The Pulse
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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 Pu...
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How 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 div...
Finding 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 oppos...
The 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, a...
Lessons 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 bo...
The 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 episod...
The 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 e...
Mars 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...
Why 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 fr...
Back 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 ef...
How 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...
Protecting 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 poli...
How 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 researche...
I 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 aft...
When 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 tran...
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,...
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, an...
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...
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 com...
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 cerem...
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...
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. B...
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 inn...
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 hundr...
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 convinc...
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,...
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 o...
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 th...
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...
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 fr...
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 episod...
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 globa...
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...
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? Scienti...
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...
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...
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...
(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 th...
Ripple Effects
We trace the ripple effects of both scientific breakthroughs and public health disasters — understanding the long-term consequences of decisions and e...
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...