Short Wave

Emily Kwong, Regina Barber

Booking Overview

This is a short-form science explainer and interview show covering new discoveries, health questions, and the science behind current headlines; the recent episodes feature NPR reporters rather than a clearly established pattern of outside guests. Credible pitches would center on credentialed scientists, researchers, and medical experts who can explain rigorous work in accessible, concise terms, but the external booking opportunity and difficulty are unclear from the recent episode pattern.

Metrics

Episodes: 1532

Frequency: Multiple_weekly

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Estimated listeners: >100k

Gender skew: Neutral

Location: USA

Instagram: 8.0M followers

Contact Information

podcasts@npr.org

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Host

Emily Kwong - NPR science correspondent and podcast host covering scientific discoveries and their impact on everyday life.

Regina Barber - NPR science correspondent, molecular biologist, and podcast host who explains scientific research for general audiences.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Subject-matter experts and organizations in science/technology/health tied to current research or applied R&D (e.g., NASA-affiliated work, university aerospace experts, startups developing tech).
Required Achievements:  
Published or institutional research relevance, Demonstrated applied technology development, Involvement in regulatory, safety, or major deployment efforts

Recent Guest Discussions

Georgia Tech aerospace experts - Safety And Science Considerations For Air Taxis And Their Real-world Operation.

Joby (startup) - Air-taxi Vehicle Design And The Safety/science Behind Proposed Commuting Via App-to-flight.

Recent Topics

Science, Biology, Health, Environment, Research

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Short Wave
:

More food and money, less disease: Senegal's surprising eco-experiment

August 04, 2026

In Senegal, rice farmers are trying to kill three birds with one stone – er, fish. Rice and fish are already a natural combination; they’re even the main ingredients of thieboudienne, the delicious national dish. But could that combination also reduce a debilitating disease, boost food security AND help farmers make more money? A team of researchers are conducting an ambitious experiment to see whether growing rice and fish together can be a win-win-win for Senegal, and NPR’s Jonathan Lambert...

The new era of AI-powered cybercrime

August 03, 2026

Hacking has been on the rise around the world. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 1 million complaints of cybercrime, a record high in the US. Hackers are always getting more creative, and now they have a new tool at their disposal: AI. Interested in more tech in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive acces...

Want to spend a year living in NASA's Mars simulation?

July 31, 2026

Have you ever wanted to be an astronaut without risking your life in space? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you. NASA is calling for people with a science background to apply for a simulated mission to the Moon and Mars. Four adults will spend a year isolated in two enclosures meant to simulate both traveling through deep space and living on Mars. Learn whether you fit the profile and what NASA researchers hope to learn from the mission in this episode.Interested in more space news...

podcasts@npr.org

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