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.
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Take a big inhale through your nose. Now, exhale. Breathing may seem simple, but it's controlled by a complex brain network. Each inhale gives the human brain information about the external world. And now, a new research paper in the journal Current Biology suggests that humans have unique breathing patterns, almost like nasal "fingerprints." Not only that: These unique breathing patterns seem to say a lot about people's physical and mental health. Questions about the science behind your brain a...
Climate change-fueled disasters are driving up homeowners insurance costs and causing insurers to drop policies. Climate-proofing measures, like fortified roofs, can make homes more resilient and qualify owners for insurance discounts, as seen in Alabama. However, challenges remain in areas facing different risks like wildfires, and insurers aren't currently required to consider these improvements, highlighting a need for policy reform to address non-renewal.
Roughly 163 million people experience obsessive-compulsive disorder and its associated cycles of obsessions and compulsions. They have unwanted intrusive thoughts, images or urges; they also do certain behaviors to decrease the distress caused by these thoughts. In movies and TV, characters with OCD are often depicted washing their hands or obsessing about symmetry. Dr. Carolyn Rodriguez says these are often symptoms of OCD, but they're not the only ways it manifests – and there's still a lot of...
The Dog Aging Project is collecting health and lifestyle data from tens of thousands of dogs across the U.S. to uncover factors influencing healthy aging. Learn about early findings, including breed trends and the lifespan anomaly in large dogs, and hear about research exploring interventions like rapamycin. The project also aims to use dogs as sentinels for environmental threats that could impact both canine and human health.
"Olo" does not exist in nature, nor can it be found among paint cans. But for a very select few, olo can be seen — through the intervention of careful computing and lasers. A team led by vision scientist Austin Roorda and computer scientist Ren Ng at UC Berkeley figured out a method for stimulating only one specific subset of cones of the retina. It's the only way to view this spectacular teal. Creating the color is helping push the boundaries of vision science. Follow Short Wave on Spotify , an...
There are over 200 species of deep-sea anglerfish; some are long and thin, some are squat and round, some have fins that they use to "walk" along the sea floor, and others have huge eyes set far back into their heads. But how did all this morphological diversity first come to be? Thanks to a new anglerfish family tree, now we know. Scientists built this evolutionary tree using genetic information from hundreds of samples and anglerfish specimens across the globe. It indicates that anglerfish ori...
Protein shape determines function, but predicting this has been difficult for decades due to the billions of trillions of folding possibilities. Google DeepMind's AlphaFold AI models have dramatically improved prediction accuracy and speed, allowing scientists to rapidly determine protein structures and understand their interactions with other molecules. Building on this, researchers are now using AI to design entirely new proteins with potential applications in medicine, sustainability, and technology, fundamentally changing the field.
For centuries, sailors have reported witnessing 'milky seas'—vast areas of glowing ocean at night. Scientists, including atmospheric science researcher Justin Hudson, are now using historical accounts dating back 400 years, combined with modern satellite data, to finally unravel this maritime mystery. The leading theory points to luminous bacteria as the cause, and new research aims to predict and sample these elusive events.
This episode of Short Wave explores fascinating science stories, including how your immune system's response varies between day and night, why powerful immune cells called neutrophils have a circadian clock, and potential applications for this research. It also delves into prototype contact lenses that allow wearers to perceive infrared light and a curious observation of a hawk seemingly using traffic light patterns to ambush prey.
Around 40 million people worldwide have bipolar disorder, which involves cyclical mood swings from depression to mania. This episode features Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor of psychiatry and pioneering researcher who also lives with the condition. She discusses her personal journey, the genetic and environmental factors that may contribute to bipolar disorder, treatment options like lithium, challenges in diagnosis and adherence, and the role of support systems.
This episode of Nature Quest explores the complex decision of whether or not to have children in the age of climate change, a major concern for Gen Z and younger millennials. It traces the origin of the idea that having fewer kids significantly impacts climate change to a specific academic paper and discusses the historical context of population control debates. Experts weigh in on the validity of climate anxiety and the importance of focusing on high-impact collective climate actions and finding community support.
Just as precise clocks were needed to solve the historical longitude problem for sea travel, ultra-accurate timekeeping is now crucial for navigating deep space. This episode explores the limitations of current space clocks, like those used in GPS, which suffer from drift. It delves into the science behind atomic clocks and introduces a new NASA project called OASIC, which uses optical light and a strontium atom to achieve unprecedented precision, potentially enabling autonomous navigation and fundamental physics research in space.
Riddle us this: Which animal is pink, curved beaked and a master of the physics required to create water tornadoes? If you guessed flamingos, you're right. New research out this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that across a range of harsh environments, flamingos have become masters — of physics, fluid dynamics and so much more — all in pursuit of their filter-fed prey. Short Wave host Regina G. Barber sits down with biomechanics researcher Victor Ortega...
What's it like to get bit by a venomous snake? "It's like a bee sting times a thousand," Tim Friede says. Tim would know. Over the past few decades, he's let himself be bitten over 200 times by all kinds of venomous snakes — black mambas, taipans, cobras, kraits and more. With time, he's gradually built immunity to multiple types of venom. Could scientists help him share that immunity with others? Science reporter Ari Daniel joins Short Wave to explain how antivenom works, what scientists discov...
The Trump administration is rewriting policies and reducing funding for multiple agencies that handle climate change, including NOAA, EPA and FEMA. We asked NPR reporters Lauren Sommer and Alejandra Borunda what that the implications of that are — and who the changes will affect. Want to hear more ways research is being impacted by the new administration? Email us at [email protected] to let us know — and we may cover your idea in a future episode! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-...
This episode of Short Wave explores the theoretical possibility of wormholes. Theoretical physicist Ron Gamble discusses how wormholes relate to Einstein's theory of general relativity and the geometry of space-time. He also explains the requirements for wormhole existence, including the need for exotic matter and extra dimensions, while addressing the skepticism around wormhole research due to the lack of testability.
This episode dives into recent science news, uncovering the genetic mutation responsible for orange cat coloration found on the X chromosome. It also explores a new low-cost sensor prototype that cyclists can use to crowdsource data for mapping safer bike routes in cities. Finally, the discussion highlights a study revealing a potential link between gum disease and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
Most bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt, but some use their ears for another trick: eavesdropping. "And then these frog-eating bats, for example, they are actually listening in on the mating calls of frogs that are much, much lower in frequency," says behavioral ecologist Rachel Page. But how the bats knew this eavesdropping trick was a mystery. So she set up and experiment with baby bats and a speaker. Have a question about the animals all around us? Email us at [email protected] — we'd...
Becoming fluent in a second language is difficult. But for adults, is it impossible? Science says no. In this encore episode, Short Wave host Emily Kwong dissects the "critical period hypothesis," a theory which linguists have been debating for decades — with the help of Sarah Frances Phillips , a Ph.D. student in the linguistics department at New York University. Together, Emily and former Short Wave host Maddie Sofia explore where the theory comes from, how it applies to second-language acquis...
Today, we're airing an episode of NPR's daily economics podcast, The Indicator from Planet Money . It's about a group of people we know well: scientists. President Trump's federal cuts and scrutiny of academic institutions are forcing some U.S. scientists to head for the border. On today's show, an entomologist keeping America's farms safe from pests reconsiders America. And a CEO of a Canadian hospital explains how they are benefiting from the exodus. Want to learn more about the intersection o...
Google , Microsoft and Meta have all pledged to reach at least net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Amazon set their net-zero deadline for 2040. To understand how these four tech companies could possibly meet their climate goals amid an artificial intelligence renaissance, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong discusses the green AI movement. Speaking with scientists, CEOs and tech insiders, she explores three possible pathways: nuclear energy, small language models (SLMs) and back-to-the-future ways of ...
By 2028, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory forecasts that U.S. data centers could use as much as 12% of the nation's electricity. The reason: generative AI. Since 2022, AI innovation by four leading tech companies — Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon — has led to annual increases in both energy and water consumption. So, in this episode, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong probes huge water footprint of AI. We begin with the rise of data centers, then look at how computers came to need so much wa...
This episode of Short Wave explores the science of creativity with psychologist Zorana Ivcevic Pringle. Zorana discusses how creativity isn't an innate trait but a choice and explores methods for studying and measuring creativity, including tests of divergent thinking and experience sampling. She also delves into the connection between emotional intelligence and creative problem-solving and ways to overcome creative blocks, like reconstructing problems and shifting mindsets.
This episode of Short Wave delves into the recent claims of potential life signs on planet K2-18b, exploring the initial excitement and subsequent skepticism within the astronomy community. It examines the data interpretation challenges from the James Webb Space Telescope, the controversy surrounding the research's presentation, and broader implications for future exoplanet research and science communication. The discussion highlights the rigorous process of scientific validation and the importance of balanced reporting in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Minecraft is a movie and a very popular video game with iconic block graphics that characters can "mine" for building material and gems. It's also what cognitive scientist Charley Wu and his team utilized to study how people learned as they played. Their unique study focused on both individual and social learning — and they found a clear answer to which players were most successful. (Hint: Get you a player who can do both.) Their results were published recently in the journal Nature Communicatio...
This episode of Short Wave dissects the health and science policy changes during the Trump administration's first 100 days, focusing on the impact of budget cuts and agency restructuring. It explores the ramifications for both domestic health services, such as food safety and disease tracking, and international aid efforts, particularly in global health initiatives. The discussion highlights the potential long-term consequences for public health and international relations.
A good night's sleep makes a big difference to our mental and physical health. Without quality sleep, we're less productive. Grumpy. It can even affect our hearts. Meanwhile, more and more people are having problems falling and staying asleep, including kids. So some parents are turning to a supplement called melatonin as a potential solution. But some experts worry that there isn't enough research about how regularly taking melatonin affects kids in the long term. Today on the show, we explore ...
This episode of Short Wave explores the fascinating world of marine invertebrates and their unique superpowers. Marine biologist Drew Harvell discusses how these spineless creatures, like sponges, sea slugs, and sea stars, inspire scientific and medical innovation. The episode highlights the ecological importance and potential human applications of these often-overlooked ocean inhabitants.
This episode of Short Wave discusses the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a new astronomical facility in Chile with a massive digital camera designed to survey the entire southern sky. The observatory will generate an unprecedented amount of data, analyzed in real-time to detect changes and alert astronomers to new events. One of the primary goals is to search for the elusive Planet 9, a hypothetical large planet beyond Neptune.
A fish walks into a pharmacy ... well, not exactly. Fish aren't being prescribed anti-anxiety drugs. But they are experiencing the effects. Researchers have found more than 900 different pharmaceutical ingredients in rivers and streams around the world, though they're not yet sure how this could change the behavior of fish and other aquatic animals in the wild. "We can't, you know, dump a bunch of pharmaceuticals into the river," says Jack Brand , biologist at the Swedish University of Agricultu...
