Short Wave

More food and money, less disease: Senegal's surprising eco-experiment

In Senegal, rice farmers are trying to kill three birds with one stone – er, fish. Rice and fish are already a natural combination; they’re even the main ingredients of thieboudienne, the delicious national dish. But could that combination also reduce a debilitating disease, boost food security AND help farmers make more money? A team of researchers are conducting an ambitious experiment to see whether growing rice and fish together can be a win-win-win for Senegal, and NPR’s Jonathan Lambert [https://www.npr.org/people/703751120/jonathan-lambert] came along for the ride. Interested in more science-based biological solutions? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org]. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

The new era of AI-powered cybercrime

Hacking has been on the rise around the world. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 1 million complaints of cybercrime, a record high in the US. Hackers are always getting more creative, and now they have a new tool at their disposal: AI.  Interested in more tech in the news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org].  See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Want to spend a year living in NASA's Mars simulation?

Have you ever wanted to be an astronaut without risking your life in space? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you. NASA is calling for people [https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/nasa-seeks-volunteers-for-yearlong-simulated-mission-to-moon-mars/] with a science background to apply for a simulated mission to the Moon and Mars. Four adults will spend a year isolated in two enclosures meant to simulate both traveling through deep space and living on Mars. Learn whether you fit the profile and what NASA researchers hope to learn from the mission in this episode. Interested in more space news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org] and we may cover it in an upcoming segment. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org]. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Are extreme wildfires the new normal?

With parts of the U.S, Canada, Spain and France all ablaze with wildfires, you might be wondering: Are wildfires on the rise? If so, know that you mind-melded with the entire Short Wave staff. We had the exact same thought – and then went down some reporting rabbit holes and turned it into a whole episode. And let us just say: The answer is surprisingly complicated! But don’t you worry. We get into all the nuances this episode. Interested in more science behind the headlines? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org].  See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

A cooler of eggs and a bold plan to save leopard sharks

Leopard sharks have nearly vanished from the waters in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The country is one of the largest shark fishing nations in the world. Now, a first-of-its-kind conservation project is working to bring Indo-Pacific leopard sharks back from the brink of extinction. This international project hatches their eggs and raises shark pups to rewild them into the ocean where they once thrived. Will it be enough? For answers, we talk to freelance journalist Katerina Barton [https://www.katerinabarton.com/]. She takes us behind-the-scenes to a shark nursery and shares what this conservation project could mean for other shark species. Interested in more conservation news? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org [shortwave@npr.org]. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. It includes perks like bonus episodes, early access, archive access, curated playlists and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org].  See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]