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 703.304.8479

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


390 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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Flying saucers, little green men, and the X-Files — for years, that’s what most people associated with unidentified flying objects, or UFOs. They w...

  • Added: Oct 18, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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On this rebroadcast of The Pulse - Dealing with a serious or chronic health condition is hard enough — but what happens when that condition comes w...

  • Added: Oct 11, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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Most of us have been there — feeling our jeans get tighter, watching the numbers on the scale creep up, declaring that this time we’re going to los...

  • Added: Oct 04, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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In 1978, NASA recruited six candidates out of thousands of applicants for a special, groundbreaking mission: to become the first American women in ...

  • Added: Sep 27, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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It sneaks up on us while we’re sitting in traffic, or waiting at the doctor’s office, or doing our taxes — boredom, that restless feeling of dissat...

  • Added: Sep 20, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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We often think of art and science as existing in different — even opposite — spheres. One revolves around creativity and imagination; the other aro...

  • Added: Sep 13, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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We spend a lot of time thinking about happiness. Wondering if we are truly happy, and how we could get there. We try to predict what will make us h...

  • Added: Sep 06, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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The teenage years can be an emotional rollercoaster. One moment everything is great, it’s amazing, then suddenly life is terrible, and all is ruine...

  • Added: Aug 30, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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Over the past few years, remote working has transformed millions of people’s lives — giving them more time for family, more control over their sche...

  • Added: Aug 23, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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On this rebroadcast of the Pulse - Science is all about observing the world. But how do you study something you can’t see, smell, or hear — like th...

  • Added: Aug 14, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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Whether you’re a student or a doctor, a plumber or a truck driver, a university lecturer or a radio reporter, artificial intelligence is changing t...

  • Added: Aug 09, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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On this rebroadcast of The Pulse - It seems like every day, new skin care products hit the market: lotions, serums, collagen boosters, light therap...

  • Added: Aug 01, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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If you’ve tried to book a doctor’s appointment lately, chances are, it’s been challenging. Many practices are not taking new patients, or open slot...

  • Added: Jul 26, 2023
  • Length: 59:02
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For centuries, writers and philosophers have imagined what a perfect world might look like — if only we had a chance to start over, build it all fr...

  • Added: Jul 19, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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When you’re at the doctor’s office or a hospital, it’s easy to get frustrated. Why is this taking so long? Why do the nurses look so tired? Why doe...

  • Added: Jul 12, 2023
  • Length: 58:52
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On this rebroadcast of The Pulse - Skydiving, BASE jumping, climbing the highest peaks, adventuring to remote parts of the world — pushing the boun...

  • Added: Jul 03, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
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Freedom sounds great as an idea. Who doesn’t want to be free to do what they want? But when you take a closer look, freedom becomes more complicate...

  • Added: Jun 28, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
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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