Episodi

  • The latest on AI panic — and whether it's justified

    The latest on AI panic — and whether it's justified
    Sep 18 2026
    AI is in the news again – for its potential to end civilization. A researcher at Anthropic resigned very publicly last week, citing concerns about the accelerating capabilities of AI and what he called “irresponsible” behavior from major AI companies Anthropic and OpenAI. Following his resignation, the leaders of both companies called for an internationally cooperative, industry-wide slowdown on advanced AI development. And Wednesday, OpenAI disclosed six more incidents of “unexpected or concerning model behavior” and debuted a new framework for reporting misalignments. So, given all these events, how worried should we be about the future of AI? And what safety measures are – or could be – set in place to safeguard humanity? NPR’s power and policy reporter Huo Jingnan reports.

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

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    15 min
  • When batteries get a facelift, so does renewable energy

    When batteries get a facelift, so does renewable energy
    Sep 16 2026
    For years, renewable energy companies have faced a problem: How to store the mass amounts of energy they produce for later use. Batteries may be just the solution. In California, there's now enough grid-scale battery storage to power millions of homes for a few hours. Battery power is often the second largest source of energy on a given day in the state. So, we're revisiting the fast-growing technology with Cooper Katz McKim, a producer on The Indicator from Planet Money.

    Listen to the three-part battery series.

    Have questions about the future of energy? Contact us at shortwave@npr.org.


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    13 min
  • Why you'll probably be misdiagnosed in your lifetime

    Why you'll probably be misdiagnosed in your lifetime
    Sep 15 2026
    Nearly every person will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime. That means either a delayed diagnosis, a wrong diagnosis – or no diagnosis at all. That’s according to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine from 2015 on diagnostic error. Today on the show we talk to a physician who was personally affected by the crisis, and New York Times editor and author of the book The Elusive Body: Patients, Doctors and the Diagnosis Crisis.

    If you liked this episode, check out these other episodes:
    - How science is taking tripping mainstream
    - What If You Took The "Trip" Out Of Ketamine?
    - Could Psychedelics Become Tripless?
    - The Reality Of OCD

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

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    13 min
  • Should race affect BMI guidelines? Doctors are split

    Should race affect BMI guidelines? Doctors are split
    Sep 14 2026
    BMI is a quick, cheap way for doctors to estimate body fat and screen for conditions like heart disease and diabetes. But medicine has long known that BMI is problematic and unnuanced. By using it, groups of people have fallen through the cracks and conditions have been caught late. So, some doctors want to add nuance – to consider race when using BMI. But using race in medicine comes with its own problems. So what’s the way forward? To find out, we talk to Katie Wu, a science writer at The Atlantic.

    Read more of Katie’s reporting on BMI and race.

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

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    14 min
  • How scientists discovered that animals are doctors, too

    How scientists discovered that animals are doctors, too
    Sep 11 2026
    When people are sick, we seek out medications and treatments to help heal. For a long time, scientists thought that was a uniquely human ability. But it turns out, many other animals do a version of it too! And since the late 1980s, western researchers have been trying to get a peek behind the curtain. And aside from just cataloguing all the cool examples just to know, there’s a real hope that studying animals’ medical cabinets may be the most promising way to expand our own. We get into the weeds with freelance science journalist Mandy Nguyen.

    Interested in more animal stories? Email us your ideas and questions to explore at shortwave@npr.org. They may become a future episode!

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    13 min
  • Lindsay Clancy and postpartum psychosis

    Lindsay Clancy and postpartum psychosis
    Sep 9 2026
    The trial around Lindsay Clancy may be over for now, but it still leaves us with questions. On today’s episode, we talk to psychiatrists and patients to answer them: What is postpartum psychosis, exactly? Why don’t we know more about it? And what can you do if you are worried about a postpartum loved one?

    Interested in more stories on mental health? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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    14 min
  • How hurricanes triggered lizard evolution

    How hurricanes triggered lizard evolution
    Sep 8 2026
    Hurricane season is upon us and it turns out that these powerful storms can quickly affect the biology of animals. After hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the islands that make up Turks and Caicos about a decade ago, the silver key anole adapted. They now have a shorter fourth toe on their hind legs! That could help them cling to objects better. But how do you know unless you put lizards in front of a fan and record how long they can hold on?

    This study is out now in the journal Current Biology.

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

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    11 min
  • When is your brain actually 'adult'?

    When is your brain actually 'adult'?
    Sep 7 2026
    Summer is winding down and school is back. And all of that has us thinking about this idea that something happens in the human brain when we turn 25. Suddenly, we can rent a car without fees. Make rational decisions. We may even regret some of our past… indiscretions. All because we’re developed…right? Well, a paper in the journal Nature suggests that may not be the case. Neuroscientists found four distinct turning points in brain development across the human lifespan – and that the brain may be in its “adolescent” phase until about the age of 32. (Encore episode)

    Interested in more of the science inside your brain? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.

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    This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.

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    14 min