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Short Wave New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.
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Short Wave

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New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.

Most Recent Episodes

Where Did The Coronavirus Originate? Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues In Bats

Cave nectar bat (Eonycteris spelaea) from Singapore. Justin Ng/Linfa Wang hide caption

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Justin Ng/Linfa Wang

Where Did The Coronavirus Originate? Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues In Bats

Bats are critically important for ecosystems around the world. But they also harbor some of the toughest known zoonotic diseases, and are the likely origin point for this coronavirus. Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong talks with host Maddie Sofia about leading theories on where this coronavirus came from. Also, we'll hear about the work of virus hunters and the rise of emerging zoonotic diseases, or diseases hosted in animals that spread to humans.

Where Did The Coronavirus Originate? Virus Hunters Find Genetic Clues In Bats

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The Science of Making Bread

Host Maddie Sofia tries her hand at baking sourdough. She says this loaf looked pretty, but "tasted like feet." Maddie Sofia/Maddie Sofia hide caption

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Maddie Sofia/Maddie Sofia

The Science of Making Bread

Social distancing has some of us taking up bread baking for the first time, including host Maddie Sofia. Chemist and baker Patricia Christie explains the science of making bread, including a few tips for when things go wrong with your bread dough. And she offers some advice for first-time bakers everywhere.

The Science of Making Bread

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How To Talk About The Coronavirus With Friends And Family

A women in a mask greets her father in the arrivals area at terminal E at Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts on March 13, 2020. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

How To Talk About The Coronavirus With Friends And Family

Liz Neeley, science communication expert and executive director of The Story Collider, shares some advice for how to talk to your friends and family about the coronavirus. Here's her article for The Atlantic: 'How To Talk About The Coronavirus.'

How To Talk About The Coronavirus With Friends And Family

Listen · 10:44
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The "7 Day COVID-19 Crash"

Medical staff wearing protective masks attend to patients with coronavirus (COVID-19) at the intensive care unit of Aachen University Hospital in Aachen, Germany. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images hide caption

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Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images

The "7 Day COVID-19 Crash"

Some patients with COVID-19 are experiencing a crash after about a week of showing symptoms of the disease. The cause?

The "7 Day COVID-19 Crash"

Listen · 12:55
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Science Is For Everyone. Until It's Not.

Author Brandon Taylor. William J. Adams/Riverhead Books hide caption

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William J. Adams/Riverhead Books

Science Is For Everyone. Until It's Not.

Brandon Taylor's story has a happy ending. Today he's a successful writer whose debut novel 'Real Life' received glowing reviews earlier this year. But his success only underscores what science lost when Brandon walked away from a graduate biochemistry program in 2016. He tells host Maddie Sofia why he left, and what he misses.

Science Is For Everyone. Until It's Not.

Listen · 14:30
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Science Movie Club: 'Twister'

Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton star in Twister. AMBLIN/UNIVERSAL/WARNERS/THE KOBAL COLLECTION hide caption

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AMBLIN/UNIVERSAL/WARNERS/THE KOBAL COLLECTION

Science Movie Club: 'Twister'

No, tornadoes do not sound like a roaring lion. The 1996 drama 'Twister' got a lot of things wrong...and a few things right. Meteorologist Ali Burgos, an analyst at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, breaks down the science in the film.

Science Movie Club: 'Twister'

Listen · 9:37
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Puerto Ricans Are At Risk From The Coronavirus And A Lack Of Information

The entrance of a municipal COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 25, 2020. RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP via Getty Images

Puerto Ricans Are At Risk From The Coronavirus And A Lack Of Information

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has the most older Americans per capita, making their population especially vulnerable to the coronavirus. A vital tool in preventing its spread there? Timely and culturally relevant public health information in Spanish. Maddie talks with Mónica Feliú-Mójer of the group CienciaPR about their science communication efforts.

Puerto Ricans Are At Risk From The Coronavirus And A Lack Of Information

Listen · 12:37
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The Peculiar Physics Of Wiffle Balls

The aerodynamics forces on a Wiffle Ball in a wind tunnel, using fog visualization. Jenn Stroud Rossman hide caption

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Jenn Stroud Rossman

The Peculiar Physics Of Wiffle Balls

Wiffle Balls are a lightweight alternative to baseballs, better suited for backyards then sports stadiums. The design of the Wiffle Ball guarantees you don't need a strong arm to throw a curve ball. But how does that happen? Engineering professor Jenn Stroud Rossman explains.

The Peculiar Physics Of Wiffle Balls

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How The Coronavirus Could Hurt Our Ability To Fight Wildfires

A firefighter sprays down the smoldering remains of a burning home during the Hillside Fire in the North Park neighborhood of San Bernardino, California, on October 31, 2019. JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

How The Coronavirus Could Hurt Our Ability To Fight Wildfires

Now is when we'd normally be getting ready for fire season. And this upcoming one could be tough for states like California, which had an especially dry winter. The spread of the coronavirus however is complicating preparation efforts. Maddie talks with Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on the New York Times climate team, about how the crisis we're in could hurt our response to another crisis just around the corner.

How The Coronavirus Could Hurt Our Ability To Fight Wildfires

Listen · 10:25
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Honeybees Need Your Help, Honey
Soteavy Som / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm

Honeybees Need Your Help, Honey

A deadly triangle of factors is killing off U.S. honeybees. Last year, forty percent of honeybee colonies died in the U.S., continuing an alarming trend. Entomologist Sammy Ramsey tells host Maddie Sofia about the "three P's" and what listeners can do to help our fuzzy-flighted friends.

Honeybees Need Your Help, Honey

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