Podcasts about shortwave

Around 250 million years ago, one of Earth's largest known volcanic events set off The Great Dying: the planet's worst mass extinction event. The eruptions spewed large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, temperatures rose globally and oxygen in the oceans dropped. And while the vast majority of species went extinct, some survived. Scientists like paleophysiology graduate student Kemi Ashing-Giwa want to know why, because lessons about the survivors of The Great Dying could inform today's scientists on how to curb extinctions today.Interested in more Earth science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Why does the New York City skyline look the way it does? In part, because of what happened there 500 million years ago, says geologist Anjana Khatwa, author of the new book Whispers of Rocks. In it, she traces how geology has had profound effects on human life, from magnetism of the ocean floor to voter trends in the Southern U.S.Interested in more geology episodes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ahead of Election Day tomorrow, millions of ballots are being cast in statewide, local and special elections. So, today, we're revisiting an episode asking: What would happen if the rules of our electoral system were changed? Producer Hannah Chinn reported on that very question, and today, with host Emily Kwong, they dive into three voting methods that are representative of alternative voting systems. They look at where these systems have been implemented, how they work and what they may mean for future elections. Want to hear more about how math could change our lives? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might cover your idea on a future episode! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Happy Halloween, Short Wavers! In today's news round-up, we've got only treats. Hosts Regina Barber and Emily Kwong fill in NPR's Ailsa Chang on a debate in spider web architecture, how the details shared in storytelling affect how you form memories and why more pixels may not translate to a better TV viewing experience.Have a science question? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today, we're featuring an episode from NPR's science podcast Short Wave. In it, host Regina G. Barber talks to computer scientist Ilia Shumailov about maybe the buzziest topic around: AI. I'm sure you know AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT are trained on millions of examples of human-written text. Nowadays, a lot of content on the Internet is written by these generative AI models. That means that AI models trained now may consume their own synthetic content and suffer the consequences. What's the harm? Find out with this episode of Short Wave.Follow NPR's Short Wave podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for more episodes like this, featuring new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Audio File: wor2319.mp3

This week's show features stories from NHK Japan, France 24, Radio Havana Cuba, and Radio Deutsche-Welle. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr251031.mp3 (29:00) From JAPAN- Trump held a summit with the President of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung- South Korea agreed to make a huge cash investment in the US and Trump gave him the okay to build a nuclear submarine in Philadelphia and acquire nuclear fuel. Japanese and US defense secretaries met and agreed to jiontly produce missiles. A report from Oak Ridge Tennessee where the first atomic bombs were produced. From FRANCE- Trump announced that he will restart testing nuclear weapons following Putin announcing two new nuclear weapons. A press review on the win in legislative elections in Argentina by Javier Milei, the austerity president. Press reviews on the devastating hurricane Melissa that hit Jamaica and Cuba was fueled by climate change, and a surge in new coal, gas, and fossil fuel mega-projects. From CUBA- UN Secretary-General Guterres says the world has failed to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees celsius, the goal set by the Paris climate agreement. US officials are closely examining the murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by Israeli forces in 2022. Venezuela says it has captured a group of mercenaries tied to the CIA. From GERMANY- Excerpts from an interview DWs Phil Gayle did with John Feeley, former ambassador to Panama and Director of the Center for Media Integrity for the Americas. They discuss what Trump really wants to achieve with his military actions in the Caribbean. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "Would any one of you step onto a plane if you knew it had more than a 50 per cent chance of crashing? More to the point: would you put your children on that flight?" --Greta Thunberg Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Like haunted houses? Scientists do! That's because they're an excellent place to study how humans respond to – and even actively seek out – fear. In an immersive threat setting, as opposed to a carefully controlled lab, researchers can learn a lot about what scares people, why and how additional factors (like the presence of friends) might affect our experiences.So what have they learned? What determines a good scare versus a bad one? And what's the evolutionary reason for all of this, anyway? In today's episode, producer Hannah Chinn heads to the haunted house in search of answers.Have a seasonal science question you want us to investigate on the next Nature Quest? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the face of floods, wildfires and other natural disasters, when should a community relocate to avoid potential harm? Listener Molly Magid asks that very question. Molly wanted to know how other communities have chosen the path of “managed retreat.” That's the purposeful and coordinated movement of people and assets out of harm's way. In today's episode, Short Wave's Emily Kwong and Hannah Chinn explore cases from New York to Illinois and Alaska to see how successful relocation happens — and what stops it. Have an environment-based question you want us to investigate on the next Nature Quest? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

People may think of hair loss as a guy thing. But by some estimates, half of all women experience hair loss in their lifetime. And when your social media algorithm gets a whiff? Good. Luck. There are some solutions out there based in science, but not every remedy works for every person — or every type of hair loss. (Yes, there are different types. And the type you have matters!) So today, pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin guest hosts the show to talk about causes of hair loss and how to figure out which treatments may be best for you. Interested in more science behind your health? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Parasites have roamed the Earth for a long time. They were here before the dinosaurs: The oldest fossils are more than 500 million years old. Today on the show, Regina G. Barber speaks with paleontologists Karma Nanglu and Danielle de Carle about a mysterious fossil called the “Riddler,” and the oldest-ever leech fossil. They share stories of the enduring power of parasitism through the ages and why the clues to prehistoric mysteries may be tucked in a basement.Interested in more science behind rare fossils? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Audio File: wor2318.mp3

This week's show features stories from France 24, Radio Havana Cuba, and Radio Deutsche-Welle. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr251024.mp3 (29:00) From FRANCE- Start with press reviews on Trumps war in South America, bringing a large military force ostensibly against drug traffickers. Then Angela Diffley interviews Daniel Landsberg-Rodriguez from Northwestern University about the changing approach from the US in Latin America. He talks about the history of Gunboat Diplomacy in Venezuela in 1910, and new alliances with governments shifting to Populist anti-institutional leadership. Daniel calls it a contest of affinity, the more Trump style you are, like Argentina and El Salvador, the more privileged your treatment. Those countries wishing to remain independent, like Colombia and Venezuela, are facing the impositions of the 19th century From CUBA- The Colombian President Petro denies the Trump accusation that he involved in drug trafficking and says the Colombian military will not assist the US in overthrowing Maduro in Venezuela. He also accuses Trump of violating a free trade agreement between the nations, harming attempts to diversify agriculture in Colombia. Israel is continuing its raids in Gaza despite agreeing to a ceasefire, and in the West Bank Israeli settlers made 71 attacks on Palestinians in the past week, beating them and driving them off their property. From GERMANY- Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages and many of them were tortured while in Israeli prisons without being charged with crimes. An interview with Helena Sola Martin of the World Organization Against Torture. She discusses the Israeli policy of detention without charging and banning the International Red Cross from monitoring the 18,000 Palestinians they detained. The prisoners reported beatings, lack of food and medicine, humiliation and cruelty. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Around this time of year, every night, a quiet exodus is occurring. Hundreds of millions of birds are migrating thousands of miles south for the winter. One of the biggest dangers for these tiny travelers? Glass. Researchers estimate that every year in the U. S., collisions with glass windows take out at least a billion birds. Even if the birds initially fly away, these collisions can cause concussions, broken bones, and other injuries; most victims don't survive. After much reporting, NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce has found … it doesn't have to be this way. Scientists and researchers have studied how to stop collisions from happening, and examples around the country indicate that even little solutions can make a big difference.Interested in more seasonal animal science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today Andrew Lee, founder and CEO of Shortwave and Tasklet.ai, joins The Cognitive Revolution to discuss building a new AI agent automation platform that replaces traditional workflow tools with conversational, long-lived agents, exploring how betting on rapidly improving model capabilities enables more flexible automation across thousands of business integrations while navigating the challenges of reliability, cost management, and the emerging paradigm of virtual employees. Shownotes brought to you by Notion AI Meeting Notes - try one month for free at: https://notion.com/lp/nathan Agent-first vs. workflow-first approach: Task Lit fundamentally differs from traditional automation tools by using a single AI agent that handles all tasks through natural language, rather than building explicit workflows or state machines. Speed is the only remaining moat: In the AI era, traditional competitive advantages are evaporating so quickly that the only sustainable advantage is moving faster than competitors. Small business marketing as near-term target: The technology is approaching "best available human" performance for tasks like small business marketing, where hiring quality human help is difficult. Sponsors: Google Gemini Notebook LM: Notebook LM is an AI-first tool that helps you make sense of complex information. Upload your documents and it instantly becomes a personal expert, helping you uncover insights and brainstorm new ideas at https://notebooklm.google.com Tasklet: Tasklet is an AI agent that automates your work 24/7; just describe what you want in plain English and it gets the job done. Try it for free and use code COGREV for 50% off your first month at https://tasklet.ai Linear: Linear is the system for modern product development. Nearly every AI company you've heard of is using Linear to build products. Get 6 months of Linear Business for free at: https://linear.app/tcr Shopify: Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing

Tuberculosis – the world's deadliest infectious disease – could be dormant in your system for years before you realize you have it. In the U.S., it's relatively rare; provisional data shows that there were just over 10,000 cases in 2024. But in other parts of the world, especially lower-income countries, the disease is spreading much more actively. Worldwide, more than 10 million people are diagnosed with an active tuberculosis infection every year. And even though modern medicine has all the tools to cure it, over a million people around the world still die from the sickness annually.Author John Green thinks that's a problem. In his book Everything is Tuberculosis, he charts the spread of tuberculosis in the past to the lessons it has to teach us in the present.Interested in more science and medical history? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Some scientists looking to preserve vulnerable species have turned to a controversial technique: synthetic biology. This catchall term often means genetic engineering – introducing new genes to an organism. And a recent narrow vote by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on using the technology shows how divided scientists are on the issue of releasing genetically altered species. Science correspondent Nate Rott wades into the debate with us and reveals whether or not the Union voted to place a moratorium on releasing gene-edited species.Read more of Nate's reporting on the topic.  Interested in more science debates? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The rate of smoking cigarettes has steadily declined since the 1960s – when Congress required warnings on cigarette boxes. Research shows that people are more likely to try to quit smoking when they're under 40. But a new study in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity shows that quitting later in life can still be beneficial – and could possibly lower your risk for dementia. For this and more news from the science journals, Short Wave hosts Regina G. Barber and Emily Kwong talk with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly.Interested in knowing more about science behind the headlines? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Audio File: wor2317.mp3

This week's show features stories from Japan, Radio Deutsche-Welle, France 24, and Radio Havana Cuba. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr251017.mp3 (29:00) From JAPAN- 97% of new vehicle sales in Norway are electric, with the goal of 100% to be reached soon. In the US tax credits for those purchasing EVs have been stopped, leaving GM and other manufacturers cutting back on production. From GERMANY- A large percentage of international news this week was focused on the ceasefire in Gaza. I thought this piece from Germany covered most of the discussion points. Distribution of food and supplies is restricted to less than half of what was expected. Gazans are returning to almost complete ruins, with water and electrical sources destroyed. Estimated costs to rebuild are $70 billion and will take a decade. An interview with Andrew Gilmour former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights. He says the scale of the destruction to Gaza is the worst anyone has seen- it was bombed more severely than the combination of Berlin, London, Hamburg, and several other cities combined during WWII. He thinks Israel will impede removing 60 million tons of rubble and may destroy any new construction as they have done in the West Bank. He doubts that there will be any accountability for the war crimes that have taken place in Palestine. From FRANCE- The US military assassinated alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean for the fifth time this week while Trump said he was authorizing the CIA and considering airstrikes in Venezuela. A discussion on whether these are first steps in regime change. From CUBA- The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Machado was quite controversial, since she supports US intervention in her country. Hamas has rejected any role for Tony Blair in governing Gaza, based on his history on Iraq and Afghanistan. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "No part of the human community can live entirely on its own planet, with its own laws of motion and cut off from the rest of humanity." --Hugo Chavez Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

It's World Anesthesia Day tomorrow! So, we invite you to take a deep breathe. Picture a relaxing scene. Maybe a beach in Tahiti, your toes in the sand, a cold drink in hand. Now imagine your favorite music playing in the background. If Dr. Alopi Patel were your anesthesiologist, that's exactly what she'd have you do while you waited for surgery. Before she puts patients under the sway of anesthesia, she likes to explain everything that will happen after they lose consciousness and lead them in guided imagery to help them relax before their procedure. She calls this "verbal anesthesia," and says "it's a type of anesthesia you can't really put in an I.V." Anesthesia is a cornerstone of modern medicine makes tons of surgeries possible today. But Dr. Patel says it wasn't always this way — and shares the history and mechanisms behind this once-controversial procedure. (encore)Curious about other breakthroughs in the history of science? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Marijuana is decriminalized or legal in some form in multiple states. But, because it's illegal on the federal level, states have had to build their own regulatory infrastructure. Without a centralized body to guide them, regulations in one state can look vastly different from those in another. For more on the scope of the issue, Short Wave host Regina G. Barber talks to independent science journalist Teresa Carr and NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin. Read more of Teresa's reporting on state marijuana testing, and more of Sydney's reporting on the ways California is trying to make weed safer.Interested in hearing more science behind consumer products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it on an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Waaaaaay back in early 2023, Adam Godfrey's novella NARCISSUS landed on my radar. I don't know how or why, but it caught my attention and I was hooked by that evocative cover image. Then by then hook of the story. So I read it and I loved it! Then I had to have Adam on and he talked about how great his experience was working with Shortwave Publishing.So when Chloe Spencer's novella MEWING caught my attention, I was ready to give it a chance on the strength of my previous experience with Adam's book. Then I loved it and had her on! So when the next caught my attention… you can see where this is going.So for a couple years I have had a very happy relationship with Shortwave. I'm on their reviewer list, I bought their subscription for 2025, and I've talked to like eight of their authors. What made me finally break and ask Alan Lastufka to join me for a conversation was the very exciting news that Shortwave has signed a distribution deal with Simon & Schuster, which will be a game changer for them. Think of it - the Killer VHS series is gonna be on shelves at Barnes & Noble!What's great for listeners is that Alan shared a whole mess of details about his plans for what his existing titles will do in the future. He shared the fate of the chapbook series. He talked about specific revisions/reissues that are so exciting!It's a great story of how he got where he is today, and it's packed with details about goodies coming in the future. What more could you ask for? Well, whatever it is, I'm sure Alan is working on it and it's gonna be cooler than you would expect.For the folks who prefer to watch on YouTube: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thearcparty.com/subscribe

There are more human cells in your body than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy! Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life but that doesn't mean they are simple – biology still doesn't have a full picture of how exactly a living cell works. Host Regina G. Barber talks with bioengineers Kate Adamala and Drew Endy about why scientists are trying to build a cell from scratch, piece by piece. They dive into what it would look like to be inside of a cell, why scientists are bothering with making a cell from scratch and how engineers are leading the field.Want more bioengineering stories? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Weather in the tropics is decidedly different than it is in the middle latitudes. It turns out, so are the weather systems – the factors that create things like the daily temperature and humidity! Historically, most weather forecasting models have been based on data from high-income countries in the northern hemisphere. But different factors drive weather and climate near the equator – meaning that these weather forecast models are much less accurate at predicting weather in the tropics. This has implications for storm readiness, flooding preparedness and more. Atmospheric scientist Ángel F. Adames-Corraliza is aiming to change that. His research focuses on how water vapor – humidity – plays a key role in tropical weather systems. It's earned him a spot as one of this year's Macarthur Fellows. Interested in more science about how weather happens? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Audio File: wor2316.mp3

This week's show features stories from France 24, Radio Deutsche-Welle, Radio Havana Cuba. http://youthspeaksout.net/swr251010.mp3 (29:00) From FRANCE- Tuesday was October 7th and there were commemorations in the Israeli press as well as the international papers. In France the President, currently Macron, appoints the Prime Minister- a month ago Sebastian Lecornu was given the position, after 2 others had failed in the last 12 months, and now he has resigned- this had led to calls for Macron to call snap elections or resign- this is a political crisis talked about in the second press review. Then following Trumps apparently successful first phase of a peace deal in Palestine, the press speculated on whether he would see his dream of a Nobel Peace prize come to pass. In Venezuela there have been large protests against the US military assassinations of boats allegedly transporting drugs in the Caribbean- and President Maduro claimed to have prevented a false flag operation on the US Embassy in Caracas. An interview with Phil Gunson of the International Crisis Group on the conflict between the US and Venezuela. From GERMANY- On Friday all the boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla had been captured by Israeli troops in international waters and the crews taken to prisons in Israel. Many countries represented in the 450 crew members have objected to the Israeli action, and massive protests took place around the world. An interview with journalist and Cambridge lecturer Alina Trabattoni about the protests in Italy, calling for government action to declare Palestinian statehood and charges of genocide against Israel. From CUBA- The UK has announced plans to crackdown even further on protests- another 500 were arrested on terrorism charges on Saturday for carrying signs saying they support Palestine Action. Available in 3 forms- (new) HIGHEST QUALITY (160kb)(33MB), broadcast quality (13MB), and quickdownload or streaming form (6MB) (28:59) Links at outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml PODCAST!!!- https://feed.podbean.com/outFarpress/feed.xml (160kb Highest Quality) Website Page- < http://www.outfarpress.com/shortwave.shtml ¡FurthuR! Dan Roberts "Satire died the day Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and it died a second time the day that Tony Blair was appointed Special Envoy for the Middle East." --Ken Loach Dan Roberts Shortwave Report- www.outfarpress.com YouthSpeaksOut!- www.youthspeaksout.net

Some scientific discoveries take place in a lab. Others are made deep in the rainforest, along the ocean floor or on the dark side of the moon. And still others are made squelching through mud and ice on the northernmost island on Earth… at least, if you're NPR climate correspondent Alejandra Borunda. Two summers ago, Alejandra followed an expedition of scientists to Greenland's Inuit Qeqertaat, or Kaffeeklubben (“Coffee Club”) Island. The researchers with her were aiming to find what plants grew at the farthest north point of the island. Along the way, she had an adventure … and witnessed the good, the bad and the muddy realities of scientific expeditions.Interested in more exploratory science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Usually, when two different species mate, it's a disaster. At least, that's what scientists had generally thought about hybrids, the offspring of these unions. But some researchers are starting to change their view as they learn of more beneficial hybrid events. The Atlantic science journalist Katie Wu details two of these hybridization examples: one in desert frogs and one in two ancient plants that led to the modern potato.Interested in more biology episodes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Creepy crawly season is upon us, Short Wavers! We're welcoming fall with a contemplation of fear and anxiety. In human history, fear kept us safe. It helped us flee from predators. Anxiety made us wary of potential dangers — like venturing into a known lion-infested area. But what happens when these feelings get out of hand in humans today? And why do some of us crave that feeling from scary movies or haunted houses?For answers, we talk to Arash Javanbakht, a psychiatrist from Wayne State University. He likes studying fear so much he wrote a whole book called Afraid. In this episode, Javanbakht gets into the differences between fear and anxiety, many of the reasons people feel afraid and why things like scary movies could even be therapeutic. (encore)Want to know more about the science behind what keeps you up at night? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might cover it on a future episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Recreational ketamine use is on the rise. But why are some people using it to dissociate in the club? Ketamine – a dissociative anesthetic – is illegal without a prescription and can potentially be harmful. Yet, it has had a massive rise in recreational use over the past decade. One study found that use increased by 81.8% from 2015 to 2019 and rose another 40% from 2021 to 2022. What is driving the illicit drug's sudden popularity? And is it's dissociative properties indicative of our times? Brittany chats with P.E. Moskowitz, a journalist and author of Breaking Awake: A Reporter's Search for a New Life, and a New World, Through Drugs, which explores our national mental health and drug use crises, and Benjamin Breen, associate professor of history at UC Santa Cruz, who specializes in the histories of science, medicine and drugs and is the author of the book, Tripping on Utopia. Together they investigate why ketamine is showing up in more people's social lives.Warning: this episode contains discussion of illegal drugs and drugs use and may not be suitable for all listeners. For more information on the science of ketamine, check out NPR's Short Wave podcast.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In the North Sea — between the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark — thousands of flies swarmed an oil rig. Engineer Craig Hannah noticed they'd stay still on the rig for hours, suddenly taking off all at once. He was seeing hoverflies. Often confused with bees, they're unsung pollinators. And they migrate, often hundreds of miles – including, it seems, to the middle of the ocean. Today on the show: The mystery of why these insects are landing in the open ocean. Plus, a surprising finding in the Amazon rainforest and the sounds of life in a coral reef. Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Audio File: wor2315.mp3

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Nikos Mitrogiannopoulos, for sharing the following studio recording and notes:Broadcaster: Rasdio Canada International (Shortwave Club)Date of recording: October 06, 1973Notes: This is the anniversary broadcast of the Radio Canada Shortwave Club for the celebration of the “World DX Friendship Year 1973.” The program features Bob MacGregor, announcer of Radio Canada, as well as announcers from Radio Netherlands, London, Stockholm, and New Zealand. Unfortunately, I could not make out their names. All of them are speaking live. Finally, there is an interview from Greece with Nikos Dendrinos, who was also the originator of the anniversary year.

Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals' decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he brings all he learned, including how conservation could help, to your earholes.Check out more of Jon's reporting on scavengers and human health.Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How high will the ocean rise under climate change? By 2050, scientists have a pretty good idea. But why does it matter where you live? And what can humans do to slow it down? This episode is part of Nature Quest, our monthly segment that brings you a question from a Short Waver who is noticing a change in the world around them. Our question comes from Peter Lansdale in Santa Cruz, Calif. To see what future sea levels will look like where you live, check out NOAA's Sea Level Rise Viewer here.Noticed any changes in *your* local environment that you want us to investigate? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org telling us your name, your location, and the change you've noticed – it could be our next Nature Quest episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You've probably heard of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. But what about its counterpart, post-traumatic growth?The term was coined in the 90s to describe the positive psychological growth that researchers documented in people who had been through traumatic or highly stressful life events. Psychologists and sociologists conducting long-range studies on survivors of Hurricane Katrina – which hit 20 years ago and remains one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the US – are continuing to learn more about it. So how do you measure post-traumatic growth? Can it co-exist with PTSD? NPR mental health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee explains what scientists have found so far … and how it could help shape disaster relief efforts in the future.Interested in more psychology and social science stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Since the age of nine or ten, Katie Burns has had debilitating pain from endometriosis, a condition where tissue resembling the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. For years, Katie was in the dark about what was causing her pain. Even after a diagnosis at age 20 it was hard to find relief, or even answers about her condition. Her search for better care is part of what led her to a career studying the disease, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide. And in 2012, she discovered something new about its origins. Today, we talk to Katie and science reporter Meredith Wadman about that discovery, which points to a surprising culprit of endometriosis — the immune system.Read Meredith's full piece in Science Magazine HERE. Interested in more health science ? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On Monday, the Trump administration linked the use of Tylenol with rising autism rates, but science doesn't support that claim. Guest host Sydney Lupkin talks to autism researcher Helen Tager-Flusberg about how autism is studied, the findings from decades of research, and what people–especially those who are pregnant–should do when they experience pain or fever. Plus, we dig into guidance behind using leucovorin to treat autism.Interested in more science behind the headlines? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Food allergies have risen in the United States over the last few decades. Research suggests that 40 years ago the prevalence of food allergies was less than 1%. But today that number is closer to 6%. But this trend is not present in all countries — and what people are allergic to varies globally. Today, we dive into the complex world of food allergies with Dr. Waheeda Samady. She's the director of clinical research at Northwestern University's Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research.Have a food science question? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The anti-aging product market was worth roughly 53 BILLION dollars in 2024. One of the latest big trends: red light therapy. Social media is rampant with claims about all sorts of purported health benefits to using directed red light regularly … but does the research really live up to all the hype?For answers, we turn to cosmetic chemist and science communicator Michelle Wong. Together, she and host Regina G. Barber sift through the thin (albeit growing) research on red light therapy to find out which claims are clearly backed by the literature – and which still need a bit more experimental data. Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Octopuses and their arms are a bit of a mystery.  Not because scientists don't know how they work; they're boneless hydrostats, made up of groups of muscles working together and capable of bending, twisting, elongating or shortening — like a frog's tongue, or an elephant's trunk. But because scientists are still figuring out how most octopuses use those arms in the wild. Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole and the marine lab at Florida Atlantic University wanted to answer that question. By analyzing videos taken in the wild, they found that octopuses seemed to prefer doing certain tasks with certain arms… and that the majority of the time, they used their front arms to explore and their back arms to get around. Researchers on the project hope that furthering our understanding of octopus behavior and movement will be useful for developing things like soft robotics.Interested in more science discoveries? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

For centuries, the primary way that astronomers studied outer space was through sight. But just ten years ago, scientists successfully established a way to ‘listen' to our cosmos – detecting gravitational waves created by huge cosmic events that took place billions of light years away. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how scientists detect those gravitational waves, what kind of cosmic events we're detecting now, and what they could tell us about our universe.Interested in more stories about the cosmos? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Parkinson's Disease affects around a million people in the United States. And that number is on the rise, in part because our population is getting older. Dr. Claire Henchcliffe, chair of neurology at the University of California, Irvine, is one of the scientists at the forefront of Parkinson's research. She's working toward new treatment options for Parkinson's, including recent discoveries about the potential use of stem cells. Science correspondent Jon Hamilton dives into this research — and even a future where scientists can prevent the disease altogether — on the show with Henchcliffe. Interested in more on the future of brain science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common facial plastic surgeries performed today. And it turns out, the ability to reconstruct a nose with living tissue has been known for a very long time – over 2500 years! But what spurred our ancestors to master this reconstructive technique? Well, there's quite a range of answers – everything from adultery to duels and syphilis. Short Wave host Regina G. Barber speaks with bioengineer and Princeton University professor Daniel Cohen about the surprisingly long history of rhinoplasty – and how this art was lost and found throughout the ages.Want more tales of science throughout time? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Was there ever life on Mars? Planetary scientists think there could have been but there hasn't been any direct evidence. After years of roaming Mars, NASA's Perseverance rover saw spots on Mars rocks. These spots could be the most likely clue that Mars had organic life millions of years ago. Host Regina G. Barber speaks with recent PhD graduate and planetary scientist Hemani Kalucha. She explains why the size, shape and color of these spots – as well as the location of these rocks on Mars – point to ancient life.Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are surgically implanted devices that link the brain to a computer. They can be helpful for people who've lost the ability to move or speak. And they're making progress. New generations of BCIs could go as far as to detect a person's inner monologue.But that progress is raising questions about the future privacy of our brains, and has some scientists asking, “What happens when you want to keep some things to yourself?”NPR brain correspondent Jon Hamilton talks to Short Wave's Emily Kwong about the future of BCIs.Read more of Jon's reporting on brain implants.Interested in more on the future of brain science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Christopher Nolan's Interstellar was a phenomenon in 2014. Set in the future, Earth has been struck by a global crop blight. Former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is pulled into a NASA mission to transport the human race to a new planet, via wormhole. Back on Earth, Cooper's daughter, Murph (Jessica Chastain), attempts to complete an equation that will allow this mass-transport of humanity from Earth. Many scientists praised the film, particularly for its depiction of black holes. In this episode co-hosts Regina G. Barber and Emily Kwong talk about Interstellar with Star Trek scientific advisor and astrophysicist Erin Macdonald. They walk through wormholes, black holes and all the ways space-time stretches in the film. Interested in more on the science behind science fiction? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

U.S. consumers spend more than $10 billion a year on sports drinks, according to Beverage Industry, a trade publication. And we can't lie that sometimes a Gatorade or electrolyte tablet sounds really appealing in the quest to hydrate daily – especially since it's been a very hot, long summer. But the question is: Are we even sweating enough to warrant all these sugary electrolyte-filled drinks? NPR health correspondent Pien Huang has been on the case, and she brings us answers she's racked up in her reporting today.Read more of Pien's reporting on electrolytes and hydration.Interested in more consumer health or human biology stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Mars is known for its barren desert landscape and dry climate. But two recent studies in the journals Nature and Science go beneath the surface, exploring the interior of the red planet using seismic data from NASA's InSight mission. And now, this data is also giving scientists a glimpse into the planet's history – to see how Mars evolved over billions of years and how its inner structure compares to that of Earth. Interested in more science news? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org.  Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy