Episodes

  • Doing Science at the Edge of the Earth

    Doing Science at the Edge of the Earth
    Oct 8 2025
    Some scientific discoveries take place in a lab. Others are made deep in the rainforest, along the ocean floor or on the dark side of the moon. And still others are made squelching through mud and ice on the northernmost island on Earth… at least, if you’re NPR climate correspondent Alejandra Borunda. Two summers ago, Alejandra followed an expedition of scientists to Greenland’s Inuit Qeqertaat, or Kaffeeklubben (“Coffee Club”) Island. The researchers with her were aiming to find what plants grew at the farthest north point of the island. Along the way, she had an adventure … and witnessed the good, the bad and the muddy realities of scientific expeditions.

    Interested in more exploratory science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 mins
  • Solved: The Potato Origin Mystery

    Solved: The Potato Origin Mystery
    Oct 7 2025
    Usually, when two different species mate, it’s a disaster. At least, that’s what scientists had generally thought about hybrids, the offspring of these unions. But some researchers are starting to change their view as they learn of more beneficial hybrid events. The Atlantic science journalist Katie Wu details two of these hybridization examples: one in desert frogs and one in two ancient plants that <> led to the modern potato.


    Interested in more biology episodes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


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    12 mins
  • The Science Of Fear And Horror Movies

    The Science Of Fear And Horror Movies
    Oct 6 2025
    Creepy crawly season is upon us, Short Wavers! We're welcoming fall with a contemplation of fear and anxiety. In human history, fear kept us safe. It helped us flee from predators. Anxiety made us wary of potential dangers — like venturing into a known lion-infested area. But what happens when these feelings get out of hand in humans today? And why do some of us crave that feeling from scary movies or haunted houses?

    For answers, we talk to Arash Javanbakht, a psychiatrist from Wayne State University. He likes studying fear so much he wrote a whole book called Afraid. In this episode, Javanbakht gets into the differences between fear and anxiety, many of the reasons people feel afraid and why things like scary movies could even be therapeutic. (encore)


    Want to know more about the science behind what keeps you up at night? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we might cover it on a future episode!


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    Not Yet Known
  • What Are Flies Doing In The Middle Of The Ocean?

    What Are Flies Doing In The Middle Of The Ocean?
    Oct 3 2025
    In the North Sea — between the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark — thousands of flies swarmed an oil rig. Engineer Craig Hannah noticed they’d stay still on the rig for hours, suddenly taking off all at once. He was seeing hoverflies. Often confused with bees, they’re unsung pollinators. And they migrate, often hundreds of miles – including, it seems, to the middle of the ocean.


    Today on the show: The mystery of why these insects are landing in the open ocean. Plus, a surprising finding in the Amazon rainforest and the sounds of life in a coral reef.


    Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


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    9 mins
  • Why Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health

    Why Animal Scavengers Protect Your Health
    Oct 1 2025
    Worldwide, populations of scavenging animals that feed on rotting carcasses are declining. Scientists are finding that this can seriously hurt human health. NPR science reporter Jonathan Lambert has been looking into how human health is intertwined with scavenging animals and why these animals’ decline could lead to more human disease. Today, he brings all he learned, including how conservation could help, to your earholes.


    Check out more of Jon’s reporting on scavengers and human health.

    Interested in more science behind skincare products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


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    10 mins
  • Nature Quest: How High Will Sea Levels Rise?

    Nature Quest: How High Will Sea Levels Rise?
    Sep 30 2025
    How high will the ocean rise under climate change? By 2050, scientists have a pretty good idea. But why does it matter where you live? And what can humans do to slow it down?
    This episode is part of Nature Quest, our monthly segment that brings you a question from a Short Waver who is noticing a change in the world around them. Our question comes from Peter Lansdale in Santa Cruz, Calif.

    To see what future sea levels will look like where you live, check out NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer here.

    Noticed any changes in *your* local environment that you want us to investigate? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org telling us your name, your location, and the change you’ve noticed – it could be our next Nature Quest episode!

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    12 mins
  • Why Do Some Hurricane Survivors Thrive After Disaster?

    Why Do Some Hurricane Survivors Thrive After Disaster?
    Sep 29 2025
    You’ve probably heard of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. But what about its counterpart, post-traumatic growth?
    The term was coined in the 90s to describe the positive psychological growth that researchers documented in people who had been through traumatic or highly stressful life events. Psychologists and sociologists conducting long-range studies on survivors of Hurricane Katrina – which hit 20 years ago and remains one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the US – are continuing to learn more about it.

    So how do you measure post-traumatic growth? Can it co-exist with PTSD? NPR mental health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee explains what scientists have found so far … and how it could help shape disaster relief efforts in the future.

    Interested in more psychology and social science stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 mins
  • A Surprising Cause Of Endometriosis Could Lead To Cure

    A Surprising Cause Of Endometriosis Could Lead To Cure
    Sep 26 2025
    Since the age of nine or ten, Katie Burns has had debilitating pain from endometriosis, a condition where tissue resembling the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. For years, Katie was in the dark about what was causing her pain. Even after a diagnosis at age 20 it was hard to find relief, or even answers about her condition. Her search for better care is part of what led her to a career studying the disease, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide. And in 2012, she discovered something new about its origins. Today, we talk to Katie and science reporter Meredith Wadman about that discovery, which points to a surprising culprit of endometriosis — the immune system.


    Read Meredith’s full piece in Science Magazine HERE.


    Interested in more health science ? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.


    Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

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    13 mins