Short Wave

Congress kept the government open but Democrats are still working out how to pass the two major pillars of the Biden agenda. And the president's approval rating has somewhat recovered as the public thinks less about Afghanistan, but the midterms could be bad for Biden if Congress stalls out.

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, acting congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

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A paper published recently in the journal Science finds similarities between the babbling of human infants and the babbling of the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) — a small species of bat that lives in Central and South America. As science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel reports, the researchers believe both bats and humans evolved babbling as a precursor to more complex vocal behavior like singing, or, in the case of people, talking.

Wondering what similarities humans have to other animals? Email the human animals at [email protected]. We might dig up some answers.

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An empowered conservative majority on the Supreme Court will consider a number of social and cultural issues at the heart of American life, including abortion access, gun rights, and religious liberty. The Court has stacked its docket with fractious issues even as its justices publicly mourn the intuition's bygone reputation as above the political fray.

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, national justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, and legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

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People are likely to be confused by common climate change terms like "mitigation" and "carbon neutral," according to a recent study. So how can everyone do a better job talking about climate change so that no one's left confused? NPR climate correspondent Rebecca Hersher tells us the key turns out to be pretty simple.

Read more of Rebecca's reporting on climate jargon: https://n.pr/2XdfYOC
Read the study: https://bit.ly/3Adj8QT

You can always reach the show by emailing [email protected] — but please, hold the jargon.

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The Supreme Court will hear arguments Dec. 1 in a case from Mississippi that tests whether all state laws that ban pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional. That case poses a serious challenge to Roe v. Wade, the decision that originally permitted abortion nationwide. For this episode we look at what the court was thinking when they decided Roe in 1973, and what the court may do in the upcoming term.

This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith and legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

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Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, according to the most current data. But research shows that suicide is preventable. Host Emily Kwong talks with NPR health correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee about the signs that someone you know may be thinking about dying, the ways you can support them, and how to possibly prevent suicide. (Encore episode.)

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee today about the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Each said that, before the Taliban's swift takeover and subsequent evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan, they recommended American troops remain in the country. They also said they were caught by surprise at the speed with which the Afghan government collapsed.

This episode: White House correspondent Ayesha Rascoe, Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

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Based on early estimates, as many as 10,600 large sequoias were killed in last year's Castle Fire — up to 14% of the entire population. The world's largest trees are one of the most fire-adapted to wildfires on the planet. But climate change is making these fires more extreme than sequoias can handle. It's also worsening drought that is killing other conifer trees that then become a tinder box surrounding the sequoias, reports climate correspondent Lauren Sommer. Scientists warn that giant sequoias are running out of time and they're racing to save them.

Read more of Lauren's reporting on sequoias: https://n.pr/39IX84M


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Democratic Party discord threatens what amounts to nearly all of President Biden's domestic agenda, from childcare to climate. Compounding the challenge: looming government funding and debt deadlines.

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

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Will Stone is a science reporter for NPR. He's been reporting about the pandemic for a while now, so he knows the risks of a breakthrough infection, is vaccinated, and follows COVID guidelines as they change. Nonetheless, he got COVID - and today on the show, Will shares what he learned about his breakthrough infection, and what he wish he'd known before his "mild" case.

For more of Will's reporting, check out "I Got A 'Mild' Breakthrough Case. Here's What I Wish I'd Known"

(https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/09/12/1036356773/i-got-a-mild-breakthrough-case-heres-what-i-wish-id-known)

You can follow Will on Twitter @WStoneReports and Rhitu @RhituC. Email Short Wave at [email protected].

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