Emily Kwong
Emily Kwong (she/her) is the reporter for NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. The podcast explores new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, Monday through Friday.
Prior to working at NPR, Kwong was a reporter and host at KCAW-Sitka, a community radio station in Sitka, Alaska. She covered local government and politics, culture and general assignments, chasing stories onto fishing boats and up volcanoes. Her work earned multiple awards from the Alaska Press Club and Alaska Broadcasters Association. Prior to that, Kwong produced youth media with WNYC's Radio Rookies and The Modern Story in Hyderabad, India.
Kwong won the "Best New Artist" award in 2013 from the Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition for a story about a Maine journalist learning to speak with an electrolarynx. She was the 2018 "Above the Fray" Fellow, reporting a series for NPR on climate change and internal migration in Mongolia.
Kwong earned her bachelor's degree at Columbia University in 2012. She learned the finer points of cutting tape at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in 2013.
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Is there a way for scientists to tell how long a person's immunity will last? A team at Stanford Medicine might have found a way to do just that — with the help of some of the cells found in our bone marrow. -
NPR's Juana Summers talks with Jessica Yung and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about the physics of hula hooping, why some vaccines last longer than others, and a few moon launches to watch for in 2025.
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Fluoridating the public water supply has been common practice for nearly 80 years in the U.S. It's an acclaimed public health intervention that helps prevent cavities. For just as long, some have raised concerns about the practice that can veer from evidence-based to unsubstantiated conspiracy. -
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Emily Kwong and Jessica Yung about hearing regeneration in fish and lizards, cures for the loneliness epidemic, and the secrets of a radiation-resistant microorganism.
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Centuries ago, Southwest tribal nations tended vast orchards of peach trees. But in 1863, thousands of those trees were cut down by the United States government when it ordered the Diné to leave their land as part of the Long Walk. Horticulturalist Reagan Wtysalucy wants to bring that those Southwest peaches back. Want to hear more Indigenous science? Email us at shortwave@npr.org to let us know!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. -
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Emily Kwong and Jessica Yung of Short Wave about ancient evidence of hot water on Mars, indigenous people's cultivation of hazelnuts, and an inauspicious fish sighting.
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Monarch butterfly populations have plummeted due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. In early December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is going to decide whether the monarch should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. If that comes to pass, the migratory butterfly would be one of the most widespread species to receive this listing. -
NPR's podcast Short Wave brings the stories of a newly identified deep sea creature, the benefits of exercise for healing our nervous system and science-backed tips for holiday eating.
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NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about the oldest known tadpole, new proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem, and the evolutionary roots of alcohol consumption.
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Humans have seen a significant increase in life expectancy over the past 200 years — but not in overall lifespan. Nobody on record has lived past 122 years. So, for this early Halloween episode, host Regina G. Barber asks: Why do we age and why do we die? Microbiologist Venki Ramakrishnan explains some of the mechanisms inside of our bodies that contribute to our decay — and tells us if it's possible to intervene in the process. Curious about other biology news? Email us at shortwave@npr.org and we might cover your topic on a future episode!
