Episodes

  • The supertree shielding coastlines and storing carbon

    The supertree shielding coastlines and storing carbon
    May 22 2026
    Coastal fishing communities around the world are struggling with declining fish stocks. That’s because of climate change, environmental degradation and overfishing. But one tree – the humble mangrove – has a superpower that’s supporting healthy fisheries in many parts of the world. The majority of fishes we eat worldwide are supported by mangroves: Their roots serve as a nursery for baby fish. So, today on the show, two reporters travel to Cambodia, where they discover why a local fishing solution now plays a crucial role in slowing global warming.

    Read more about Rebecca Hersher and Ryan Kellman’s journey here (and check out their incredible photos).

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

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    12 mins
  • Why renaming this common hormonal disorder is a huge deal

    Why renaming this common hormonal disorder is a huge deal
    May 20 2026
    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 reproductive-aged women. But despite it being such a common disorder, patients are often misdiagnosed and have delayed treatment. Now, medical professionals are trying to change that. After 15 years of work, the condition has been renamed to PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. The new name reflects the real driver of the condition: disruptions in hormones. But how much can changing a name really do?

    Click here to access resources about PMOS in multiple languages.

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

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    14 mins
  • A solution for California's water woes

    A solution for California's water woes
    May 19 2026
    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 nation’s single biggest source for many different foods. But all that water use is making aquifers shrink, wells go dry and, in some places, the ground sink. Science reporter Dan Charles has been looking into the issue and is on the show today to talk about what happens when water gets scarce. What is it like for farmers? And for the people enforcing new water restrictions?

    If you liked this episode, check out some of our other recent water stories – including why the world’s freshwater is getting saltier, what’s happening to our groundwater supply, and what happens when a city runs out of water.

    Interested in more stories about water, farming and food production? 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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    14 mins
  • What's up with your nightmares?

    What's up with your nightmares?
    May 18 2026
    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 much heard it all. In Michelle’s new book Nightmare Obscura, she explores the science of dreams, nightmares – and even something called dream engineering, where people influence their own dreams while they sleep. Today on Short Wave, co-host Regina G. Barber dives into the science of our sleeping life with Michelle Carr. (encore)

    Interested in any upcoming science books? 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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    14 mins
  • A chemical found in fish could help reinvent your sunscreen

    A chemical found in fish could help reinvent your sunscreen
    May 15 2026
    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 coral reefs is a promising candidate. It absorbs U.V. rays — acting like a built-in sunscreen for fish. But there’s a big hurdle if scientists want to turn gadusol into human sunscreen: They’d need to make a lot of it. A new study out this week in the journal Trends in Biotechnology takes us a big step closer. Their solution? Using the bacteria best known for making your stomach hurt: e. Coli.

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

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

    Should you be fibermaxxing? Here's what the science says
    May 13 2026
    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 type of carb that our bodies are unable to digest – is prevalent in foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and beans. And it’s key for everything from feelings of fullness, to gut health, to good poop. That’s why a lot of people online are “fibermaxxing”: trying to meet or exceed the daily recommendation of fiber, in hopes it’ll improve their health.

    But how should YOU add fiber to your diet… and are the fibermaxxers overdoing it? Gastroenterologist Berkeley Limketkai is here to help parse the science on how little fiber is too little, how much fiber is too much – and, like Goldilocks, how we can figure out the amount that’s just right.

    Interested in more food and dietary science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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    12 mins
  • Why Swedish scientists gave salmon cocaine

    Why Swedish scientists gave salmon cocaine
    May 12 2026
    A recent study caught our eye: salmon on cocaine. Or really, researchers giving salmon cocaine…for science. See, scientists know human drugs pollute aquatic environments – past studies have shown even anti-anxiety drugs can change how fish act. But illicit drugs are less studied. And Jack Brand, an aquatic ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, wanted to know how illicit drugs like cocaine might change fish behavior, like foraging and mating. To answer that question, Jack and his team gave salmon cocaine.

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

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    10 mins
  • Without this pill, lots of people would be dead

    Without this pill, lots of people would be dead
    May 11 2026
    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 specifically to treat CML, chronic myeloid leukemia, and it was one of the first targeted cancer therapies available. A quarter century after approval, it’s still being prescribed, as are second, third and fourth-generation drugs that followed in its footsteps. What made it so special – and so effective? Pharmaceutical correspondent Sydney Lupkin walks us through the history of the drug, and why it’s continued to change lives for decades.

    If you liked this episode, check out our other episodes with Sydney on accelerated drug approvals and the development of GLP-1 pills.

    Interested in more stories about medicine and medical treatment? 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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    14 mins