Short Wave

Why Drones Are Catching Whale Breaths

December 26, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Scientists are using drones to non-invasively collect exhaled whale breaths in the Arctic to study the presence of pathogens like cetacean morbilivirus, which is crucial for monitoring whale health and potential zoonotic disease spread. 
  • Research suggests that swearing can temporarily increase physical performance and pain tolerance by silencing the behavioral inhibition system, leading to a state of 'state disinhibition' where individuals are freer to push themselves. 
  • The beak shape of Dark-eyed juncos in urban environments (Los Angeles) rapidly evolved to be shorter and stubbier when human activity provided easy food waste, reverting to longer, slender beaks when campus closures reduced that resource, demonstrating rapid evolutionary response to human activity. 

Segments

NPR Pledge Drive Intro
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:15)
  • Key Takeaway: NPR relies on listener support, especially following federal funding losses, to maintain editorial independence and produce science programming like Short Wave.
  • Summary: Host Emily Kwong introduced a message regarding the end of the year and the need for listener support to sustain NPR and its local stations. Supporters signing up for NPR Plus receive perks like bonus episodes. This support is framed as investing in a public service that matters.
Drone Whale Breath Sampling
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Drones equipped with Petri dishes successfully captured exhaled whale breaths in the Arctic, detecting respiratory viruses like cetacean morbilivirus in asymptomatic humpbacks for the first time in that far north.
  • Summary: Scientists used drones to collect whale blows via an attached Petri dish as whales surfaced to breathe through their blowholes. This non-invasive method allowed detection of cetacean morbilivirus in asymptomatic humpback whales near Norway and Iceland in 2023. This data helps scientists monitor infection rates, understand pathogen dynamics, and assess how stressors like climate change affect whale health.
Psychology of Swearing
Copied to clipboard!
(00:05:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Repeating a swear word during physical exertion significantly increased the duration participants could hold a chair push-up compared to repeating a neutral word, suggesting swearing promotes ‘state disinhibition.’
  • Summary: Swearing is described as a drug-free means of self-help linked to improved physical performance. Researchers theorize that breaking social taboos via swearing quiets the behavioral inhibition system, allowing individuals to push themselves harder. Participants holding a swear word during a chair push-up test held their weight longer and reported increased self-confidence and positive emotion.
Rapid Bird Beak Evolution
Copied to clipboard!
(00:08:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Dark-eyed juncos nesting on the UCLA campus exhibited rapid evolutionary change in beak morphology, shifting from short/stumpy to long/slender beaks during COVID lockdowns and reverting once campus activity resumed.
  • Summary: Juncos in the wildlands near LA typically have longer, slender beaks, while city juncos usually have shorter, stubbier beaks suited for urban food waste. During the 2021-2022 COVID lockdowns, juncos hatched with longer beaks, suggesting the lack of human activity favored the wild-type morphology. The beaks shifted back to the stubbier form once campus reopened, demonstrating evolution occurring over just two years.
Episode Wrap-up and Credits
Copied to clipboard!
(00:10:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners interested in more science news can follow Short Wave, and Juana Summers hosts the NPR podcast ‘Consider This.’
  • Summary: The hosts thanked guest Juana Summers and directed listeners to her show, ‘Consider This.’ Production credits were listed for the episode, including producers, editors, and audio engineers. Listeners were encouraged to follow Short Wave for more science stories.