Short Wave

An NPR analysis finds that people living in counties which strongly supported Donald Trump in the 2020 election could be three times more likely to die of coronavirus than those in counties which strongly supported Joe Biden. That difference appears to be driven by partisan differences in vaccination rates, as vaccine conspiracies spread among far-right voters.

This episode: White House correspondent Asma Khalid, senior Science editor and correspondent Geoffrey Brumfiel, and White House correspondent Scott Detrow.

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The end of the 2021 hurricane season was officially November 30. This year, there was a lot of hurricane activity. Today on the show, producer Thomas Lu talks to meteorologist Matthew Cappucci about this year's hurricane season — the ups, the lulls, and the surprising end. Plus — how climate change might be affecting these storms.

You can follow Thomas on Twitter @ThomasUyLu and Matthew @MatthewCappucci. Email Short Wave at [email protected].

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Congress passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, but they only punted and they still have a long list of things to do before the end of the year. Plus, there's a lot of talk about Vice President Harris and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg. Will they or won't they run for president in 2024?

This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, and White House correspondent Tamara Keith.

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Jane Goodall is a renowned naturalist and scientist. She's made a career studying primates and chimpanzees. But lately — something else has been on her mind: climate change. It might feel like there's nothing we can do, but in her new book, The Book of Hope, co-authored with Douglas Abrams, Jane reflects on the planet and how future generations will fight to protect it.

Check out "Jane Goodall encourages all to act to save Earth in 'The Book of Hope'" for a review of her new book.

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The Supreme Court heard arguments for a case that challenges the foundation of Roe v. Wade, the decision that originally made abortion legal. In their questioning, the conservative justices seemed primed to overturn the fifty year old precedent. That decision would radically change abortion access in the United States.

This episode: political correspondent Juana Summers, legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg, and Mary Ziegler, author of Abortion And The Law In America.

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Scientists have discovered that some female condors don't need males to reproduce. This phenomenon is known as parthenogenesis, and it's been observed in other animals too. The Atlantic's Sarah Zhang explains how it was found in California condors and its implications for these endangered birds.

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Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years by state legislatures. In theory it is so populations are accurately represented when voting, but partisan gerrymandering means when you look at the map you'll probably see some really wonky shapes. We look at two states, Texas and Georgia, where redistricting will have major consequences for politicians and policy.

This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, national political correspondent Mara Liasson, Georgia Public Broadcasting's Stephen Fowler, and KERA's Bret Jasper.

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Gender is infused in many aspects of our world — but should that be the case?

According to mathematician Eugenia Cheng, maybe not. In her new book, x+y, she challenges readers to think beyond their ingrained conceptions of gender. Instead, she calls for a new dimension of thinking, characterizing behavior in a way completely removed from considerations of gender.

Cheng argues that at every level — from the interpersonal to the societal — we would benefit from focusing less on gender and more on equitable, inclusive interactions, regardless of a person's gender identity.

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Congress and, in particular, congressional Democrats have a long to-do list before the end of the year. But inter- and intra-party disputes threaten any kind of action. So what are the disagreements, and when push comes to shove can they get the job done?

This episode: White House correspondent Scott Detrow, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

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The coronavirus is still circulating and mutating — case in point, the World Health Organization has designated a new variant of concern, called omicron. The variant appears to have some characteristics that may make it more transmissible than others, but much about it is still unknown. NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey talks with Emily Kwong about how researchers and public health experts are racing to learn all they can about it — including how transmissible it actually is and how it responds to current vaccines. They also talk travel bans, a weak tool in preventing viral spread that may even penalize information sharing.

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