Yesterday

Meet the Third Ever (!!) Interstellar Comet

A rare visitor from another star system has been spotted: the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS! It was detected July 1 by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS. Most known comets orbit the Sun and are bound by the gravity of the solar system ... but t ... Show More

8m 43s

Jul 9

Evolution Went On Trial 100 Years Ago. Where Are We Now?

This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Scopes "Monkey Trial" — where a teacher was charged with the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. At the time, it was illegal in Tennessee to "teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creatio ... Show More

12m 37s

Jul 8

Itchy? Air Pollution May Be Making It Worse

Short Wave producer Hannah Chinn has adult-onset eczema. They're not the only one. Up to ten percent of people in the United States have it, according to the National Eczema Association — and its prevalence is increasing. Despite its ubiquity, a lot about this skin condition rema ... Show More

13m 11s

Mar 2023

How do smoke alarms detect smoke? (part 2)

#157 Part Two: When smoke alarms aren't beeping at us to replace their batteries, they are sitting, watching, waiting for the perfect moment, waiting for smoke to happen so they can alert us that a fire may be happening. But how on earth do they detect the presence of smoke? How ... Show More

35m 10s

Mar 2023

How do smoke alarms detect smoke? (part 1)

#156 When smoke alarms aren't beeping at us to replace their batteries, they are sitting, watching, waiting for the perfect moment, waiting for smoke to happen so they can alert us that a fire may be happening. But how on earth do they detect the presence of smoke? How do they on ... Show More

38m 30s

Jun 2023

How to protect yourself from poor air quality

The health effects of wildfire smoke are dangerous. Here's how to stay safe when the air quality is unhealthy. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

12m 18s

Jun 2023

Canada wildfire smoke spreads

More international firefighters are being sent to Canada to help tackle the source of huge wildfires which have created a toxic blanket of smoke. The haze that's drifted across the border to the east coast of the United States has temporarily made some American cities the most po ... Show More

49m 20s

Sep 2023

How can I stop smoking?

We all know that the effects of tobacco on the human body are devastating. The World Health Organisation says that it kills more than 8 million people each year, making it one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever seen.It’s hardly surprising when you consider th ... Show More

4m 30s

Jun 2023

There’s No Escaping Wildfire Smoke

Smoke from wildfires in Canada has created a crisis in the American Northeast and beyond, with air pollution in New York reaching its worst level in modern history.David Wallace-Wells, a climate columnist for The Times, explains why this happened, and why there is so little we ca ... Show More

28m 38s

Jun 2023

Smoke Alarm

Wildfire smoke pours across the Canadian border, putting 20 states on alert. An Oregon county sues fossil fuel companies for damage caused by climate change. And government sources describe what they knew about the Russian coup attempt as a militia marched toward Moscow. Learn mo ... Show More

28m 22s

Jun 2023

BBC OS Conversations: Air pollution

Hundreds of wildfires are burning across Canada, almost half are classed by officials as ‘out of control’. Their immediate impact is the destruction of homes and businesses, plants and wildlife. But the smoke from those fires is affecting air quality. Maps tracking the spread of ... Show More

24m 33s

How To Stay Safe Amid Wildfire Smoke