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  • What are sperm whales saying? Researchers find a complex 'alphabet'

    What are sperm whales saying? Researchers find a complex 'alphabet'
    May 20 2024
    Scientists are testing the limits of artificial intelligence when it comes to language learning. One recent challenge? Learning ... whale! Researchers are using machine learning to analyze and decode whale sounds — and it's just as complicated as it seems.

    Curious about other mysteries of nature? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    14 Min.
  • Scientists Reveal Mysterious Origin of Baobab Trees, Rafiki's Home in 'The Lion King'

    Scientists Reveal Mysterious Origin of Baobab Trees, Rafiki's Home in 'The Lion King'
    May 17 2024
    Baobabs are sometimes called the "tree of life" with their thick trunks, crown of branches and flowers that only open at twilight. But theories about their geographic origin was divided among three places: the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, the Kimberley region of western Australia and the dry forests of the island nation of Madagascar. To solve this mystery, a global research team led by scientists at the Wuhan Botanical Garden at the Chinese Academy of Sciences examined high-quality genomic data from all eight baobab species.

    Have another origin story you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    9 Min.
  • Climate Change Is Coming For Your Chocolate

    Climate Change Is Coming For Your Chocolate
    May 15 2024
    Chocolate may never be the same. The majority of chocolate is made in just two countries and erratic weather from climate change is decreasing cocoa production. A handful of extreme weather events—from drought to heavy rainfall—could have lasting effects on the chocolate industry. Yasmin Tayag, a food, health and science writer at The Atlantic, talks to host Emily Kwong about the cocoa shortage: What's causing it, how it's linked to poor farming conditions and potential solutions. Plus, they enjoy a chocolate alternative taste test.

    Read Yasmin's full article.

    Have a food science story you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 Min.
  • How AI Is Cracking The Biology Code

    How AI Is Cracking The Biology Code
    May 13 2024
    As artificial intelligence seeps into some realms of society, it rushes into others. One area it's making a big difference is protein science — as in the "building blocks of life," proteins! Producer Berly McCoy talks to host Emily Kwong about the newest advance in protein science: AlphaFold3, an AI program from Google DeepMind. Plus, they talk about the wider field of AI protein science and why researchers hope it will solve a range of problems, from disease to the climate.

    Have other aspects of AI you want us to cover? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    14 Min.
  • NEWS: NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

    NEWS: NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005
    May 10 2024
    Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observed a cluster of sunspots on the surface of the sun this week. With them came solar flares that kicked off a severe geomagnetic storm. That storm is expected to last throughout the weekend as at least five coronal mass ejections — chunks of the sun — are flung out into space, towards Earth! NOAA uses a five point scale to rate these storms, and this weekend's storm is a G4. It's expected to produce auroras as far south as Alabama. To contextualize this storm, we are looking back at the largest solar storm on record: the Carrington Event.

    Want us to cover more about the sun? Email us at     shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 Min.
  • How Autism Can Look Very Different, Even in Identical Twins

    How Autism Can Look Very Different, Even in Identical Twins
    May 10 2024
    Sam and John Fetters, 19, are identical twins on different ends of the autism spectrum. Sam is a sophomore at Amherst College and runs marathons in his free time. John attends a school for people with special needs and loves to watch Sesame Street in his free time. Identical twins like Sam and John pose an important question for scientists: How can a disorder that is known to be highly genetic look so different in siblings who share the same genome?

    Check out more of NPR's series on the Science of Siblings.

    More science questions? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    11 Min.
  • The Wonderous World Of Nudibranchs

    The Wonderous World Of Nudibranchs
    May 8 2024
    Emily gets super nerdy with former host Maddie Sofia get as they dive into the incredible world of nudibranchs in this encore episode. Not only are these sea slugs eye-catching for their colors, some of them have evolved to "steal" abilities from other organisms — from the power of photosynthesis to the stinging cells of their venomous predators. These sea slugs are going to blow your mind!

    You can email Short Wave at shortwave@npr.org.

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    12 Min.
  • 'Stealing The Past': A Spat Between Twins Leads To A Theory Of Disputed Memories

    'Stealing The Past': A Spat Between Twins Leads To A Theory Of Disputed Memories
    May 6 2024
    It's not unusual for siblings to quibble over ownership of something — a cherished toy, a coveted seat in the car — or whose fault something is. If you're Mercedes Sheen, you not only spent your childhood squabbling with your sister over your memories, you then turn it into your research career. Mercedes studies disputed memories, where it's unclear who an event happened to. It turns out these memories can tell us a lot about people — they tend to be self-aggrandizing — and how the human brain remembers things.

    Check out more of NPR's series on the Science of Siblings.

    Curious about more science about memories? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 Min.