Short Wave

by NPR
5,621

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

Recent Episodes
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Recent Reviews
  • Ali Schuback
    Thanks
    Thank you for sharing the story above the women divers in South Korea! Fascinating, someone has to those women their due). Alison Schuback
  • Grateful 20121229
    Informative and Well Delivered
    The topics selected have a wide variety. The stories are a good length and depth.
  • Jobin Papdawg
    Concise and entertaining while covering a wide variety of topics
    This show is so great and perfect for a quick break from whatever I’m doing. The Short Wave team covers such a wide variety of topics that there’s really something for everyone who likes to learn and struggles to pay attention to long-form lectures, podcasts, etc. I sent an email thanking them for their episode on Bipolar Disorder that shed much light on a disorder that has affected members of my family going back several generations AND I received a lovely reply from THE Emily Kwong! Keep up the good work Short Wave Fam!✊🏼
  • MN0724
    Great podcast!
    Love this podcast! No complaints just one criticism. 😅. Listening to the episode on OCD. Door handles and toilets in Grand Central DO have germs. OCD or not, people CAN get germs from these things. Putting your hand in a toilet is not the answer. Adding - I have made many a trip backward to see if I ran someone or something over (mostly in the past). It’s a crippling worry when it happens. Signed someone with semi-controlled OCD.
  • Fluflyflyflyflyfly
    ❤️❤️❤️
    THIS SHOW IS SO GOOD
  • JamesRM105
    Love this Show
    Since I started listening to this podcast I have been having fun listening and learning from your stories, I love science and this podcast is great. Thanks Regina, and Emily.
  • ThePhiloSurfer
    NPR at it’s finest.
    A daily dose of real science impacting our lives or our futures and never disappoints. What more could you ask for?
  • alkregiel
    Love this show!
    This show is always fantastic! Love getting such great science stories in little snips
  • kopithesheepie
    Bite size science stories!
    Love the topics, length, and reporting! Really appreciate that these short form stories exist compared to the usual 40-50min long episodes of my other favorite podcasts!
  • Sunflower Painter
    Great show
    Great show! Lively, engaging, and smart.
  • itunes-not user friendly
    The topics are good
    The little girl voices oohing over “hard” or “new” basic scientific words is nauseating. I’ve finally had enough.
  • Shredder2025
    Too much music
    What is up with the music during the dialogue? Why don you guys find the compulsion to play it? It’s distracting and detracts from the dialogue. I often find myself focusing on the music as the main part and the dialogue becomes background noise, especially when the guest speaker is not loud and clear and English is not the first language. Please stop the music during dialogue! And please stop playing that infuriating, and odious “space music” whenever there’s a show about the cosmos; don’t need it. The cosmos is mesmerizing enough on its own. Just let the dialogue overwhelm the ears with crisp, clear, loud, vociferous sounds. For example, with the Something you should know podcast, or Money Matters with Ken Moraif podcast. Learn from those!!!
  • Tkotoo
    Lessons In Love From Volvos
    From this ‘Short Wave’ episode of the Volvos and how their oxytocin help them to pair with another (preciously, regardless of interference), there are times I feel I experience slight too often, but at such rate it teaches you things if you pay really close attention to whatever episode you may encounter. It disciplines you, and at same is very much appreciative. - s.jxn - ga
  • Ratttaffe
    Science Lover's fave
    Great delivery of science-oriented facts and education for the non-professional in a quick 10-15 minutes. a wide range of topics. a good balance between serious info with just a touch of humor or silliness.
  • Oliver GC
    Great podcast
    “Short Wave” is a scientific podcast that brings a different perspective to complex topics. Both hosts, Emily and Regina, can share these difficult ideas with the listener using a casual and fun language that even kids will enjoy. Having listened to some of their episodes, I can assure you that they will make you want to research more about anything that was talked during the 15-minute episode.
  • BurgerBeanyB@y21
    Short wave rave
    I love this podcast, every night I listen to it. This podcast is about every thing science usually after they spend some time researching. I highly recommend you listen to this podcast if you are interested in science and want to learn.
  • Nahyan A
    Short Wave
    This is a great podcast. So much information! They answer interesting questions and is really entertaining and captivating. There is videos that are actually worth listening to and are full of really cool and engaging information.Thank you!
  • MaxWoodstock
    Great Podcast
    Worth listening to
  • Sethro_Yerhat
    phrasing
    "In pop culture, squirrels are often seen as jerky"
  • Latho717
    Maddie Christmas to me!
    What a treat to hear Maddie Sofia’s voice for Christmas/Hanukkah. Thanks for this and happy holidays.
  • Pluto’s protest
    More people should learn physics
    As stated above…dumb questions and dumb reactions…
  • DubExpress
    Leftist MSM propaganda
    The double speak is nauseating. 2+2=5 don’t you understand? Tell me you understand 2+2=5 say it. Say it now! Ridiculous hosting.
  • Keepersuperfan
    Good podcast
    This is a great podcast!! I’m only 13 and I love science and learning all these little factoids. I’m not a nerd about it, but I think it’s really interesting. I don’t like all the ads which is why I put a four star review but otherwise great podcast!!!
  • Cytokine stormy
    Podcast review
    Terrific podcast giving a detailed brief on a science related subject every day and encouraging female involvement in male dominated fields
  • Shuwanbo
    Getting Affected
    The recent episodes sound like a bunch of silly, affected girls. Way too much ridiculous, she speak. Come on girly girly gals, it’s a science podcast, not a bachelorette party.
  • sciencepyar
    Enjoyable podcast
    The hosts can be annoying and one of the hosts says like as every other word. Like stop saying like Besides the hosts interesting topics and guests
  • k8wma
    Interesting content terrible hosts
    Gah the upspeak! The overproduction! The pointless commentary. Unlistenable.
  • Lil Curtis with a switch
    Interesting
    I would recommend this podcast it is short and funny and really interesting. This podcast has guest that are smart and funny and they keep us up to date with what’s happening in the world. This podcast is really good, funny, and it also gives us interesting facts about the topics they are talking about.
  • Nate_jacian
    Good podcast, but too many ads
    Overall, this podcast is really educational for how short every episode is. I found it really easy to put it on while I was busy doing something else. My only complaint has to be the three ads that are in every episode. It takes away from the already short run time from the podcast, especially when it’s inserted into the middle of something really interesting.
  • J Aneth
    It’s good, the ads are okay
    Overall, I believe that this podcast is light-hearted and educational. I enjoyed listening to their space-related episodes because they were very informational. The only criticism I have, however, is the ridiculous amount of ads at the beginning, middle, and end of each episode. Unfortunately, the ads take away from each episode’s overall runtime, which is already short itself, and content value.
  • Water bottle45
    Fun science
    Overall the podcast is good if you love learning about random science facts and facts that could be useful or are fun to know.
  • EddieTooFaded
    Good Podcast but L Ads
    This podcast is very well produced with very good content, an approachable take to said subjects , and a good cast of hosts. There are very few issues with this podcast but the elephant in the room is the frequency at which ads pop up. But the quality of the content makes up for the ad to content ratio.
  • Oskarbu
    A podcast of gaslighting and racism
    The “Short Wave” podcast, in general, exemplifies the art of gaslighting rather than offering genuine insights. Across various episodes, the podcast tends to present information in a way that manipulates and confuses its audience rather than providing clear, evidence-based analysis.
  • Annie Jordan6
    Great Show, Too Many Ads
    Love the informative topics and the bite-sized episodes. However, there are too many ads for how short the show is. 2-3 ad breaks for a 15 minute show is too many ads.
  • asdfghjkl12345🏀
    Snowflake
    On 2/2/24, smooth d tickle really took time to publicly whine about this show. 🤣 The term snowflake seems ironically perfect for this guy. Great show!! You know you’re doing something right if smooth d tickle can’t handle it.
  • n0nehm
    Good Science, Great People and Pod!
    Thanks, Regina, Emily, et al. Keep up the great work!
  • Fran from PT
    Outstanding!
    The Folks they interview are so thoughtful, interesting and knowledgeable. Short Wave-Plus is one of my most favorite podcasts. I listen to it every day during the week.
  • NeutronPressure
    Terrible Ad To Content Ratio
    I’ve been a member of my local public radio for decades, and the fact that this podcast has a significantly lower content-to-ad ratio than the for-profit podcasts I listen to is insulting. Why did I donate all these years to get more advertising in your podcast than anywhere rlse? And on top of it, it seems like every other week that subscription only episodes show up in my feed and stay there as if the non subscription version was forgotten. No, I’m not paying a monthly fee to individual shows as a public radio member. I gave you plenty of money already. I get times are tough but to hear NPR shilling for energy companies, reading their greenwashing messages and helping them blame the consumer is sickening. Or plugging for online therapy companies who got caught (and fined a pittance for) sharing patient data with advertisers. Sickening. Strip away the ads (oops, “sponsor messages”) and fix the chronic “we forgot to release the non-subscription version” issues, and you have a somewhat decent podcast that has improved a bit lately by focusing a bit more on the science and a bit less on the storytelling without eliminating it. But I probably should just unsubscribe (and cancel my membership) and save the frustration.
  • Mogadeet1451
    Stop calling scientists “nerds”
    The content is excellent, but the hosts sound like school teachers working hard to get a bunch of middle school kids excited about science. I really hate that researchers are always described as “nerds” about their subject. It sounds so juvenile. Are you going to call oncologists “cancer nerds”? Know your audience. If someone is listening to this podcast, they are likely already interested in science. You don’t have to work so hard to be enthusiastic.
  • JustOneTree
    Overproduced - Used to be 5 Stars
    Good hosts, interesting topics, & knowledgeable guests. Unfortunately it’s hard to hear them speaking with the overpowering “background” music & unnecessary sound effects. It used to be added to just the intro/end (which is fine) but now there’s music pretty much the whole time. This overproduction has made one of my favorite podcasts unlistenable
  • Smooth d tickle
    No thanks, you racists.
    I am really disappointed by these women being sexist and racist against men and whites. Also, the content stinks.
  • 😀😁😃😆😄😃😁😀😃😀😁😍😍😍
    Response to a reviewer
    When was their ever easiest and sexiest comments I’ve been listening for several years now and have not heard one. Great podcast! Don’t listen to the negative reviews!
  • Nickifiable
    Timely divisive refreshes
    I find it interesting you chose to renew an episode from March of 2022 today about - who would be affected most by overturning Roe - I am a democrat, but y’all be stirring up controversial topics at opportunistic times.
  • Bad Bad Bad and more Bad
    Disappointing
    Simple and infantile ideas presented as a big deal.
  • ScatchNsniff
    Love/hate
    I disagree with a recent comment I read. Maddie and Emily are great. I am not really a fan of Aaron Scott. I'm sure he is a brilliant human but he acts as if he is completely lost and aloof and it is unbecoming. Used to be my daily go to. Now I just skip.
  • tessygy
    Much better with new hosts
    Ever since the show got rid of Maddie and Emily, the show’s quality has increased 10 fold. It’s still lighthearted and fun without coming off as immature or annoying. Love my little daily dose of science!
  • EagleTheBruin
    Educational, interesting, and fun!
    This show serves up such interesting bits of science news that you otherwise wouldn’t hear about. It can also offer practical insights. With all the doom and gloom out there, this show does wonders to restore my faith in the future and humanity.
  • soharaking
    Social Justice Warriors
    You gotta admire one thing about NPR over any other news source. affirming today’s victims with Yesterdays history
  • OGTKOR
    Great podcast
    This is an awesome podcast! Recommend for all ages.
  • Ddocman123
    Very political
    I used to love this podcast, but over the last few years I’ve noticed that they insert political views about race and gender in nearly every episode. These are certainly valid topics to talk about, but it feels very forced and detracts from the actual science. For example, in the latest episode “What is Math?” they go from talking about what imaginary numbers are straight into talking about how math was historically dominated by “European white men”. A good few minutes were spent on that topic instead of talking about how cool math is. Why is that necessary in a science podcast?
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