Short Wave

Ellen Ochoa didn't get picked the first time she applied to become an astronaut--nor the second. But she eventually went to space four times. In this excerpt from the podcast Wisdom from the Top, host Guy Raz talks to Ochoa about how she became an astronaut and her career at NASA. Here is a link to the entire interview, in which they cover a lot of ground--from her love of calculus and physics to shaping NASA culture: https://www.npr.org/2021/12/07/1062084978/nasa-ellen-ochoa

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The Omicron variant is spreading across the U.S. as the holidays are upon us. Science Desk reporter Maria Godoy has the latest on the variant and tips for reducing your risk of contracting the virus this holiday season. Short Wave brings you a special episode courtesy of our colleagues at Life Kit.

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President Biden acknowledged Thursday that the centerpiece of his agenda, a nearly-two trillion dollar social programs package known as the Build Back Better Act, won't pass the Senate before Christmas as Democrats had hoped. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin is a key holdout. But Congress was able to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling, despite doubts that they could reach consensus.

And: is there a rising workers' and unionization movement in the United States? Many low-income workers have seen a sharp increase in their pay during the pandemic, though an increase in the cost of goods stemming from an overloaded supply chain has softened the impact of the pay jump.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Asma Khalid, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and business correspondent Alina Selyukh.

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Soon the highly anticipated James Webb Space Telescope will blast off into space, hurtling almost a million miles away from Earth, where it will orbit the Sun. Decades in the making, scientists hope its mission will last a decade and provide insights into all kinds of things, including the early formation of galaxies just after the Big Bang.

Curious about the extraterrestrial facets of our universe? Email the show your questions at [email protected]. We might be able to beg Nell to find answers and come back on the show.

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Following in the footsteps of Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat who won a seat in the House of Representatives after her son was shot and killed, gun control activists across the country are training to run for office at the local, state, and federal level. They face an entrenched political climate that has doomed substantive action on the issue for decades.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, politics correspondent Juana Summers, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

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As spaceflight inches closer to becoming a reality for some private citizens, science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel chats with the New York Times disability fellow Amanda Morris about why one organization wants to insure people with disabilities have the chance to go to space.

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is feeling hopeful about the midterms: President Biden's approval numbers are low and inflation is at least temporarily high. But some Republican representatives are worried their peers are too focused on Trump-style bomb-throwing and jeers to stick to a uniform, policy-focused campaign message.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.

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Dr. Francis Collins talks with health correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin about Americans' overall health, how tribalism in American culture has fueled vaccine hesitancy, and advises his successor on how to persevere on research of politically charged topics — like guns and obesity and maternal health. Selena talks with host Emily Kwong about the conversation.

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The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol recommended that Mark Meadows, White House chief of staff under President Trump, be charged with contempt of Congress after he stopped cooperating with the panel. The decision comes as the committee disclosed messages sent during the attack by Fox News Channel hosts, Republican lawmakers, and Donald Trump Jr. asking Meadows to act to stop the assault on the Capitol.

In case you missed it:
The Docket: Executive Privilege

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The U.S. is approaching 800,000 COVID-19 deaths as the Omicron variant spreads and the Delta variant continues to circulate. Hospital admissions are up more than 20 percent over the last two weeks. But — as NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey tells Emily — there's new survey data pointing to relaxed attitudes across the country, even amid the surges. Allison explains what all of this means for the coming weeks — especially with flu season getting started.

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