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Regina G. Barber Regina G. Barber is a co-host of Short Wave.
Regina Barber, photographed for NPR, 6 June 2022, in Washington DC. Photo by Farrah Skeiky for NPR.
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Regina G. Barber

Friday

The tiny worm at the heart of regeneration science

Schmidtea mediterranea is an especially appealing animal for scientists who research regeneration because, when cut, each of the fragments will regenerate into a complete, new organism. Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado/Wikimedia Commons

Short Wave

The tiny worm at the heart of regeneration science

A tiny worm that regenerates entire organs. A South American snail that can regrow its eyes. A killifish that suspends animation in dry weather and reanimates in water. These are the organisms at the heart of regeneration science. But exactly how they do these things is still a mystery to scientists. Today on the show, Regina G. Barber talks to microbiologist Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado about this mystery. They get into what regeneration looks like, why humans can't do it (yet) and where the science may lead us in the decades to come.

The tiny worm at the heart of regeneration science

Listen · 14:47
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Wednesday

After 7 years, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully returns asteroid sample

The sample return capsule from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission touched down in the desert on September 24, 2023, at the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range. The sample was collected from the asteroid Bennu in October 2020 by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. NASA/Keegan Barber hide caption

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NASA/Keegan Barber

Short Wave

After 7 years, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully returns asteroid sample

In 2016, NASA launched a spacecraft to do something rarely attempted before: Collect space rocks from a potentially dangerous asteroid. The mission, named OSIRIS-REx, was successful. Tuesday, scientists opened a sealed canister containing the samples from the asteroid Bennu. Science correspondent Nell Greenfieledboyce talks to host Regina G. Barber about the mission's close calls and what NASA might learn from these space rocks that are older than our planet.

After 7 years, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission successfully returns asteroid sample

Listen · 12:19
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Monday

Diagnosing the cause of chronic itch isn't easy, but one man wants to change that

The itchy sensation alerts our bodies to potential threats on our skin, but in some cases, itch can become a chronic condition. Warumpha Pojchananaphasiri/Getty Images hide caption

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Warumpha Pojchananaphasiri/Getty Images

Short Wave

Diagnosing the cause of chronic itch isn't easy, but one man wants to change that

Ever had an itch you can't scratch? It can be maddening. And even though itch has a purpose — it's one of our bodies' alert systems — it can also go very wrong. Dermatologist Dr. Shawn Kwatra talks to host Regina G. Barber about the science of why and how we get itchy, the mysteries behind chronic itch and how his own experience with eczema, hives and seasonal allergies helps him connect with his patients.

Diagnosing the cause of chronic itch isn't easy, but one man wants to change that

Listen · 13:23
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Friday

To woo a cockatoo, scientists find having your own drumsticks and rhythm is key
Freder/Getty Images

Short Wave

To woo a cockatoo, scientists find having your own drumsticks and rhythm is key

Today on the show, All Things Considered co-host Mary Louise Kelly joins Regina G. Barber and Maria Godoy for our bi-weekly science roundup. They talk through some of the latest eye-catching science news, including the percussion-intensive mating life of cockatoos, what pink diamonds today tell us about the breakup of the ancient supercontinent Nuna and the latest on the Nipah outbreak in India.

To woo a cockatoo, scientists find having your own drumsticks and rhythm is key

Listen · 9:18
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Thursday

Science

This week in science: Nipah virus, Australian pink diamonds and how cockatoos mate

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Maria Godoy and Regina Barber of the Short Wave podcast about a new Nipah virus outbreak, Australian pink diamonds and the mating life of cockatoos.

This week in science: Nipah virus, Australian pink diamonds and how cockatoos mate

Listen · 7:40
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Monday

Why the earliest galaxies are sparking drama and controversy among astronomers

Since its launch, the James Webb Space Telescope has sent back detailed images and spectra of galaxies from when the universe was just 900 million years old. NASA, ESA, CSA, Simon Lilly (ETH Zurich), Daichi Kashino (Nagoya University), Jorryt Matthee (ETH Zurich), Christina Eilers (MIT), Rongmon Bordoloi (NCSU), Ruari Mackenzie (ETH Zurich) hide caption

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NASA, ESA, CSA, Simon Lilly (ETH Zurich), Daichi Kashino (Nagoya University), Jorryt Matthee (ETH Zurich), Christina Eilers (MIT), Rongmon Bordoloi (NCSU), Ruari Mackenzie (ETH Zurich)

Short Wave

Why the earliest galaxies are sparking drama and controversy among astronomers

We're entering a new era of astrophysics. The James Webb Space Telescope is helping scientists test existing ideas and models of how the universe was created—on a whole new level. This telescope is sending back images of galaxies forming under a billion years after the Big Bang—way earlier than astronomers had previously expected. Not only that, scientists had anticipated that later—but still very early—galaxies would be small, barely formed blobs; instead, the galaxies in these images have spiral arms. So, today's show is all about GALACTIC CONTROVERSY! Computational astrophysicist Jorge Moreno talks with fellow astronomer and Short Wave's Scientist in Residence Regina G. Barber about how these new findings are stirring up controversy in the scientific community and the lessons we can learn from galaxies.

Why the earliest galaxies are sparking drama and controversy among astronomers

Listen · 13:04
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Friday

Everything you need to know about the latest COVID booster

Experts say the new COVID boosters are a much closer match to currently circulating variants than prior vaccines and boosters. JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images

Short Wave

Everything you need to know about the latest COVID booster

This week, the Food and Drug Administration approved new COVID vaccines this week. It comes at a time when COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise. It's also the first time that the federal government is not paying for the vaccines. Given this confluence of events, we huddled with our colleagues, intrepid health correspondents Maria Godoy and Rob Stein. They gave us the lowdown on the CDC's recommendations for who should get it, how protective the booster is, how to access it regardless of your insurance status—and even how time this booster with other vaccines that may be on your radar.

Everything you need to know about the latest COVID booster

Listen · 12:35
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Thursday

Medical Treatments

What to know about the new COVID-19 booster

As COVID-19 cases rise in U.S., new boosters have started to arrive at pharmacies this week. Here's how protective the latest booster is, who should get it and how to schedule it with other vaccines.

What to know about the new COVID-19 booster

Listen · 8:00
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Monday

This could soon be a first-of-its-kind marine sanctuary

For more than decade, members of the Chumash tribe have led a campaign to create a new marine sanctuary on the central California coast. It could include waters off Point Conception, a sacred site for the Chumash people. Robert Schwemmer/NOAA hide caption

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Robert Schwemmer/NOAA

Short Wave

This could soon be a first-of-its-kind marine sanctuary

More than 5,000 square miles of central California coast could soon become the newest national marine sanctuary in the United States. It could also make history as one of the first federal sanctuaries to be initiated by a Native American tribe—the Chumash—and become part of a growing movement to give tribes a say over the lands and waters that were once theirs. NPR climate reporter Lauren Sommer dives into the details with host Regina G. Barber, touching on ocean science, heritage and what's in a name.

This could soon be a first-of-its-kind marine sanctuary

Listen · 10:46
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Friday

What to know about the link between air pollution and superbugs
Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Short Wave

What to know about the link between air pollution and superbugs

Today on the show, All Things Considered co-host Ari Shapiro joins Aaron Scott and Regina G. Barber for our science roundup. They talk about how antibiotic resistance may spread through particulate air pollution, magnetically halted black holes and how diversified farms are boosting biodiversity in Costa Rica.

What to know about the link between air pollution and superbugs

Listen · 9:31
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Thursday

Science

Airborne antibiotic resistance, farms supporting biodiversity and how black holes eat

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Short Wave hosts Regina Barber and Aaron Scott about antibiotic resistance spreading through air, how farms can support biodiversity, and the eating habits of black holes.

Airborne antibiotic resistance, farms supporting biodiversity and how black holes eat

Listen · 8:03
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Wednesday

Recurring UTIs: The infection we keep secretly getting

Globally, there are more than 400 million UTIs a year. This illustration depicts the most common kind of UTI—bladder (blue) inflammation caused by E. coli (red). TUMEGGY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library hide caption

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TUMEGGY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library

Short Wave

Recurring UTIs: The infection we keep secretly getting

Have frequent, burning pee? Cramping or the urge to pee even though you just went? If you haven't yet, you probably will eventually—along with an estimated 60% of women and 10% of men. That's the large slice of the population that experiences a urinary tract infections (UTI) at least once. Many people avoid talking about these infections, but about one in four women experience recurring UTIs. No matter what they do, the infections come back, again and again. So today on the show, Regina G. Barber takes producer Rachel Carlson on a tour of the urinary tract. We zoom into what recurring UTIs may have to do with changes on the DNA of our bladder cells and the hidden bacterial houses in our bladder walls.

Recurring UTIs: The infection we keep secretly getting

Listen · 13:35
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Monday

How heat can take a deadly toll on humans

NASA reports July 2023 as the hottest month on record. David McNew/Getty Images/David McNew hide caption

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David McNew/Getty Images/David McNew

Short Wave

How heat can take a deadly toll on humans

This year, the hottest July ever was recorded — and parts of the country were hit with heat waves that lasted for weeks. Heat is becoming increasingly lethal as climate change causes more extreme heat. So in today's encore episode, we're exploring heat. NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer talks with Short Wave host Regina G. Barber about how the human body copes with extended extreme heat and how today's heat warning systems could better protect the public. If you can, stay cool out there this Labor Day, dear Short Wavers.

How heat can take a deadly toll on humans

Listen · 10:49
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Wednesday

'Speedboat epidemiology': How smallpox was eradicated one person at a time

In 1975, a smallpox eradication team volunteer vaccinates a woman living in a Bangladeshi settlement known as a "basti." (Stanley O. Foster/CDC/WHO) Stanley O. Foster/CDC/WHO hide caption

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Stanley O. Foster/CDC/WHO

Short Wave

'Speedboat epidemiology': How smallpox was eradicated one person at a time

Smallpox is a deadly virus. At one point, it killed almost 1 in 3 people who had it. Almost 300 million of those deaths were in the 20th century alone. It was extremely painful, highly contagious and many people thought it would be impossible to wipe out—until it was.

'Speedboat epidemiology': How smallpox was eradicated one person at a time

Listen · 12:30
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