Short Wave

We go deep on Alabama's second congressional district ahead of a primary runoff there next week. The Supreme Court forced the state to redraw its congressional maps to bolster the rights of the state's Black voters, a win that surprised voting rights advocates after previous decisions by the high court curtailed other protects in the Voting Rights Act.

This podcast: voting correspondent Miles Parks, voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, and political reporter Stephen Fowler.

This podcast was produced by Kelli Wessinger and Casey Morell. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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It's National Siblings Day! To mark the occasion, guest host Selena Simmons-Duffin is exploring a detail very personal to her: How the number of older brothers a person has can influence their sexuality. Scientific research on sexuality has a dark history, with long-lasting harmful effects on queer communities. Much of the early research has also been debunked over time. But not this "fraternal birth order effect." The fact that a person's likelihood of being gay increases with each older brother has been found all over the world – from Turkey to North America, Brazil, the Netherlands and beyond. Today, Selena gets into all the details: What this effect is, how it's been studied and what it can (and can't) explain about sexuality.

Interested in reading more about the science surrounding some of our closest relatives? Check out more stories in NPR's series on The Science of Siblings.

Email us at [email protected] — we'd love to hear from you.

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The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said Monday that abortion access was a state issue and that he supports access in the case of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother. Top Trump allies working outside of the campaign already have a proposed framework, including using existing legislation to implement a de facto national ban.

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben, and White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez.

Our producers are Jeongyoon Han, Casey Morell & Kelli Wessinger. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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Congress is headed back to Washington. With funding deadlines in the review mirror, they are turning their attention to foreign military aid. But Republicans and Democrats are voicing concerns about Ukraine and Israel, respectively, and there's a looming threat against Speaker Johnson. Oh, and there's some impeachments to talk about.

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales, and congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh.

Our producers are Jeongyoon Han, Casey Morell & Kelli Wessinger. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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It's baseball season! And when we here at Short Wave think of baseball, we naturally think of physics. To get the inside scoop on the physics of baseball, like how to hit a home run, we talk to Frederic Bertley, CEO and President of the Center of Science and Industry, a science museum in Columbus, Ohio. He also talks to host Regina G. Barber about how climate change is affecting the game.

Interested in the science of other sports? Email us at [email protected] — we'd love to hear from you.

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In a call Thursday to Israel's prime minister, President Biden told Benjamin Netanyahu the U.S. needed to see more humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza and protections to civilians on the ground or else the U.S. would reconsider its policies toward Israel. The call comes as Biden faces criticism from some Democrats for his handling of the war.

Plus, new data from the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll, and Can't Let It Go.

This podcast: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

This podcast was produced by Jeongyoon Han & Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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Tiny, black-capped chickadees have big memories. They stash food in hundreds to thousands of locations in the wild – and then come back to these stashes when other food sources are low. Now, researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute think neural activity that works like a barcode may be to thank for this impressive feat — and that it might be a clue for how memories work across species.

Curious about other animal behavior mysteries? Email us at [email protected].

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In a pivotal election year, U.S. democracy continues to face a persistent challenge among the country's electorate — gaps in voter registration rates between white eligible voters and eligible voters of color. Long-standing barriers to voter registration have made it difficult to close these gaps, and dedicated investment is needed to ensure fuller participation in elections and a healthier democracy, many researchers and advocates say.

Read more.

This podcast: political correspondent Sarah McCammon, and voting correspondents Hansi Lo Wang & Miles Parks.

This podcast was produced by Jeongyoon Han & Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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As Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza enters its sixth month, Democratic members of Congress who are part of "the Squad" and have criticized Israel's actions are facing primary challengers backed by pro-Israel groups. It's a sign of further division in the party over present and future U.S. support of Israel.

This podcast: political correspondents Sarah McCammon & Susan Davis, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

This podcast was produced by Kelli Wessinger, and edited by Casey Morell. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.

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On April 8, the moon will slip in front of the sun, blocking its light and creating an eerie twilight in the middle of the day. Stars will come out, the air will get cold, colors will dance around the horizon. It's a full-body experience born from the total solar eclipse that will be visible from North America. Today on the show, Regina G. Barber talks to NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce about why some people say this experience is one of the most beautiful celestial events you can see – and how to prepare for it. Want more ways to enjoy the eclipse? Check out Regina's interview with an eclipse chaser on NPR's Life Kit podcast. Share your eclipse stories with us at [email protected]! We'd love to see it!

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