Regina G. Barber
Stories
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Elephant seals, fog harvesting and the brain science behind sugar cravings
This week's Short Wave news roundup covers harvesting drinking water from fog, what elephant seals reveal about fish populations in the deep ocean, and why there's always room for dessert.
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Scientists may have discovered 'dark oxygen' being created without photosynthesis
It has long been understood that photosynthesis creates oxygen, but researchers believe they've found oxygen being created in parts of the ocean with no light.
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This week in science: baobab trees, lizard-inspired building and stretching eyeballs
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about the origins of baobab trees, lizard-inspired construction, and why outside play is beneficial for kids' eyesight.
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Taylor Swift joked that 'jet lag is a choice.' A sleep expert has thoughts about that
Plus, six tips on how to stay alert and minimize sluggishness when traveling rapidly across multiple time zones.
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Venus and Earth used to look like 'twin' planets. What happened?
Earth, Mars and Venus all looked pretty similar when they first formed. Today, Mars is dry, cold, and dusty; Venus has a hot, crushing atmosphere. Why did these sibling planets turn out so different?
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This week in science: biodegradable plastic, crops on Mars and deer vs. caribou
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about biodegradable plastic, simulating growing crops on Mars, and how deer are disrupting caribou populations.
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Our Sun probably has a bunch of siblings
Stars are born in clusters. Some stay together as binaries, some drift apart and some are violently thrown out of the family. The Pleiades are young clustered blue stars being born from dust and gas.
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This week in science: Clever chickadees, smiling robots and haiku's most popular bugs
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Regina Barber and Rachel Carlson of Short Wave about chickadees with awesome memories, grinning robots, and the bugs most commonly found in haiku.
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This week in science: shared rhythm, electric fish and a methane-tracking satellite
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Regina Barber and Anil Oza about rhythms and the brain, how electric fish sense their environment, and a new methane-detecting satellite.
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Checking your 2024 horoscope? Astronomy explains why your sign might have changed
Our view of the constellations has changed since they were first mapped thousands of years ago. That new perspective could also mess with your astrological horoscope in the new year.
