Shows / The Pulse
The Pulse
Go on an adventure into unexpected corners of the health and science world each week with award-winning host Maiken Scott. The Pulse takes you behind the doors of operating rooms, into the lab with some of the world's foremost scientists, and back in time to explore life-changing innovations. The Pulse delivers stories in ways that matter to you, and answers questions you never knew you had.
Episodes
The PulseHow to 'Engineer' Your Dreams and End Nightmares
How do our dreams connect to health, and how could “dream engineering” help people get over nightmares? Researcher Michelle Carr writes about that in her new…
The PulseHow Chatbots Make Us Feel
Chatbots don’t have feelings of their own, but they’ve been stirring plenty of emotions in us humans. On this episode, we explore how AI is making us feel, and…
The PulseHow Veterans Find Healing After War
On this Veterans Day episode, we explore the invisible wounds of war — and the different paths veterans take to heal them. We talk with a Marine Corps vet…
The PulseCybercrime and How Hackers Prey on Human Nature
Cybercrime has been around for as long as computers have — but over the past 20 years, it's exploded into a global threat, with staggering financial…
The PulseCoca-Cola and a Secret Research Operation Meant to Exonerate Sugar
Coca-Cola is launching a cane sugar version of its classic soda in the U.S. after President Donald Trump urged a switch from high fructose corn syrup. The…
The PulseSearching for Ghosts: The Quest to Prove the Paranormal
Ghosts seem far out of the realm of science. But small groups of investigators remain committed to proving — or disproving — the existence of paranormal…
The PulseInside the Boom of Urgent Care: How It’s Changing American Medicine
If it feels like urgent care centers are everywhere these days — that’s because they are. Over the past decade, they’ve exploded in popularity, offering a…
The PulseHow David Fajgenbaum Found His Own Treatment & Launched Every Cure
What if treatments or even cures for devastating rare diseases already existed — and were just waiting to be discovered? On this podcast extra, we dive into…
The PulseFinding Focus in the Age of Distraction
We often think of digital distractions, from TikTok to newsfeeds, as a way of giving our brains a break. But in reality, they could be doing the opposite. We…
The PulseThe Search for the Golden Toad and Other Adventures in the Wild
Many adventurers and researchers feel the call of the wild — a force tugging them to explore, climb distant mountains, venture into faraway forests, and…
The PulseLessons on Weight Loss from ‘The Biggest Loser’
In its heyday, “The Biggest Loser” was one of the biggest shows on TV. But now, nine years after it went off the air, a Netflix docuseries and new book by…
The PulseThe Science and Beauty of Muscles
Most of us take our muscles for granted, but they play a bigger role in our physical and mental health than most people realize. On this encore episode, we…
The PulseThe Science of Attraction and Dating
When we see surprising couples, like Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, we can’t help but wonder what brought them together. In this podcast extra, we explore…
The PulseMars Mania: How America Became Obsessed with Mars
We think of Martians as belonging to the realm of sci-fi — but in the early 1900s, a radical idea swept the nation, scientists included: that Martians weren’t…
The PulseWhy It’s Time to Rethink Productivity
It seems like we’re all constantly striving to be more productive — to find the right hacks or systems or habits that will allow us to squeeze more from our…
The PulseBack to School in a Rapidly Changing World
It’s back-to-school time, which, for millions of families across the country, means a return to bedtimes, shopping for school supplies, and frantic efforts by…
The PulseHow Scientists Discovered Legionnaires' Disease
In the summer of 1976, when 2,000 people came to Philadelphia for a national convention of the American Legion, a strange illness gripped hundreds of…
The PulseProtecting the People Who Grow Our Food
Farming is a tough gig — physically, and mentally. And it’s only gotten harder in recent years, with the impact of climate change and a shifting political and…
The PulseHow Noise Affects Our Health
We live in a noisy world — from the din of busy restaurants, to the roar of traffic, to the clamor of partying neighbors. We’ll explore what researchers are…
The PulseI Survived — Now What?
On this episode, we explore the stories of people who survived extraordinary trials, from life-threatening illnesses to assault, and ask what came after…
The PulseWhen Organ Donation Goes Wrong
More than a hundred thousand people in the U.S. are on the national transplant list waiting for a life-saving organ. Hospitals across the country transplant…
- The Pulse
Untangling Shame and Its Effects On Our Health
Shame has a way of making us feel alone — like we’re the only ones in the world struggling with something. It can make us withdraw or feel depressed, out of…
- The Pulse
The Inner Workings of the Oceans
What comes to mind when you think of the ocean? Maybe a day at the beach — swimming in the waves, snorkeling through coral reefs, fishing, surfing, and sunsets…
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Finding Your Body’s Sleep Rhythm
We often think of sleep as the gas that keeps us running. We refuel at night — or whenever we can — run around all day until our tanks are empty, and then do…
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The Big Chill and the Future of Refrigeration
We’ve only been able to harness the cold for our benefit for a little over 100 years, but innovations like refrigeration and air conditioning have completely…
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Inside the Dramatic Race to Decode the Human Genome
Twenty-five years ago, President Bill Clinton announced a historic achievement: The completion of the first-ever survey of the human genome. The ceremony…
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Why Friends Are Good for Your Brain
Friends make us laugh, they have our back, we share memories and stories. Beyond that, scientists are learning that friendships are key in keeping us healthy…
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Why We’re Hardwired for Revenge
When someone wrongs us, getting revenge can feel like the only right move — the only way for us to balance the scales, to set the world right again. But the…
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Exploring the Secrets of Human Creativity
Creativity plays a role in every facet of our lives, from childhood education, to everyday problem-solving, to the artistic works we enjoy and the innovations…
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Sharks — From Fear to Fascination
Before dinosaurs, before trees — even before Saturn had its rings – there were sharks. The fierce predators have been swimming in our oceans for hundreds of…
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What It Takes to Prove the Truth
We all want the truth — but how exactly do we know when something's true? Often, the answer relates to evidence or proof, something capable of convincing us…
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Cybercrime and How Hackers Prey on Human Nature
Cybercrime has been around for as long as computers have — but over the past 20 years, it's exploded into a global threat, with staggering financial…
- The Pulse
Lightening the Load of Motherhood
We often hear about the joys of motherhood — the incomparable sense of love, the magic of watching your kids discover the world, and the fulfillment of seeing…
- The Pulse
The Life-Changing Power of Lifting Weights
For a long time, weightlifting was relegated to the realm of muscle heads — but today, it's popular among people of all ages and fitness levels. On this…
- The Pulse
50 Years Later: The Lasting Impact of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War changed the world — and the lives of millions of people, who remain scarred by the traumas they experienced. On this episode, we mark the 50th…
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Finding Strength and Beauty in Muscles
As the doors of the Vatican were opening, Bonnie Tsui sprinted through the galleries to the Sistine Chapel. She wanted to experience Michelangelo's frescoes…
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Loneliness and How to Rekindle Social Connection
Over the past few years, public health experts have been sounding the alarm over a growing and potentially deadly epidemic: loneliness. On this episode, we…
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The Rise of YouTube and How It's Changed Our Lives
On this episode, we mark the 20th anniversary of YouTube with an exploration of how the video-streaming platform has transformed everything from global pop…
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In Search of Work-Life Balance
Our jobs can provide us with a sense of identity, connection, and meaning — but they can also feel like a never-ending to-do list that gets in the way of…
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Biomimicry: What Nature Can Teach us about Engineering and Design
How does nature make durable materials like corals and seashells without a heat or a kiln? How do peacock feathers get their beautiful colors? Scientists are…
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The Mystery of Consciousness
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Terri Schiavo's death. She was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, but family…
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Why the Internet Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself
We all have digital footprints — unique trails of data based on our online activities that corporations use to predict our behavior and influence our choices…
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How the Way We Look Affects the Way We Feel
When we don't like how we look, or are hypercritical about our appearance, it can really do a number on our mental health. On this episode, we explore the…
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(Mis)Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder
For more than 15 years, bipolar disorder defined Abigail Kafka's life. Abigail was heavily medicated, unable to work, or have a social life. Then a therapy…
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Ripple Effects
We trace the ripple effects of both scientific breakthroughs and public health disasters — understanding the long-term consequences of decisions and events —…
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Pushing for Change
Whether we're talking about something as small as our work habits, or as big as public health policy, change can be tough. It requires energy, courage and…
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Meeting Your Match: Navigating the World of Modern Dating
Ahead of Valentine's Day, we explore the modern world of dating — and why so many people are frustrated with it. We talk with a behavioral scientist and dating…
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Finding your 'Sleep Groove'
In college, Olivia Walch was a self-described "sleep deprivation cowboy." She would go days with only 3 to 4 hours of sleep and then binge sleep at other…
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The DIY Medicine Movement
DIY culture is all about teaching yourself new skills to do things on your own. But what happens when the DIY approach extends to something as complicated as…
- The Pulse
Beyond Human Conversation
Humans have long dreamed of communicating with other species, from plants and animals to extraterrestrials. On this episode, we explore different efforts to…
- The Pulse
What It Takes To Build The Future
We often think of the future as some unknowable horizon, fueled by sudden discoveries and inventions — but in reality, the future is constantly being created…
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Origin Stories and How We Become Who We Are
Great origin stories aren't only for superheroes or villains in movies and comic books, lots of fascinating tales shed light on how places or people got their…
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The Science Behind the Healing Power of Music
You've heard that music is the language of the soul — but could it also be a treatment for the body? On this reissued episode, we explore the latest science on…
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First Responders and the Toll on Their Health
We turn to first responders for help during emergencies. We expect them to stay calm and cool, and to know exactly what to do. In scary, dangerous, or…
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Why We're All So Outraged
When we're feeling morally outraged — over politics, global conflicts, or violence, like the recent murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson — what's at…
- The Pulse
Parrot or Prophet: How AI is Shaping Language
For thousands of years, we've thought of language as one of the key features that makes humans unique. But with the rapid evolution of large language models…
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When Being 'Gifted' No Longer Feels Like a Gift
What does it mean to be 'gifted'? Who qualifies and how should we teach and treat gifted children? And, where do the limits of their talents lie? On this…
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Thanksgiving Disasters — And How to Avoid Them
Thanksgiving is a lovely holiday — a time for food, family, and counting our blessings. But let's face it: The festivities don't always go as planned. On this…