Madeline K. Sofia
Madeline Sofia is the host of Short Wave — NPR's daily science podcast. Short Wave will bring a little science into your life, all in about 10 minutes. Sometimes it'll be a good story, a smart conversation, or a fun explainer, but it'll always be interesting and easy to understand. It's a break from the relentless news cycle, but you'll still come away with a better understanding of the world around you.
Before hosting Short Wave, Sofia hosted the NPR video show "Maddie About Science." The show takes viewers behind the scenes with scientists, revealing their motivations and sharing their research — from insect mimics to space probes headed for the sun. Sofia also co-developed the worldwide NPR Scicommers program, which supports scientists interested in building their communication skills.
Before working at NPR, Sofia received her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Rochester Medical Center. She studied Vibrio cholerae, a fascinating bacterium that has haunted the human race.
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When it comes to hair-raising experiences, why do some of us cower while others can't get enough? Ken Carter, an expert on adrenaline junkies, reveals what makes them tick. -
Nalini Nadkarni was one of the first people to study the canopy — the part of trees just above the forest floor to the top branches. Her discoveries have helped shape our understanding of forests. -
You can often find ecologist Nalini Nadkarni up in trees. She studies this unexplored ecosystem of the rain forest — the canopy. It's the world above the forest floor, all the way to the treetops.
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Studying active volcanoes can be dangerous, which is why a group of scientists from around the world came together to simulate volcanic blasts. What they're learning will help them at a real eruption.
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Self-driving cars may be the future of transportation. But if they are going to share the road with humans, they have to learn how people behave behind the wheel.
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The sun is responsible for all life on Earth, but we still have a lot to learn about it. So this summer, NASA is sending the Parker Solar Probe closer to the sun than we have ever been before.
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Insects are nature's masters of disguise. Take a backstage tour of the largest insect collection in America to experience nature's most convincing mimics.
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Finally getting out from under the flu? Just because you're feeling better doesn't mean you can't get other people sick. You can spread the flu for longer than you might think.
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Ayanna Howard was 27 when she headed her first team at NASA. She talks about feeling like an outsider, and discovering that diversity drives innovation.
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Hahna Alexander initially invented a shoe that could charge a battery, but no one wanted to use it. "You have to invent something that people can't live without," she says.
