Short Wave Folgen

Just in time for the return of the school year, we're going "Back To School" by revisiting a classic at-home experiment that turns lemons into batteries — powerful enough to turn on a clock or a small lightbulb. But how does the science driving that process show up in household batteries we use daily? Host Emily Kwong and former host Maddie Sofia talk battery 101 with environmental engineer Jenelle Fortunato.Want us to cover more science basics? Email us your ideas at shortwave@npr.org — we might feature them on a future episode!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From Indonesia to Wisconsin, farmers all over the world struggle with a huge problem: pests. On top of that, it's tough for farmers to identify where exactly they have the pests and when. Reporter Lina Tran from NPR member station WUWM in Milwaukee joins host Emily Kwong to tell the story of how researchers in the Midwest are inventing new forms of pest detection that involve eavesdropping on the world of insects. Plus, hear what aphid slurping sounds like.If you liked this episode, check out behind-the-scenes photos of Insect Eavesdropper experiments in Lina's digital story!Interested in hearing more insect news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At first glance, the whole narrative of aquatic invasive species may seem straightforward: A bad non-native species comes into a new ecosystem and overruns good native species. But the truth? It's a little more complicated. To tear down everything we thought we knew about invasive species and construct a more nuanced picture, host Emily Kwong talks to experts Ian Pfingsten, who works on the United States Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, and Nicholas Reo, a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration.Check out episode where we get into the annual python challenge we referenced in this episode. Have a favorite invasive species or one you really can't stand? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your take!Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy