Short Wave

The rate of smoking cigarettes has steadily declined since the 1960s – when Congress required warnings on cigarette boxes. Research shows that people are more likely to try to quit smoking when they’re under 40. But a new study in the journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity [https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568%2825%2900072-8/fulltext] shows that quitting later in life can still be beneficial – and could possibly lower your risk for dementia. For this and more news from the science journals, Short Wave hosts Regina G. Barber [https://www.npr.org/people/1082526815/regina-g-barber] and Emily Kwong [https://www.npr.org/people/767284140/emily-kwong] talk with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly [https://www.npr.org/people/2780701/mary-louise-kelly]. Interested in knowing more about science behind the headlines? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave [http://plus.npr.org/shortwave]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

It's World Anesthesia Day [https://wfsahq.org/news/world-anaesthesia-day-2025-anaesthesiology-in-health-emergencies/] tomorrow! So, we invite you to take a deep breathe. Picture a relaxing scene. Maybe a beach in Tahiti, your toes in the sand, a cold drink in hand. Now imagine your favorite music playing in the background. If Dr. Alopi Patel [https://rwjms.rutgers.edu/people/alopi-patel] were your anesthesiologist, that's exactly what she'd have you do while you waited for surgery. Before she puts patients under the sway of anesthesia, she likes to explain everything that will happen after they lose consciousness and lead them in guided imagery to help them relax before their procedure. She calls this "verbal anesthesia," and says "it's a type of anesthesia you can't really put in an I.V." Anesthesia is a cornerstone of modern medicine makes tons of surgeries possible today. But Dr. Patel says it wasn't always this way — and shares the history and mechanisms behind this once-controversial procedure. (encore) Curious about other breakthroughs in the history of science? Let us know by emailing shortwave@npr.org! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave [http://plus.npr.org/shortwave]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Marijuana is decriminalized or legal in some form in multiple states. But, because it’s illegal on the federal level, states have had to build their own regulatory infrastructure. Without a centralized body to guide them, regulations in one state can look vastly different from those in another. For more on the scope of the issue, Short Wave host Regina G. Barber [https://www.npr.org/people/1082526815/regina-g-barber] talks to independent science journalist Teresa Carr [https://undark.org/author/teresa-carr/] and NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin [https://www.npr.org/people/825275572/sydney-lupkin].  Read more of Teresa’s reporting on state marijuana testing [https://undark.org/2025/07/16/cannabis-testing-reform/], and more of Sydney’s reporting on the ways California is trying to make weed safer [https://www.npr.org/2025/03/24/nx-s1-5239985/marijuana-recreational-weed-safe-contaminants-california]. Interested in hearing more science behind consumer products? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org] – we may feature it on an upcoming episode! Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave [http://plus.npr.org/shortwave]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

There are more human cells in your body than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy! Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life but that doesn’t mean they are simple – biology still doesn’t have a full picture of how exactly a living cell works. Host Regina G. Barber [https://www.npr.org/people/1082526815/regina-g-barber] talks with bioengineers Kate Adamala [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Adamala] and Drew Endy [https://engineering.stanford.edu/people/drew-endy] about why scientists are trying to build a cell from scratch, piece by piece. They dive into what it would look like to be inside of a cell, why scientists are bothering with making a cell from scratch and how engineers are leading the field. Want more bioengineering stories? Email us at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave [http://plus.npr.org/shortwave]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Weather in the tropics is decidedly different than it is in the middle latitudes. It turns out, so are the weather systems – the factors that create things like the daily temperature and humidity! Historically, most weather forecasting models have been based on data from high-income countries in the northern hemisphere. But different factors drive weather and climate near the equator – meaning that these weather forecast models are much less accurate at predicting weather in the tropics. This has implications for storm readiness, flooding preparedness and more. Atmospheric scientist Ángel F. Adames-Corraliza [https://www.macfound.org/videos/2025-macarthur-fellow-adames-corraliza] is aiming to change that. His research focuses on how water vapor – humidity – plays a key role in tropical weather systems. It’s earned him a spot as one of this year’s Macarthur Fellows.  Interested in more science about how weather happens? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave [http://plus.npr.org/shortwave]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]