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Short Wave

NPR
Greater Honey Guide
Honey Hunting
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
Climate Change
Naked Mole Rats
Hadza
NPR
Gray Wolves
Clownfish
Tomatoes
Migratory Species
Bees
Racism
Appendix
Radiation
Skywalker Gibbons
Domestic Violence
Kenya
Mozambique
Tanzania

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1777Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ScienceLife SciencesAstronomy

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Artwork for Short Wave

Latest Episodes

Cosmic dust can tell scientists about how ice covered Earth during the last ice age. This dust is leftover debris from asteroids and comets colliding in space and this dust constantly rains down on our planet. Researcher Frankie Pavia from the Univer... more

Recently, health influencers on Instagram and TikTok have been vocal about the side effects of hormonal birth control. Check out the most popular videos on the subject, and you’ll hear horror stories about sex drive and skin texture, depression and w... more

Scientists know why leaves turn yellow in the fall: Chlorophyll breaks down, revealing the yellow pigment that was there all along. But red? Red is a different story altogether. Leaves have to make a new pigment to turn red. Why would a dying leaf do... more

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 o... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Frankie Pavia
Geochemist at the University of Washington
University of Washington
Episode: What Space Dust Reveals About Earth's Ice Age
Anjana Khatwa
Geologist and author of The Whispers of Rock
Episode: The Secrets Everyday Rocks Keep
Elsa Che
Stylish and funny contributor from NPR
NPR
Episode: This Week In Science: Spiders, TV Pixels And Storytelling
Dr. Jessica Shepherd
Chief Medical Officer of Hers
Hers
Episode: What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?
Allison Richards
Narrator of her personal experience with hair loss
Episode: What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?
Dr. Carolyn Goh
Clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA Health
UCLA Health
Episode: What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?
Thea Chassen
Founder and CEO of the nonprofit Bald Girls Do Lunch
Bald Girls Do Lunch
Episode: What Works – And Doesn’t – For Hair Loss?
Danielle Decarle
Paleontologist at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
Episode: Parasites Have Haunted Us For Millions Of Years
Karma Nenglu
Paleontologist at the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
Episode: Parasites Have Haunted Us For Millions Of Years

Hosts

Regina Barber
Host of Short Wave, focusing on delivering accessible science stories with creativity and humor.
Emily Kwong
Co-host of Short Wave, known for her engaging storytelling and ability to simplify complex topics.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 8.5k ratings
  • Bite sized science

    Nice NPR show with a daily dose of science. Wide ranging topics from biology to medicine to the environment. Hosts seem well-informed, they read real scientific papers, and have academic guests on the show.

    Suggestions: Best episodes are those connected to current events. Also, make sure to choose papers from high-impact journals (for example, Nature Communications is not so great even if Nature is in the title.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aaron Weidman
    United States12 days ago
  • Informative and fun

    I’ve been a fan since the start and it’s a great start to my day, with short fun, meaningful and relevant science content. Keep up the great work as it’s much appreciated and needed in today’s world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jacush
    Canada12 days ago
  • Daily science

    Great show, daily science in a short, easy to listen to pod!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Skibum2076
    United States13 days ago
  • Science for all

    I am a mechanical engineer. To get through college I had to take physics and chemistry, lots of calculus, electrical engineering, thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid dynamics. But you don’t need any of that to follow and love this show! In fact, who really wants to read a scientific report anyway? This show breaks scientific concepts down in terms that are understandable, concise, and fun. I tell everybody I know to follow this show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    aboese
    United States13 days ago
  • Your regular dose of science!

    I love science, and “Short Wave” is a great way to get more scientific news integrated into my daily routine. You will learn something new every episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brant Silvers
    United States13 days ago

Listeners Say

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

Many comments highlight the diversity of topics covered and the quality of the expert guests featured.
The quick, bite-sized analysis of various scientific topics is well-received, appealing to those with tight schedules.
Listeners appreciate the educational and engaging format, frequently learning surprising new information from each episode.
Some reviewers express discomfort with the light-hearted presentation style, suggesting it may feel condescending at times, though most find it refreshing.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Some Species Survive Mass Extinctions
Q: Can you lay out the possibilities of why some species in this epic mass extinction called the Great Dying die out while a handful lived?
Bivalves were better at dealing with high temperatures and had advanced gills that allowed them to oxygenate efficiently, while brachiopods managed lower oxygen levels but struggled with rising temperatures and sulfide.
Do Birth Control Side Effects Make It Worth Skipping?
Q: What should people do when it comes to side effects?
It's important to weigh common, uncommon, and extremely rare side effects alongside the risks of becoming pregnant if not using contraception.
Do Birth Control Side Effects Make It Worth Skipping?
Q: What should people do if they're worried about hormonal birth control?
Doctors emphasize having a conversation with trained medical professionals about concerns instead of relying on influencers or online sources.
What Space Dust Reveals About Earth's Ice Age
Q: How does this debris help you determine the age of ice?
The cosmic dust has a distinct helium fingerprint that helps date sediment layers and infer ice coverage conditions.
What Space Dust Reveals About Earth's Ice Age
Q: How do you get the sediment to study that?
You send a boat out to the part of the ocean where you want to collect mud using a big tube that fills with sediment.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Short Wave

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

Each episode features concise explorations of scientific topics, ranging from planetary discoveries and genetics to the complexities of pharmaceuticals and environmental impacts. By inviting experts across various fields, the discussions often intertwine personal narratives with broader scientific insights, making the content both educational and relatable. The hosts employ creativity and humor to keep the format engaging, appealing to a wide audience keen on understanding science's relevance in everyday life. Notably, each episode seeks to demystify complex concepts in an accessible way, catering to both seasoned science enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

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?

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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. Throughline
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of Short Wave are there?

Short Wave launched 6 years ago and published 1777 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.

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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. Frankie Pavia
2. Anjana Khatwa
3. Elsa Che
4. Dr. Jessica Shepherd
5. Allison Richards
6. Dr. Carolyn Goh
7. Thea Chassen
8. Danielle Decarle

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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