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Short Wave

NPR
Climate Change
NASA
Mental Health
Neuroscience
NPR
Tuberculosis
Aging
Ecosystem
Wolves
Smartphones
Yellowstone National Park
Dinosaurs
Dopamine
Paleontology
Elk
Stress
Bobsled
Screen Time
Mars
Food Allergies

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1880Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
AstronomyScienceLife Sciences

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Artwork for Short Wave

Latest Episodes

For years, farmers in California have been pumping huge amounts of water from their wells to irrigate their crops. The state’s Central Valley is the nation’s single biggest source for many different foods. But all that water use is making aquifers sh... more

Dreams of flying? Nightmares of teeth falling out? Falling off a cliff? As a sleep scientist at the University of Montreal, Michelle Carr has pretty much heard it all. In Michelle’s new book Nightmare Obscura, she explores the science of dreams, nigh... more

It’s been over 25 years since the FDA approved a new ingredient for sunscreen in the United States. But a molecule called gadusol found in fish and coral reefs is a promising candidate. It absorbs U.V. rays — acting like a built-in sunscreen for fish... more

The average person eats 10-15 grams of fiber per day, according to the USDA. The problem? That’s WAY under the recommended daily amount.

Fiber – a type of carb that our bodies are unable to digest – is prevalent in foods like fruits, veggies, whole... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Brian Drucker
Oncologist who developed Gleevec
Oregon Health & Science University
Episode: Without this pill, lots of people would be dead
Emily Abdaller
Infectious disease doctor at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
Episode: Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
David Perez
Neurologist and psychiatrist who diagnosed Kyla with functional neurological disorder
Massachusetts General Hospital / Brigham and Harvard University
Episode: This medical condition stumped doctors for years
Stephen Cook
Fish ecologist
Carleton University
Episode: The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Lori Mitchell
Marine biologist at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
Episode: The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Pasifique Mutambala
Ph.D. student researching fish climbing behavior in DRC
Universite de Lubumbashi
Episode: The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Emmanuel Vraven
Ichthyologist
Royal Museum for Central Africa
Episode: The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Jenny Richards
Senior aquarist
Shedd Aquarium
Episode: The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Sasha Pfeiffer
Colleague and special guest on the show
NPR
Episode: Coffee is complex. Can science standardize it for the better?

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
  • Pole position

    •EPISODE 1235 “The Great Antarctic Food Web Puzzle”. Unlistenable. Why do Americans refuse to pronounce “Antarctica” correctly?

    ~

    •EPISODE 1297 “When Eavesdropping Pays Off” in which a guest uses the non-word “nother” (twice in one sentence).

    ~

    •EPISODE: “Why is NASA going to the moon again?” In which the host confuses “disinterest” (impartiality) with “uninterest” (Meh).

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    (Gibberer)
    Australiaa month 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 Podcasts
    5
    aaanyhoodles
    United States2 months ago
  • 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 States2 months 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 States2 months 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
    Austria2 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.

Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
Q: What are the early signs and the progression to severe disease?
Initial symptoms resemble a flu—fever, muscle aches, headaches—which can rapidly progress to severe respiratory illness, with the lungs and heart being particularly affected, sometimes requiring mechanical support.
Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
Q: How does hantavirus get passed on to humans?
Typically a rodent carries the virus and sheds it in urine, droppings, and saliva; humans become exposed by inhaling aerosolized particles, especially when cleaning or disturbing rodent waste without precautions.
The secret behind clownfish stripes and more fishy fascinations
Q: Okay, Ari, so you were so kind to offer me three fishes wishes, and I used one by asking you why the tomato clownfish lose their stripes as they get older and then just only have that head bar. Tell me what I need to know, Ari.
Ari explains that tomato clownfish start with several stripes when young, but as they mature, hormones alter pigment cell activity and the stripes fade, leaving a single headband; the change is tied to development and social integration within the group.
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.

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?

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. Throughline
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Science Friday

How many episodes of Short Wave are there?

Short Wave launched 7 years ago and published 1880 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. Brian Drucker
2. Emily Abdaller
3. David Perez
4. Stephen Cook
5. Lori Mitchell
6. Pasifique Mutambala
7. Emmanuel Vraven
8. Jenny Richards

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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