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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

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.

 Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Short Wave.

Short Wave

For people with two hands, one is usually dominant. On a molecular level, earthly life takes this to the extreme. All of the DNA in living things twists to the right, whereas the protein building blocks favor a kind of left-handed chemistry.

The rules of life are based on this chemistry.

In recent years, scientists have worked toward a kind of mirror version of life. Currently, the technology doesn't exist to make mirror life at the cellular level — and likely won't for at least a decade. Still, a group of scientists is concerned enough about the possibility that they've published a 299-page technical report calling for a stop to the science.

In this encore episode for our Tech Camp series, host Regina Barber talks to Carl Zimmer, a science reporter at The New York Times, about his reporting on mirror cells — and why creating them could lead to devastating consequences for life on Earth.

Check out Carl's full article.

Curious about other controversial research? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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Mirror cells could threaten life on Earth. Why are we building them?

WBUR’s The Midnight Rebellion is a one-of-a-kind podcast: a “choose your own”-style show set 100 years in the future when the climate has gone haywire, and it’s up to you to save the planet. Rooted in science, this fictional adventure was created for kids and grown-ups alike. 

Each chapter ends with a choice. You decide what’s next. Choose wisely.

Listen to the rest and follow The Midnight Rebellion wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Midnight Rebellion: Almost Midnight

When’s the last time you looked at your poop? Dr. Trisha Pasricha says you should look every time because it could save your life. A change in bowel habits is the number one indicator someone might have colon cancer, a disease on the rise in people under 50 in the United States. Host Regina Barber gets into what’s driving this trend with Trisha; plus, some shapes and colors you should keep an eye out for (did you know silver poop is a thing sometimes?). 

If you liked this episode, check out our first episode with Dr. Trisha: Are you pooping all wrong?

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

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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The red flags that may be hiding in your poop

Ahead of the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, we're re-airing our first episode with host Regina G. Barber. In it, Regina and planetary scientist Melissa Rice explore all things shooting stars. They talk about the different types, where they come from and what they actually are (hint: not stars).

Learn more about viewing the Perseids, which will peak Aug. 12: A Perfect Year for the Perseid Meteor Shower

Interested in more stellar science in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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Shooting stars are just pea-sized rocks... and other space wonders

In Senegal, rice farmers are trying to kill three birds with one stone – er, fish. Rice and fish are already a natural combination; they’re even the main ingredients of thieboudienne, the delicious national dish. But could that combination also reduce a debilitating disease, boost food security AND help farmers make more money? A team of researchers are conducting an ambitious experiment to see whether growing rice and fish together can be a win-win-win for Senegal, and NPR’s Jonathan Lambert came along for the ride.

Interested in more science-based biological solutions? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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More food and money, less disease: Senegal's surprising eco-experiment

Hacking has been on the rise around the world. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 1 million complaints of cybercrime, a record high in the US. Hackers are always getting more creative, and now they have a new tool at their disposal: AI. 

Interested in more tech in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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The new era of AI-powered cybercrime

Have you ever wanted to be an astronaut without risking your life in space? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you. NASA is calling for people with a science background to apply for a simulated mission to the Moon and Mars. Four adults will spend a year isolated in two enclosures meant to simulate both traveling through deep space and living on Mars. Learn whether you fit the profile and what NASA researchers hope to learn from the mission in this episode.

Interested in more space news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org and we may cover it in an upcoming segment.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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Want to spend a year living in NASA's Mars simulation?

With parts of the U.S, Canada, Spain and France all ablaze with wildfires, you might be wondering: Are wildfires on the rise? If so, know that you mind-melded with the entire Short Wave staff. We had the exact same thought – and then went down some reporting rabbit holes and turned it into a whole episode. And let us just say: The answer is surprisingly complicated! But don’t you worry. We get into all the nuances this episode.

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

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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Are extreme wildfires the new normal?

Leopard sharks have nearly vanished from the waters in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The country is one of the largest shark fishing nations in the world. Now, a first-of-its-kind conservation project is working to bring Indo-Pacific leopard sharks back from the brink of extinction. This international project hatches their eggs and raises shark pups to rewild them into the ocean where they once thrived. Will it be enough?

For answers, we talk to freelance journalist Katerina Barton. She takes us behind-the-scenes to a shark nursery and shares what this conservation project could mean for other shark species.

Interested in more conservation news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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A cooler of eggs and a bold plan to save leopard sharks

There’s the flu vaccine. The covid shot. The RSV shot… What if all of these—and more—could be combined into one universal vaccine? That’s what immunologist Bali Pulendran is working on in his lab. For this episode in our Tech Camp series, Regina G. Barber talks to him about how far he’s gotten, how far he has to go and why our ancient immune system is the key to it all. Plus they discuss how the vaccine may not be a shot at all—but a needle-free nasal spray. 

Sources: 
Mucosal vaccination in mice provides protection from diverse respiratory threats
Non-specific effects of BCG vaccine on viral infections

Interested in more science of the future? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

The new era of AI-powered cybercrime

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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