Short Wave

We know that people with Alzheimer's often have sleep problems. But does it work the other way? Do problems with sleep set the stage for this degenerative brain disease? NPR correspondent Jon Hamilton introduces us to some scientists looking into that connection in this updated report on the key role deep sleep may play in maintaining brain health and protecting the brain against Alzheimer's. Foll...

Happy Hallo-Week! Today we have the story of Twinkies that were left alone for eight years. One grew a moldy spot and another shriveled up in its packaging, almost like a mummy. NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how two scientists unraveled the mystery of the mummified and moldy snack cakes. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to...

Crows have gotten a bad rap throughout history — a group of them is called a "murder," after all. To get some insight into crows and perhaps set the record straight, we talked to Kaeli Swift. She's a lecturer at the University of Washington and wrote her doctoral thesis on crow "funerals." See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to mana...

Botanist and founder of #BlackBotanistsWeek Tanisha Williams explains why some leaves change color during fall and what shorter days and colder temperatures have to do with it. Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always send by emailing shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast s...

For much of the pandemic, some scientists had been pushing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recognize that the coronavirus is spread through aerosols--very small particles that can linger in the air. The CDC did that this month, so we brought Senior Science Correspondent Maria Godoy onto the show to explain the distinction, and the implications for staying safe during the pandemic...

Randall Munroe, the cartoonist behind the popular Internet comic xkcd , finds complicated solutions to simple, real-world problems. In the process, he reveals a lot about science and why the real world is sometimes even weirder than we expect. His latest book is called How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems. ( Encore episode.) Here's more on nuclear tests of bottled bevera...

Monika Schleier-Smith, associate professor of physics at Stanford University, studies quantum mechanics, the theory that explains the nature of the itty bitty parts of our universe: atoms, photons, and individual particles. It's the science responsible for innovations in computers, telecommunications, and medicine. Schleier-Smith was recently awarded a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship for her work in the...

We hit the road with NPR Education Reporter Elissa Nadworny . She's been on a weekslong road trip to get an up-close view of how colleges across the U.S. are handling the pandemic. On today's show, she tells us how one university has been using mass testing to fight the spread of the coronavirus on its campus. It's a strategy that's run into some challenges, namely, student behavior. Email the sho...

Today's episode is about how you're never alone. That's because there are tiny mites that live on your skin — including your face. They come out at night and mate. And we're not totally sure what they eat. See? Don't you feel better already? Researcher Megan Thoemmes tells us about the lives of these eight-legged creatures — and what they can tell us about ourselves. Also, if you can believe it, S...

Back in December, we brought you two episodes on the MOSAiC expedition . With hundreds of scientists from 20 countries, the German-led polar research mission is the largest in history. But the mission has also been marked by reports of gender discrimination and harassment. So today, we're turning away from the research and talking to Chelsea Harvey , an E&E News reporter who joined MOSAiC for seve...

Adriana Briscoe , a professor of biology and ecology at UC Irvine, studies vision in butterflies. As part of her research, she's trained them to detect light of a certain color. She also explains why they bask in the sunlight, and why some of them have 'hearts' in their wings. Plus, you'll never guess where their photoreceptors are. She's written about the importance of teachers and mentors in div...

Environmental scientist Heidi Appel explains how plants detect sound — and whether talking to yours could help them grow big and strong. Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always send by emailing shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Poli...

Even though we've been living with the pandemic for months, there's still lots of confusion about coronavirus tests and what the results do — and don't — mean. NPR correspondent Rob Stein explains the types of tests, when they are most accurate and how to make sense of the results. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal da...

In honor of Fat Bear Week coming to a close, Short Wave is revisiting our episode on black bear hibernation. ( Fat Bear Week is the annual tournament celebrating some of the fattening bears of Katmai National Park.) On today's show, Rae Wynn-Grant , a large carnivore biologist, explains there's a lot more going on during hibernation than you might expect. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

From who historically wins the awards, to how they portray the process of science and collaboration, host Maddie Sofia and NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce discuss the many problems with Nobel Prizes in science. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship...

Pomologist Juan Carlos Melgar explains two key factors to why some fruits ripen faster in a paper bag — and others don't. Plus, a bit of listener mail from you! Which you can always send by emailing shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Some of the most prestigious scientists in history advanced racist and eugenicist views. But why is that rarely mentioned in textbooks? Today on the show, we speak with science educators building an anti-racist perspective into their curriculum and seeking to make the science classroom more inclusive. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship...

Fueled by climate change, hurricanes are becoming stronger and more frequent. Those storms have repeatedly led to spills and fires at chemical manufacturing plants along the Gulf Coast. But can companies — and the people who work for them — be held responsible or even sent to prison for failing to adequately prepare for climate change? NPR's Rebecca Hersher reported on that question, which is at t...

A recent CDC report estimates Native Americans and Alaskan Natives are 3.5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than white people, and those under 18 are more likely to test positive. This report is the first time the federal government has released hard numbers on the coronavirus in tribal nations, but it is most notable for what it does not say about how the virus is affecting Native Americans and...

NPR Science Correspondent Jon Hamilton gives us an update on those mighty mice that went into space this past winter. The results could have big implications for the future of space travel. Check out the study to learn more about the results. Also, since it's a Micro Wave, we hear some listener mail from you! Which you can always send us by emailing shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for info...

With election season underway, we present a Short Wave guide (with some help from our friends at NPR Politics) to Joe Biden's plan to combat the coronavirus. Political correspondent and NPR Politics Podcast co-host Scott Detrow breaks it down for us. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia and Scott Detrow @scottdetrow . Email the show at shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for infor...

In case you missed our announcement last week, Short Wave is temporarily shifting production schedules. We're publishing episodes in your feed four times each week instead of five. That means we'll be taking a break every Wednesday for a bit. But, don't worry! We've got a giant back catalog for you to browse in the meantime. Like this episode full of listener questions all about the flu. And, if y...

Perimenopause, the period of transition to menopause, is still a largely misunderstood chapter of reproductive life. It brings about both physical and mental health changes that doctors rarely educate their patients about. We're joined by health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee to talk about perimenopause, and how to advocate for yourself as you're going through it. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati...

Artificial intelligence might not be as smart as we think. University and military researchers are studying how attackers could hack into AI systems by exploiting how these systems learn. It's known as "adversarial AI." In this encore episode, Dina Temple-Raston tells us that some of these experiments use seemingly simple techniques. For more, check out Dina's special series, I'll Be Seeing You ....

In the United States, Black infants die at over twice the rate of White infants. New research explores one key factor that may contribute to the disproportionately high rates of death among Black newborns: the race of their doctor. Reproductive health equity researcher Rachel Hardeman explains the findings. Email the show at shortwave@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collect...