The Pulse

Series produced by WHYY

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Weekly subscribable series.

Host Maiken Scott leads this one-hour, weekly tour of the people and places at the heart of health and science.

The Pulse is a show for curious people who ask: "Yeah, why is that?" Often surprising and always captivating, The Pulse makes science and discovery personal. Produced at WHYY in Philadelphia, the show features scientists, doctors, innovators and storytelling from across the country.

For information about The Pulse please contact Steve Martin at steve@sfmconsulting.com or call 703.715.0827.

For help subscribing please contact PRX at prxhelp@prx.org.


373 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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In October of 1947, a navy reserve pilot named George Earle IV received strange orders: He was to pick up several 55-gallon barrels at the Philadel...

  • Added: Jun 21, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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How this rebroadcast of the Pulse - Health disparities between Black and white Americans run deep in the U.S. Black people are more likely to suffe...

  • Added: Jun 13, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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It’s a simple question with lots of answers: Who are you? You might answer with your name, age, gender, or race. Or you might define yourself by yo...

  • Added: Jun 07, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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The messages we receive around quitting are usually straightforward — don’t do it. It’s something we hear everywhere — from greats like Michael Jor...

  • Added: Jun 01, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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On this rebroadcast of the Pulse: Humans have long been fascinated by the idea of communicating with other species — not just teaching animals to m...

  • Added: May 24, 2023
  • Length: 59:03
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We all know how stress — or anger, or pangs of anxiety — can affect the body. Your heart rate increases; your blood pressure rises; maybe your palm...

  • Added: May 17, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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More than a third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine, ranging from acupuncture to herbalism, Ayurveda to homeopathy. But despi...

  • Added: May 11, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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If you look around for Mother’s Day gifts, you’ll probably see stuff like bubble baths, spa days, yoga classes — a whole slew of things aimed at pr...

  • Added: May 03, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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Have you ever wanted to figure out when you’re the most focused? Or how your moods change throughout the day? How “fit” your brain is, or whether y...

  • Added: Apr 28, 2023
  • Length: 59:03
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We live in a world of endless opportunity — hundreds of dating options, dozens of jobs to apply to, the ability to market your creations, or even y...

  • Added: Apr 20, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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We all know that exercise is good for us — for both our bodies and our minds — but motivating yourself to hit the gym, take a run, or even go for a...

  • Added: Apr 13, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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We hear about the big picture of climate change almost every day — the threats it poses, the effects on our world and lives, the fight to stop it. ...

  • Added: Apr 06, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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On April 3, 1973, an engineer named Martin Cooper stood nervously along a busy midtown Manhattan street, about to make a phone call. It was a call ...

  • Added: Mar 30, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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On this rebroadcast of the Pulse, Pain is powerful — and when it becomes chronic, it can be all-consuming. It takes over our minds, saps our energy...

  • Added: Mar 22, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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If you’re training to become a physician, your first patient is usually dead. In fact, “first patient” is what med students call the human cadavers...

  • Added: Mar 16, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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Science is all about observing the world. But how do you study something you can’t see, smell, or hear — like the tiniest particles all around us? ...

  • Added: Mar 09, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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Pests: We know them when we see them. The mice that lurk in our kitchens, the squirrels that steal our tomatoes, the mosquitoes that bite us in the...

  • Added: Mar 02, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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It seems like every day, new skin care products hit the market: lotions, serums, collagen boosters, light therapy, at-home lasers — potions and pro...

  • Added: Jul 31, 2023
  • Length: 58:59
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Dealing with a serious or chronic health condition is hard enough — but what happens when that condition comes with moral judgment? That’s the case...

  • Added: Feb 16, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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Health disparities between Black and white Americans run deep in the U.S. Black people are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like diabe...

  • Added: Feb 09, 2023
  • Length: 59:02