• Short Wave

  • By: NPR
  • Podcast

Short Wave

By: NPR
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • 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
    Copyright 2019-2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only
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Astronomy Biological Sciences Politics & Government
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Episodes
  • Elections Are One Big Math Problem

    Elections Are One Big Math Problem
    Nov 5 2024
    It's Election Day in the United States. Across the nation, millions of ballots are being cast. But what would happen if the rules of our electoral system were changed? Certain states are about to find out. This year, several places have alternative voting systems up for consideration on their ballots, and those systems could set an example for voting reform throughout the rest of the country. Short Wave producer Hannah Chinn and host Emily Kwong dive into three voting methods that are representative of those systems: Where they've been implemented, how they work, and what they might mean for elections in the future.

    What to hear more about the math powering our lives? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might cover your idea on a future episode!

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    16 mins
  • Did Life Start In Hydrothermal Vents?

    Did Life Start In Hydrothermal Vents?
    Nov 4 2024
    How did life start on Earth? The answer is a big scientific mystery scientists are actively investigating. After talking with many scientists, host Regina G. Barber found that an abundance of water on Earth is most likely key, in some way, to the origin of life — specifically, in either deep sea hydrothermal vents or in tide pools. It's for this reason some scientists are also exploring the potential for life in so-called "water worlds" elsewhere in the solar system, like some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. This episode, Regina digs into two water-related hypotheses for the origin on life on Earth — and what that might mean for possible alien life.

    Have another scientific mystery you want us to cover on a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might feature your idea on a future episode!

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    14 mins
  • The Best (And Oldest) Tadpole Ever Discovered

    The Best (And Oldest) Tadpole Ever Discovered
    Nov 1 2024
    For years, we've been asking, "Which came first: the chicken or the egg?" Maybe what we should have been asking is, "Which came first: the frog or the tadpole?" A new paper in the journal Nature details the oldest known tadpole fossil. Ringing in 20 million years earlier than scientists previously had evidence of, this fossil might get us closer to an answer.

    Have another scientific discovery you want us to cover on a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might feature your idea on a future episode!

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    10 mins

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