Short Wave
NPRNew 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
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 1904 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | AstronomyScienceLife Sciences | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is growing – and is likely larger than official numbers show. The deadly disease spreads through bodily fluids, on average killing half the people it infects. And while officially declared in May... more
One evening in May of 2011, tornado sirens went off in a small Missouri city called Joplin. Thousands of homes were destroyed in the tornado, about a third of the town’s 50,000 residents were displaced and around 160 people died. And in the months fo... more
Janet Jones has been fascinated by horses since childhood. She’s now a horse trainer and a neuroscientist, which allows her to explore the minds of the animals to which she’s devoted her life. She even recently wrote a book all about their brains. Sh... more
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Reviews
- Everyday science
I enjoy the science tidbits that I would otherwise never know about like the LA micro forest. Thank you Emily and team for reminding us of the importance and miracles of science and nature!
Apple Podcasts5Nickel Bridge Fan
United Statesa month ago - Less politics more science
Their politics I can do without but the science is what keeps me coming back!
Apple Podcasts50626chrasUnited Statesa month ago - Not always 100% on, but love it!
There are a few little bits I would tweak, but overall I really appreciate this podcast getting some important (& fun) info. to the public. Thank you!
Apple Podcasts5Shel LynnUnited Statesa month ago - Pole position
•EPISODE 1235 “The Great Antarctic Food Web Puzzle”. Unlistenable. Why do Americans refuse to pronounce “Antarctica” correctly?
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•EPISODE 1297 “When Eavesdropping Pays Off” in which a guest uses the non-word “nother” (twice in one sentence).
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•EPISODE: “Why is NASA going to the moon again?” In which the host confuses “disinterest” (impartiality) with “uninterest” (Meh).
Apple Podcasts3(Gibberer)
Australia3 months ago - Fantastic Family Listen
I always learn something I never knew I needed to know on Short Wave. Fun questions, upbeat hosts, great pacing, and my kids are happy to have it on in the car, too!
Apple Podcasts5aaanyhoodlesUnited States3 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #11 | United States/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #2 | United States/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #15 | United States/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #3 |  Canada/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #9 |  United Kingdom/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #16 | Canada/Science |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Short Wave
What is Short Wave about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Short form science show delivering bite-sized explorations of new discoveries, puzzling questions, and the science behind headlines in under 15 minutes. Episodes mix interviews with researchers and journalists, accessible explanations, and a light, humorous tone to make complex topics approachable for a broad audience. Notable strengths include a diverse set of guest experts, clear takeaways, and a knack for connecting lab findings to everyday life and current events. The format tends to spotlight timely topics—from health and environment to space and technology—while maintaining a consistent, human-centered storytelling style that appeals to curious listeners who want credible context without heavy jargon.
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. Throughline
5. Science Friday
How many episodes of Short Wave are there?
Short Wave launched 7 years ago and published 1904 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. Mikkel Winter Peterson
2. Xiao Teng Ping
3. Catherine Conlon
4. Tyler Murchie
5. Julien Simonis
6. Maria Godoy
7. Heather Rogers
8. Adolfo Garcia-Sastre
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.