Short Wave

Ever read those Choose Your Own Adventure books of the 80s and 90s? As a kid, Dr. Pamela Harris was hooked on them. Years later she realized how much those books have in common with her field: combinatorics, the branch of math concerned with counting. It, too, depends on thinking through endless, branching possibilities. She and several students set out to write a scholarly paper in the style of Choose Your Own Adventure books. Dr. Harris tells Regina G. Barber all about how the project began, how it gets complicated when you throw in wormholes and clowns, and why math is fundamentally a creative act.

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Addiction deaths remain a major problem in the U.S. as the public health focus has shifted to COVID-19. But as midterm voting continues, Republican candidates have spent millions trying to link migrants with crime and opioid smuggling.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, addiction correspondent Brian Mann, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

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Perimenopause, the period of transition to menopause, is still a largely misunderstood chapter of reproductive life. It brings about both physical and mental health changes that patients might not hear about from their doctors. Emily talks with health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee about perimenopause, and how to advocate for yourself as you're going through it.

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The White House has accused Saudi Arabia of helping Russia fund its war in Ukraine by pushing up oil revenues after the OPEC+ group of oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, decided to cut oil output by 2 million barrels per day.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accused the kingdom of strong-arming other oil producing countries to agree to the cut.

And a controversy in Los Angeles is roiling the city's politics: city councilors were caught making racist and otherwise bigoted remarks in a leaked recording. President Biden has called on them to resign.

This episode: political correspondent Susan Davis, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam, and national desk correspondent Adrian Florido.

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Short Wave hosts Aaron Scott and Emily Kwong quiz All Things Considered hosts Mary Louise Kelly and Sacha Pfeiffer on some science questions Short Wave has reported on over the past year. They say they consider all the things, but do they consider the science enough? Quantum physics, prehistoric creatures and spelunking are all fair game in this friendly battle of the brains.

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P.S. Short Wave is continuing our birthday celebration by hanging out with all of you on Twitter Spaces! We'll be on NPR's Twitter account @NPR on October 19 at 3pm Eastern, talking about the goofiness of our show and answering your questions. Join us!

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The U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol held its final scheduled hearing today. What did we learn, what does it change and what happens next?

The former president responded on his social media platform shortly after the hearing concluded, questioning why the committee did not call him to testify sooner.

This episode: political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, justice correspondent Ryan Lucas and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.

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Laughter: We do it spontaneously, we do it forcefully, we do it with each other and by ourselves. But why did we evolve to giggle in the first place?

Emily and Regina explore the evolutionary underpinnings of laughter — from chimpanzees to modern-day humans — and the ways it unites us.

Keep laughing with us on Twitter — we're at @NPRShortWave — or email the show at [email protected].

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The administration is trying to explain its policies to a core part of the Democratic base: young voters. A third of young people say they prefer to get their news on social media.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, political reporter Barbara Sprunt, and political reporter Miles Parks.

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Of course we have to have cake for Short Wave's third birthday! Sugar-ologist and biochemist Adriana Patterson talks to producer Berly McCoy to give us some tips from chemistry - the secret to making a fluffy cake and how honey can help a buttercream frosting.

Check out Adriana's Cakeculator - https://cakeculator.sugarologie.com/.

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There is a month left before the final vote is cast in the 2022 midterm elections. Can Republicans succeed in taking full control of Congress? We break down the Senate races to watch, with a particular emphasis on the challengers trying to unseat Democrats in purple states.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

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