The comet 3I/ATLAS is taking a long holiday journey this year. It’s visiting from another solar system altogether. Those interstellar origins have the Internet rumor mill questioning whether 3I/ATLAS came from aliens. Co-hosts Emily Kwong and Regina G. Barber dive into that, plus what it and other interstellar comets can tell us about planets beyond our solar system.
Read more of NPR’s coverage of 3I/ATLAS. Also, if you liked this episode, check out our episodes on:
- the physics in the film Interstellar
- why Pluto is still helpful for learning how our solar system formed
Interested in more space science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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NPR's Book of the Day - John Fetterman on his new memoir, his mental health, and disagreements with his party
When Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) won Pennsylvania’s Senate seat in 2022, Democrats saw him as a symbol of a new direction during the Trump era. Three years later, things are very different. His new memoir, Unfettered, discusses his mental health struggles, the stroke he suffered in 2022 and his relationship with the left. In today’s episode, Fetterman speaks with NPR’s Scott Detrow about the book and some of his disagreements with fellow Democrats.
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Consider This from NPR - Did the U.S. commit a war crime in the Caribbean?
More than 80 people have now been killed by U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats.
There are growing questions about an order to kill two of those people — whether it amounts to a war crime.
Here’s what we know: on September 2, the U.S. carried out two strikes on a boat in the Caribbean. The second, subsequent strike killed two remaining survivors.
Details of that second strike were first reported by The Washington Post last week.
Today, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “authorized” Admiral Frank Bradley to conduct both strikes, and that Admiral Bradley issued the order and, quote — “worked well within his authority and the law.”
But on Capitol Hill, both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees are asking for a full accounting.
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.
This episode was produced by Vincent Acovino and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Jay Czys. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
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State of the World from NPR - Rebuilding Smarter in Jamaica
A month ago, Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica as a category five— one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall in the Atlantic. Scientists agree that Melissa was made stronger by climate change. We meet some Jamaicans that are wondering how to rebuild smarter for the possibility that another powerful storm may hit in the future.
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1A - ‘If You Can Keep It’: The Former Feds Running For Office
Over 210,000 federal workers left their jobs this year because of the Trump administration.
That’s according to the Partnership for Public Service Harms Tracker. For many, it’s meant walking away from, or being pushed out of, a decades-long commitment to public service.
And one trend that’s emerging? Fired or laid-off former federal employees and contractors are running for public office.
We feature the voices of several former federal workers to hear why they see politics as the next step, especially after being forced out of jobs that were always meant to stay apolitical. What does it mean for the future health of our democracy?
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That’s according to the Partnership for Public Service Harms Tracker. For many, it’s meant walking away from, or being pushed out of, a decades-long commitment to public service.
And one trend that’s emerging? Fired or laid-off former federal employees and contractors are running for public office.
We feature the voices of several former federal workers to hear why they see politics as the next step, especially after being forced out of jobs that were always meant to stay apolitical. What does it mean for the future health of our democracy?
Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Up First from NPR - National Guard Shooting & Immigration, Venezuela Latest, Ukraine Negotiations
The White House is moving swiftly to tighten legal immigration reviews after two National Guard members were shot in Washington, D.C. last week, escalating scrutiny on asylum seekers, green card holders and refugees already living in the U.S.
U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean are under growing scrutiny, as some lawmakers warn one attack may constitute a war crime.
And Ukraine enters a new round of negotiations without its top negotiator, after a corruption scandal forces out President Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean are under growing scrutiny, as some lawmakers warn one attack may constitute a war crime.
And Ukraine enters a new round of negotiations without its top negotiator, after a corruption scandal forces out President Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Tara Neill, Miguel Macias, Mohamad ElBardicy and Lisa Thompson.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
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NPR's Book of the Day - A new book looks to the writings of Renaissance-era nuns for advice on life today
Modern life can make it tempting to return to simpler times, like a 16th-century Spanish convent. In the new book Convent Wisdom, academics Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita look to the writings of Renaissance-era nuns for insights to apply to modern dilemmas. In today’s episode, the co-authors speak with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about the backstory behind the project and what makes these nuns of the past relevant today.
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The Indicator from Planet Money - Why the US chose not to have a passenger train system like Europe
Why can't the US be like Europe, Japan or India—countries that all have extensive passenger train systems? On today's show, why the US chose not to. We learn why, despite this, US railroads could still be worth bragging about.
Related episodes:
What happens when railroads get hitched
How three letters reinvented the railroad business
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.
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Short Wave - Who Should Track Their Blood Sugar?
Prediabetes is common in the U.S. — around 1 in 3 people have it. And many people may not know they have it. But last year, the FDA approved the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor. Since then, more people without diabetes have started checking their blood glucose levels. Diabetologist and University of California, San Francisco professor of medicine Dr. Sarah Kim shares the science behind blood glucose with host Emily Kwong.
Check out more of NPR’s coverage about continuous glucose monitors.
Interested in more science of the human body? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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Check out more of NPR’s coverage about continuous glucose monitors.
Interested in more science of the human body? Email us your question 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.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Consider This from NPR - Is MAHA influencing health policy?
At the recent Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, summit - which was attended by the U.S. Secretary of Health and the Vice President - the agenda showed a shift toward alternative medicine, wellness and nutrition and away from conventional medication. Most of the speakers were not academic researchers or doctors. To discuss what happens when government guidance moves away from scientific consensus, Miles Parks speaks with Dr. Sandro Galea, a Distinguished Professor in Public Health, and Dean of the Washington University School of Public Health in St Louis, Missouri.
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.This episode was produced by Avery Keatley and Jordan-Marie Smith. It was edited by Ahmad Damen. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
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