Short Wave - Harnessing Spineless Sea Creatures’ Superpowers

From starfish and sea slugs to jellyfish and sponges, the ocean's invertebrates are some of the most ancient and diverse critters on Earth. And so are their superpowers, as marine biologist Drew Harvell calls their unique abilities. In her new book, The Ocean's Menagerie, she chronicles the amazing abilities of some of these spineless creatures and showcases how they've inspired our science and medicine.

Listen to our past episode on nudibranchs — the potent slugs of the sea — HERE.

Want to hear more stories about underwater marvels? Email us and let us know at shortwave@npr.org.

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The Indicator from Planet Money - When do boycotts work?

For weeks, Target has been the subject of a boycott after its decision to pull back on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. And early data shows it's taken a toll on the company. But in other instances, boycotts haven't made much of a splash. Today on the show, when does a boycott actually make a difference?

Related episodes:
SPAM strikes back (Apple / Spotify)

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Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by
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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Are Public Schools the Supreme Court’s Next Target?

The Supreme Court is hearing two cases this month regarding religion in public schools that seem to contradict each other—a public school in Maryland where parents claim books with LGBTQ characters or themes are indoctrination, and a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma arguing it has the right to state funding. Can the court’s religion-friendly majority give them both what they want without falling afoul of the First Amendment?

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer for Slate.

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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, Ethan Oberman, Isabel Angell, and Rob Gunther.

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It Could Happen Here - The Old Economy Is Dead

Mia and Gare discuss the history of the modern economy and how the terf tariffs are going to destroy the system we live under and make our lives worse.

Sources:

https://www.versobooks.com/products/2222-carbon-democracy?srsltid=AfmBOop1btGiR59VH99WTMZMzuAgua2p9xgWyT8zbZzAhET-DEwjImqw

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-11/china-raises-tariffs-on-us-goods-to-125-in-retaliation

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/us/national/business/2025/04/11/tariffs-shipping-china-port-of-la-declines

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trans-pacific-blank-sailings-soar-as-ocean-shipments-plunge

https://gcaptain.com/massive-surge-in-transpacific-blank-sailings-amid-u-s-china-trade-tensions/

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-cargo-faces-22b-revenue-hit-when-china-tariff-exemption-ends

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/modifying-reciprocal-tariff-rates-to-reflect-trading-partner-retaliation-and-alignment/

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Good Bad Billionaire - Selena Gomez: Actress, singer, beauty mogul

Selena Gomez is one of the youngest newly minted billionaires, thanks to her Rare Beauty brand. But you likely know her from her Disney kid days on The Wizards of Waverly Place, award-winning turn in Only Murders in the Building, or as the chart-topping singer of Lose You to Love Me.

BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to Selena’s early days on Barney & Friends, through her meteoric rise to fame - and the heavy cost that came with it. From intense tabloid scrutiny and public breakups to mental health struggles and a chronic autoimmune disease. Selena then made it all very public with her documentary My Mind & Me. She’s transformed her personal struggles into a mission to destigmatize mental health issues, pledging 1% of proceeds from her Rare Beauty company to the cause.

And as you’ll find out, there’s much more to Selena Gomez’s rise, fall, and billion-dollar reinvention than the tabloids ever let on.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

The Economics of Everyday Things - 90. Closed Captions

It takes a highly skilled stenographer — and some specialized equipment — to transcribe TV dialogue in real time at 300 words per minute. Will A.I. rewrite the script? Zachary Crockett tries to keep up.

 

  • SOURCES:
    • Doug Karlovits, general manager at Verbit.
    • Katie Ryan, live steno captioner at Verbit.

 

Consider This from NPR - How Canada’s national election has been largely shaped by Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have become some of the biggest issues facing Canadians as they head to the polls in their federal election on April 28th.

Scott Detrow speaks to Lloyd Axworthy, a member of the Liberal party, who served as Canada's top diplomat between 1996-2000, about the schism between the two longtime North American allies and how Canada's next prime minister can reposition the country's foreign and economic policy in the face of growing tensions with the United States.

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Consider This from NPR - How Canada’s national election has been largely shaped by Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have become some of the biggest issues facing Canadians as they head to the polls in their federal election on April 28th.

Scott Detrow speaks to Lloyd Axworthy, a member of the Liberal party, who served as Canada's top diplomat between 1996-2000, about the schism between the two longtime North American allies and how Canada's next prime minister can reposition the country's foreign and economic policy in the face of growing tensions with the United States.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

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