How do we really get happier? In a new review in the journal Nature Human Behavior , researchers Elizabeth Dunn and Dunigan Folk found that many common strategies for increasing our happiness may not be supported by strong evidence. In today's Short Wave episode, Dunn tells co-host Aaron Scott about changes in the way scientists are conducting research, and how these changes led her team to re-examine previous work in the field of psychology. Want to hear Dunn read the paper? Check it out here ....
Aug 09, 2023•11 min•Ep 936•Transcript available on Metacast The ability to create wrought iron cheaply has been called one of the most significant innovations in the British Industrial Revolution. It's known today as the Cort process, named after British banker Henry Cort, who patented the technique. But Dr. Jenny Bulstrode , a historian at University College London (UCL), found that Cort stole the innovation from 76 Black enslaved ironworkers in Jamaica. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Aug 07, 2023•11 min•Ep 935•Transcript available on Metacast Ever felt like you were watching yourself and the rest of the world from outside of your body? Or floating above yourself? Well, scientists finally know what part of your brain is causing that sensation. NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton shares the tale of the discovery with host Aaron Scott . Plus, they talk about why it may be helpful to occasionally venture outside of your bodily self. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Aug 04, 2023•10 min•Ep 934•Transcript available on Metacast For decades, humans have harvested the blood of horseshoe crabs, which is used to test whether many of our vaccines and medicines are contaminated with harmful bacterial toxins. But the horseshoe crab harvesting industry has few regulations and a lot of secrecy. NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner talks to us about expansion of this industry and why synthetic alternatives to the blood aren't being widely used in the United States. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com...
Aug 02, 2023•15 min•Ep 933•Transcript available on Metacast Would you survive as a doctor in The Sims 4 ? What's the appropriate amount of free food to take from a public sample station before it's considered greedy? And how much of an impact do clock towers have on sleep? These are the hard-hitting questions that researchers ask and answer in the Christmas issue of The BMJ , formerly known as the British Medical Journal . What started in 1982 as an experimental roundup of fun research for the holidays has since grown into one of The BMJ 's most highly a...
Jul 31, 2023•13 min•Ep 932•Transcript available on Metacast In this special episode, we hear from the high school grand prize winner of NPR's Student Podcast Challenge: Georgianna McKenny. A rising senior at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, the 17-year-old rings an alarm on the water crisis in Jackson, through the lens of young people. Emily, who was one of the judges of this year's contest, talks to Georgianna about her winning podcast and their shared love for storytelling. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com...
Jul 29, 2023•12 min•Ep 931•Transcript available on Metacast For most infants, introducing peanuts early can help prevent allergies later on — but a new study reveals most caregivers don't know that. Why? Plus — some summertime advice for keeping pets cool in the heat, and avoiding beaches contaminated with poop. (A lot of them are.) All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly joins Regina G. Barber and Aaron Scott to discuss those stories in our science news roundup. Have questions about science in the news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more ab...
Jul 28, 2023•9 min•Ep 930•Transcript available on Metacast In which we metaphorically enter the UCLA Language Acquisistion Lab's recording castle, guided by linguistics researcher Dr. Megha Sundara . NPR science correspondent Sydney Lupkin temporarily takes over the host chair to talk to Sundara about all things baby babble. Along the way, we learn why babies babble, how that babbling can change with exposure to new languages — and if there are any lessons for adults. Questions about other ways we develop? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might answ...
Jul 26, 2023•11 min•Ep 929•Transcript available on Metacast Scorpions: They're found pretty much everywhere, and new species are being identified all the time. Arachnologist Lauren Esposito says there's a lot to love about this oft-misunderstood creature. Most are harmless — they can't even jump — and they play a critical role in their diverse ecosystems as a top invertebrate predator. (encore) Want to hear us talk about other newly identified animal species? We'd love to know! We're at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcas...
Jul 24, 2023•12 min•Ep 928•Transcript available on Metacast Christopher Nolan's new film 'Oppenheimer' chronicles the life and legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the first director of Los Alamos National Laboratory and so-called "Father of the Atomic Bomb." The movie does not shy away from science — and neither do we. We talked to current scientists at Los Alamos about the past and present science of nuclear weapons like the atomic bomb. Read more about the Manhattan Project. Want us to cover other historical science or science in pop culture? Email us at ...
Jul 21, 2023•12 min•Ep 927•Transcript available on Metacast For people with endometriosis—a mysterious disease where endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus—medical visits can be especially frustrating. It takes some patients years (on average, ten years) to get a diagnosis and treatment options are limited. There are currently no cures. One researcher, Dr. Kate Lawrenson , is trying to change that. She and her team of researchers have created a cellular atlas of the disease and hope this cell-by-cell approach will open up doors for faster diagnos...
Jul 19, 2023•11 min•Ep 926•Transcript available on Metacast Trash from humans is constantly spilling into the ocean — so much so that there are five gigantic garbage patches in the seas. They hang out at the nexus of the world's ocean currents, changing shape with the waves. The largest is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. These areas were long thought to have been uninhabited, the plastics and fishing gear too harmful to marine life. But researchers have recently uncovered a whole ecosystem of life in this largest collection of trash. Today, with the hel...
Jul 17, 2023•15 min•Ep 925•Transcript available on Metacast Science in the headlines: An amazingly preserved sea squirt fossil that could tell us something about human evolution, a new effort to fight malaria by genetically modifying mosquitos and why archeologists are rethinking a discovery about a Copper-age leader. All Things Considered host Adrian Florido nerds-out on those stories with Short Wave host Regina G. Barber and science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel . Have questions about science in the news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about...
Jul 14, 2023•9 min•Ep 924•Transcript available on Metacast Canada is having its worst fire season in modern history. The fires have burnt more than 20 million acres, casting hazardous smoke over parts of the U.S. and stretching Canadian firefighting resources thin. Public officials and many news headlines have declared the fires as "unprecedented," and in the modern-sense they are. But NPR climate correspondent Nate Rott has been talking to researchers who focus on the history of wildfire in Canada's boreal forests and they say the situation is not with...
Jul 12, 2023•13 min•Ep 923•Transcript available on Metacast In the Port of Baltimore, a ship is docked that hasn't transported passengers for more than 50 years. It's the NS Savannah and it's designated a National Historic Landmark. That's because it was the first—and only—nuclear-powered passenger ship to have ever been built. Science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel tells us about his recent tour of the ship and why it was a symbol of peace in it's time. To see more pictures of Geoff's visit to the NS Savannah , including one from 1962 when the ship was op...
Jul 10, 2023•12 min•Ep 922•Transcript available on Metacast 20 years ago, the cult classic movie 'The Core' was released in theaters. From the start, it's clear that science is more a plot device than anything — but some scientists love it anyway. Today, Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber has a friendly laugh with geologist Jackie Caplan-Auerbach about the creative liberties writers took to make the movie's plot work. P.S. We're biased here, but we don't think you need to have seen the movie to enjoy this episode. This edition of our periodic 'movie...
Jul 07, 2023•13 min•Ep 921•Transcript available on Metacast We hope you had a restful holiday! Maybe even got outside for some relaxing fresh air. If so, you might've come across cute and not-so-cute critters like ticks. With ticks in mind, we're heading to Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas. Among the trees and trails, researchers like Adela Oliva Chavez search for blacklegged ticks that could carry Lyme disease. She's looking for answers as to why tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease are spreading in some parts of the country and not others. Toda...
Jul 05, 2023•10 min•Ep 920•Transcript available on Metacast Chefs will tell you, cooking is not just an art — it's a science. And the spirit of summer barbecues, NPR science correspondent Sydney Lupkin brings us this piece about how understanding the chemistry of cooking meat can help you perfect your barbeque. It's all about low and slow cooking. This story was originally reported for NPR by Gisele Grayson. Read her reporting . Curious about other science powering the things you love? Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choi...
Jul 03, 2023•12 min•Ep 919•Transcript available on Metacast New gravitational waves, why orcas might be attacking boats and a new robot prototype inspired by animals: it's all in our latest roundup of science news, with All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro , Regina G. Barber and Geoff Brumfiel . Have questions about science in the news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jun 30, 2023•9 min•Ep 918•Transcript available on Metacast Salomé Buglass discovered an unexpected kelp forest while studying underwater mountains in the Galapagos. Kelp—a type of seaweed—usually grows in shallower, cooler areas. So why was an entire kelp forest growing in these deeper, tropical waters? Today on the show, Salomé talks to host Regina G. Barber about what it means, and how it could help in the fight against climate change. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jun 28, 2023•12 min•Ep 917•Transcript available on Metacast Sunscreen: we should all be using it, but we might not all be using it the right way. In fact, the type of sunscreen you use may not be nearly as important as using it effectively. With the help of a few expert dermatologists, NPR science correspondent Allison Aubrey cues Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber into six common mistakes to avoid when using sunscreen and how to stay safe in the sun this summer. Have a science fact you can't stop thinking about? Email us at shortwave@npr.org ! We'd...
Jun 26, 2023•12 min•Ep 916•Transcript available on Metacast For generations, scientists have leaned on seven key species, including rats and mice, for research. They're called model organisms and they've been standardized over the year — removing as much individuality as possible. But as research questions become more complicated, some researchers are turning to more niche critters to study. Host Regina Barber talks to reporter Anil Oza about the shift. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jun 23, 2023•13 min•Ep 915•Transcript available on Metacast In pockets across the U.S., communities are struggling with polluted air — often in neighborhoods where working class people and people of color live. A new NASA satellite called Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution (TEMPO) could detail just how polluted those pockets are. Today, NPR climate reporters Rebecca Hersher and Seyma Bayram talk to host Emily Kwong about how this new satellite could help communities like Curtis Bay, a Maryland neighborhood where residents have been fighting for...
Jun 21, 2023•11 min•Ep 914•Transcript available on Metacast Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered June 15 ( streaming on Paramount+ ). So today, Short Wave Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber chats with two Trekkie physicists about the science powering the show and why they love the franchise. Astrophysicist Erin Macdonald is the science consultant for Star Trek , and Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is a theoretical physicist and author of the book The Disordered Cosmos . This episode, the trio discusses not only the f...
Jun 19, 2023•15 min•Ep 913•Transcript available on Metacast All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro returns to nerd-our with Short Wave hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber on three science headlines from space: a newly-discovered asteroid, a new moon-related discovery and a new study about what spaceflight does to the human body. Have questions about science in the news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jun 16, 2023•9 min•Ep 912•Transcript available on Metacast With much of California's massive snowpack yet to melt, downstream communities remain on high alert for flooding. Hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged during the record-breaking winter, which tested the state's aging flood infrastructure. To prevent flooding, communities often raise levees next to rivers higher and higher. Today, NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer talks about a new approach: just giving rivers some space to flow. Got questions about science? Email us at shortwave@npr...
Jun 14, 2023•10 min•Ep 911•Transcript available on Metacast For many scientists, science isn't something they check in and out of — it permeates their whole lives. That's true for Sarafina El-Badry Nance , an astrophysicist and science communicator. In her new memoir, Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark , Sarafina brings the stars down to Earth, rooting her personal journey in the lessons of the stars. This episode, Regina and Sarafina chat supernovae, cancer and what supernovae reveal to us about life. Learn more about spo...
Jun 12, 2023•15 min•Ep 910•Transcript available on Metacast Smoke from Canadian wildfires is causing poor air quality in parts of the U.S. This smoke can have dangerous health effects because it carries fine particulates known as PM 2.5. With millions of people affected, we thought it would be a good time to turn it over to our friends at NPR's Life Kit podcast. Ever ready with helpful tips, they just released an episode with tips for protecting yourself from wildfire smoke. Stay safe, Short Wavers. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoice...
Jun 09, 2023•12 min•Ep 909•Transcript available on Metacast Teppei Katori loves two things: particle physics and music. Naturally, he combined the two. Today on Short Wave, Teppei talks to host Regina G. Barber about how he and his collaborators convert data from cosmic rays—high energy particles from space that are constantly colliding with Earth—into beautiful sights and sounds. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Jun 07, 2023•12 min•Ep 908•Transcript available on Metacast Dinosaurs ruled the earth for many millions of years, but only after a mass extinction took out most of their rivals. Just how that happened remains a mystery — sounds like a case for paleoclimatologist Celina Suarez! This encore episode, Suarez walks us through her scientific detective work, with a little help from her trusty sidekick, Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber . Have a science fact you can't stop thinking about? Email us at shortwave@npr.org ! We'd love to hear from you. Learn mo...
Jun 05, 2023•14 min•Ep 907•Transcript available on Metacast 
