Short Wave

New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.

Good Vibrations: How Fiddler Crabs Mate

The male European fiddler crab attracts his mate by performing a courtship dance. New research published...

How Nature Makes A Complex Brain

A recent series of studies suggests that the brains of birds, reptiles and mammals all evolved independently...

Your Allergies May Be Getting Worse

Plants are blooming right now – and so are people's allergies. And if it feels like those pesky symptoms...

All Hail The Butt Flicker

Did you know there's an insect that can fling its pee 40 times faster than a cheetah accelerates? We...

How Do Astronomers Find Exoplanets? Wiggles!

Dune. Star Wars. Alien. Science fiction movies love alien worlds, and so do we. But how do scientists...

Could Psychedelics Become Tripless?

This week, we've heard from researchers trying to untangle the effects of the "trip" that often comes...

What If You Took The "Trip" Out Of Ketamine?

What if you could get all the potential benefits of ketamine without the "trip"? For part two of our...

Why The Trip Complicates Psychedelic Research

Researchers are studying psychedelics as a possible treatment for conditions like depression, PTSD and...

Could Running Change Your Brain?

Running an entire marathon takes a lot of energy. Neuroscientist Carlos Matute knows this: he's run...

Tornado Alley: Home Of Extreme Winds

Each year, the United States has about 1,200 tornadoes. Many of them happen in tornado alley, a very...

The Iguanas That Rafted To Fiji

Most iguanas are indigenous to the Americas. So how did the Fijian species end up on the island, nearly...

Is AI Ready For Robots?

It seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere in our virtual lives. It's in our search results...

Rare Narwhal Footage Shows New Tusk Activities

What are the narwhals up to? Generally, we don't really know! They are mysterious creatures. NPR science...

The Algae That Thrive in Arctic Darkness

Microalgae are tiny organisms that convert energy from sunlight into fuel. The arctic ecosystem depends...

Climate Change + Baseball = More Home Runs

Baseball season is nigh! From Yankee stadium in New York to Dodger stadium in Los Angeles, teams around...

What Scientists Got Wrong About COVID-19

Early in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists predicted the SARS-CoV-2 virus would mutate...

What Experts Say about ADHD-Tok

Ever diagnosed yourself with a mental health disorder based on a TikTok video? If so, you're not alone....

What's In Your Personal Care Products?

Ever scan the ingredient list of your favorite personal care products like shampoos or lotions and think,...

What to Know About The Measles Outbreak

Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases known to science – more contagious than...

Could 'Severance' Become Our Reality?

What if we had the ultimate work-life balance? This fundamental question underlies the hit Apple TV+...

Love Fruit? Thank (Dinosaur) Mass Extinction

Move over, TikTokers. It's time to shine a spotlight on some of the earliest influencers around: dinosaurs....

Let's Talk About (Biological) Sex, Baby

Biological sex is all over the news lately. Whether it's via President Trump's executive order affecting...

Is The Trump Administration Breaking Science?

In its first 50 days, the Trump administration made sweeping changes to scientific arms of the government...

The Great Antarctic Food Web Puzzle

Tourists to Antarctica are fueling research on some of the tiniest, most influential organisms on Earth:...

Listen americans radio station online