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PODCAST

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.

science

All Episodes

49:34

Beyond Anthropomorphism: The Science of Animal Emotions

The Pulse ·

2026/02/26

Do animals feel love, anger, or empathy? Researchers have long dismissed such ideas as anthropomorphism, arguing that attributing human emotions to animals was unscientific.But as we learn more about animal sentience, that’s starting to change — and, in the process, we’re learning more than ever about the complex inner lives of animals, including why we may be more alike than we once thought.On this episode, we explore what researchers have discovered about what’s really going on inside

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49:18

Revenge Feels Great — But the Cost is High

The Pulse ·

2026/02/19

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 consequences can be disastrous, especially when payback becomes an all-consuming obsession.On this encore episode, we talk with lawyer-turned-researcher James Kimmel about his book, “The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction — and How to Overcome It.” We discuss the evolutionary roots of revenge, the

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37:33

Will My Doctor Be a Bot? AI and the Future of Medicine

The Pulse ·

2026/02/18

Artificial Intelligence is already guiding surgeons in operating rooms; it’s used to read image scans or take notes during your doctor’s visit. And the pace of AI integration is only getting faster. So what will health care look like in the next 10 to 20 years? Will we consult with an AI-powered doctor before we see our primary care physician or a specialist? Will it give more patients access to cutting-edge care? On this episode; a conversation with physician Robert Wachter on the future

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49:34

Finding Your Match: The Science of Love and Attraction

The Pulse ·

2026/02/12

For those deep in the dating trenches, love and attraction can feel like uncrackable riddles. How do I make myself attractive to others? How do you know if someone’s into you? What should I look for in a partner — and how do I know if I’ve found “the one”?On this episode, we train a scientific lens on the mysteries of love. We talk with psychologist Paul Eastwick about the latest research on attraction, relationships, and finding love; learn about how dating apps are transforming the

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49:34

Closing the Gap: Improving Health Outcomes for Black...

The Pulse ·

2026/02/05

When it comes to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, and cancer, Black Americans have higher rates and worse outcomes than most other groups in the U.S. It’s a problem that’s gained growing attention over the past few decades, as public health experts have worked to untangle the causes of these disparities, and to find ways of mitigating their effects. Now those efforts face serious headwinds, with federal funding cuts and pressure against DEI measures threatening to roll

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49:34

From Buzz to Burnout: How Alcohol Affects the Brain...

The Pulse ·

2026/01/29

At the best of times, alcohol makes us feel great — relaxed and gregarious, warm and fuzzy, happy and confident. But at the worst of times, it can morph into a serious problem, damaging our relationships, our health, and our lives as a whole.As we close out Dry January, a popular movement to abstain from drinking for a month, we explore our relationship with alcohol. Why we consume it, how it affects us, and when it’s time to quit.We talk with surgeon and recovering alcoholic Charles

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37:45

Challenger at 40: How the Disaster Shaped the Future...

The Pulse ·

2026/01/26

On January 28, 1986, a frigid cold day with an icy blue sky, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The accident killed all seven crew members aboard and was the first fatal in-flight spacecraft disaster in NASA's history. For many, the explosion came as an absolute shock. Millions of people were watching live, including school children who were especially eager to catch a glimpse of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire

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57:09

Triumph, Tragedy and Ennui: Three NASA Missions That...

The Pulse ·

2026/01/22

Space exploration relies heavily on the interest of the public — the voters, and taxpayers, who are ultimately footing the bill. But that support and excitement can be fickle. When space missions go well, and deliver new insights, the payoff is cheering crowds and increased support. But when they don’t, the result can be reduced funding, canceled missions — and even deaths.That means, with each mission, the pressure is on to push boundaries, break new ground, and get everything right. Even

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49:34

The Weird Menopause Symptoms No One Ever Told You...

The Pulse ·

2026/01/15

If you go by pop culture depictions, menopause seems like no big deal — a few hot flashes, some comical bouts of hormone-fueled rage, and the “big change,” as it was once called, is over. But for many of the 2 million American women who enter menopause each year, the symptoms can be a lot more serious and long-lasting, ranging from vertigo and joint pain to brain fog and heart problems.On this episode, we take a deep dive into perimenopause and menopause – what’s going on biologically? What

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48:51

From Soy to Carbs: How Food can Ease Menopause Symptoms

The Pulse ·

2026/01/13

Capsule wardrobes have become a popular way to streamline and organize your closet — basically, paring it down to a few staple pieces that you can combine in multiple ways, and freshen up with seasonal accessories. Registered Dietitian Jenn Salib Huber says this is how women should think about nutrition during perimenopause and menopause. Rather than obsessing over calorie counts and macronutrients, they should focus on staples like soy and fish that are not only delicious but can also

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49:34

Engineering Happiness into our Daily Lives

The Pulse ·

2026/01/08

Think about the last time you were really happy — where were you? What were you doing? Who were you with? And, most importantly, how can you recreate that feeling?Happiness can feel like lightning in a bottle — beautiful in the moment, but hard to find and harder yet to sustain. So what is it that makes for a happy life? And how do we engineer our lives for greater contentment, fulfillment, and joy?On this episode: the science of happiness and how we can experience more of it every day. We

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49:34

How Noise Affects Our Health

The Pulse ·

2026/01/01

For a lot of us, noise is a constant factor — an inescapable soundtrack playing on loop in the background. Kids screaming, sirens blaring, the roar of traffic, the sounds of music, lawn mowers, construction, and so much more.We ignore it when we can, or wear headphones to block out the racket. But all that noise can actually damage our hearing and, subsequently, our overall health. On this encore episode, we explore what researchers are learning about the connections between noise, hearing

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49:34

Inside the Dramatic Race to Decode the Human Genome

The Pulse ·

2025/12/25

Twenty-five years ago, President Bill Clinton stood before a podium in the East Room of the White House, and, in front of an all-star lineup of researchers and dignitaries, made a historic announcement: After years of painstaking work, scientists had created “the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind” — the first-ever survey of the human genome.In his remarks, Clinton compared the achievement to the maps created by Lewis and Clark’s expedition into the American West —

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49:34

When Should Patients Decide for Themselves?

The Pulse ·

2025/12/18

As patients, we often wonder what our role should be when it comes to getting better. Should we research options, get second opinions, and ask lots of questions? Or should we sit back, and let the health care professionals take charge? When does it make sense to push, and when is it best to do less?On this episode, we examine our role as patients, the choices we make, and charting our path toward better health. A reporter gets a wake-up call while looking into diabetes rates among Latinos

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49:34

Searching for the Truth — and Finding Unexpected Answers

The Pulse ·

2025/12/11

In 1973, Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan published a bombshell paper called “On Being Sane in Insane Places.” In the paper, Rosenhan described faking symptoms to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and recruiting several other pseudo patients to do the same. Could staff tell they were faking? What was it like to be a patient in an institution? The “Rosenhan experiment,” as it came to be known, created a major stir, sparking public debates over the validity of psychiatric diagnoses

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50:00

Inside the Hidden Wonders of the Shrinking Arctic

The Pulse ·

2025/12/04

Over the course of 20 years, writer Neil Shea explored the awe-inspiring landscape of the Arctic. He saw narwhals poking their tusks above the water, herds of caribou moving across the tundra, and majestic white wolves raising their young. He documents this fragile beauty in his new book, “Frostlines.” We talk to Shea about his adventures, and how climate change is transforming the region.

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49:34

Why Nurturing Connection is Good for Your Health

The Pulse ·

2025/11/27

So often, our relationships take a backseat to everything else on our to-do lists — but new research shows that nurturing personal connections plays a central role in our health and well-being. On this episode, we explore the science of connection, from why it’s important, to how we can make it a priority in our lives.

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49:34

What Science Says About How Much Our Food Choices Matter

The Pulse ·

2025/11/20

Ahead of Thanksgiving, we do a deep dive into what we actually know about diet, and what we should and shouldn’t be eating. We talk with a nutrition and metabolism scientist about recent diet trends and how they affect our health, hear from several chefs about how they balance nutrition and taste, and find out how the avian flu outbreak could be affecting this year’s turkeys.

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31:33

How to 'Engineer' Your Dreams and End Nightmares

The Pulse ·

2025/11/17

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 book “Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer's Guide Through the Sleeping Mind.” We talk with Carr about why we dream, the benefits of lucid dreaming, and what she’s learning about our ability to “engineer” our dreams.

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49:34

How Chatbots Make Us Feel

The Pulse ·

2025/11/13

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 what those feelings say about us. We hear about using ChatGPT for DIY therapy, what kinds of personalities we prefer in our chatbots, and how both the market and online culture is responding to the spike in AI-generated content.

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204 results

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