Deep below our city streets lie intricate networks of underground piping built to carry away excess rainfall run off. These stormwater systems mostly go unnoticed until heavy rains overwhelm them, causing streets to flood. Now, with rising rainfall averages in much of the nation, cities need to plan for more water. Guest host Dan Charles talks to climate correspondent Lauren Sommer about the challenges of such planning and why many cities aren't set up to handle the coming rains. Learn more abou...
Feb 11, 2022•12 min•Ep 589•Transcript available on Metacast Kyne is the stage name of Kyne Santos , a drag queen math communicator. The former Canada's Drag Race contestant posted her first video explaining a math riddle in full drag on TikTok during the pandemic. Since then Kyne's math videos, under the username @onlinekyne, have have attracted 1.2 million followers and generated 33.2 million likes. Kyne talks to host Emily Kwong on how to present math to the masses – and about bringing STEM to the drag scene. Check out Kyne's TikTok videos: tiktok.com/...
Feb 10, 2022•14 min•Ep 588•Transcript available on Metacast For Black History Month, Short Wave is celebrating Black voices in STEM - bringing back some of our favorite conversations, as well as new guests with expertise and insights to share. In this encore episode, former Short Wave host Maddie Sofia talks to inventor James West about his life, career, and about how a device he helped invent in the 60's made their interview possible. (Encore) Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priv...
Feb 09, 2022•13 min•Ep 587•Transcript available on Metacast At Short Wave , it's an unspoken goal to ask and answer every question under the sun — after all, science underpins the entire universe. Today, we think we've finally met our curiosity match in mathematician Hannah Fry and geneticist Adam Rutherford. They're the duo behind the science mystery podcast The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry and co-authors of the new book Rutherford & Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) . In the book, they ask questions like: How old is the Ea...
Feb 08, 2022•16 min•Ep 586•Transcript available on Metacast Triple axel, double lutz, toe loops, salchows — it's time to fall in love again with the sport of figure skating. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are underway, and today on the show, Emily Kwong talks with biomechanic Deborah King about some of the physics behind figure skating. Plus, we go to an ice rink to see it all in action. You can email the show at ShortWave@NPR.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 07, 2022•11 min•Ep 585•Transcript available on Metacast In 2015, the National Institutes of Health ended invasive biomedical research on its hundreds of chimps. Since then, it's been gradually moving the animals to a sanctuary in Louisiana called Chimp Haven. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce joins the show to talk about the NIH's effort to retire research chimps and why it's complicated. Read more of Nell's reporting about chimp retirement: https://n.pr/3HsgmLq, https://n.pr/3AW3smo and https://n.pr/3sbHyaV Email the show at ShortWave@N...
Feb 04, 2022•13 min•Ep 584•Transcript available on Metacast Cylita Guy was a curious child who enjoyed exploring the beaches, parks and animals that shared her hometown of Toronto, Canada. She's a scientist – an urban ecologist – interested in city-dwelling bats. Cylita talks to guest host Lauren Sommer about the importance of studying wildlife in cities, and about her children's book, Chasing Bats and Tracking Rats: Urban Ecology, Community Science and How We Share Our Cities. This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, edited by Stephanie O'Neill and fac...
Feb 03, 2022•13 min•Ep 583•Transcript available on Metacast The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is deciding whether a Baltimore case against more than a dozen oil and gas companies will be heard in state or federal court. The city argues the companies are liable for the local costs of climate change. It wants the case heard in state court, which is governed by robust consumer protection laws. But industry lawyers are fighting hard to have it and more than 20 other similar lawsuits nationwide tried in federal court, where the oil and gas industry may be m...
Feb 02, 2022•12 min•Ep 582•Transcript available on Metacast As COVID-19 cases in the U.S. drop, the hospitalization rate remains high — as does the death rate. Experts say getting a COVID vaccine booster is key to maintaining immunity, but only about half of all vaccinated people in the U.S. have gotten the booster, which increases protection against both serious illness and death from the Omicron variant. Still, many infectious disease experts are cautiously optimistic for the coming months, pointing to it as a time to bolster our defenses against the v...
Feb 01, 2022•11 min•Ep 581•Transcript available on Metacast Today we're bringing you an episode from our friends at NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. They review the new HBO Max miniseries Station Eleven , based on the 2014 novel by author Emily St. John Mandel. The show's premise might sound eerily familiar: it begins with a highly contagious and deadly virus wiping out most of the world's population. The show then follows survivors through the pandemic's aftermath, as they decide how to rebuild what they've lost. Learn more about sponsor message choices: p...
Jan 31, 2022•19 min•Ep 580•Transcript available on Metacast The Omicron surge may have peaked in the U.S., but parts of the world are seeing crippling levels of cases. Jason Beaubien, NPR global health and development correspondent, joins the show to talk about where the virus is spreading, different countries' strategies for controlling the pandemic and what vaccinations look like globally. You can email the show at ShortWave@NPR.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jan 28, 2022•12 min•Ep 579•Transcript available on Metacast A few years back, a radio telescope in Australia picked up a radio signal that seemed to be coming from a nearby star. One possibility? Aliens! NPR science correspondent, Geoff Brumfiel , joins the show to talk about the signal and how a hunt for extra-terrestrial life unfolded. Check out the work from Sofia Sheikh and her team at the Berkeley SETI Research Institute about what they learned from the signal: https://bit.ly/3rM6hCo You can email the show at ShortWave@NPR.org . Learn more about spo...
Jan 27, 2022•13 min•Ep 578•Transcript available on Metacast In the 1960s, the Bureau of Reclamation built a dam that flooded a celebrated canyon on the Utah-Arizona border. Today, it's known as Lake Powell — the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. A half billion dollar tourism industry has grown in the desert around the reservoir but a decades-long megadrought is putting its future in question. With what some call America's 'lost national park' reemerging, an old debate is also resurfacing: should we restore a beloved canyon or refill a popular and crit...
Jan 26, 2022•12 min•Ep 577•Transcript available on Metacast Many experts warn there will be more infections on the downslope of the omicron surge, but the U.S. is on the path to the virus becoming endemic — and that should mean fewer interruptions to daily life. Take a listen to Rachel Martin chat with health correspondent Allison Aubrey about what's next in the pandemic on Morning Edition. You can email the show at ShortWave@NPR.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jan 25, 2022•8 min•Ep 576•Transcript available on Metacast Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. There is currently no cure, but scientists in Pittsburgh, PA have an ambitious plan to develop a treatment based on the placebo effect. NPR science correspondent, Jon Hamilton , tells the story of how this plan came to be. It involves a batch of illegal drugs, the rabies virus, and figuring out what makes a monkey really happy. Watch the video of the cyclist with Parkinson's disease here: htt...
Jan 24, 2022•14 min•Ep 575•Transcript available on Metacast The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors are almost in place and soon it'll be a million miles away from Earth, ready to provide clues to the history of the universe. Naturally, many scientists have research they'd like to do that involve the telescope. Today on the show, Emily talks with correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about who gets time on it, and how decision-makers are working to stay focused on the proposed science instead of who will be doing it, in the hopes of making the process fair...
Jan 21, 2022•14 min•Ep 574•Transcript available on Metacast The U.S. government has launched a website where people can request up to four free coronavirus tests per household--shipping is scheduled to begin in late January. They're responding to the fact that many Americans are really struggling to find tests as omicron surges across the country. (https://special.usps.com/testkits) Today on the show, our colleagues at Planet Money try to get tested — and they run into problems. From scammy testing sites to no tests at all, they explain what's behind the...
Jan 20, 2022•21 min•Ep 573•Transcript available on Metacast Sixty percent of electricity in the U.S. comes from fossil fuels, like natural gas and coal. Today on the show, guest host Dan Charles talks with reporter Julia Simon about how Hawaii is fighting climate change by throwing out what's been standard for many decades and encouraging the state's power company to make clean electricity. For more of Julia's reporting, check out " Biden's climate agenda is stalled in Congress. In Hawaii, one key part is going ahead ." > Email Short Wave at ShortWave@NP...
Jan 19, 2022•13 min•Ep 572•Transcript available on Metacast Health apps can be a great way to stay on top of your health. They let users keep track of things like their exercise, mental health, menstrual cycles — even the quality of their skin. But health data researchers Giulia De Togni and Andrea Ford have found that many of these health apps also have a dark side — selling your most personal data to third parties like advertisers, insurers and tech companies. Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/...
Jan 18, 2022•14 min•Ep 571•Transcript available on Metacast Pablo Escobar had a private zoo at his estate in Colombia, with zebras, giraffes, flamingoes - and four hippopotamuses. After Escobar was killed in 1993, most of the animals were relocated except for the so-called "cocaine hippos." Authorities thought they would die but they did not and now, about a hundred roam near the estate. Conservationists are trying to control their population because they worry about the people and the environment. But some locals like the hippos and a few researchers sa...
Jan 14, 2022•14 min•Ep 570•Transcript available on Metacast It's likely the last week has been rough if you're either going to school or in a family with kids trying to navigate school, be it virtual or in person. Thousands of schools around the country have shifted to remote learning. Others have changed testing protocols, are seeing staff and students out sick while trying to stay open during the midst of this latest surge. NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee and NPR education correspondent Anya Kamenetz talk to All Things Considered host Ailsa C...
Jan 13, 2022•9 min•Ep 569•Transcript available on Metacast Wingspan is a board game that brings the world of ornithology into the living room. The game comes with 170 illustrated birds cards, each equipped with a power that reflects that bird's behavior in nature. Wingspan game designer Elizabeth Hargrave speaks with Short Wave's Emily Kwong about her quest to blend scientific accuracy with modern board game design. (encore) Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jan 12, 2022•13 min•Ep 568•Transcript available on Metacast The U.S. is experiencing a viral blizzard which will likely continue through January, 2022. The omicron variant's surge is pushing hospitalization rates up across the country and most of the seriously ill are not vaccinated. With likely weeks still to go before infections with this variant reach their peak, the message is get vaccinated and get boosted. Emily Kwong talks to Short Wave regular Allison Aubrey about what researchers know about omicron's severity and how the vaccines are changing he...
Jan 11, 2022•15 min•Ep 567•Transcript available on Metacast Electric cars can help reduce greenhouse gases and companies are taking note — racing to become the next Tesla. Today on the show, guest host Dan Charles talks with business reporter Camila Domonoske about how serious the country is about this big switch from gas to electric cars. Plus, what could get drivers to ditch the gas guzzlers? For more of Camila's reporting on electric cars, check out " The age of gas cars could be ending " and " 2 little-known automotive startups are leading the race t...
Jan 10, 2022•14 min•Ep 566•Transcript available on Metacast Service dogs have long helped veterans with physical disabilities. While there have been stories about veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder being transformed by service animals, the peer-reviewed science wasn't there to back up the claims. Health reporter Stephanie O'Neill reports that's changed in recent years. Studies suggest service dogs can be effective at easing PTSD symptoms and used alongside other treatments. Now, the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act will help connect specially trai...
Jan 07, 2022•15 min•Ep 565•Transcript available on Metacast Infectious disease specialist Dr. Jasmine Marcelin has spent the last year talking to a lot of people about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Today on the show, in part two of a two part series, Dr. Marcelin shares with Emily Kwong what she's learned and how to talk about the vaccine with people who have doubts about getting vaccinated. You can follow Emily on Twitter @EmilyKwong1234 . Email Short Wave at ShortWave@NPR.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR ...
Jan 06, 2022•16 min•Ep 564•Transcript available on Metacast On today's show, Emily Kwong checks in with infectious disease physician Dr. Jasmine Marcelin at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Jasmine spoke to Short Wave last year about how COVID-19 affected her as a doctor. In part one of a two part episode, Emily talks with her about how she's feeling a year in and how getting involved in community vaccination clinics has made a difference in her life. You can follow Emily on Twitter @EmilyKwong1234 . E-mail Short Wave at ShortWave@NPR.org . Lea...
Jan 05, 2022•13 min•Ep 563•Transcript available on Metacast A few months ago, on a trip to Hawaii, Short Wave host Emily Kwong encountered manta rays for the first time. The experience was eerie and enchanting. And it left Emily wondering — what more is there to these intelligent, entrancing fish? Today, Emily poses all her questions to Rachel Graham, the founder and executive director of MarAlliance, a marine conservation organization working in tropical seas. Have you been completely captivated by an animal too? Share your story with us at shortwave@np...
Jan 04, 2022•15 min•Ep 562•Transcript available on Metacast The cannabis industry is where the chemistry lab meets agriculture. Delta-8-THC is chemically derived and the hemp industry's fastest growing product. It 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. 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 b...
Jan 03, 2022•15 min•Ep 561•Transcript available on Metacast Social Psychologist Devon Price says instead of viewing "laziness" as a deficit or something people need to fix or overcome with caffeine or longer work hours, think of it as a sign you probably need a break. Short Wave has this episode from our colleagues at Life Kit.
Dec 31, 2021•18 min•Ep 560•Transcript available on Metacast 
