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.

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.

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the ocean floor. Scientists and environmentalists worry it could harm an ecosystem we don't know much about.

President Trump signed an order Thursday aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the ocean floor. Scientists and environmental groups say it could harm a fragile ecosystem.

(Image credit: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research)

Spring means more people hitting biking and hiking trails. But trail advocates say a Trump administration review of grants made under President Biden puts active transportation projects at risk.

Despite improvements in air quality in past decades, 156 million Americans still breathe in too much soot or ozone, says the annual State of the Air report from the American Lung Association.

(Image credit: ETIENNE LAURENT)

A lawsuit alleges the Trump administration violated the free-speech rights of nonprofits and municipalities that have had federal funding for climate and environmental projects frozen or cancelled.

(Image credit: BRYAN DOZIER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)

A fish walks into a pharmacy ... well, not exactly. Fish aren't being prescribed anti-anxiety drugs. But they are experiencing the effects. Researchers have found more than 900 different pharmaceutical ingredients in rivers and streams around the world, though they're not yet sure how this could change the behavior of fish and other aquatic animals in the wild.
"We can't, you know, dump a bunch of pharmaceuticals into the river," says Jack Brand, biologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Instead, Jack's team did the next best thing – with some surprising results.

This episode was reported by NPR science correspondent Jon Lambert. Check out more of his reporting.

Want to hear more stories about animal behavior? Email us and let us know 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.

Thirty artists release songs with nature sounds to generate royalties for nature conservation in second annual United Nations Earth Day mixtape.

(Image credit: Poyenchen, Andrew Quinn)

The United Nations is launching a second annual Earth Day mixtape on Spotify on Tuesday featuring artists using sounds from nature to generate streaming royalties for conservation efforts.

Welcome!! This is the first episode of Nature Quest, a monthly Short Wave segment that answers listener questions about your local environment. This month, we hear from a listener in California who's concerned that the flowers in his neighborhood are blooming way, way earlier. Is that normal? And is climate change the culprit? Short Wavers Emily Kwong and Hannah Chinn investigate.

Got a question about changes in your local environment? Send a voice memo to shortwave@npr.org with your name, where you live and your question. We might make it into our next Nature Quest episode!

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.

(Image credit: Beata Whitehead)

At a time when communities feel fractured, here's a look at online communities taking a pragmatic approach to changing the world for the better.

(Image credit: Igor Dudkovskiy)

The Trump administration is reinterpreting a key word in the Endangered Species Act that could have big consequences for the habitats of species at risk.

(Image credit: Greg Vaughn / VWPics)

After being hunted to near extinction, wolves have made a population comeback in recent decades with the help of conservation efforts. Now, the country with the most wolves in Europe is Italy. Our correspondent in Rome set's out for the Italian forest with an organization that takes small groups to try to see wolves in the wild.

(Image credit: Paolo Picciotto)

Following a lithium-ion battery fire at the Moss Landing plant in Monterey County in California, communities nationwide are expressing concerns about hosting similar plants.

The president signed four executive orders to reverse the trend away from coal-fired electricity in the U.S., but there's little economic incentive for utilities to bring it back when natural gas is so much cheaper.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

Following a lithium-ion battery fire at the Moss Landing plant in Monterey County in California, communities nationwide are expressing concerns about hosting similar plants.

Four new executive orders aimed at reviving coal mines include plans to keep coal fired power plants open even if companies operating them want to close.

Prosecutors say the operation was aimed at gathering information to foil lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry over damage communities have faced from climate change.

(Image credit: John Minchillo/AP)

Plants are blooming right now – and so are people's allergies. And if it feels like those pesky symptoms are getting worse ... you're probably right. Wednesday, a review published in the journal The Laryngoscope looked at the link between climate change and increasing rates of allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. So today, we turn back to a classic Short Wave episode from Brit Hanson and Maddie Sofia, who spoke to allergy expert Dr. Juanita Mora about some quick tips for managing seasonal allergies.

Want more of the science behind your health questions? Send us an email 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.

(Image credit: Roy Morsch)

Riverbank stabilization, lead and asbestos contamination are just some of the projects tribes planned to address before the Trump administration froze funds.

(Image credit: Mark Ralston)