Drones, Swearing, and Bird Beaks: Three Science Stories from NPR Shortwave

Three science stories from NPR Shortwave explore how researchers study nature with cutting-edge tools, how language can influence physical performance, and how urban life can drive rapid changes in bird beaks. The episode centers on noninvasive drone sampling of whale breath to track infections, a psychology study linking swearing to increased strength and positive mood, and beak-shape changes in dark-eyed junkos tied to COVID-era campus closures.

Experts discuss implications for ocean health, human–wildlife interactions, and urban ecology, highlighting the value of noninvasive methods and the speed at which environments can shape biology.

Introduction: Three science stories from NPR Shortwave

The episode presents three distinct science stories that connect biology, behavior, and environment. The first examines how drones can safely gather whale breath to infer infection rates of cetacean morbillivirus and other pathogens. The second delves into the psychology of swearing and its link to enhanced physical performance, suggesting a mechanism of state disinhibition. The third investigates rapid beak evolution in urban junkos during the COVID pandemic, illustrating how human activity can drive quick morphological shifts in a city environment.

Whale Health Monitoring with Drones

Researchers used drones to hover over surfacing whales and collect exhaled air in petri dishes, a noninvasive sampling method intended to reveal viral infections without harming the animals. The work, conducted around Norway and Iceland starting in 2022, detected cetacean morbillivirus on samples from two groups of asymptomatic humpback whales in 2023 and from one sick-looking sperm whale in 2024. Herpes virus was also found in several groups over multiple years, while avian influenza and Brucella were not observed in this study. Lead author Elena Kosta described the approach as a first in this region and emphasized that drones are less invasive than traditional skin sampling, potentially helping scientists monitor ocean health and prevent transmission to people who interact with whales. The plan is to continue long-term monitoring to understand disease dynamics and the impact of pollutants and climate change on whale health. "drones collecting blow samples are much less invasive than taking a skin sample" - Elena Kosta, Nord University

Swearing and Physical Performance

The episode then moves to the psychology of swearing, asking how language might influence strength and emotion. In a study led by Keele University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, participants performed chair push-ups twice, once while repeating a swear word and once with a neutral word, with the order randomized. Those who swore held their body weight longer and reported higher positive affect, humor, distraction, self-confidence, and flow states, suggesting that swearing can help silence behavioral inhibition and promote disinhibition when appropriate. The host even considers using swearing strategically for personal goals, while noting it still isn’t advisable in all settings. "state disinhibition" "drones collecting blow samples are much less invasive than taking a skin sample" - Elena Kosta, Nord University

Beak Evolution in Junkos during COVID

The final story examines urban evolution in dark-eyed junkos around Los Angeles, including UCLA. Researchers found that junkos hatched in 2021–2022 near urban campus sites had longer, slender beaks similar to wildland birds, while those born after campus reopened had shorter, stubbier beaks more like pre-COVID city birds. The shift likely relates to changes in food resources when campus is crowded versus closed; longer beaks may have advantages with certain food types during closures, while shorter beaks suit a city with different feeding opportunities. An external evolutionary biologist, Alejandro Rico Guevara, cautions that rapid changes could also reflect movement of wild birds into the city, but the study nonetheless illustrates how human activity can influence evolution in real time. "it's possible that the beak changes are evolution under rapid environmental shifts, though other explanations exist" - Alejandro Rico Guevara, evolutionary biologist

Takeaways and Audience Invitation

The episode emphasizes the value of noninvasive methods for studying wildlife, the surprising ways language can shape our actions, and the speed at which urban life can steer biological change. As always, the program invites listeners to explore the science behind headlines and consider how discoveries connect to broader environmental and societal contexts.