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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

Short Wave

For centuries, the primary way that astronomers studied outer space was through sight. But just ten years ago, scientists successfully established a way to ‘listen’ to our cosmos – detecting gravitational waves created by huge cosmic events that took place billions of light years away. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce explains how scientists detect those gravitational waves, what kind of cosmic events we’re detecting now, and what they could tell us about our universe.
Interested in more stories about the cosmos? 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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What Does a Black Hole Collision Sound Like?

Parkinson’s Disease affects around a million people in the United States. And that number is on the rise, in part because our population is getting older. 

Dr. Claire Henchcliffe, chair of neurology at the University of California, Irvine, is one of the scientists at the forefront of Parkinson’s research. She's working toward new treatment options for Parkinson’s, including recent discoveries about the potential use of stem cells. 

Science correspondent Jon Hamilton dives into this research — and even a future where scientists can prevent the disease altogether — on the show with Henchcliffe. 

Interested in more on the future of brain science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

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What Do Stem Cells Mean For The Future Of Parkinson's?

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common facial plastic surgeries performed today. And it turns out, the ability to reconstruct a nose with living tissue has been known for a very long time – over 2500 years! But what spurred our ancestors to master this reconstructive technique? Well, there’s quite a range of answers – everything from adultery to duels and syphilis. Short Wave host Regina G. Barber speaks with bioengineer and Princeton University professor Daniel Cohen about the surprisingly long history of rhinoplasty – and how this art was lost and found throughout the ages.
Want more tales of science throughout time? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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The Surprisingly Long History Of Nose Jobs

Was there ever life on Mars? Planetary scientists think there could have been but there hasn’t been any direct evidence. After years of roaming Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover saw spots on Mars rocks. These spots could be the most likely clue that Mars had organic life millions of years ago. Host Regina G. Barber speaks with recent PhD graduate and planetary scientist Hemani Kalucha. She explains why the size, shape and color of these spots – as well as the location of these rocks on Mars – point to ancient life.

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

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The Most Convincing Evidence Yet Of Life On Mars

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are surgically implanted devices that link the brain to a computer. They can be helpful for people who’ve lost the ability to move or speak. 

And they’re making progress. New generations of BCIs could go as far as to detect a person’s inner monologue.

But that progress is raising questions about the future privacy of our brains, and has some scientists asking, “What happens when you want to keep some things to yourself?”

NPR brain correspondent Jon Hamilton talks to Short Wave’s Emily Kwong about the future of BCIs.

Read more of Jon’s reporting on brain implants.

Interested in more on the future of brain science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

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Brain Implants Are Here — And Getting Better

Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar was a phenomenon in 2014. Set in the future, Earth has been struck by a global crop blight. Former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is pulled into a NASA mission to transport the human race to a new planet, via wormhole. Back on Earth, Cooper’s daughter, Murph (Jessica Chastain), attempts to complete an equation that will allow this mass-transport of humanity from Earth. 

Many scientists praised the film, particularly for its depiction of black holes. In this episode co-hosts Regina G. Barber and Emily Kwong talk about Interstellar with Star Trek scientific advisor and astrophysicist Erin Macdonald. They walk through wormholes, black holes and all the ways space-time stretches in the film. 

Interested in more on the science behind science fiction? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

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'Interstellar': Time Dilation And Wormholes Explained

U.S. consumers spend more than $10 billion a year on sports drinks, according to Beverage Industry, a trade publication. And we can’t lie that sometimes a Gatorade or electrolyte tablet sounds really appealing in the quest to hydrate daily – especially since it’s been a very hot, long summer. But the question is: Are we even sweating enough to warrant all these sugary electrolyte-filled drinks? NPR health correspondent Pien Huang has been on the case, and she brings us answers she’s racked up in her reporting today.

Read more of Pien’s reporting on electrolytes and hydration.

Interested in more consumer health or human biology stories? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org – we may feature it in an upcoming episode!

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Sip or Skip? The Truth About Electrolytes

Mars is known for its barren desert landscape and dry climate. But two recent studies in the journals Nature and Science go beneath the surface, exploring the interior of the red planet using seismic data from NASA’s InSight mission. And now, this data is also giving scientists a glimpse into the planet’s history – to see how Mars evolved over billions of years and how its inner structure compares to that of Earth. 

Interested in more science news? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org. 

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What Marsquakes Reveal About The Planet's Habitability

For a long time, scientists have suspected that stuttering — a common speech condition that affects an estimated 1 in every 100 people — could be heritable. Despite how common it is, it's still a remarkably understudied condition. 

Geneticists Piper Below and Dillon Pruett were determined to fix that. With the help of 23andMe data, they recently identified 57 genetic regions linked to stuttering in the human genome. Their findings represent a new breakthrough in how researchers think about speech conditions, genetics and the conditions that are linked to them. They're what some are calling a "quantum leap" in the field.

Interested in more human biology and genetics episodes? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Have a Stutter? It Could Be Inherited

More than 1 in 10 people in the United States take an antidepressant. And the most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant are SSRIs — or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. That includes drugs like Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro. But what happens when some patients decide they want to stop taking their SSRIs? While doctors know stopping SSRIs can sometimes cause unpleasant short-term side effects – like dizziness, anxiety, insomnia and nausea – some people report symptoms that last months, even years. So, with investigative reporter Emily Corwin and professor of clinical psychology Michael Hengartner, we’re diving into the research around the long-term effects of going off your antidepressants – what it shows and its limits. 

Read more of Emily Corwin’s reporting on the topic here. 

Want more stories on mental health? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Stopping SSRIs Can Be Hard. Researchers Are Unsure Why

What's scaly, striped and breathes underwater like a scuba diver? Water anoles! These lizards can form a bubble over their head to support breathing underwater. They're found in the tropical forests of southern Costa Rica. 

Want more critter stories? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your thoughts!

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The Scuba Diving Lizards Breathing By Bubble

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