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  • Could AI Go Green?

    Could AI Go Green?
    2025/05/09
    Google, Microsoft and Meta have all pledged to reach at least net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Amazon set their net-zero deadline for 2040. To understand how these four tech companies could possibly meet their climate goals amid an artificial intelligence renaissance, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong discusses the green AI movement. Speaking with scientists, CEOs and tech insiders, she explores three possible pathways: nuclear energy, small language models (SLMs) and back-to-the-future ways of keeping data centers cool.

    Listen to Part 1 of Short Wave's reporting on the environmental cost of AI here.

    Have a question about AI and the environment? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

    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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    16 分
  • What's The Environmental Cost Of AI?

    What's The Environmental Cost Of AI?
    2025/05/07
    By 2028, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory forecasts that U.S. data centers could use as much as 12% of the nation's electricity. The reason: generative AI. Since 2022, AI innovation by four leading tech companies — Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon — has led to annual increases in both energy and water consumption. So, in this episode, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong probes huge water footprint of AI. We begin with the rise of data centers, then look at how computers came to need so much water and, finally, what tech companies are doing to try to turn the ship around.

    P.S. Part 2 talks about the leading solutions in the green AI movement. So don't miss our Friday episode!

    Curious about tech and the environment? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

    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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    15 分
  • Science Can Make You More Creative!

    Science Can Make You More Creative!
    2025/05/06
    Do you consider yourself a creative person? If not, you may be holding yourself back. Psychologist Zorana Ivcevic Pringle says creativity isn't a trait. Creativity is a choice. After studying creativity for more than 20 years, she has some suggestions for how anyone can stick with their creative ideas. Guest host and producer Berly McCoy talks to her about her new book The Creativity Choice.

    Curious about more psychology research? Let us know by emailing 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 分
  • Did Scientists Find Alien Life Or Just Controversy?

    Did Scientists Find Alien Life Or Just Controversy?
    2025/05/05
    Recently, a group of scientists claimed they found possible signs of life on a planet called K2-18b. The news made headlines. Researchers said they'd detected sulphur-based gases that, on Earth, are strongly associated with life. But the research caused an uproar in astronomy circles because other scientists don't think the data is strong enough to celebrate an alien find just yet. In fact, they have some real issues with how this whole thing went down, and a new analysis casts further doubt on the findings. NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce is here to wade into the controversy — and tell us what all this means for the future of searching for life beyond our solar system.

    Want to hear more about new science research? Let us know by emailing 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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    11 分
  • What Can Minecraft Teach Us About Learning?

    What Can Minecraft Teach Us About Learning?
    2025/05/02
    Minecraft is a movie and a very popular video game with iconic block graphics that characters can "mine" for building material and gems. It's also what cognitive scientist Charley Wu and his team utilized to study how people learned as they played. Their unique study focused on both individual and social learning — and they found a clear answer to which players were most successful. (Hint: Get you a player who can do both.) Their results were published recently in the journal Nature Communications.

    Want to hear more about new science research? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org.

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    9 分
  • Are DOGE Cuts Making America Healthy?

    Are DOGE Cuts Making America Healthy?
    2025/04/30
    In its first 100 days, the Trump administration — specifically, the Department of Government Efficiency — shuttered agencies and slashed budgets pertaining to foreign aid, scientific research, food safety and more. How will this impact people's health and well-being both in the U.S., and around the world? To answer that question, we're calling in our colleagues: global health correspondent Gabrielle Emmanuel and health policy reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin.

    (P.S. If you liked this episode, check out the breakdown of health and science policy changes we did after Trump's first 50 days — with different NPR reporters — here.)

    Want to hear more about how policy changes affect scientific research and discovery? Let us know by emailing 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 分
  • Should Kids Be Taking Melatonin?

    Should Kids Be Taking Melatonin?
    2025/04/29
    A good night's sleep makes a big difference to our mental and physical health. Without quality sleep, we're less productive. Grumpy. It can even affect our hearts. Meanwhile, more and more people are having problems falling and staying asleep, including kids. So some parents are turning to a supplement called melatonin as a potential solution. But some experts worry that there isn't enough research about how regularly taking melatonin affects kids in the long term. Today on the show, we explore the research with Michael Schulson, who recently wrote about the topic for Undark.

    Want to hear more stories about human health? Email us and let us know at     shortwave@npr.org.

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    13 分
  • Harnessing Spineless Sea Creatures' Superpowers

    Harnessing Spineless Sea Creatures' Superpowers
    2025/04/28
    From starfish and sea slugs to jellyfish and sponges, the ocean's invertebrates are some of the most ancient and diverse critters on Earth. And so are their superpowers, as marine biologist Drew Harvell calls their unique abilities. In her new book, The Ocean's Menagerie, she chronicles the amazing abilities of some of these spineless creatures and showcases how they've inspired our science and medicine.

    Listen to our past episode on nudibranchs — the potent slugs of the sea — HERE.

    Want to hear more stories about underwater marvels? Email us and let us know 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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    12 分