Coronavirus And Racism Are Dual Public Health Emergencies

Across the country, demonstrators are protesting the death of George Floyd and the ongoing systemic racism that is woven into the fabric of the United States. The protests come in the middle of an unprecedented pandemic that is disproportionately killing people of color — particularly black Americans. We talk to public health expert David Williams about how these two historic moments are intertwined.

#BlackBirdersWeek Seeks To Make The Great Outdoors Open To All

Happy #BlackBirdersWeek! Co-founder Chelsea Connor shares how black birders are changing the narrative about who gets to be safe in nature.

Meet The 'Glacier Mice.' Scientists Can't Figure Out Why They Move.

Short Wave's Emily Kwong and NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce discuss the fuzzy green "glacier mice" that roll around glaciers in a herd, baffling scientists.

The Key To Coronavirus Testing Is Community

We examine the Unidos en Salud testing effort in San Francisco's Mission District. Doctors there noticed coronavirus was disproportionately affecting the Latinx community.

The World Is Constantly Running Out Of Helium

Helium is the second-most common element in the cosmos, but it's far rarer on planet Earth.

What We Will ⁠— And Won't ⁠— Remember About The Pandemic

There's no doubt that we're living through a Big Historic Event, but that doesn't necessarily mean we'll remember it all that well.

The Pandemic Cut Down Car Traffic. Why Not Air Pollution?

An NPR analysis of a key air pollutant showed levels have not changed dramatically, which reveals a lot about what really makes our air dirty.

What Would It Be Like To Fall Into A Black Hole?

Black holes are one of the most beguiling objects in our universe, where the laws of physics break down. We explore their fascinating properties.

Space Launch! (It's Tomorrow And It's Historic.)

Tomorrow, two NASA astronauts are set to head up into space on a brand new spacecraft, built by the company SpaceX.

A Short Wave Mad Lib

We're back with a new episode tomorrow.