Short Wave
NPRNew 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
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 1798 | Founded | 6 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Life SciencesScienceAstronomy | |||
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Latest Episodes
In the 1970’s TV show called Six Million Dollar Man, a test pilot is in a horrible accident. The show’s famous line goes, “We can rebuild him. We have the technology.” Now, in the 2025 book, Replaceable You, science writer Mary Roach explores how peo... more
More than 100 million people in the U.S. have some allergy each year. That’s about every 1 in 3 adults. For many, the fix is a bandaid: over-the-counter allergy medications. But there’s another treatment that works to lessen these reactions rather th... more
Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative su... more
An estimated 5-10% of the U.S. population experiences a disorder with their TMJ, the joint that connects their jaw to their skull. The good news? Relief is possible. The secret? Go see your dentist. Today on the show, Emily talks with Justin Richer, ... more
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- Bite sized science
Nice NPR show with a daily dose of science. Wide ranging topics from biology to medicine to the environment. Hosts seem well-informed, they read real scientific papers, and have academic guests on the show.
Suggestions: Best episodes are those connected to current events. Also, make sure to choose papers from high-impact journals (for example, Nature Communications is not so great even if Nature is in the title.
Apple Podcasts5Aaron Weidman
United Statesa month ago - Informative and fun
I’ve been a fan since the start and it’s a great start to my day, with short fun, meaningful and relevant science content. Keep up the great work as it’s much appreciated and needed in today’s world!
Apple Podcasts5Jacush
Canadaa month ago - Daily science
Great show, daily science in a short, easy to listen to pod!
Apple Podcasts5Skibum2076United Statesa month ago - Science for all
I am a mechanical engineer. To get through college I had to take physics and chemistry, lots of calculus, electrical engineering, thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid dynamics. But you don’t need any of that to follow and love this show! In fact, who really wants to read a scientific report anyway? This show breaks scientific concepts down in terms that are understandable, concise, and fun. I tell everybody I know to follow this show!
Apple Podcasts5aboeseUnited Statesa month ago - Your regular dose of science!
I love science, and “Short Wave” is a great way to get more scientific news integrated into my daily routine. You will learn something new every episode!
Apple Podcasts5Brant SilversUnited Statesa month ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #7 | United States/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #2 | United States/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #9 | United States/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #3 | Canada/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #6 |  United Kingdom/Science/Life Sciences |
Apple Podcasts | #16 | Canada/Science |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Short Wave
What is Short Wave about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Content across episodes focuses on a wide array of scientific topics ranging from the impact of technology on daily life to the natural world and health. The discussions are designed to be digestible and engaging, making complex subjects accessible to a general audience. Each episode typically features expert guests who bring their insights into diverse scientific inquiries, from AI data centers and climate change to the psychological aspects of everyday phenomena like disagreement and nightmares. The unique format allows for brief, informative explorations of scientific mysteries and discoveries, appealing to listeners who appreciate learning something new in a short time frame.
Where can I find podcast stats for Short Wave?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Short Wave. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Short Wave and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Short Wave get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Short Wave, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Short Wave?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Short Wave, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Short Wave have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Short Wave has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Short Wave?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Short Wave:
1. The Indicator from Planet Money
2. Throughline
3. Consider This from NPR
4. Science Friday
5. Up First from NPR
How many episodes of Short Wave are there?
Short Wave launched 6 years ago and published 1798 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Short Wave?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Short Wave?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Short Wave from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Short Wave?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Short Wave. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on Short Wave?
Recent guests on Short Wave include:
1. Justin Richard
2. Sarah Kim
3. Jeannie Safer
4. Michelle Carr
5. Charles Fernyhough
6. Russell Hurlburt
7. Ben Gutierrez
8. Susan Brown
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.