A look at the sea slug utility belt, from solar power to stealing stings

NPR | By Emily Kwong,

Madeline K. Sofia, Brit Hanson, Viet Le

Published May 8, 2024 at 10:41 AM EDT

Emily gets super nerdy with former host Maddie Sofia get as they dive into the incredible world of nudibranchs in this encore episode. Not only are these sea slugs eye-catching for their colors, some of them have evolved to "steal" abilities from other organisms — from the power of photosynthesis to the stinging cells of their venomous predators. These sea slugs are going to blow your mind!

You can email Short Wave at shortwave@npr.org.

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Emily Kwong

Emily Kwong (she/her) is the founding reporter and now co-host for Short Wave. Emily is also the host and co-creator of Inheriting.

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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.

See stories by Madeline K. Sofia

Brit Hanson

Brit Hanson (she/her) is a producer for NPR's science podcast, Short Wave. The podcast explores new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes. She's produced episodes ranging from why some fruit ripens faster in paper bag to the dangers of tear gas during a respiratory pandemic and the evolution of HIV treatment.

Viet Le

Viet Le is a senior producer at The Indicator from Planet Money, NPR's daily economics podcast.