science on charismatic megafauna? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Drinking Turns Some Red With Asian Glow—And May Fight Tuberculosis
24 december 2025 · 14 min
Ever gotten a scarlet, hot face after drinking alcohol or know someone who has? Many people felt it as they celebrate the holidays with loved ones, sipping mulled wine, cocktails or champagne. That's because this condition, commonly called "Asian flush" or "Asian glow," affects an estimated half a billion people, who can't break down aldehyde toxins that build up in their bodies. But what if there's a benefit to having Asian glow? Katie Wu, a staff writer for The Atlantic, has looked into the research as to why the condition might have been a powerful tool for some of our ancestors to survive disease. (encore episode) Lees meer
Questions about other potential tradeoffs for our genetics? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We've love to hear from you and we might cover it in a future episode!Read Katie's article to learn more.Questions about other potential tradeoffs for our genetics? Email us at shortwave@npr.org. We've love to hear from you and we might cover it in a future episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, edited by Berly McCoy and fact-checked by Brit Hanson. Gilly Moon was the audio engineer.
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Why Suicide Prevention is 'Everyone's Business'
23 december 2025 · 14 min
Written by Jo Lambert, ‘Hold The Hope’ is now being used as suicide prevention training material by the UK’s National Health Service Mental Health Trust. Emily Kwong speaks with Rhitu Chatterjee about the inner strength of those who live with suicidality, how a song is opening up new conversations for mental health care, and how caregivers can help a person choose life, despite having persistent thoughts of death. Lees meer
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, contact the 988 National & Suicide Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Listen to the full version of the ‘Hold The Hope’ song here
Read more of Rhitu’s reporting on ‘Hold the Hope’ here
Listen to Rhitu and Emily’s previous conversation about practical ways to help someone at risk of suicide here
Interested in more stories about mental health care? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
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No, Raccoons Aren’t Pet-Ready (Yet)
22 december 2025 · 15 min
Dogs are man’s best friend. And it’s no secret that we at Short Wave love cats (Regina has four)! Both of these iconic pets have been domesticated – evolved and adapted to live alongside humans – for millennia. And a recent study suggests that the common raccoon may be on its first steps towards joining them. Lees meer
So how do scientists look for signs of domestication and what do those signs mean? And could you have a litter box trained raccoon in your lifetime? We talk to the study’s lead author, Raffaela Lesch, to find out.
Interested in more animal science stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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GLP-1 Pills Are On The Way. Here's What To Know
19 december 2025 · 12 min
You may have heard of Ozempic, and other GLP-1 drugs. They’re everywhere. And they typically involve weekly injections — which can have a sticker price of over a thousand dollars a month. And insurance coverage has been tricky to navigate for a lot of people. That’s why there’s a lot of excitement around a new pill form of the drug. NPR Pharmaceuticals Correspondent Sydney Lupkin chats about these experimental pills with host Emily Kwong. Lees meer
Check out more of NPR’s coverage about GLP-1s.
Interested in more health stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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The Indicator: Take A Penny, Leave A Penny, Get Rid Of The Penny
18 december 2025 · 11 min
In November, the U.S. stopped production of the humble penny after 232 years in circulation. On today’s show, Darian Woods and Wailin Wong from NPR's daily economics podcast The Indicator unpack the fiscal math that doomed the penny, and an artist pay tribute to this American icon. Lees meer
Follow the Indicator on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
View more of Robert Wechsler’s artwork here.
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"A Very, Very Big Deal." Countries Take On Fossil Fuels
17 december 2025 · 14 min
Many countries are frustrated with U.N. climate conferences. While some countries urgently want to transition away from fossil fuels — the main driver of global warming — others are blocking that language from climate agreements. Today on the show, Emily talks with Julia Simon from NPR’s climate desk. She takes us to Brazil and introduces us to a group of countries that are trying something new. Lees meer
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Could Architecture In Space Make A Greener Earth?
16 december 2025 · 14 min
Humankind has the technology to go to space. Space architect Ariel Ekblaw says the bottleneck now is real estate: getting larger volumes of space stations in orbit. Her company is working on the equivalent of giant, magnetic space Legos—hexagons that could self-assemble in space into livable, workable structures. This episode, host Regina G. Barber talks to her about this space architecture and why she says that the goal isn’t to abandon Earth–but to off-world industries like agriculture and manufacturing in order to build a better Earth. Lees meer
If you liked this episode, check out our Space Camp series.
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Is The Quantum Future Here?
15 december 2025 · 13 min
This year, quantum science and computing came up a lot. There have been broad claims that quantum science and engineering could one day help cure diseases, design new materials, optimize supply chains -- or help in other ways not yet fathomable. And, while the Trump administration has made strides to cut scientific funding, quantum research is one of two things they’ve pledged to continue investing in – along with artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, scientists have been hard at work, pushing the research to move quantum engineering from sci-fi to real-world usefulness. All of this got science correspondent Katia Riddle wondering: When will all of this effort actually pay off? She talked to a lot of scientists to figure it out -- and to figure out how much scientist really understand about quantum science. She brings everything she learned onto the show today. Lees meer
To hear more Short Wave reporting on quantum clocks, check out this episode: Quantum Mechanics For Beginners
Interested in more quantum science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Could This Exoplanet Harbor Life?
12 december 2025 · 11 min
Want to be a top notch candidate for hosting alien life? Then there's a few key requirements you should be aware of: Ideally, you're a large object like a moon or a planet; scientists suspect you also have an atmosphere and water; plus, you should orbit your star from a nice mid-range distance — in the "Goldilocks Zone" of habitability. Until recently, you would be competing against TRAPPIST-1 e. It's a planet outside of our solar system. TRAPPIST-1 e is also only 40 light years away, rocky and the same size as Earth, which prompted researchers to investigate whether it also has an atmosphere — and the potential for alien life. A team of researchers has been investigating TRAPPIST-1 e to learn more about its potential. Their answers, recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, say a lot not just about this exoplanet, but about how scientists should refocus their hunt for alien life. Lees meer
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How Replaceable Are You?
10 december 2025 · 13 min
In the 1970’s TV show called Six Million Dollar Man, a test pilot is in a horrible accident. The show’s famous line goes, “We can rebuild him. We have the technology.” Now, in the 2025 book, Replaceable You, science writer Mary Roach explores how people have collectively lived up to the task of rebuilding human bodies when they fail, as well as all the ways we may not quite be there yet. In this episode Regina G. Barber and Mary Roach discuss three chapters of the book, get into everything from iron lungs to private parts and try to answer the question, “How replaceable are you?” Lees meer
Interested in more science behind the human body? Check out our episodes on synthetic cells and the first pig kidney transplant. Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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The Closest Thing To A Cure For Allergies
9 december 2025 · 15 min
More than 100 million people in the U.S. have some allergy each year. That’s about every 1 in 3 adults. For many, the fix is a bandaid: over-the-counter allergy medications. But there’s another treatment that works to lessen these reactions rather than just manage people’s symptoms, allergy shots. The treatment has been around for over a century and is still popular today. Patients have to take the shots for a few years, and it’s the closest thing science has to a cure. Host Regina G. Barber speaks with Dr. Gina Dapul-Hidalgo about how this immunotherapy works and how certain guidelines to keep your child from developing common food allergies have changed.
Interested in more science behind allergies? Check out our other episodes: Lees meerHaving a food allergy? And how your broken skin barrier might be the cause
Spring Allergies and what to do about them
Have another topic on human biology or consumer health you want us to investigate? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Controversy In Yellowstone
8 december 2025 · 16 min
Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative suggests. But is it really so simple? Today on the show, we explore how the Yellowstone ecosystem has changed since wolves returned and whether those changes can really be pinned solely on wolves. Plus, how the narrative of the Yellowstone wolf legacy could affect wolf reintroduction elsewhere. (encore) Lees meer
Curious about other science controversies? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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Americans Are Not Going To The Dentist Enough
5 december 2025 · 13 min
An estimated 5-10% of the U.S. population experiences a disorder with their TMJ, the joint that connects their jaw to their skull. The good news? Relief is possible. The secret? Go see your dentist. Today on the show, Emily talks with Justin Richer, an oral surgeon, about the diagnosis and treatment of TMJ disorders. Lees meer
Got a question about your teeth or dentistry? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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What Are AI Data Centers Doing To Your Electric Bill?
3 december 2025 · 14 min
Electricity bills are on track to rise an average of 8 percent nationwide by 2030 according to a June analysis from Carnegie Mellon University and North Carolina State University. The culprits? Data centers and cryptocurrency mining. Bills could rise as much as 25 percent in places like Virginia. Science writer Dan Charles explains why electric utilities are adding the cost of data center buildings to their customers’ bills while the data companies pay nothing upfront. Lees meer
Read the full June analysis here.
To listen to more on the environmental impact of data centers, check out our two-part reported series:
- Why the true water footprint of AI is so elusive
- How tech companies could shrink AI's climate footprint
Interested in how technology affects everyday life? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Why Experts Are Racing To Learn About This Interstellar Comet
2 december 2025 · 14 min
The comet 3I/ATLAS is taking a long holiday journey this year. It’s visiting from another solar system altogether. Those interstellar origins have the Internet rumor mill questioning whether 3I/ATLAS came from aliens. Co-hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber dive into that, plus what it and other interstellar comets can tell us about planets beyond our solar system. Lees meer
Read more of NPR’s coverage of 3I/ATLAS. Also, if you liked this episode, check out our episodes on:
- the physics in the film Interstellar
- why Pluto is still helpful for learning how our solar system formed
Interested in more space science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Who Should Track Their Blood Sugar?
1 december 2025 · 14 min
Prediabetes is common in the U.S. — around 1 in 3 people have it. And many people may not know they have it. But last year, the FDA approved the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor. Since then, more people without diabetes have started checking their blood glucose levels. Diabetologist and University of California, San Francisco professor of medicine Dr. Sarah Kim shares the science behind blood glucose with host Emily Kwong. Lees meer
Check out more of NPR’s coverage about continuous glucose monitors.
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What’s In A Kiss? 21 Million Years Of Evolution
28 november 2025 · 9 min
How far back in evolutionary history does kissing go? Through phylogenetic analysis, an international team of scientists found that kissing was likely present in the ancestor of all apes – which lived 21 million years ago. Not only that: They were definitely kissing Neanderthals. The study was published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. In this news roundup, we also talk about new clues about the collision that created our moon and a moss surviving the hardships of space. Lees meer
Interested in stories about human evolution? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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How To Disagree Better
26 november 2025 · 15 min
Many people are gearing up for holiday conversation with loved ones who may disagree with them -- on everything from politics to religion and lifestyle choices. These conversations can get personal and come to a halt quickly. But today on the show, we get into neuroscience and psychological research showing that as much as we disagree, there are ways to bridge these divides -- and people who are actively using these strategies well in their daily lives. (encore) Lees meer
Want to hear more neuroscience and psychology? Email us your ideas to shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
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Nature Quest: The Earthquake Prediction Problem
25 november 2025 · 15 min
Their whole life, producer Hannah Chinn has known about the Big One: a massive earthquake forecasted to hit the West Coast. Scientists say it’ll destroy buildings, collapse bridges, flood coastal towns and permanently shift the landscape. But how exactly do scientists know this much about the scope of earthquakes if they can’t even predict when those earthquakes are going to happen? Together with host Emily Kwong, Hannah goes on a quest for answers. Plus, they get into what a Cascadia earthquake has in common with a Thanksgiving turkey. Lees meer
This story is part of Nature Quest, our monthly segment that brings you a question from a Short Waver who is noticing a change in the world around them. Have an environment-based question you want us to investigate on the next Nature Quest? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Check out our previous episode on earthquake prediction.
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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn and Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee. Special thanks to scientists Paul Lundgren and Suzanne Carbotte.
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SNAP Delays: The Science Of Hunger And Food Insecurity
24 november 2025 · 12 min
One in every eight households in the U.S. isn’t always sure where the next meal will come from. Limited food access can spell hunger – and that can affect the body and mind. So can cheaper, less nutritious foods. Hunger has a huge impact on individuals – and whole societies. It can mean shorter term issues like trouble focusing, as well as longer term mental health and physical struggles like chronic disease and social isolation. Host Regina G Barber speaks with experts looking at the impacts of food insecurity – from the known tolls and misconceptions to ways to bridge the gap. Lees meer
If you liked this show, check out our episode on loneliness and the brain. To learn about ways you can find free or low-cost food, check out NPR’s Life Kit episode on the topic.
Interested in more public health or human biology stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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What's Up With Nightmares?
21 november 2025 · 14 min
Dreams of flying? Nightmares of teeth falling out? Falling off a cliff? As a sleep scientist at the University of Montreal, Michelle Carr has pretty much heard it all. In Michelle’s new book Nightmare Obscura, she explores the science of dreams, nightmares – and even something called dream engineering, where people influence their own dreams while they sleep. Today on Short Wave, co-host Regina G. Barber dives into the science of our sleeping life with Michelle Carr. Lees meer
Interested in any upcoming science books? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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The Mystery Of Inner Monologues
19 november 2025 · 14 min
Emily Kwong is pretty sure she lacks an inner monologue, while the inner monologue of producer Rachel Carlson won’t stop chatting. But how well can a person know their inner self? And what does science have to say about it? Lees meer
To learn more about Charles Fernyhough’s research on voice hearing, visit the Understanding Voices support resource.
Interested in more science inside your brain? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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An Apple Is An Ovary: The Science of Apple Breeding
18 november 2025 · 15 min
What's your favorite apple? Maybe it's the crowd-pleasing Honeycrisp, the tart Granny Smith or the infamous Red Delicious. Either way, before that apple made it to your local grocery store or orchard it had to be invented — by a scientist. So today, we're going straight to the source: Talking to an apple breeder. Producer Hannah Chinn reports how apples are selected, bred, grown ... and the discoveries that could change that process. Plus, what's a "spitter"? Lees meer
Read more of Hannah's apple reporting.
Want to know how science impacts other food you eat? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might cover your food of choice on a future episode!
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Mental ‘Workouts’ Could Keep Your Brain Young
17 november 2025 · 11 min
Scientists have found the first compelling evidence that cognitive training can boost levels of a brain chemical that typically declines as people age. The results of this 10-week study back earlier animal research showing that environments that stimulate the brain can increase levels of certain neurotransmitters. And other studies of people have suggested that cognitive training can improve thinking and memory. So how does it all work? And by how much does it all work? Here to break everything down and help you understand how to keep your brain sharp is NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton. Lees meer
To try out the cognitive exercises for yourself, visit Brain HQ.
Interested in more brain science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Are we cooked? How social media shapes your language w/ Adam Aleksic (from TED Tech)
15 november 2025 · 17 min
This week, we’re sharing a special episode from TED Tech exploring Gen Z slang words like "unalive," "skibidi" and "rizz." Where do these words come from — and how do they get popular so fast? Linguist Adam Aleksic explores how the forces of social media algorithms are reshaping the way people talk and view their very own identities. Lees meer
Technology’s role in our lives is evolving fast. TED Tech helps you explore the riveting questions and tough challenges we’re faced with that sit at the intersection of technology and humanity. Listen in every Friday, with host, journalist Sherrell Dorsey, as TED speakers explore the way tech shapes how we think about society, science, design, business, and more.
Listen to TED Tech wherever you get your podcasts or go to: https://link.mgln.ai/Ng9EKL
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