• Short Wave

  • By: NPR
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Short Wave

By: NPR
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  • 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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Episodes
  • 10 Years After Flint, The Fight To Replace Lead Pipes Continues

    10 Years After Flint, The Fight To Replace Lead Pipes Continues
    Apr 26 2024
    Ten years ago, Flint, Mich. switched water sources to the Flint River. The lack of corrosion control in the pipes caused lead to leach into the water supply of tens of thousands of residents. Pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha recognized a public health crisis in the making and gathered data proving the negative health impact on Flint's young children. In doing so, she and community organizers in Flint sparked a national conversation about lead in the U.S. water system that persists today.

    Today on the show, host Emily Kwong and science correspondent Pien Huang talk about the state of Flint and other cities with lead pipes. Efforts to replace these pipes hinge on proposed changes to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule.

    Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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    13 mins
  • Beavers Can Help With Climate Change. So How Do We Get Along?

    Beavers Can Help With Climate Change. So How Do We Get Along?
    Apr 24 2024
    NPR's Tom Dreisbach is back in the host chair for a day. This time, he reports on a story very close to home: The years-long battle his parents have been locked in with the local wild beaver population. Each night, the beavers would dam the culverts along the Dreisbachs' property, threatening to make their home inaccessible. Each morning, Tom's parents deconstructed those dams — until the annual winter freeze hit and left them all in a temporary stalemate.

    As beaver populations have increased, so have these kinds of conflicts with people...like Tom's parents. But the solution may not be to chase away the beavers. They're a keystone species that scientists believe could play an important role in cleaning water supplies, creating healthy ecosystems and alleviating some of the effects of climate change. So, today, Tom calls up Jakob Shockey, the executive director of the non-profit Project Beaver. Jakob offers a bit of perspective to Tom and his parents, and the Dreisbachs contemplate what a peaceful coexistence with these furry neighbors might look like.

    Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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    14 mins
  • Sustainable Seafood Is All Around You — If You Know Where To Look

    Sustainable Seafood Is All Around You — If You Know Where To Look
    Apr 22 2024
    Roughly 196 million tons of fish were harvested in 2020, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The organization also notes that the number of overfished stocks worldwide has tripled in the last century. All of this overfishing has led to the decline of entire species, like Atlantic cod.

    Enter the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch. It and other free guides give consumers an overview of the world of fish and seafood, helping people to figure out the most sustainable fish available to them. With the help of Life Kit's Clare Marie Schneider, we figure out how to make informed decisions about what we eating – whether that's at a restaurant or the local supermarket.

    Check out more from Life Kit on sustainable seafood.

    Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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    15 mins
Politics & Government Astronomy Biological Sciences
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