Short Wave

The 118th Congress began its work today, and the first order of business for the House was to select a new speaker. However, after multiple rounds of voting, no candidate achieved a clear majority of voting members — meaning the House can't conduct any official business. California Republican Kevin McCarthy, widely expected to accede to the position, faced notable opposition from members of his own party.

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

This episode was produced by Elena Moore and Casey Morell. It was edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Research and fact-checking by Katherine Swartz. Thanks to Lexie Schapitl.

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Time is woven into our personal memories. If you recall a childhood fall from a bike, your brain replays the entire episode in excruciating detail: The glimpse of wet leaves on the road ahead, that moment of weightless dread and then the painful impact. This exact sequence has been embedded into your memory thanks to some special neurons known as time cells. Science correspondent Jon Hamilton talks to Emily about these cells — and why the label "time" cells is kind of a misnomer.

Concerned about the space-time continuum? Email us at [email protected] — using science, we might be able to set you at ease in a future episode.

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In this episode of Code Switch, NPR's Hansi Lo Wang reports on the effort by Republican officials in Louisiana to change how Black people are counted in voting maps. If their plan is successful, it could shrink the power of Black voters across the country — and further gut the Voting Rights Act.

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To ring in the new year, producer Berly McCoy brings host Emily Kwong this homemade science mad lib!

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The NPR Politics crew shares the things that they just can't let go of this year, politics and otherwise.

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, political reporter Deepa Shivaram, political reporter Ximena Bustillo, national political correspondent Mara Liasson, Weekend Edition host Ayesha Rascoe, voting correspondent Miles Parks, and political reporter Barbara Sprunt.

This episode was produced by Elena Moore and Casey Morell. It was edited by Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Research and fact-checking by Katherine Swartz.

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From misty eyeballs to full-on waterworks, what are tears? Why do we shed them? And what makes humans' ability to cry emotional tears unique? Hosts Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott get into their feelings in this science-fueled exploration of why we cry. (encore) To see more of Rose-Lynn Fisher's images from Topography of Tears, visit her website.

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Affirmative action, indigenous rights and election integrity could all be radically reshaped by the far-right court this term, as Chief Justice John Roberts continues to insist the political battlefield is a non-partisan institution. Here are the cases you should be watching.

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg

This episode was produced by Lexie Schapitl. It was edited by Krishnadev Calamur and Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Research and fact-checking by Katherine Swartz.

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In 1967, Jocelyn Bell Burnell made a discovery that revolutionized astronomy. She detected the radio signals emitted by certain dying stars called pulsars. Today, Jocelyn's story. Scientist-in-residence Regina G. Barber talks to Jocelyn about her winding career, her discovery and how pulsars continue to push the field of astronomy today. (encore)

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A huge number of voters indicated that the economy was their top concern in the midterm election — something that likely helped Republicans take control of the House of Representatives. But President Biden's party fared far better than expected given how persistent rising costs have been. So what's going on with the economy right now, and what could be coming down the road?

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.

This episode was produced by Elena Moore and Casey Morell. It was edited by Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi. Research and fact-checking by Katherine Swartz.

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Being small has its advantages - and some limitations. One organism that intimately knows the pros and cons of being mini is the pumpkin toadlet.

As an adult, the animal reaches merely the size of a chickpea. At that scale, the frog's inner ear is so small, it's not fully functional. That means the frog's movements seem haphazard. Today, with the help of Atlantic science writer Katie Wu, we investigate: If a frog can't jump well, is it still a frog? (encore)

Read Katie Wu's piece in The Atlantic, A Frog So Small, It Could Not Frog.


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