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Short Wave

New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — in just under 15 minutes. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join hosts Emily Kwong and Regina Barber for science on a different wavelength. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org . You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Short Wave.

Episodes

Taste perception is a complex, genetically influenced sensory experience that extends far beyond the traditional five categories taught in schools. Dr. Danielle Reed, Associate Director at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, highlights that individuals inhabit distinct sensory worlds, where compounds like PTC can taste ...

Spice, Spice, Baby! Why Some Of Us Enjoy The Pain Of Spicy Foods

29 Jul 2022

14m

AI processed

Humans are among the few mammals that deliberately seek out spicy food, despite it triggering a physiological pain response identical to touching a hot surface. This sensation occurs when capsaicin binds to receptors on the trigeminal nerve, signaling the brain to initiate cooling responses like sweating and tearing. R...

TASTE BUDDIES: No Sugarcoating How Sweet Affects The Brain

28 Jul 2022

10m

AI processed

The biological mechanisms of sweetness and the physiological consequences of sugar overconsumption center on the interaction between taste receptors and the protein miraculin found in West Africa's miracle berries. Taste and smell researcher Paule Joseph demonstrates how these berries temporarily modify human sweet rec...

TASTE BUDDIES: Feeling Salty?

27 Jul 2022

14m

AI processed

Salt serves as a fundamental biological necessity and a critical culinary tool, functioning as both a flavor enhancer and a preservative. Sodium chloride, the most common form, regulates essential neurological processes and blood pressure, though excessive intake from processed foods poses significant health risks. Bey...

TASTE BUDDIES: Umami And The Redemption Of MSG

26 Jul 2022

14m

AI processed

Umami, the fifth basic taste characterized by a savory, meaty flavor, remained unrecognized by the global scientific community for nearly a century after its 1908 identification by Japanese chemist Dr. Kikunai Ikeda. While Ikeda successfully isolated glutamate from kombu seaweed, his findings faced significant hurdles ...

TASTE BUDDIES: Pucker Up! It's The Science Of Sour

25 Jul 2022

15m

AI processed

Sour taste serves as a complex evolutionary mystery, functioning as a ubiquitous sensory experience despite lacking a clear survival mandate comparable to sweet or umami. While humans perceive acidity through specialized cells in the mouth, the sensation likely originated in early vertebrates as a mechanism for detecti...