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Short Wave

NPR
Climate Change
Mental Health
NASA
Neuroscience
NPR
Tuberculosis
Aging
Ecosystem
Wolves
Smartphones
Venomous Snake Bites
Yellowstone National Park
Dinosaurs
Dopamine
Antivenom Research
Clinical Trials
Paleontology
Elk
Stress
Bobsled

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.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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1868Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
AstronomyLife SciencesScience

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Artwork for Short Wave

Latest Episodes

To solar or not to solar? That is the question for this latest episode of our monthly series Nature Quest. For listener Darcey Hughes, installing solar panels isn’t just about keeping her utilities free of fossil fuels – it’s also a way to become ful... more

When Karyn Paringatai learned about a pattern among her family members, it changed the course of her life: A lot of people died young. As Karyn dug into her family history, she learned many Maori families, like her own, suffered from a rare form of s... more

In the mid-1970s, primatologist Jane Goodall witnessed something that changed her opinion of chimpanzees forever: A four-year conflict amongst the chimpanzees she was studying in Tanzania. Chimpanzees that knew each other started killing each other. ... more

Earth didn’t always have a moon. In the beginning of the solar system, when the planets were still forming, something happened that would change Earth’s night sky forever: The Moon was created!

How did it happen? This episode, co-host Regina G. Bar... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Hannah Chen
Producer and host role listed
NPR
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Kevin Lucas
Professional at the Solar Energy Industries Association
Solar Energy Industries Association
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Susie Oversvee
Runs solar programs at Snohomish County PUD
Snohomish County PUD
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
John Farrell
Director at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Jenny Heinzen
Master Electrician and Curriculum Director at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Darcey Hughes
homeowner featured in the story
Private individual
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Jeff Brady
NPR reporter who covers the solar industry
NPR
Episode: Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
Jane Goodall
Renowned primatologist
Jane Goodall Institute
Episode: Why a chimp 'civil war' shows how societies collapse
Aaron Sandel
Primatologist featured in the study
University of Texas at Austin
Episode: Why a chimp 'civil war' shows how societies collapse

Hosts

Regina Barber
Co-host and producer, known for her engaging storytelling and emphasis on science with creativity and humor.
Emily Kwong
Host of Short Wave, skilled at making intricate scientific topics accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 9k ratings
  • Artemis

    It’s my favorite science podcast, you’re well prepared team I love it, today I listened the show for NAsa Artemis, beautiful launch today , I think other issue to return moon is the challenge or race vs China

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ramenergy
    United Statesa month ago
  • Like listening to an old friend

    I really enjoy listening to Regina Barber talk with guests. She’s always fully engaged with whoever she’s interviewing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeff_in_VA
    United Statesa month ago
  • For every nerdy person

    Short, interesting facts about science. Love the commitment and passion of scientist and scientific journalists nerding about random facts. Thank you 🥰🤩

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mirnaana
    Austriaa month ago
  • Immediate Listen!

    I never miss an episode, and frequently share with friends and family. They are informative, thoughtful, positive, and focused - always worth the time. I end each episode feeling more informed about our world, and it’s an important shot of positivity in my news-heavy podcast feed, without feeling like complete escapism.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LauraVH
    Canada2 months ago
  • Vax show

    Typical NPR misinformation. Use the AI of your choice for Thimerosal…..there are alternatives. I’m unfollowing this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nickname360
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The mix of expert guests and diverse topics keeps listeners coming back for more.
Fans appreciate the brevity and accessibility of episodes, making learning enjoyable.
Positive feedback often highlights the show's ability to explain science without overwhelming complexity.
Content is informative and engaging, presenting science in a relatable way.
Listeners value the humor intertwined in discussions, making complex topics more digestible.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Eating disorder recovery in a diet culture world
Q: How can individuals protect themselves when triggering images and words appear online?
By building critical thinking about body image, leveraging supportive communities, and applying concrete steps learned in treatment to manage exposure and maintain focus on long-term health rather than appearance.
Eating disorder recovery in a diet culture world
Q: What makes recovery sustainable, especially given outside influences from the internet and diet culture?
Recovery is sustainable when it involves reclaiming life and identity beyond the disorder, with education about media literacy, critical viewing of content, and practical strategies to curate a safer digital environment that supports ongoing healing.
The mystery that led this family to get their stomachs removed
Q: What did Maybel do when she realized her family had a history of stomach cancer?
She sought out a scientist to identify the genetic cause, effectively turning a family history into a targeted genetic investigation that could help others in her lineage.
A new approach to brain health, one neuron at a time
Q: What are the implications of studying single neurons for human brain treatment beyond stroke?
By understanding signatures of brain activity at the single-neuron level and tracing how these signals change with injury and recovery, researchers can track and monitor recovery and potentially develop precise therapies that guide the brain back toward a healthier state across different diseases, not just one specific condition.
A new approach to brain health, one neuron at a time
Q: What inspired the pivot from devices for paralysis to broader brain health applications, like stroke recovery?
The realization that the market and safety considerations for a single, implanted device would be limiting, so the team shifted focus to problems that affect more people, such as stroke, while continuing to pursue the underlying science that could later support broader applications.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Short Wave

What is Short Wave about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Topics explored include a wide range of scientific findings encompassing astronomy, health, and psychology. Listeners can expect discussions on structures like the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the complexities of health conditions such as tinnitus, and the impact of diet and AI on mental health. Noteworthy is the podcast's ability to distill complex scientific subjects into digestible content, typically spanning under 15 minutes, making it accessible and engaging for a broad audience. This focus on brevity, creativity, and humor differentiates it from more traditional science podcasts, offering a pleasant educational experience for all ages.

Where can I find podcast stats for Short Wave?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Short Wave. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Short Wave and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Short Wave get?

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What are the audience demographics for Short Wave?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Short Wave, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Short Wave have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Short Wave has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Short Wave?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Short Wave:

1. The Indicator from Planet Money
2. Planet Money
3. Consider This from NPR
4. Science Friday
5. Throughline

How many episodes of Short Wave are there?

Short Wave launched 7 years ago and published 1868 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Short Wave?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Short Wave?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Short Wave from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Short Wave?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Short Wave. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Short Wave?

Recent guests on Short Wave include:

1. Hannah Chen
2. Kevin Lucas
3. Susie Oversvee
4. John Farrell
5. Jenny Heinzen
6. Darcey Hughes
7. Jeff Brady
8. Jane Goodall

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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