Short Wave
Hosted by Emily Kopp & Regina G. Barber · 36 decoded episodes · newest Oct 7, 2026
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.<br><br><em> Support public media by joining NPR+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Short Wave.</em>
Episodes 36
- Oct 7, 2026 · 15 minLethal injection can cause suffering before deathThe episode challenges lethal injection’s image as humane by examining how drugs, procedures, and untrained administration can produce pain and injury.
- Oct 6, 2026 · 13 minScience shifts the screen-time debate from minutes to contextFamilies get a more useful framework for digital habits by weighing content, circumstances, and what screens replace instead of chasing one universal limit.
- Oct 5, 2026 · 14 minSurviving bats reveal evolution under epidemic pressureUnderstanding why some little brown bats withstand white-nose syndrome could help explain population recovery and guide conservation.
- Oct 2, 2026 · 10 minSocial meals, thunderous birds and Bennu’s clues to lifeThe episode connects an everyday behavior, a striking animal adaptation and asteroid chemistry to larger questions about how bodies and worlds work.
- Sep 30, 2026 · 14 minScientists race to map Earth’s hidden biodiversityThe species science has not yet documented could reshape conservation, medicine, and agriculture, but cataloging them raises daunting practical and ethical questions.
- Sep 29, 2026 · 15 minInflammation science cuts through wellness hypeVague claims about chronic inflammation can fuel unnecessary anxiety, while evidence points toward sustainable habits and medical care when disease is diagnosed.
- Sep 28, 2026 · 14 minScientists still cannot explain autumn’s red leavesRed foliage may protect trees or repel insects, but its purpose remains unresolved across species and environments.
- Sep 25, 2026 · 13 minStronger El Niños raise global climate risksCoral records suggest human-caused warming has already intensified El Niño variability, increasing hazards from floods and droughts to heat and coral bleaching.
- Sep 23, 2026 · 14 minMeasles can erase immune memory before outbreaks spreadThe episode explains why rising susceptibility could threaten measles elimination in the United States and why vaccination remains the decisive safeguard.
- Sep 22, 2026 · 13 minMemory reconsolidation offers a route to stronger self-worthLow self-esteem can shape how people experience rejection, illness, love, and success, while memory reconsolidation may help revise the expectations behind those reactions.
- Sep 19, 2026 · 11 minReading may strengthen minds while the Sun tests technological limitsThe episode connects everyday reading with lifelong brain health, then measures two very different threats and discoveries: solar super flares and adult T. rex behavior.
- Sep 18, 2026 · 15 minAI safety fears move from theory to real-world incidentsThe episode connects speculative takeover scenarios with current chatbot harms and asks whether industry or governments can slow a dangerous race.