Announcing the NPR Student Podcast Challenge for 2026 — and a very special prize!
The annual contest for students in grades four through 12 is back for its eighth year — this time with a special prize for a podcast that marks the 250th anniversary of the United States.
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Percentage of Americans who say they drink alcohol hits record low, Gallup says
Gallup, which started tracking Americans' alcohol habits more than 80 years ago, says the drop in drinking rates coincides with Americans' growing concerns that even moderate drinking is unhealthy. -
Why every A-lister also has a side hustle
Seemingly every celebrity has their own brand these days, whether it’s booze (Cameron Diaz, Matthew McConaughey) or cosmetics (Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga) or squeezy food pouches (Jennifer Garner). Today on the show, what is fueling the celebrity business bonanza? We hear from two legendary singers, Lisa Loeb AND John Legend, who are pursuing ventures outside of show business. Related episodes: The celebrity crypto nexus The Olympian to influencer pipeline (Apple / Spotify) For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. -
The fight is on. How redistricting could unfold in 8 entangled states
State leaders in both parties say they're ready to redraw political lines ahead of 2026, but state laws and constitutions make mid-decade redistricting virtually impossible in many places. -
A new Spike Lee crime thriller and more to see this weekend
Denzel Washington stars in a loose remake of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa film High and Low. And four anthropomorphic turtles are back in theaters for an anniversary re-release. -
Why the origin of the word 'dog' remains a mystery
Although "dog" is ubiquitous today to describe man's best friend, it remains a mystery where the word originally came from. -
Inside one of the most understaffed immigration courts in the country
The Chelmsford, Mass., court has hemorrhaged judges, a consequence of the Trump administration's seemingly contradictory efforts to downsize the federal government and increase immigration arrests. -
White House calls for a 'comprehensive review' of eight Smithsonian museums
The effort is focused on bringing the organization in line with President Trump's cultural directives ahead of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations. -
This missing trait could make robots more 'human'
Neurotic, anxious robots like C-3P0 from Star Wars' C-3P0 and Marvin from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are a staple of science fiction — but they're not as common in the real world. Most of the time, the chatbots and artificial intelligence "robots" we encounter are programmed to be extraverted, confident and cheerful. But what if that changed? NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce dives into the world of robot personality research and talks to a team of researchers that are experimenting with a very different kind of robot temperament. Read more of Nell's reporting on the topic here. Interested in more science news? Let us know at 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. Love podcasts? For handpicked recommendations every Friday, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club.
