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Short Wave

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

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1790Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesScienceAstronomy

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Artwork for Short Wave

Latest Episodes

The comet 3I/ATLAS is taking a long holiday journey this year. It’s visiting from another solar system altogether. Those interstellar origins have the Internet rumor mill questioning whether 3I/ATLAS came from aliens. Co-hosts Emily Kwong and Regina ... more

Prediabetes is common in the U.S. — around 1 in 3 people have it. And many people may not know they have it. But last year, the FDA approved the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor. Since then, more people without diabetes have started ... more

How far back in evolutionary history does kissing go? Through phylogenetic analysis, an international team of scientists found that kissing was likely present in the ancestor of all apes – which lived 21 million years ago. Not only that: They were de... more

Many people are gearing up for holiday conversation with loved ones who may disagree with them -- on everything from politics to religion and lifestyle choices. These conversations can get personal and come to a halt quickly. But today on the show, w... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Michelle Carr
Sleep scientist and author of Nightmare Obscura
University of Montreal
Episode: What's Up With Nightmares?
Charles Fernyhough
Professor of psychology at Durham University who studies inner speech and internal experiences.
Durham University
Episode: The Mystery Of Inner Monologues
Russell Hurlburt
Psychologist known for his work in understanding inner experiences and inner speech.
University of Nevada
Episode: The Mystery Of Inner Monologues
Susan Brown
Head of the apple breeding program at Cornell Agrotech
Cornell Agrotech
Episode: An Apple Is An Ovary: The Science of Apple Breeding
Ben Gutierrez
Plant geneticist and former student of Susan's
Episode: An Apple Is An Ovary: The Science of Apple Breeding
Judy Pa
Scientist at the University of California, San Diego, working on cognitive training and exercise
University of California, San Diego
Episode: Mental ‘Workouts’ Could Keep Your Brain Young
Etienne de Villers-Edanie
Scientist at McGill University
McGill University
Episode: Mental ‘Workouts’ Could Keep Your Brain Young
Mike Haselmo
Director of the Center for Systems Neuroscience at Boston University
Boston University
Episode: Mental ‘Workouts’ Could Keep Your Brain Young
John Hamilton
NPR's resident brain trainer
NPR
Episode: Mental ‘Workouts’ Could Keep Your Brain Young

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 Statesa month 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
    Canadaa month ago
  • Daily science

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

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Skibum2076
    United Statesa month 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 Statesa month 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 Statesa month 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.

What's Up With Nightmares?
Q: What are some methods researchers used to treat nightmares?
She mentions imagery rehearsal therapy as a common method for treating nightmares by changing their narrative.
What's Up With Nightmares?
Q: What does that tell you about the importance of sleep?
She discusses how sleep helps manage emotions and memories, letting go of distress from the day.
What's Up With Nightmares?
Q: Can you just walk us through the four different stages of sleep?
Michelle explains the stages of sleep from stage one, a light sleep where brainwaves slow down, to REM sleep where we have vivid dreams.
Nature Quest: The Earthquake Prediction Problem
Q: How do you know a big one is coming for the Pacific Northwest?
Geologists look for clues in the landscape, such as ghost forests and sediment layers, and historical Japanese records of orphan tsunamis.
The Mystery Of Inner Monologues
Q: How is the addition of scanning deepened our understanding of inner speech?
Scans have shown different patterns of brain activation for elicited versus spontaneous inner speech, indicating that they may not be the same processes.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Short Wave, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

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. Consider This from NPR
3. Planet Money
4. Up First from NPR
5. Throughline

How many episodes of Short Wave are there?

Short Wave launched 6 years ago and published 1790 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. Michelle Carr
2. Charles Fernyhough
3. Russell Hurlburt
4. Susan Brown
5. Ben Gutierrez
6. Judy Pa
7. Etienne de Villers-Edanie
8. Mike Haselmo

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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