I’m not gonna lie…I’m addicted to listicles…not the click-baity ones that have sub-headlines like “and you won’t believe #6!”…I’m only interested in the ones that offer interesting or weird facts…usually that means Buzzfeed, Bored Panda, Upworthy, Laughing Squid—you know the kind…“today I learned” and “I was today years old when I discovered”…that sort of th ... Show More
Yesterday
Why Bowie Still Matters - Part 1
It’s been nearly a decade since David Bowie left us, and the world hasn’t really been the same since.
In the first of a three part series, we explore why Bowie’s influence goes far beyond music...shaping fashion, art, technology, and even social movements. From his early days wr ... Show More
33m 15s
Nov 19
Tales of Weird Rock’n’Roll Sex
If there’s an official mission statement for the kind of music we all love, it’s “sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll” …these are the three main food groups in this world…
All three of these things affect the same portions of the brain: the amygdala, the nucleus accumbens, and the cere ... Show More
30m 44s
Nov 12
The Backstage Rider
Going on tour is hard…you’re away from home for months at a time…there’s little sleep, bad food, too many drugs, a surfeit of alcohol, late nights, temptations into bad behavior, crazy people, and that bass player who refuses to wash his feet, probably because he’s on his phone m ... Show More
31m 38s
Dec 2023
A year in music science: wonder, volume and animals that groove
As 2023 comes to a close, Short Wave teamed up with our friends at All Things Considered to round up some of our favorite stories of the year — this time, about the science behind music. First, science correspondent Rob Stein talks to researchers (and Phish's Mike Gordon) about w ... Show More
10m 56s
Jul 2023
Mozart's Sex Life
<p>When we think of the biggest pop icons of all time, we might reach for Madonna, Elvis, or yes, even Michael Jackson. </p><br><p>One name that’s not thrown into the pot is Mozart. But why? His music was undoubtedly the pop music of his day, and as we’ll find out today, he ... Show More
38m 47s
May 2023
Bug Translation Guide: Decoding Buzzes, Chirps, & Clicks
Why do bugs make the sounds they do? And how do they make them? In this episode, we explore the un-bee-lievable world of insect sounds, including crickets who craft tools to make themselves louder, and moths who can jam the natural sonar of bats. By the time it’s over, you’ll nev ... Show More
27m 46s
Oct 2021
*Alert* The History of Spotify and other Fun Facts (Bonus Episode #69)
Feb 1, 2022 Update: this episode explained how you could only listen to the Bonus Podcast on Spotify…but good news, you can NOW listen to ALL my Premium Podcasts on Spotify (or listen on a different app if you prefer), more info here>>>https://bit.ly/sw241 Use t ... Show More
4m 1s