Short Wave
1,144 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 5.7K ratingsNew 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.
If you're hooked, try Short Wave Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/shortwave
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Episodes
A Coronavirus Listener Q&A Episode
February 07, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBHow does the coronavirus spread? Does wearing a face mask actually help? And why is the virus getting so much media coverage? This episode, we answer your coronavirus-related questions with the help of NPR global health and development reporter Pien Huang. Follow Pien on Twitter @Pien_Huang and host Maddie Sofia @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Also, we're looking for a summer intern! Apply here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR...
Service Animals In The Lab: Who Decides?
February 06, 2020 09:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBJoey Ramp's service dog, Sampson, is with her at all times, even when she has to work in a laboratory. It wasn't always easy to have him at her side. Joey tells us why she's trying to help more service animals and their handlers work in laboratory settings. We first read about Joey in The Scientist. See pictures of Joey and her service dog Sampson here, and learn more about the work she does with service animals and their handlers here. Follow Sampson on Twitter @sampson_dog and host Maddie S...
Discovering 'Stormquakes'
February 05, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBSeismologist Wenyuan Fan explains the accidental discovery — buried deep in seismic and meteorological data — that certain storms over ocean water can cause measurable seismic activity, or 'stormquakes.' He says this phenomenon could help scientists better understand the earth below the sea. The original paper Wenyuan co-authored on stormquakes is here. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcast...
Sepsis Is A Global Killer. Can Vitamin C Be The Cure?
February 04, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBEvery day, approximately 30,000 people die globally of sepsis. The condition comes about when your immune system overreacts to an infection, leading potentially to organ failure and death. There is no cure. But then in 2017, a doctor proposed a novel treatment for sepsis, a mixture that included Vitamin C, arguing it saved the lives of most of his patients. NPR's Richard Harris has been reporting on this treatment and how it's divided scientists from around the world. Follow host Maddie Sofia...
From Stream To Sky, Two Key Rollbacks Under The Trump Administration
February 03, 2020 09:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBThe Trump Administration has rolled back dozens of environmental regulations, which it regards as a burden to industry. Today on Short Wave, NPR National Desk correspondents Jeff Brady and Nathan Rott break down two — governing how the federal government regulates waterway pollution and emissions from coal-fired power plants. Follow reporter Emily Kwong on Twitter @EmilyKwong1234, Nathan Rott @NathanRott, and Jeff Brady @JeffBradyNews. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about s...
The Surprising Origin Of Some Timely Advice: Wash Your Hands
January 31, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.94 MBToday we know that one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to protect yourself from the cold, flu, and other respiratory illnesses (including those like the novel coronavirus) is to wash your hands. But there was a time when that wasn't so obvious. Dana Tulodziecki, a professor at Purdue University, tells the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the scientist who's credited with discovering the importance of handwashing. We'll hear how he figured it out and why there's more to the story...
Where The 2020 Democrats Stand On Climate Change
January 30, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBWith the Iowa caucuses around the corner, we give you a Short Wave guide (with some help from our friends at NPR Politics) to where the top-tier Democratic presidential candidates stand on climate change and the environment. 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 @scottdetrow. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoi...
A Decade of Dzud: Lessons From Mongolia's Deadly Winters
January 29, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.57 MBMongolia has a many-thousand year history of herding livestock. But in the past two decades, tens of thousands have left the countryside because of a natural disaster you may have never heard of. "Dzud" kills animals en masse during winter. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong brings host Maddie Sofia this story from the grassland steppe, capturing how an agrarian community has adapted to environmental change. Follow host Maddie Sofia @maddie_sofia and reporter Emily Kwong @emilykwong1234 on Twitt...
A Brief History (And Some Science) Of Iran's Nuclear Program
January 28, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBWith the Iran nuclear deal in further jeopardy, we take a look at how the country's nuclear program began with NPR's Geoff Brumfiel. (The United States has a surprising role.) We'll also hear how the 2015 agreement, putting limits on that program, came about, and what it means now that the deal is on life support. For more on Geoff's reporting on nuclear weapons, follow Geoff on Twitter — he's @gbrumfiel. Plus, you can email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message cho...
Archaeology...From Space
January 27, 2020 08:00 - 10 minutes - 9.7 MBSarah Parcak explains how she uses satellite imagery and data to solve one of the biggest challenges in archaeology: where to start digging. Her book is called 'Archaeology From Space: How The Future Shapes Our Past'. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
China's Coronavirus Is Spreading. But How?
January 24, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.89 MBA deadly virus believed to have originated in China was found in the US this week. NPR global health correspondent Jason Beaubien explains what we know and don't know about the disease — and the likelihood it will continue to spread. Follow Jason on Twitter @jasonbnpr. More of NPR's reporting on the virus can be found here. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Pr...
The Comeback Bird: Meet the Ko'Ko'
January 23, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 10 MBFor nearly forty years, the Guam Rail bird (locally known as the ko'ko') has been extinct in the wild — decimated by the invasive brown tree snake. But now, after a decades-long recovery effort, the ko'ko' has been successfully re-introduced. It is the second bird in history to recover from extinction in the wild. Wildlife biologist Suzanne Medina tells us the story of how the Guam Department of Agriculture brought the ko'ko' back, with a little matchmaking and a lot of patience. Learn more ...
Can A Low-Carb Diet Prevent A Plague Of Locusts?
January 22, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.69 MBSwarms of locusts can destroy crops and livelihoods. Right now, countries in East Africa are dealing with the threat. At a lab in Tempe, Arizona, researchers are trying to figure out how to minimize the crop damage these voracious pests can cause. The answer, NPR's Joe Palca tells us, might be looking at what locusts like, and don't like, to eat. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected].
Can A Low-Carb Diet Prevent A Plague Of Locusts?
January 22, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.69 MBSwarms of locusts can destroy crops and livelihoods. Right now, countries in East Africa are dealing with the threat. At a lab in Tempe, Arizona, researchers are trying to figure out how to minimize the crop damage these voracious pests can cause. The answer, NPR's Joe Palca tells us, might be looking at what locusts like, and don't like, to eat. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.co...
Mighty Mice Return From Space
January 21, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBSome very unusual mice with big muscles are back on Earth after a month on the International Space Station. NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton shares the story of the two researchers behind the experiment. What they learn could help people with disabling bone and muscle diseases and another group with muscle problems, astronauts. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices ...
2020 So Far: Fires, Floods, And Quakes
January 17, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBAlready this year, natural disasters have wreaked havoc in Australia, Indonesia, and Puerto Rico. We look at some science behind the wildfires, floods, and earthquakes in those places with NPR reporters Rebecca Hersher and Jason Beaubien. You can find more of Jason's reporting on Australia here and follow him on Twitter @jasonbnpr. Follow NPR's Adrian Florido on Twitter @adrianflorido and find his reporting from Puerto Rico here. Rebecca Hersher is @rhersher and here's her story about wildf...
Can A 100-Year-Old Treatment Help Save Us From Superbugs?
January 16, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11 MBIn 2015, Steffanie Strathdee's husband nearly died from a superbug, an antibiotic resistant bacteria he contracted in Egypt. Desperate to save him, she reached out to the scientific community for help. What she got back? A 100-year-old treatment that's considered experimental in the U.S. Strathdee, an infectious disease epidemiologist, tells us how it works, its limitations, and its potential role in our fight against superbugs. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the sho...
In Mozambique, Meteorologists Can't Keep Up With Climate Change
January 15, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBAccurate weather forecasting can be a matter of life or death. So countries with less money like Mozambique face a big challenge. They can't build and maintain their own weather radar or satellites. Instead, they rely on weather maps created by wealthier countries, like the U.S. NPR climate reporter Becky Hersher tells us what that means for Mozambique, a country where the weather's gotten worse as the climate changes. Reach the show by emailing [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor me...
Your Brain On Storytelling
January 14, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBStorytelling can be a powerful tool to convey information, even in the world of science. It can also shift stereotypes about who scientists are. We talked to someone who knows all about this - Liz Neeley, the Executive Director of Story Collider, a nonprofit focused on telling "true, personal stories about science." You can tell us your personal science stories by emailing, [email protected]. Plus, do some #scicomm with Maddie on Twitter — she's @maddie_sofia. Learn more about sponsor messag...
Space Junk: How Cluttered Is The Final Frontier?
January 13, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBSince the dawn of Sputnik in 1957, space-faring nations have been filling Earth's orbit with satellites. Think GPS, weather forecasting, telecommunications satellites. But as those have increased, so, too, has space junk. On today's show, we talk about the first mission to clean up space junk and the problem debris poses to sustainability in space. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Animal Slander! - "Blind As A Bat" And "Memory Of A Goldfish"
January 10, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.74 MBHost Maddie Sofia and reporter Emily Kwong evaluate what truth there is to the popular phrases "blind as a bat" and "memory of a goldfish." Hint: The phrases probably weren't born out of peer-reviewed science. Tweet Maddie at @maddie_sofia and Emily at @emilykwong1234. Plus, encourage our editor to make this a series by sending fan mail to [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Link Between Kitchen Countertops And A Deadly Disease
January 09, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBIt's called silicosis, and it's been known about for decades. So why is it now emerging in new numbers among workers who cut kitchen countertops? NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains. More of her original reporting on silicosis is here. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected].
The Link Between Kitchen Countertops And A Deadly Disease
January 09, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBIt's called silicosis, and it's been known about for decades. So why is it now emerging in new numbers among workers who cut kitchen countertops? NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains. More of her original reporting on silicosis is here. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
What's Behind Australia's Historic Fires
January 08, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBBiologist Lesley Hughes from Macquarie University in Australia explains why the recent bushfires there could change the country forever. Hughes is a former federal climate commissioner, and has been the lead author on two reports for the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Food Waste + Poop = Electricity
January 07, 2020 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.82 MBSome dairy farmers in Massachusetts are using food waste and manure to create renewable energy. Each farm produces enough to power about 1,500 homes. Not only does this process create electricity, NPR Science Correspondent Allison Aubrey tells us it also prevents the release of methane, a greenhouse gas. Follow Short Wave's Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
A Star In Orion Is Dimming. Is It About To Explode?
January 06, 2020 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.81 MBOkay, it wouldn't technically be an explosion. And if it's "about" to happen, it already happened. About 650 years ago. We'll explain, with astronomer Emily Levesque, who studies massive stars at the University of Washington. Follow Short Wave's Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Short Wave Presents: Life Kit Tips For Dealing With Anxious Kids
January 03, 2020 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBWhen is your kid just scared of the dark and when are they dealing with a larger anxiety disorder? On today's Short Wave, we're featuring our friends over at NPR's Life Kit. They'll teach you how to help a child with anxiety and how to reach them in stressful moments. This episode was adapted from an earlier Life Kit. To hear the full version, check out npr.org/lifekit. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Compost Your Loved Ones
January 02, 2020 09:00 - 8 minutes - 7.61 MBThere aren't that many options for putting your loved ones to rest. There's burial. There's cremation. Now, later this year in Washington state, it'll be legal to compost a human body. Soil scientist Lynne Carpenter-Boggs tells us how the process works and why she describes it as "beautiful." Carpenter-Boggs is also a research advisor at Recompose, a human composting company in Washington. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more abou...
Happy New Year!
January 01, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.22 MBWe're back with a new episode tomorrow! Hope you had a safe and happy orbit around the sun. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Tennessine's Wild Ride To The Periodic Table
December 31, 2019 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.91 MBThere are rare chemical elements, and then there is tennessine. Only a couple dozen atoms of the stuff have ever existed. For the 150th anniversary of the periodic table, NPR science correspondent Joe Palca shares the convoluted story of one of the latest elements to be added. Follow Maddie on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the team at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Decade In Science
December 30, 2019 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBAs 2019 draws to a close, we enlisted the help of two NPR science correspondents — Nell Greenfieldboye and Joe Palca — to look back on some of the biggest science stories of the past 10 years. Follow host Maddie Sofia on twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Sci-Fi Movies Of The Decade (Sort Of)
December 27, 2019 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBAstrophysicist Adam Frank is a big fan of science and movies. He's even been a science adviser to Marvel's "Doctor Strange." So we asked Adam to give us his sci-fi films of the decade - movies that tell us about striking the right balance between science and storytelling. Here are the movies we couldn't get to in the episode: 'Annihilation' (2018), 'Coherence' (2013), 'Gravity' (2013) and 'Looper' (2012). Plus, Adam's favorite TV show of the decade was 'The Expanse.' | Follow Maddie on Twitte...
One Of The Germiest Places In The Airport
December 26, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutes - 6.6 MBHint: it's not the bathroom. Niina Ikonen and Carita Savolainen-Kopra from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare studied high-traffic areas in the Helsinki airport to identify where germs were most prevalent. Also, tips on how to stay healthy during your holiday travel. Here's their original paper in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/a...
Happy Holidays!
December 25, 2019 09:00 - 2 minutes - 2.57 MBMaddie and Emily wish you Happy Holidays and share some science facts you can show off at your next holiday party. Plus, a little reminder of how you can show your support for the show. Find and donate to your local public radio station at donate.npr.org/short. Follow Maddie and Emily on Twitter, @maddie_sofia and @emilykwong1234. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
A Shortwave Christmas Carol
December 24, 2019 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.32 MBOn Christmas Eve, scientists at field stations across Antarctica sing carols to one another...via shortwave. On today's episode, the Short Wave podcast explores shortwave radio. We speak with space physicist and electrical engineer Nathaniel Frissell about this Antarctic Christmas Carol tradition and his use of shortwave radio for community science. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Iridium's Pivotal Role In Our Past And ... Maybe Our Future?
December 23, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBThe story of how a father and son team - one a physicist, one a geologist - helped solve a big scientific mystery. What brought the reign of dinosaurs to an end? NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris tells us how they turned to an element, iridium, for answers. Plus, how iridium could help prevent another potential future global catastrophe. It's our celebration of 150 years of the periodic table of elements. Follow Maddie on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the team at [email protected]. Lea...
What Happened To The American Chestnut Tree?
December 20, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBIn the early 20th century, a blight fungus wiped out most of the 4 billion American chestnut trees on the eastern seaboard. The loss was ecologically devastating. Pod reporter Emily Kwong tells us how scientists are trying to resurrect the American chestnut tree — and recent controversy over a plan to plant genetically modified chestnuts in the wild. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The First African American Face Transplant
December 19, 2019 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBIn 2013, Robert Chelsea was hit by a drunk driver and sustained third-degree burns on more than half of his body. Nearly six years later, he became the first African American recipient of a full face transplant. We talk with Chelsea and Jamie Ducharme, a Time staff writer who followed his journey, about the procedure and how his story could help encourage organ donation by African Americans. Follow Maddie on Twitter @maddie_sofia. And email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about spo...
And The Winner Is...Science!
December 18, 2019 09:00 - 9 minutes - 9 MBCamille Schrier, a 24-year-old pharmacy student, competed in the Miss Virginia pageant over the summer with a "talent" that caught our attention. It put her love of science center stage. On today's episode, we tell you how she won her state crown. This Thursday, Camille may have a chance to show off that talent again under a much bigger spotlight, Miss America 2020. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choice...
The Science Behind Whakaari/White Island's Eruption
December 17, 2019 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.73 MBThe volcano of Whakaari or White Island in New Zealand erupted just over a week ago. More than a dozen people were killed, including tourists to the popular attraction. Volcanologist Alison Graettinger explains the science behind this particular eruption, a hydrothermal eruption and why they can be especially difficult to predict. Reach out to the show at [email protected]. Plus, keep the conversation going with host Maddie Sofia on Twitter — she's @maddie_sofia. Learn more about sponsor mes...
The Science Behind Whakaari/White Island's Eruption
December 17, 2019 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.73 MBThe volcano of Whakaari or White Island in New Zealand erupted just over a week ago. More than a dozen people were killed, including tourists to the popular attraction. Volcanologist Alison Graettinger explains the science behind this particular eruption, a hydrothermal eruption and why they can be especially difficult to predict. Reach out to the show at [email protected]. Plus, keep the conversation going with host Maddie Sofia on Twitter — she's @maddie_sofia.
A Polar Expedition To The Top Of The World: Part 2
December 16, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBOur journey continues on MOSAiC: the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate. Physicists, chemists, and biologists are all working to understand more about why Arctic ice is diminishing, and what it means for the planet. In this episode, Reporter Ravenna Koenig introduces us to some scientists, what they're studying, and life aboard a floating research center. You can find photos from her trip here. Follow Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia or Ravenna @vennko...
A Polar Expedition To The Top Of The World: Part 2
December 16, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBOur journey continues on MOSAiC: the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate. Physicists, chemists, and biologists are all working to understand more about why Arctic ice is diminishing, and what it means for the planet. In this episode, Reporter Ravenna Koenig introduces us to some scientists, what they're studying, and life aboard a floating research center. You can find photos from her trip here. Follow Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia or Ravenna @vennko...
A Polar Expedition To The Top Of The World: Part 1
December 13, 2019 09:00 - 10 minutes - 9.73 MBA massive scientific mission is underway in the Arctic. Physicists, chemists, and biologists are studying the changing region, so they can better predict what might be ahead for the Arctic...and the planet. But first, they had to find a patch of ice suitable to get stuck in, so they could freeze in place and study it for an entire year. Reporter Ravenna Koenig was along for the journey. You can find photos from her trip here. Follow Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia or Ravenna @vennkoeni...
Invasive Species: We Asked, You Answered
December 12, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBWe couldn't stop at the spotted lanternfly! (We covered that invasive species in an earlier episode.) We wanted to hear about the invasives where you live. You wrote us about cane toads in Australia, zebra mussels in Nevada; borers, beetles, adelgids, stinkbugs, and so many more. From your emails, we picked three invaders to talk about with NPR science correspondent Dan Charles. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor m...
The Congolese Doctor Who Discovered Ebola
December 11, 2019 09:00 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBJean-Jacques Muyembe is a Congolese doctor heading up the response to the current Ebola outbreak in Congo. Back in 1976, he was the first doctor to collect a sample of the virus. But his crucial role in discovering Ebola is often overlooked. NPR's East Africa correspondent Eyder Peralta helps us correct the record. Follow Eyder on Twitter — he's @eyderp and Maddie's @maddie_sofia. You can always reach the show by emailing [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcast...
Aluminum's Journey From Precious Metal To Beer Can
December 10, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBWe've been celebrating 150 years of the Periodic Table. This episode, the rise of aluminum! The element is incredibly common, but was once hard to extract. That made it more valuable than gold in the 19th century. NPR's Scott Neuman gives us a short history of aluminum. Or is it aluminium? (We'll also give you the backstory behind the confusion.) Follow Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/ad...
Getting Closer To The Sun Than Ever Before
December 09, 2019 09:00 - 9 minutes - 8.92 MBAn ambitious mission to get a spacecraft close to the sun has revealed a strange region of space filled with rapidly flipping magnetic fields and rogue plasma waves. Science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how the Parker Solar Probe may help answer one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the sun. Follow Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show at [email protected]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
If You Give An Orangutan A Kazoo...
December 06, 2019 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11 MBIf you give an orangutan a kazoo, will it produce a sound? Researchers discovered that this simple instrument could offer insights into the vocal abilities of orangutans — and the evolution of human speech. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong talks with primatologist Adriano Lameira about a growing body of evidence that humans may not be the only great apes with voice control. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Is CBD Safe? The FDA Can't Say
December 05, 2019 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBUse of CBD — cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive component in cannabis — has exploded in the last few years. But while it's marketed as a solution for stress, anxiety, insomnia, and pain, the Food and Drug Administration can't say it's safe. NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey helps parse the science behind a new set of government warnings about CBD. Follow host Maddie Sofia on Twitter @maddie_sofia. Email the show at [email protected].