Short Wave

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) has a lot on his agenda — aid to Israel and Ukraine, a looming government shutdown & more. He'll need bipartisan support to get things done, but how doable that is remains to be seen.

And, polls in New Hampshire are tightening ahead of January's primaries — even with a major candidate off the ballot entirely.

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.

The podcast is edited by Casey Morell. It is produced by Elena Moore and Jeongyoon Han. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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What your parents didn't tell you about pulling an all-nighter? It just might ease depression for several days. At least, that's what researchers found happens to mice in a study published in the journal Neuron Thursday.

Most people who've stayed up all night know the "tired and wired" feeling they get the next day. Scientists know this feeling can have a strong antidepressant effect in people that lasts for several days, even after the other changes wear off. But this new study may help researchers figure out why sleeplessness causes this effect.

Plus, we get into some other science headlines we can't stop talking about: Turning a centuries-old debate over starfish on its head and record lows for Antarctica's sea ice.

Got science to share? Email us at [email protected].

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Senate colleagues are frustrated with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), who continues to block appointments to the military chain of command as a form of protest over policy allowing servicemembers to reproductive care.

And, efforts to castigate three House members fell short.

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, political correspondent Susan Davis, Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman, and congressional reporter Eric McDaniel.

The podcast is edited by Casey Morell. It is produced by Elena Moore and Jeongyoon Han. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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President Biden has offered strong support for Israel in its war against Hamas, even traveling to the country to show the United States' commitment to Israel's defense. But that stance has some Democrats sharply critical of the Biden administration for not focusing enough on the war's impacts on Palestinians — something that might be a problem as the president campaigns for reelection.

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

The podcast is edited by Casey Morell. It is produced by Elena Moore and Jeongyoon Han. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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Every year, the USDA drops millions of oral rabies vaccines across fourteen states, mostly along the eastern seaboard. In urban and suburban areas, they use vehicles, but in rural areas, they drop the vaccines from planes. Host Regina G. Barber talks to USDA wildlife biologist Jordona Kirby about the agency's goal to wipe out rabies in one population in particular: raccoons.

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A suit filed in the state alleges the former president is ineligible to seek public office based on a provision in the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. What does the suit claim, and what could happen next?

This episode: voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, Colorado Public Radio public affairs reporter Bente Birkeland, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson.

The podcast is edited & produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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The idea of term limiting congressional representatives tends to poll well, but — in practice — the idea probably wouldn't reduce extreme partisanship or curb outside influence. But there are some ideas, like multi-member districts and reforms to primary elections, that could make a big difference.

This episode: congressional correspondent Kelsey Snell, voting correspondent Ashley Lopez and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.

The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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Antibiotics have changed the world. They've made it possible to treat diseases that used to mean anything from discomfort to death. But no new classes of antibiotics have made it to the market since the 1980s. What if humans' closest, ancient relatives held the answer to antibiotic resistance?

Some scientists want to discover new antibiotics using machine learning ... and some very, very old relatives of humans. Host Aaron Scott talks to César de la Fuente about using computers to discover the first therapeutic molecules in extinct organisms.

Have a question? Email us at [email protected].

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Drawing congressional and statehouse districts in a way that solidifies a party's political power is a primary driver of the country's extreme, hyper-partisan political environment. Here's how the fight over new maps in Georgia and North Carolina is expected to reshape national politics.

This episode: campaign correspondent Sarah McCammon, Georgia Public Broadcasting reporter Stephen Fowler, voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor and correspondent Ron Elving.

The podcast is produced by Casey Morell and Elena Moore. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.

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The human brain has more than 170 billion cells. A newly published atlas offers the most detailed maps yet of the location, structure and, in some cases, function of more than 3,000 types of brain cells. The atlas could help scientists understand what makes humans unique in the animal kingdom and the roles different brain cells play in disease. Science correspondent Jon Hamilton talks to host Regina G. Barber about the findings from this new map, a product of the NIH's BRAIN initiative. Plus, what the heck splatter neurons have to do with all of this!

Read Jon's full story here.

Science question on your brain? Email us at [email protected].

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