Short Wave

It's "My Favorite Things" week on Short Wave! Through December 30th, we'll dive into our archive to bring y'all some of our personal faves — including behind-the-scenes stories from the team.

First up, a throwback from November 2019: Imagine having your Thanksgiving meal in microgravity? That's the reality for the six astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Today, we look at the evolution of astronaut food and a planned attempt to bake chocolate chip cookies in space. (Encore episode)

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Huma Abedin has worked for Hillary Clinton for a quarter-century. In a new book, Both/And, she discusses being a prominent Muslim woman in American politics, intersecting personal and political crises, and whether the tumultuous final days of the 2016 presidential election distracted Democrats from important political lessons. She speaks with NPR's Asma Khalid.

This episode: demographics and culture correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, White House correspondent Asma Khalid.

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The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as the president took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on whether those goals being met.

President Biden's first legislative push was the American Rescue Plan, a roughly $2 trillion economic stimulus plan that expanded help for unemployed workers and issued direct cash payments to millions of people. The pandemic and supply chain issues, though, have proved tenacious. Many workers have seen their nominal wages rise, but persistent inflation has blunted the impact of the gains.

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and chief economics correspondent Scott Horsley.

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Today we are wrapping up Science Fiction Week with a very special episode from our friends at NPR's history podcast Throughline.

As a part of their Imagining New Worlds series, they dive into the life of visionary science fiction writer Octavia Butler.

Octavia crafted cautionary tales combined with messages of hope and resilience. Her work made her the first Black woman to win the Hugo and Nebula, science fiction's most prestigious awards. (Encore episode)

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The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as the president took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on whether those goals being met.

President Biden rejoined the Paris climate agreement and pledged to halve U.S. greenhouse gas pollution from 2005 levels by 2030. But his ambitious goals, which scientists say are necessary to avoid the worst effects of climate change, have been stymied by a coal-state Democrat and constraints on executive power.

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent Scott Detrow, and climate correspondent Jeff Brady.

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Today we're bringing you a beginner's guide to reading science fiction and fantasy from our friends at NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and Life Kit.

So whether you're a longtime fan or a stranger in these strange lands, we've got you covered with the basics of what defines this genre and some solid recommendations to get you reading.

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The Biden administration laid out his main priorities as he took office: tackling the pandemic, responding to the climate crisis, addressing racial inequality, and rejuvenating the economy. Over the next few weeks, the NPR Politics Podcast will check in on how those goals are going.

Building on President Trump's Operation Warp Speed, the Biden administration managed to make vaccines widely-available across the country within a few months of taking office. Convincing everyone to take the vaccine proved a bigger challenge, and now the country is facing another surge of the virus,

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and health correspondent Allison Aubrey.

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Today we're throwing back to one of our favorite Science Movie Club episodes: 'Contact' featuring Jodie Foster. It was a real crowd pleaser, especially among extraterrestrials and Carl Sagan fans, and features the work of beloved Short Wave alumni and sci-fi aficionados Maddie Sofia and Viet Le.

The 1997 film got a lot of things right ... and a few things wrong. Radio astronomer Summer Ash, an education specialist with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, breaks down the science in the film. (Encore episode)

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In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, the West Virginia Democrat said he would not support the Build Back Better Act, the centerpiece of President Biden's domestic agenda. The announcement, which came after months of wheel-spinning in Congress, dooms legislation that Biden says would allow the U.S. to curb the climate crisis and better support working families.

Read more: Manchin says Build Back Better's climate measures are risky. That's not true.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.

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It's Science Fiction Week on Short Wave, earthlings! So strap on your zero gravity suits and polish your light sabers because we're about to get nerdy ... starting with today's episode. It's one of our science fiction myth busting favorites from earlier this year.

Contrary to sci-fi depictions in shows like Iron Man and Star Wars, getting from point A to point B in space is a tough engineering problem. NPR Science Correspondent Geoff Brumfiel, with help from scientist Naia Butler-Craig, explains how space propulsion actually works, and why some new technologies might be needed to get humans to Mars and beyond. (Encore episode)

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