podcast

Short Wave

by NPR

The magic — and science — of synchronous fireflies

25.05.2026 • 00:13:06

Every year for two weeks between mid-May and mid-June, Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to a fairy-tale-like display of flashing light...

The supertree shielding coastlines and storing carbon

22.05.2026 • 00:12:01

Coastal fishing communities around the world are struggling with declining fish stocks. That’s because of climate change, environmental degradation an...

Why renaming this common hormonal disorder is a huge deal

20.05.2026 • 00:13:31

You probably know someone who has a condition that, until last week, was known as PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome. It affects one in eight reproduc...

A solution for California's water woes

19.05.2026 • 00:14:27

For years, farmers in California have been pumping huge amounts of water from their wells to irrigate their crops. The state’s Central Valley is the n...

What's up with your nightmares?

18.05.2026 • 00:14:17

Dreams of flying? Nightmares of teeth falling out? Falling off a cliff? As a sleep scientist at the University of Montreal, Michelle Carr has pretty m...

A chemical found in fish could help reinvent your sunscreen

15.05.2026 • 00:10:32

It’s been over 25 years since the FDA approved a new ingredient for sunscreen in the United States. But a molecule called gadusol found in fish and co...

Should you be fibermaxxing? Here's what the science says

13.05.2026 • 00:12:00

The average person eats 10-15 grams of fiber per day, according to the USDA. The problem? That’s WAY under the recommended daily amount. Fiber – a t...

Why Swedish scientists gave salmon cocaine

12.05.2026 • 00:10:05

A recent study caught our eye: salmon on cocaine. Or really, researchers giving salmon cocaine…for science. See, scientists know human drugs pollute a...

Without this pill, lots of people would be dead

11.05.2026 • 00:14:27

25 years ago, the FDA approved a pill that would change the way scientists treat cancer … for good. The pill was called Gleevec; it was designed speci...

Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know

08.05.2026 • 00:12:57

On May 2, the World Health Organization got an alarming report: People aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean were falling ill. The culprit is now confir...