The Pulse: Recent Episodes
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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 persistence, that, a lot of the time, can feel impossible to muster. On this episode, we explore what it is that motivates individuals to change — both themselves and the world around them.
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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 coach Logan Ury about best practices for online dating, learn about researchers building a new dating app, and hear stories about successful and not-so-successful efforts to find love.
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Every day, our bodies come in contact with all kinds of potentially harmful things that we can't always see or smell — but which can have real consequences for our environment and health. On this episode, we explore exposure from sunlight to black plastic to hazardous chemicals from the East Palestine train derailment, and ask how we can protect ourselves.
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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 times. But soon, it all caught up with her. Now, she's a sleep researcher at the University of Michigan with a simple message: Sleep regularity is key — as is darkness. She joins host Maiken Scott to discuss her new book "Sleep Groove: Why Your Body's Clock Is So Messed Up And What to Do About It."
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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 medicine?We hear about a man who developed a cure for his persistent infection in his garage, find out why so many people are flocking to DIY medicine, and learn how one researcher carefully evaluates his patients' DIY approaches.
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Humans have long dreamed of communicating with other species, from plants and animals to extraterrestrials. On this episode, we explore different efforts to break down the communication barrier with other forms of life.
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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, pushed forward little by little by an army of innovators and tinkerers. On this episode, we explore what it takes to create the future, and how we can shape our own destiny.
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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 start. Origin stories connect us to the past, and speak to what makes us unique, or shaped us. On this episode, we'll listen back to our favorite origin stories; everything from the beginnings of the ICU to Facebook and a famous conman.
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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 the healing power of our favorite tunes, how they affect our brains, to why they improve our workouts, to the promise they show in treating illnesses like epilepsy and Parkinson's.
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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 life-threatening situations, they're the ones tasked with saving us. But their work can have a major, negative impact on their mental and physical health. So who's looking out for them? On this episode: First responders, the toll the job takes — and what helps them cope.
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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 root of this feeling? Psychologist Kurt Gray argues that moral outrage is tied to fear and perceived harm. He joins us to discuss his forthcoming book "Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground."
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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, the line between human communication and AI is starting to blur. On this episode, we explore the possibilities and limits of AI-generated language, how it's changing the way we communicate, and the implications for what it means to be human.
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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 encore episode, we hear stories about the challenges of growing up gifted, how musical prodigies are made — and identified, and what a chess wunderkind has to teach us about the value of raw talent vs. experience.
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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 episode, we explore the full range of holiday catastrophes, from travel hiccups to cooking disasters, and offer expert advice on how to avoid them.
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From the soaring redwoods of California, to the emerald lushness of the Brazilian Amazon, to the lofty canopies of American Elms, trees add character and majesty to our natural landscapes. But trees aren’t just beautiful — they’re indispensable to our survival. They produce oxygen, sequester greenhouse gasses, and support countless species. But now, many of them are facing numerous threats. On this episode, we explore those threats, along with potential solutions to help trees survive and thrive. We hear stories about why saving California’s redwoods could mean cutting some of them down, an investigation into what’s killing the Amazon’s tropical giants — and what it means for climate change, and the surprising discovery that could save America’s besieged ash trees from an invasive pest.
We not only love trees for their beauty — we need them for our survival. But around the world, some trees, and even entire forests, are facing numerous existential threats. On this episode, we explore why we need trees, the dangers they face, and new efforts to help them survive and thrive.
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We explore the field of biomimicry, and how everyone from architects to engineers to medical researchers are drawing inspiration from nature.
As the days grow shorter, we take a look at how changes to our circadian clocks affect our health.
Ahead of the election, we look at how politics is affecting everything from health care to scientific progress.
Fear is about survival, but it can also feel fun. We explore our complicated relationship with fear.
Sometimes, we’re just mad. So mad, that anger becomes like a wrecking ball that can ruin relationships and careers. We’ll find out how to express anger in healthy ways.
Police generally aren’t trained to deal with mental health crises — and yet they constantly find themselves called on to intervene in these challenging situations, sometimes leading to disastrous results. On this episode, we explore efforts to change how law enforcement and health care work together.
Police generally aren't trained to deal with mental health crises — and yet they constantly find themselves called to intervene in these challenging situations, sometimes leading to disastrous results. On this episode, we explore efforts to change how law enforcement and health care work together.
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With cardiac emergencies, every second counts. We look at the latest innovations saving patients and their hearts.
A look at why many autistic kids struggle at school, and what parents and experts say could make a difference.
What's the best educational setting for my child to learn and grow? It's a question many parents contemplate, but it's an especially difficult question for parents of autistic kids. We explore the often unseen challenges these kids face at school, the battles parents face advocating for change, and what experts say could actually make a difference.
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We explore what it takes to recover from serious mental illness, with stories about how a patient's decades-long relationship with his psychiatrist helped him overcome severe depression, how a new crisis response program balances safety with providing help to those experiencing mental health emergencies, and how Patrick Kennedy went from politician to mental health advocate.
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You've heard that music is the language of the soul — but could it also be a treatment for the body? On this episode, we explore some of the latest science on the healing power of our favorite tunes, from how they affect our brains, to why they improve our workouts, to the promise they show in treating illnesses like epilepsy and Parkinson's.
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Zoologist Bill Schutt argues that teeth were pivotal to the success of vertebrate animals, they're power tools for survival. His latest book is "Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans." On this podcast extra, Schutt explains why teeth are key to understanding evolution; the controversy over fluoride in water; and why people once thought decay was caused by tooth worms.
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On this episode, we take a look at some of the hidden forces that shape our behaviors and decisions.
Virtual worlds allow us to reinvent ourselves and build new lives. But some of our troubles follow us there. A look at navigating community, love, and work in digital realms.
What is the future of psychedelic research after the recent FDA decision to reject MDMA as a treatment for PTSD?
Interest in using psychedelics for mental health treatments has taken off in recent years — but the field was just dealt a major blow on August 9, when the Food and Drug Administration rejected a bid by Lykos Therapeutics to approve the first-ever MDMA treatment for PTSD. The agency said it needed more research to show that the drug was safe and effective. The decision means that an active research community that has formed over the last few decades will likely continue as it started — more underground than above ground.
On this episode, we look at the latest on psychedelics and mental health, along with the challenges to moving the research forward. We hear stories about the battle over MDMA, new questions about whether ketamine can actually help treat depression, and a group that says it's found the solution to cluster headaches in psilocybin.
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Amid the summer heat, we explore the history and future of cold technology, from innovations in freezing to the next generation of air conditioners.
We can all use an assist every now and then — but asking for it can be tough. We hear stories about the struggles of asking for help.
We take a deep dive into the secret lives of sharks — from their history, to the threats they face, to what makes them special.
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 millions of years, standing the test of time as they survived all five of Earth's mass extinction events.
Now, though, many of them face unprecedented threats, from overfishing to climate change. But there's a movement underway to protect sharks — and to change their public image, which suffered after the classic movie Jaws.
On this episode, we explore the secret lives of sharks, and what can be done to help these ancient predators survive. We learn about the history of sharks, and what's made them so adaptable; hear about how some fishermen are helping to save them; and find out what the historical record can teach us about the largest, most fearsome shark to ever exist — the megalodon.
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How money shapes our health care system — and our health — from doctor decisions, to medical debt, to the pharma industry.
On this episode, we dive into Earth’s history with an exploration of all things geologic, from active volcanoes to the rock record.
It's easy to forget that the earth below us is always changing and shifting — but sometimes, we get a dramatic demonstration of exactly that, like with the recent eruptions of a volcano in Iceland.
Volcanoes can devastate and destroy, but they're also an integral part of our planet's history and even evolution. And the same goes for the rocks beneath our feet — they're ancient artifacts, historical records, time capsules filled with clues about Earth's past and its future.
On this episode, we read into the geologic record — written in stone — to decipher the secrets it holds. We talk with an adventurous researcher, who explains how volcanoes helped shape our planet's evolution; we find out what we can learn from studying rocks; and hear about how rock collecting helped save one woman's life.
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On this rebroadcast of The Pulse: 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 complicated. What does it really mean to be free — and how free can we be? On this encore episode, we'll look at freedom from different perspectives. We'll talk with a neuroscientist who says we evolved to have free will — even though it can sometimes feel like our brains are just following a bunch of preset options. And we'll hear from a social psychologist who says that being human means we need other people and living in groups always comes with limitations. We'll also meet a man who relied on a single word to unlock more freedom in his life.
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Amazon caught the wave of the early internet at a time when very few people even understood what the internet was. Launched in a garage 30 years ago, the company has grown from its humble beginnings to a global powerhouse that has expanded into all kinds of sectors, everything from cloud computing to health care. Founder Jeff Bezos wanted Amazon to become a daily habit for consumers — and for many people, it's become just that. And even if you're not ordering anything today, chances are, you are still using an Amazon service, whether you know it or not. On this episode, we'll explore the different innovations that have fueled Amazon's growth. We'll dig into its power-hungry data centers and peek inside the intricate clockwork that makes speedy deliveries possible.
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When we see a familiar face, a flood of information comes rushing in. It’s an extremely important skill that we often take for granted. We explore the spectrum of face recognition.
Imagine looking at a crowd of people, and they either all look vaguely familiar, or like complete strangers. It doesn't matter if this is a group of classmates or colleagues, or people you have never met before. That's a daily experience for people who have a condition called face blindness — who can't recognize people based on their faces. Face recognition takes up a lot of real estate in our brains, and for good reason; recognizing people allows us to form relationships, tell friend from foe, and create networks. On this episode, we explore how we recognize faces — and what happens when we can't. We'll also hear about people who are so-called "super recognizers," and find out how artificial intelligence could turn face recognition into a tool for surveillance.
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DIY culture is all about empowerment — teaching yourself new skills to do things on your own, like retiling your bathroom or fixing a leaky faucet. But what happens when the DIY approach extends to something as complicated and potentially dangerous as medicine?
On this episode, we take a look at the growing number of patients who are taking health care into their own hands — experimenting with DIY treatments ranging from brain stimulation to homemade wound ointments. We hear about a man who developed a cure for his persistent infection in his garage, find out why so many people are flocking to DIY medicine, and learn how one researcher carefully evaluates his patients' DIY approaches.
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Competent. Capable. Strong. Stoic. Provider. Protector. Leader. Patriarch. These are the kinds of words that we've long associated with masculinity and manhood — but in recent decades, ideas of what it means to be a man have undergone drastic changes.
As women have gained ground in education and careers, politics and culture, the role of men has shifted. They're no longer automatically assumed to be the main breadwinners, the decision-makers or leaders. And a lot of the "masculine" attributes that were once considered virtues — decisiveness, stoicism, paternalism — are now sometimes seen as problematic. In other words, the old script for what it means to be a man has been torn up. But some experts say that script has not really been replaced, leading many men and boys to feel destabilized and lost.
On this episode, we explore how our ideas of masculinity are changing — why there seems to be a void of positive messages, the lure of the manosphere, and how men are reinventing and re-envisioning their roles. Also — a look at how being more deeply involved in caring for babies and children is affecting men's brains.
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When it comes to science, it's often the flashiest stories that grab headlines — the cancer breakthroughs, the tech innovations, the discoveries of new species or distant stars. But there's also plenty of science that, while it may not make a huge splash, is quietly changing the way we live.On this episode, The Pulse celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a special live show that turns the spotlight on the science changing our everyday lives. We talk with a pediatrician and engineer whose work has transformed the way children travel – and saved countless lives; host Maiken Scott volunteers as a guinea pig for neurologists studying brain stimulation; and we hear from a biologist whose early-career quest changed the way she thinks about her work.
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On this rebroadcast of The Pulse - We often think of art and science as existing in different — even opposite — spheres. One revolves around creativity and imagination; the other around observable facts and data — and never the twain shall meet.
But really, art and science aren't as far apart as we might think. For centuries, artists have drawn on the natural sciences, and the wonders of the natural world, as inspiration for some of our most celebrated works.
On this episode, we explore the hidden architecture of science that often underlies music, literature, and more. We talk with a mathematician who makes the case that math is key to appreciating literature on a whole new level; a pianist who reveals how the natural world inspired some of classical music's most iconic composers; and an artist whose work on water blurs the lines between art, ecology, and activism.
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When psychologist Lewis Terman launched his decades-long study of high-IQ children in 1921, he had a specific goal in mind: to prove that “gifted” people were born leaders, and superior in just about every way. Although his theory didn’t pan out, Terman did kick off national interest in identifying and cultivating intellectually gifted children.
Just over a century later, experts in science, education, and psychology are grappling with questions about how we define giftedness, who qualifies as gifted, how we should teach and treat gifted children, and where the limits of their talents lie.
On this episode, we hear stories about the challenges of growing up gifted, how musical prodigies are made — and identified, and what a chess wunderkind has to teach us about the value of raw talent vs. experience.
ALSO HEARD:
- The chess world witnessed a major upset 20 years ago, when 13-year-old prodigy Magnus Carlsen pulled off a draw against Garry Kasparov — the best chess player in the world. Reporter Grant Hill looks into the question of how this was possible, and what chess can teach us about how innate gifts stack up against years of experience.
- Not all gifts earn prestige and accolades — but they’re pretty nifty nonetheless. Reporter Alan Jinich brings us this story about a family member whose ability to speak backwards sometimes raises eyebrows, but definitely makes for an entertaining party trick.
When psychologist Lewis Terman launched his decades-long study of high-IQ children in 1921, he had a specific goal in mind: to prove that "gifted" people were born leaders, and superior in just about every way. Although his theory didn't pan out, Terman did kick off national interest in identifying and cultivating intellectually gifted children.
Just over a century later, experts in science, education, and psychology are grappling with questions about how we define giftedness, who qualifies as gifted, how we should teach and treat gifted children, and where the limits of their talents lie.
On this episode, we hear stories about the challenges of growing up gifted, how musical prodigies are made — and identified, and what a chess wunderkind has to teach us about the value of raw talent vs. experience.
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We hear all the time about the joys of motherhood — the incomparable sense of love, the magic of watching your kids discover the world, the pride and fulfillment of seeing them grow. But motherhood can also be a grind. These days, moms are expected not only to care for their kids, but to grow their careers — all while juggling housework, swimming lessons, doctor's appointments, play groups, the family calendar, and more.
On this episode, we take a look at the experience of modern motherhood — the challenges, the sometimes impossible standards, and strategies some moms have developed to not just maintain their sanity but to thrive. We talk with therapist Erica Djossa about her new book "Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More," hear about how one surgeon successfully pushed her department to become more friendly to new mothers, and how a diagnosis of breast cancer changed and deepened the bond between a mother and her son.
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In January 1995, the New York Times Magazine published a bombshell story with the headline: "THE GREAT IVY LEAGUE NUDE POSTURE PHOTO SCANDAL." The article revealed that, from the 1940s through the 1960s, elite colleges had taken naked photos of thousands of freshmen, including future luminaries like George Bush, Bob Woodward, Meryl Streep, and Hillary Rodham. For years, the schools had teemed with anxious, tawdry rumors about both the purpose and fate of the photos. Who had them? What were they really for? And where did they end up?
On this episode, we get the real story behind the photos from science historian Beth Linker, whose new book, "Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America," dives deep into the era's widespread obsession with standing up straight, and how researchers tried to connect posture to people's health and character. We also hear from historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela about how America came to be both more obsessed with exercise than ever — and, yet, also unhealthier. Her book is "Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America's Exercise Obsession"
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When medical mistakes happen, patients and their families often find themselves at a loss trying to figure out exactly what went wrong. Something bad happened. And then, communication drops; there's no real explanation, and no apology. Suddenly, everybody seems on guard. Health care providers can often feel bound by an imposed cone of silence that's designed to protect them and their institution, but makes it impossible to fully face up to their mistake, or have open conversations about preventing future ones.
On this episode, we explore the breaking of that silence, along with new solutions to avoid medical errors. We hear stories about what prompted one surgeon to go public after performing the wrong procedure, how the death of a young woman prompted her parents to try and change the system, and an investigation into an OB-GYN and the trail of injured women left in his wake.
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Every day, we hear about countless environmental threats — from air pollution and microplastics, to deforestation and global warming. And a lot of us feel overwhelmed by the scale of these problems, and helpless to enact global big-picture solutions.
But small, everyday decisions matter too — and they add up. How you do your laundry, how warm or cool you keep your home, what you eat for lunch, what kinds of products you buy and or how you sort your trash — all of them have the potential to make a big difference.
On this special Earth Day episode, we look at everyday choices that can lead to greener living. We hear stories about laundry detergents, and how we can clean our clothes without hurting the planet, what it'll take for plant-based meat to make it to the big leagues, and an innovation that could revolutionize recycling as we know it.
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Over the past few decades, Latinos have become the largest racial or ethnic minority in the United States, making up nearly 20 percent of the country's population. Despite that, many Latinos feel alienated by our medical system, due to cultural and language barriers, and a lack of Latino physicians — and those barriers can have a real impact on their overall health.
On this episode, we look for solutions to provide better care to Latino communities and patients. We hear stories about one physician's bold initiative to bridge the language gap between doctors and farmworkers, new approaches to help victims of gun violence, and a national effort to increase the number of Latino physicians.
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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 dissatisfaction that arises when we harbor "the desire for desires," as Leo Tolstoy said.
At the same time, we're living in an age of never-ending stimulation, all at our fingertips — texting, social media, 24-hour news, and streaming galore. But despite this constant content consumption, we're still getting bored — maybe even more so than ever. We find ourselves hopping from tab to tab, scrolling through Instagram while watching a show, tuning out of meetings to check our email. And now some researchers are worried that all this stimulation could be changing our brains.
On this rebroadcast episode, we look at boredom in the age of information overload, and whether or not it's really good for us and our brains. We hear stories about what happened when two reporters quit their digital addictions for four weeks, a monk who took his search for boredom to the ultimate extreme, and why there's value to the slow pace of baseball.
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On April 8, a swath of North America will be treated to a rare and spectacular sight — a total solar eclipse; in some places, the first in more than a century, and the last for at least another 20 years. The path of totality, where it's possible to see the moon completely block out the sun, stretches in a narrow ribbon from Mexico, through Texas, all the way to Maine.
It's an event that eclipse chasers have been anticipating for years. On this special episode, we find out why so many people call total solar eclipses a life-changing experience, and why they will go to great lengths to witness this fleeting spectacle of nature. We'll hear what scientists are hoping to learn during this brief but important moment, and we'll pay tribute to the celestial body that makes the eclipse possible: the moon.
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Identity's a complicated thing — a mixture of nurture and nature, ethnicity, gender, culture, conscious decisions, coincidences, and more. In many ways, though, who we think we are boils down to the stories we tell ourselves; stories based on our origins, our families, and how we came to be.
But what happens when those stories change? When we discover that the narrative of our lives is completely different from what we've always believed?
On this episode, we explore stories of identity, and what happens when long-buried secrets are uncovered. We hear about a journalist who discovered that his father wasn't who he thought he was, one woman's search for her childhood self in the records of a long-running experiment, and how a fateful medical decision changed the future of a baby born in 1986.
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It's been four years since COVID-19 struck, transforming our modern world in ways we'd never seen before — and we're still processing the aftershocks. The pandemic exposed fault lines lurking beneath the surface of our everyday lives — friendships and bonds that weren't as strong as we thought; political rifts that turned into chasms; shifts in our fundamental beliefs of who we should trust, and what rules we should follow. It showed us how fragile we are — as human beings, and as a global community.
Now, we find ourselves trying to pick up the pieces — to understand what happened, and what we can do better next time. On this episode, we explore the major changes caused by the pandemic, what we can learn from them, and how we can move forward. We hear stories about one man's dogged search for a treatment for his long COVID, how the pandemic both hurt and revived the field of public health, and how to repair relationships that became frayed or broken by the pressures of the pandemic.
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Know the signs of depression. Recognize symptoms of anxiety. Pay attention to your friend's changing moods. There's been a push to raise mental health awareness for decades, and now, the topic is everywhere. It's leading the charts on social media sites, and everybody from celebrities to politicians to sports superstars are talking about it more openly. At the same time, it seems like our overall mental health is declining, as more and more people report having mental health issues. On this episode, we explore how the field of mental health is changing and adapting. We'll find out what traditionally trained therapists make of mental health advice on social media, why some experts argue that too much awareness can backfire, and why mental illness can be so tricky to diagnose. Also, one woman's quest to stay on her ADHD medications as shortages drag on.
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In 1944, a brilliant, young Harvard physics student named Ted Hall was recruited to work on the super-secret mission that had already assembled the country's top scientists: the Manhattan Project. Soon, Hall was on his way to Los Alamos, where he worked on the implosion mechanism for the nuclear bomb. As the project started to succeed, Hall became increasingly concerned that it would spell disaster for the world, especially if the U.S. were the only country to have nuclear capacity. So, at the age of 18, Hall decided that he needed to do something, and he became a spy for the Soviets. Hall may have been an incredible physicist, but he was not the stealthiest of spies. Still, he was never officially caught or charged. On this episode, investigative journalist Dave Lindorff details why Ted chose this path and how he managed to evade intelligence agencies. Lindorff's new book is called, "Spy for No Country: The Story of Ted Hall, the Teenage Atomic Spy Who May Have Saved the World." We'll also hear about the state of America's nuclear arsenal today and find out why some experts argue it needs a big upgrade.
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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 that they work on in anatomy class — when they first learn to make careful incisions, and lay eyes on the beautiful intricacies of bone, muscle, blood vessels, and organs that make our bodies work.
Human cadavers have long played a crucial role in medicine and science. They not only teach generations of doctors about the human body — they allow researchers to learn valuable lessons about everything from the causes of rare diseases to the effects of how we live our lives. But how do bodies end up on dissection tables in the first place? What can they still teach us? And why do people choose to donate their remains?
On this episode, we explore bodies donated to science — how they're used, why they're so important, and why people make this choice for their remains. We hear stories about one woman's mission to recruit future medical cadavers, and how 19th century medical schools got involved in body snatching. We'll take a closer look at a program that connects med students to the families of their "first patients," and find out why one firefighter has opted for a future in the Body Worlds exhibition.
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You can feel it coming on — your face flushes hot, maybe your fists clench, your heartbeat speeds up and blood pressure rises. It's rage — and it can go from zero to red-hot in a matter of seconds. Best-case scenario, it disappears just as fast. Worst-case scenario — it completely takes over. It's normal to feel angry when you or somebody else has been wronged, mistreated, or hurt. But even justified rage can become destructive, like a wrecking ball ruining careers and relationships. So, how do we handle these fiery emotions when they erupt? On this episode — how to deal with anger and rage. We learn about healthy ways of expressing our ire; the rise of "rage rooms" and what psychologists have to say about them; and what causes toddlers to throw such terrible tantrums.
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It can show up as a spark or a lightning bolt; a glance or a touch; an easy rapport or butterflies in your stomach. Attraction — it's a feeling we know when we experience it, but we're often not sure exactly what fuels it. Is it about looks or personality? Psychology or chemistry? Instant fireworks or long-term compatibility? On this episode, we explore the mysteries of attraction — what kindles it, what kills it, and why we're often totally wrong about who we might be attracted to. We talk with a leading attraction researcher about the factors that determine attraction, and why he often advises people to follow their gut. We find out what dating apps — and the massive amounts of data they gather — are teaching researchers about who we're drawn to and why. And we hear the story of a couple whose mutual attraction changed over time — and why that turned out to be a good thing.
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Medical records are an important part of health care. They create a history of past issues, test results, and medications. They paint a picture of somebody's general health. Patients now have more access than ever before to their records, and these changes have come with some growing pains — like receiving test results straight from the lab, before their doctor can review them, or discovering mistakes. On this episode, we crack open those medical records to get a better sense of how they can help and hinder care. We'll hear about how physicians struggle to access different parts of the record to create a cohesive picture of a patient's health. We dig into issues around law enforcement accessing these records, and why they're so valuable to hackers.
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After covering the 2016 U.S. presidential election, reporter Jeff Horwitz knew that "something really weird was going on," that social media sites, especially Facebook, had played a role in shaping the election. But how — exactly? In his new book, "Broken Code: Inside Facebook and the Fight to Expose Its Harmful Secrets," Horwitz details his chase to crack open this notoriously secretive black box that is Facebook. Host Maiken Scott talks to Horwitz about the powerful algorithms that favored engagement above all else, that not just amplified specific content, but started to shape everything from what we see, to what we post, to how politicians design their campaigns. Horwitz covers technology for The Wall Street Journal and was one of the reporters on the award-winning series "The Facebook Files."
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Twenty years ago, a group of college sophomores created a website that would end up changing the world — fundamentally altering how we connect with other people, how much we know about each other, and how we curate our existence. That website was Facebook.
In the years since, Facebook quickly grew from a quirky site for college students to a global powerhouse — one that can affect everything from how we feel about ourselves to the outcomes of elections.
On this episode, a look at Facebook as it turns 20 — its history, its ongoing impact, and what we really know about how it operates. We hear stories about a curious coincidence linking Facebook to a defunct government surveillance project, why many researchers have mixed feelings about Facebook, and how the website's ever-changing features transformed the lives and mental health of young people.
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More than a third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine, ranging from acupuncture to herbalism, Ayurveda to homeopathy. But despite its growing popularity, complementary and alternative medicine remains, for the most part, outside the Western medical mainstream — regarded by some as fringe, and by others as straight-up quackery. Despite that, many researchers and supporters have been trying to gain a deeper understanding of medical practices from around the world, and to incorporate them into our health care system. And that's led to more questions: Which practices work, and for what conditions? How do they work? And how do we measure and standardize treatments when they're removed from their cultural contexts? On this episode, we step outside the boundaries of Western medicine to explore those questions. We hear stories about a mysterious Vodou treatment, the struggle to bring acupuncture into the medical mainstream, and answers to Western skeptics.
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Humans crave certainty — in science and politics, in our lives and our leaders, in our decisions and our futures. We find comfort in knowing the facts, and we fear the murky unknown. In the age of information, we've grown increasingly unnerved by uncertainty and do everything we can to mitigate that anxiety. We do research online, play out scenarios in our heads, make plans A, B, and C — imagining that if we can just prepare well enough, everything will be OK. But in her latest book, "Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure," author and journalist Maggie Jackson makes the case for an opposite way of being — embracing the unknown as an invitation to pause, an opportunity for growth and innovation. On this episode, we talk with Jackson about her book, and what science teaches us about living — and even thriving — amid uncertainty. We also hear stories about one reporter's quest to make a life-changing decision while filled with doubt, and how saying "yes" to the unknown changed an introvert's life.
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We're in a major technological revolution where artificial intelligence, gaming, and virtual reality allow us to create and enter totally new spaces and have new experiences there.In these virtual worlds, we can reinvent ourselves, connect with people around the world, or take on new challenges and adventures. But as these worlds grow bigger, more intense, and consuming, they're also raising questions about what this new future will look like.We all know things are going to be different — but how? Will we soon have entirely new and far more fabulous lives in the virtual realm? Or will things feel surprisingly similar and mundane? How will a computer-generated life intersect with real life?On this episode: virtual worlds, virtual lives, and how they're changing our reality. We hear stories about Second Life — and the surprising political power structures that have emerged there; what happens when romantic relationships with AI go bad; and how increasingly realistic gaming worlds have led to the emerging discipline of archaeogaming.
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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 walk sometimes feels like the hardest thing in the world. There are constant rebuttals that arise in our minds: We're too busy. We're too tired. We need a break — we'll start next week. At the same time, we're bombarded by messages from people who are all about fitness — influencers with seemingly perfect bodies and a healthy glow, who convince us that we too can get into shape. It's a habit that many of us try to cultivate — yet often seem to hit a wall. On this episode, we look at the science of fitness, the evolution of cultural messages surrounding exercise, and how we can overcome inertia to start fitting it into our lives. We'll hear about how exercise affects our mood and overall health, different approaches to getting in shape, the real-life struggle of becoming an Instagram fitness influencer, and one couch potato's reluctant journey to getting active.
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It's the goosebumps you get at the crescendo of your favorite song; the stupefying wonder that comes with witnessing a birth or a death; the astonishing mystery we feel when gazing at the vast night sky. This is awe — a complex, often overwhelming emotion that can elicit everything from pleasure and connectedness to a crawling sense of uncertainty. Moments of awe can create unforgettable memories — and they can have a lasting impact on our minds and the way we interact with others. One of the leading scientists studying awe is Dacher Keltner, a University of California, Berkeley psychologist, who's dedicated the past 15 years to investigating the origins and effects of this emotion. On this episode, we talk with Keltner about his new book "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life." He discusses his own, very personal experience of awe amid profound grief, the ability of awe to transform our experience of the world, and how we can cultivate awe on a daily basis. We also hear from listeners about their experiences of awe, and listen back to a story about how voyages to space change the way astronauts perceive life, their relationships, and Earth as a whole.
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We think of life and death as clear cut — you're alive or you're not; your heart's beating or it isn't; your brain functions or it doesn't. But when you look a bit deeper, both on a biological level, and in terms of people's experiences, the border where life ends and death begins starts to look less firm, leading to questions about what comes next.
On this episode, we explore the blurred line between life and death. We hear about near-death experiences, and what researchers say about the difference between our brains and our consciousness; we discuss a pioneering approach to collecting organs that is raising questions about the definition of death; and we'll explore why some people experience sudden bursts of lucidity before death. Also, a story about a controversial contest to prove the existence of life after death.
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Lots of things can get in the way of taking care of your health, catching medical issues early on, and getting treatment. Navigating insurance woes, trouble scheduling appointments, big medical bills — but also broader issues like lack of access, distrust in the medical system, and language barriers can stand in the way of patient care. On this episode, we'll take a look at barriers to health care — especially for America's most vulnerable populations — and explore potential solutions. We hear stories about a new initiative to screen for colorectal cancer, how AI is helping to bridge language divides, and a recent push to institute screenings for the forgotten sense.
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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 that kiss the blue horizon. But Earth's oceans are more than all of that; they're our planet's defining feature, its largest ecosystem, the original source of all life, and, according to physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski, the engine that powers our planet. On this episode, we talk with Czerski about her new book, "The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works," and why she says the ocean is critical not only to our climate system, but to the big and small processes that sustain and shape life on Earth. She also helps us understand the many intricacies of the sea, from the reasons why it's salty to how the Earth's rotation affects its currents. We also hear stories about efforts to restore coral reefs using sound and find out why scientists are looking for climate time capsules at the bottom of the ocean.
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For decades, the idea that you could attack genetic illnesses right at the root — that you could modify people's genes to treat or cure disease — sounded like science fiction. But in recent years, several new gene therapy treatments have been FDA approved, and many others are showing promise in clinical trials. On this episode, we take a look at what's new with gene therapy, what's on the horizon, and the challenges standing in the way. We hear stories about making these treatments more affordable by changing the manufacturing process, what happened when one family tried to enroll their son in a clinical trial under a looming deadline, and one man's DIY approach to curing his own condition. We also chat with a pioneer in the field of gene therapy about sticking with her research during a time when funding dried up and interest in the field had faded.
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What we make for dinner, grab as a snack, or have for breakfast changes all the time — and there are some major forces at play: consumer tastes and marketing, but also climate change, global supply chains, nutrition science, health concerns, and social media influencers. On this episode, we'll look at what we eat and why.
We'll find out how lima beans are getting a makeover, and why seed oils ended up becoming a lightning rod in nutrition debates. We'll also taste a futuristic green with self-proclaimed superpowers, meet one physician who's trying to convince people to eat more organ meats, and another who says to stay away from anything marketed as health food.
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Sugary cereals for breakfast, a protein bar as a snack, a microwave lasagna for lunch, and a frozen pizza for dinner sounds like a teenager's dream diet, but these are the types of foods physician Chris van Tulleken ate for four weeks. During this time, he got 80 percent of his daily calories from ultra-processed foods, to see how it would impact his health and mood. He writes about this experience, and his extensive research on these products in his new book, "Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food." Host Maiken Scott talks to Van Tulleken about the link to obesity and disease, and why he says we should probably avoid anything that's marketed as a health food.
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In March of 2022, the war in Ukraine was weighing heavily on Fabian Falch, a Norwegian tech entrepreneur. The Russian government had started to censor news stories and social media posts about the war, and Falch wondered how Russian citizens would be able to access information, let alone voice criticism. Then he had an idea: to send emails to Russians — millions of them. Eventually, a conflict researcher got involved in this effort and it turned into a real-time study on what works and what doesn't when it comes to shifting people's perspectives.
On this episode, we explore what we have learned about resolving conflict, and how we can better understand each other's perspectives. We'll hear stories about persuasion, connection, and trying to find some middle ground.
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Rejection, or even the thought of it, can strike fear into our hearts, and leave a bad taste in our mouths. It often leads to a mix of sadness, shame, anxiety, and anger — along with nagging questions. What's wrong with me? Why did this person not like me? Why didn't I win this award? Why didn't I get the job? But it doesn't have to be that way, and there's a lot we can learn from not making the cut. On this episode, we explore the experience of rejection — what it feels like, how it functions, and the lessons we can draw from it.We'll hear from a fear and anxiety researcher about the evolutionary roots of anxiety — and why asking someone out on a date can feel like a life-or-death situation. Then we'll explore a common experience among people with ADHD, known as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and hear how one future physician dealt with the worst rejection of her life.
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For most of the big moments in life, we have rituals — proposals, weddings, births, graduations, and anniversaries. We know how to talk about them, how to celebrate them, how to honor them. But there's one moment we all face that lots of people don't know how to deal with: dying.
In fact, a majority of Americans avoid end-of-life planning, even though most say it's important. Losing a loved one — not to mention facing your own mortality — is a hard reality to contemplate. So how do we go about having those tough conversations about the end of life? Is there a "right" way to talk about it? Can we really prepare for death and the grief it brings in a way that is helpful? And does it get any easier when people know it's coming?
On this episode, we explore how we talk — or avoid talking about — death; the funny, tender, and hopeful moments that arise in those conversations; and how we can best support our loved ones in their final moments. We hear stories about two very different approaches to confronting death, how death doulas help usher their patients into the unknown, and new approaches to dealing with prolonged grief.
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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 were the stuff of sci-fi and supermarket tabloids, conspiracy theories and punchlines.But ever since a bombshell article in The New York Times several years back documented confirmed sightings by navy pilots, UFOs — or UAPs, unidentified aerial phenomena, as they've been rebranded — have been slowly migrating into the mainstream.Today, it's not uncommon to find scientists, elected officials, and decorated members of the military talking publicly about UFOs. Records are being unclassified, research projects launched — there was even a Congressional hearing dedicated to UFOs. And beneath it all lies the age-old question: Are we alone?On this episode, we explore the past — and future — of the search for life on other planets. We talk with a historian about how attitudes towards UFOs have changed over the decades; we look at how scientists are approaching the study of UFOs; and we hear the strange story of a sighting back in the 90s that begs the question of what — and who — we believe.
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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 for millions of people around the world. From obesity to lung cancer, sexually transmitted diseases to mental illness, stigmatized conditions are shrouded in shame and blame that can not only hinder treatment — but ruin lives.
On this episode, we explore stigmatized health conditions — how they earn their reputations, affect the lives of patients, and complicate efforts to treat them. We hear about the flawed effort to track down the origin of the HIV epidemic in the U.S. that inadvertently introduced a new term into our language. We explore what researchers say is behind the "blame and shame" game in public health, and we find out why a man diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder says his condition isn't always as scary as people think.
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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 lose the weight and keep it off.
For a lot of people, though, it seems like no matter what they do — how many diets they try, calories they count, or hours they spend at the gym — losing weight isn't just hard; it feels downright impossible. Two in five American adults are obese, and the numbers keep rising. It's been called a public health crisis, especially since obesity can lead to a number of other health issues, like heart disease and diabetes.
But scientists are learning more about how fat cells function — and how they affect the rest of the body. And new injectable weight loss drugs are giving many people renewed hope.
On this episode, we explore this new science, and how these solutions are — or aren't — working on the ground. A researcher explains what happens on a cellular level when we gain weight, a pediatrician hunts for solutions to help her young patients, and we'll learn about the practical challenges surrounding drugs like Ozempic.
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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 space. Over the next few years, the six women would endure sexism, grueling training, and unending scrutiny from the media. In her new book, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts," author Loren Grush explores the stories of these female pioneers, along with the longer history of women's fight for inclusion in the male-dominated world of NASA.
On this episode, we talk with Grush about how America's first female astronauts came to be, their journeys and challenges, and what kept them committed to their mission. Later, we hear from another space pioneer — a Navajo NASA engineer who says his childhood in Arizona prepared him for his work studying Mars.
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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 dissatisfaction that arises when we harbor "the desire for desires," as Leo Tolstoy said.
At the same time, we're living in an age of never-ending stimulation, all at our fingertips — texting, social media, 24-hour news, and streaming galore. But despite this constant content consumption, we're still getting bored — maybe even more so than ever. We find ourselves hopping from tab to tab, scrolling through Instagram while watching a show, tuning out of meetings to check our email. And now some researchers are worried that all this stimulation could be changing our brains.
On this episode, we look at boredom in the age of information overload, and whether or not it's really good for us and our brains. We hear stories about what happened when two reporters quit their digital addictions for four weeks, a monk who took his search for boredom to the ultimate extreme, and why there's value to the slow pace of baseball.
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In November of 2019, New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill got a tip that immediately had her on high alert. It was about a secretive tech company called Clearview AI, that claimed to have developed a facial recognition app that could identify people with 99 percent accuracy. The company had apparently scraped billions of images from the internet to create this tool, and was already offering this software to police departments across the U.S.
The tip sent Hill on a chase to find out who was behind this company and how this tool was being used. Her new book, "Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It," details what she found. On this podcast extra, Hill joins us to talk about the company's billionaire investors, the mysterious and glamorous tech genius at its center, and what all of this means for our right to privacy.
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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 around observable facts and data — and never the twain shall meet.But really, art and science aren't as far apart as we might think. For centuries, artists have drawn on the natural sciences, and the wonders of the natural world, as inspiration for some of our most celebrated works.On this episode, we explore the hidden architecture of science that often underlies music, literature, and more. We talk with a mathematician who makes the case that math is key to appreciating literature on a whole new level; a pianist who reveals how the natural world inspired some of classical music's most iconic composers; and an artist whose work on water blurs the lines between art, ecology, and activism.
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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 happy in the future, or what might lead to misery down the road. We chase success, money, and love. We work hard or maybe move from place to place to find fulfillment. But what actually brings us contentment is often very different from what we thought, and researchers are trying to quantify what leads to that lasting sense of well-being.
On this episode, we'll explore happiness - and how we can find more of it. We'll hear about the longest-running study on the subject, find out if money is really a game-changer, and talk to a therapist who says we need to stop obsessing over happiness.
The teenage years can be an emotional rollercoaster. One moment everything is great, it's amazing, then suddenly life is terrible, and all is ruined. But - it seems like something else is going on right now, beyond these expected ups and downs. Statistics are rising across the board for issues like anxiety and depression, the number of kids receiving mental health treatment, or reporting that they feel hopeless.
So what's happening - and what's to blame? On this episode: teens, their mental health, and how families can navigate these challenging times. We'll hear from psychologists, parents and teens about their approaches and solutions. We'll also visit a gymnasium full of teenagers to hear what they really want to know about mental health, and meet an adolescent who found an unexpected ray of hope in a very dark place.
Over the past few years, remote working has transformed millions of people's lives — giving them more time for family, more control over their schedules, and a better work-life balance. But now, a growing number of companies — including tech giants like Google and Meta — are making their employees return to the office, citing concerns about productivity, innovation, creativity, and employee engagement. But how does working in the office measure up when compared to working remotely? On this episode, we explore the future of remote work, and hear about the latest research on which settings and models are best. When does it pay off to bring workers back, and when is working remotely more fruitful? We hear stories about how digital nomads are reshaping what work looks like — and the places they live; how working from home affects productivity; and how workplace psychologists say office design could lure employees back to the workplace.
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? How do you test a new energy source when it doesn't really exist yet? These are the challenges that the world of physics often faces. You can come up with theories, using modeling and calculations, and devise some kind of experiment on paper to investigate things. But then you have to translate those ideas into tangible, real-world experiments, which is often incredibly challenging. On this episode, we peek behind the curtain of multimillion-dollar physics experiments that are changing the way we understand our world — and hear about some of the big challenges they face. We dig into the origins of the James Webb Space Telescope, talk with xkcd cartoonist Randall Munroe about some of his more outlandish — and complicated — physics calculations, and hear from accelerator physicist Suzie Sheehy about the physics experiments that changed the world.
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 the way we work. For some workers, A.I. is taking over tedious and time-consuming tasks, freeing them up to focus and get more done. For others, it's led to questions about what A.I. means for the future of work — or whether, in a few years, they will have jobs at all. What are the limits of A.I.'s abilities? How can it help us do our jobs better rather than simply replacing us? What checks and balances do we need to control its development? And are there any jobs that will not be affected? On this episode, we explore how A.I. is transforming the way we work — for good and for bad. We hear stories about the future of robot plumbers, the push to integrate A.I. into medical education, how physicians are responding to its increasing presence in medicine, and the dystopian threat of neurotechnology.
It seems like every day, new skin care products hit the market: lotions, serums, collagen boosters, light therapy, at-home lasers — potions and procedures designed to coax our skin into peeling and healing, plumping and renewing. Their promise: wrinkle-free faces, poreless, dewy skin, and an eternally youthful glow.
But there's no one magic bullet to flawless skin. And what is this chase really about?
On this episode, we get into the science of skin care, looking at what works, what doesn't, and what dermatologists have to say about the latest frontiers in our quest for eternal youth. We hear stories about a new treatment that uses stem cells to rejuvenate skin, some shady aspects of the Botox business, and why K-beauty has taken global skin care by storm.
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 slots are weeks or months away. For some patients, it has meant gritting their teeth through pain and anxiety.
For others — like people living in rural areas or trying to see in-demand specialists like psychiatrists or neurologists — it can feel almost impossible to get an appointment at all, posing real threats to their health. Medical organizations warn that we're experiencing a physician shortage — and that things will only get worse.
On this episode, we look at this, and other, shortages plaguing the world of medicine, from medications to donated blood. We investigate what's causing this scarcity, and some potential solutions. We'll hear stories about the surprising origin of the physician shortage, and why we still have unemployed MDs sitting at home; what's behind the recent shortages of several high-profile medications; and how researchers are trying to address the chronic shortage of donated blood.
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 from scratch. The term "utopia" comes from ancient Greek. It literally means "no place," but it's also a pun on "eutopia," meaning "good place." In other words, it's a good place that doesn't exist. But that hasn't stopped a never-ending stream of dreamers and seekers — from political and economic theorists, to dictators, hippies, and religious zealots — from trying to create utopias of their own.
So, what is it that makes the idea so seductive? Who is attracted to a more perfect world? And what happens when it all goes wrong? On this episode, we explore modern attempts at real-life utopias. We'll hear about an AI researcher's doomed mission to establish a post-apocalyptic community in the Scottish Highlands, what it's like growing up in a utopian community, and the dark side of efforts to build sustainable smart cities around the world.
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 does my doctor seem distracted? Who's making sure my diagnosis is right?
There are people, stories, and entire worlds that could provide answers to these questions — but as patients, we don't get to see them. So, on this episode, we'll take you behind the waiting room doors, to talk about some of the big issues that affect the health care workforce. We'll hear stories about the decades-long fight over residents' work hours, the history of travel nursing, and what two long-time ER nurses have to say about burnout. We'll also meet some of the crucial, but little-known, professionals who work behind the scenes in medicine.
Skydiving, BASE jumping, climbing the highest peaks, adventuring to remote parts of the world — pushing the boundaries of safety. For thrill-seekers, chasing the rush is what it's all about. Where lots of us would break into a cold sweat, they experience something different: calm, focus, even moments of sublime awe. So what is it that makes thrill-seekers different? On this episode, we investigate what fuels their desire for adventure, and ask when the pursuit of kicks becomes dangerous and disruptive. We hear stories about storm chasers, rocket builders, and hikers. We also talk to a psychologist who avoids thrills in his personal life, but is deeply invested in understanding why other people love it.
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 complicated. What does it really mean to be free — and how free can we be? On this episode, we'll look at freedom from different perspectives. We'll talk with a neuroscientist who says we evolved to have free will — even though it can sometimes feel like our brains are just following a bunch of preset options. And we'll hear from a social psychologist who says that being human means we need other people and living in groups always comes with limitations. We'll also meet a man who relied on a single word to unlock more freedom in his life.
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 Philadelphia Navy Yard, fly out 100 miles southeast of Atlantic City, and then dump them into the ocean — all in secret, in the dead of night. Earle would repeat the mission twice more without ever being told what he was dumping. But he had a clue. Before leaving, scientists would swarm Earle and his cargo using Geiger counters to measure radiation. This told Earle one thing: Whatever he was dumping was radioactive, and probably dangerous. It would be another three decades before Earle revealed the secret missions to the public, and even longer before anyone knew the origins of his cargo. On this episode, we unfold the never-before-told story of Earle and the classified operation that he was a part of and explore the remnants of the atomic age and the waste it has left behind. We hear about the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated by the U.S. — and the devastation it wrought on a tiny island country; the Navajo people's fight to seal hundreds of uranium mines scarring their land; why nuclear power plants need a new solution to house their waste; and why the future of nuclear energy could look very different.
Health disparities between Black and white Americans run deep in the U.S. Black people are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or asthma, and their life expectancy is shorter than that of their white peers. The causes for these inequities are far-reaching and include bias and systemic racism in health care and medical treatments, lack of access to care, and economic differences. Advocates, researchers, and health systems have been looking for ways to address these issues — chipping away at different aspects of the problem. On this episode, we’ll look at several different solutions — and meet the people who are pushing for more equitable health care for all.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Journalist and author Linda Villarosa recounts how her approaches to Black health have changed over the course of her career. She started off writing lots of self help pieces, thinking that information would change outcomes, but has come to understand that the issues go far beyond that.
- Med student Joel Bervell talks about his mission to educate both health care providers and patients about biases that are affecting care. His viral TikTok videos reach thousands of viewers, and some of his fans have called them “life-saving.”
Health disparities between Black and white Americans run deep in the U.S. Black people are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or asthma, and their life expectancy is shorter than that of their white peers. The causes for these inequities are far-reaching and include bias and systemic racism in health care and medical treatments, lack of access to care, and economic differences. Advocates, researchers, and health systems have been looking for ways to address these issues — chipping away at different aspects of the problem. On this encore episode, we'll look at several different solutions — and meet the people who are pushing for more equitable health care for all.
We talk to social psychologist Brian Lowery about his new book “Selfless: The Social Creation of ‘You.’”
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 your family — as a sibling, a parent, or son or daughter. You might choose your profession, your passion, your culture, or values. We hear a lot about embracing our "true selves" — the essential core of our beings; the thing that makes us us. But when you break it down, what is the self? Where does it come from? On this episode, we talk to social psychologist Brian Lowery about his new book "Selfless: The Social Creation of 'You.'" He argues that our sense of self mostly comes from other people, and from cultural and societal context. We'll also hear the story of a young woman whose sense of self was destroyed by a traumatic brain injury — and what the healing process revealed about the forces that determine our path in life.
The messages we receive around quitting are usually straightforward — don't do it. It's something we hear everywhere — from greats like Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, in movies and TV shows, on motivational posters and in children's books: Go the distance. Never give up. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. But what if giving up really is the best option? What if we're miserable, or burned out, or realize our goals have changed? When should we stick it out — and when should we walk away? On this episode, we explore those questions with writer Julia Keller, who examines the science — and potential benefits — of throwing in the towel in her new book, "Quitting: A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free." We also hear stories about one woman's reckoning with the effects of long COVID on her life, and what prompted a young 20-something to give up everything for a life on the road.
When NPR host Elise Hu moved to South Korea to be an international correspondent, she ended up getting a crash course on Korean beauty and the country's billion-dollar cosmetics industry. She explains the rise of the industry, its appeal, and the high standards it sets for appearance. On this episode, a conversation with Elise Hu about her new book, "Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty capital."
Humans have long been fascinated by the idea of communicating with other species — not just teaching animals to mimic human words, but truly understanding their calls or cries, and interpreting their meaning. In recent years, new technologies and research are getting us closer to that point. So what are scientists learning about the way animals' minds work — what they think about, care about, and want us to understand? On this episode, we explore animal communication — from their ability to speak our language, to our ability to understand theirs. We hear stories about what viral videos of "talking" dogs and cats are teaching scientists, the hidden meanings behind whale songs and dolphin whistles, and how machine learning is decoding the oinks and squeals of pigs.
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 palms feel sweaty, or your stomach feels tight. Likewise, our bodies have a profound impact on our minds. When we experience pleasure, happy chemicals flood our brains, keeping us calm and relaxed. Chronic pain, on the other hand, can cause anxiety, depression — even problems with memory and focus. The mind and body form a powerful feedback loop — with each triggering processes in the other. But in medicine, there is still a firm line separating physical symptoms from thoughts and emotions, a barrier between physical and mental health. Increasingly, though, researchers are challenging that disconnect, and new treatments are exploring surprising ways in which the body helps heal the mind, and vice versa. On this episode, we explore the mind-body connection. We'll hear stories about how meditation is being used to treat long COVID, the burgeoning field of cardiac psychology, and harnessing our fight-or-flight response to treat PTSD.
More than a third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine, ranging from acupuncture to herbalism, Ayurveda to homeopathy. But despite its growing popularity, complementary and alternative medicine remains, for the most part, outside the Western medical mainstream — regarded by some as fringe, and by others as straight-up quackery. Despite that, many researchers and supporters have been trying to gain a deeper understanding of medical practices from around the world, and to incorporate them into our health care system. And that's led to more questions: Which practices work, and for what conditions? How do they work? And how do we measure and standardize treatments when they're removed from their cultural contexts? On this episode, we step outside the boundaries of Western medicine to explore those questions. We hear stories about a mysterious Vodou treatment, the struggle to bring acupuncture into the medical mainstream, and answers to Western skeptics.
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 promoting "self-care" for tireless (but actually exhausted) moms. But for a lot of overwhelmed mothers, self-care becomes just another box to tick — another item on an endless to-do list that never gets finished. The demands of modern motherhood can be overwhelming: Moms are expected to do it all and do it perfectly — even if that means compromising their own well-being. On this episode, we talk about the challenges of motherhood, and how moms can find the space and time to take care of themselves. We talk with a perinatal psychiatrist about the contradictory demands of motherhood, and why bubble baths aren't the answer; hear about an initiative to help mothers dealing with postpartum depression; and learn about the unexpected ways that motherhood changes the brain.
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 promoting “self-care” for tireless (but actually exhausted) moms.
But for a lot of overwhelmed mothers, self-care becomes just another box to tick — another item on an endless to-do list that never gets finished. The demands of modern motherhood can be overwhelming: Moms are expected to do it all and do it perfectly — even if that means compromising their own well-being.
On this episode, we talk about the challenges of motherhood, and how moms can find the space and time to take care of themselves. We talk with a perinatal psychiatrist about the contradictory demands of motherhood, and why bubble baths aren’t the answer; hear about an initiative to help mothers dealing with postpartum depression; and learn about the unexpected ways that motherhood changes the brain.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with perinatal psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin about the growing toll she’s seen motherhood take on new moms, the pressure of changing social expectations, and how boundaries — not bubble baths — can create a path to true well-being. Her new book is called “Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included).”
- When health-and-science journalist Chelsea Conaboy first became a mother, she was surprised to find that the maternal instinct she’d heard about for years wasn’t kicking in. That led Conaboy to investigate some of our long-held beliefs about motherhood — and how they influence our ways of thinking and behaving. Her new book is called “Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood.”
SOCIAL BLURBS:* Forget bubble baths and scented candles — for this year’s Mother’s Day, find out what science says moms really need to achieve true well-being. * Ahead of this year’s Mother’s Day, we bust the myth of the perfect mom, and figure out what real self-care can look like.
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 your insomnia is really as bad as you think?
Neurotech devices promise to deliver insights. These are cutting-edge gadgets that pick up on the electrochemical signals inside of our brains, and are connected to algorithms that analyze and interpret that data.
Brain technology offers all kinds of exciting possibilities — from treating conditions like epilepsy or depression, to simply maximizing our brain health. But medical ethicists are already raising the alarm about potential dangers — for example, how are employers using this tech to monitor their employees? What happens when their brain metrics don’t meet standards?
On this episode, we dive into some of these thorny questions with Nita Farahany, a leading scholar on the social, legal, and ethical implications of emerging technologies, and some of the conclusions she’s come to in her new book, “The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology.”
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We chat with Roy Hamilton, a neurologist and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, about how brain stimulation is being used. He directs the Penn Brain Science, Translation, Innovation, and Modulation (brainSTIM) Center. We’ll also hear from an at-home user about how it improved his life.
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 yourself directly online — but with opportunity inevitably comes rejection. Sometimes, a lot of rejection.
Rejection, or even the thought of it, can strike fear into our hearts, and leave a bad taste in our mouths. It often leads to a mix of sadness, shame, anxiety, and anger — along with nagging questions. What’s wrong with me? Why did this person not like me? Why didn’t I win this award? Why didn’t I get the job?
But it doesn’t have to be that way, and there’s a lot we can learn from not making the cut. On this episode, we explore the experience of rejection — what it feels like, how it functions, and the lessons we can draw from it.
We’ll hear from a fear and anxiety researcher about the evolutionary roots of anxiety — and why asking someone out on a date can feel like a life-or-death situation. Then we’ll explore a common experience among people with ADHD, known as rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and hear how one future physician dealt with the worst rejection of her life.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Arash Javanbakht, a trauma psychiatrist who studies fear and anxiety at Wayne State University, about the evolutionary purpose of the dread we feel around rejection, how it affects our brains, and evidence-based ways to manage those feelings.
- Every year, thousands of graduating medical students apply for the next stage of their medical education — residency. But not everyone gets selected. Reporter Liz Tung tells the story of one such student, Katie Bellas, and how she dealt with the biggest rejection of her life.
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 walk sometimes feels like the hardest thing in the world. There are constant rebuttals that arise in our minds: We’re too busy. We’re too tired. We need a break — we’ll start next week. At the same time, we’re bombarded by messages from people who are all about fitness — influencers with seemingly perfect bodies and a healthy glow, who convince us that we too can get into shape. It’s a habit that many of us try to cultivate — yet often seem to hit a wall.
On this episode, we look at the science of fitness, the evolution of cultural messages surrounding exercise, and how we can overcome inertia to start fitting it into our lives. We’ll hear about how exercise affects our mood and overall health, different approaches to getting in shape, the real-life struggle of becoming an Instagram fitness influencer, and one couch potato’s reluctant journey to getting active.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela about the evolution of exercise culture from sideshow attraction to multi-billion dollar industry. Her book is “Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession.”
- Neuroscience and kinesiology researcher Jennifer Heisz gives us the lowdown on how exercise affects our minds and bodies — from the runner’s high to cognitive function. Heisz is the director of the NeuroFit Lab at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.
- Reporter Grant Hill pulls the curtain back on the life of an Instagram fitness influencer, Grant Tamutus, who was his high school classmate.
- We’ve all heard about how bad sitting too much is for us. Research has found it can affect everything from blood pressure to cancer rates. And yet, 60% of Americans don’t get enough physical activity — and 25% don’t get any at all. Confirmed all-day sitter and reporter Liz Tung explores how much exercise you actually need to do in order to offset a sedentary lifestyle and ideas for how to fit that exercise in.
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. Across the world, armies of researchers are contributing pieces to that big picture narrative every day. They often travel long distances and brave the elements to collect information, one small data point at a time.
How do Antarctic penguins fare when warming temperatures bring potential competitors onto their turf? How do we really know what Earth’s climate was like in the past, and how it compares to today? What’s it like to spend months living on an old oil drilling ship, in search of tiny ancient fossils?On this special episode of The Pulse, we go behind the headlines to spend time with scientists on the front lines of climate research. We’ll hear how they’re collecting data, what they’re learning, and what keeps them motivated.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- The Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing some of the fastest warming on Earth — and scientists are already seeing the effects among two of the region’s penguin populations: the Adélie and the Gentoo. Reporter Sophia Schmidt talks with penguin researchers about what changes they’re witnessing, and why.
- We talk with leading climate scientist Kim Cobb about her work in the field of paleoclimatology, and what studying coral — old and new — can tell us about the earth’s ancient climate history. She also explains what’s next on the horizon in our fight against global warming. Cobb is director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, and a recent addition to President Biden’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
- There’s a certain way we expect scientists to communicate — in calm, measured tones that prioritize facts over feelings. But science communicator Joe Duggan thought that feelings were an important part of the narrative — a powerful tool to communicate how urgent climate research is. He decided to ask scientists to express their emotions about their work and the fate of the planet in letters. Nichole Currie reports on his project.
- On a beach in the Siberian Arctic, a marine biologist lives in a small hut and waits for more than 100,000 walruses to pile their massive bodies on shore. The walruses overcrowd the beach and sometimes die due to stampedes. This coming out-of-the-water phenomenon is called a “haulout,” and it’s a result of climate change. Filmmaker Evgenia Arbugaeva talks about documenting this phenomenon and the scientist who studies the walruses. “Haulout” was nominated for an Academy Award for best Documentary Short Film this year.
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 that would change life as we know it: The first cell phone call ever.
The phone Cooper used that day — a prototype — was a bulky, 2-pound monster that looked a bit like a shoe with an antenna sticking out of the top. In the half-a-century since, this technology has changed more about the way we communicate and connect than Cooper could’ve ever imagined.
On this special episode, we mark the 50th anniversary of the first cell call with an exploration of the past, present, and future of mobile communications. We hear about Cooper’s work on this world-altering invention, one community’s fight against the 5G revolution, and why satellite phones are making a comeback in a big way.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Cell towers may keep us all connected, but there’s a downside: They’re an eyesore. That’s led some providers to try disguising their towers as giant trees or cactuses. But is there a better solution? We hear from architect and writer Jesse LeCavalier, who directs the Cornell University Urban Design Program in New York City, about the history of telecommunication aesthetics, and how attitudes have changed.
Pain is powerful — and when it becomes chronic, it can be all-consuming. It takes over our minds, saps our energy, and becomes the focus of our existence. And yet, pain is also invisible. We can try to describe it — stabbing, nagging, dull, achy; we can rate it on a number scale from one to 10, or point to a smiley or frowny face to define it, but it’s not something we can ever fully communicate. Our pain is ours — to feel, to bear, to live with.
Millions of Americans live with chronic pain, and yet it can be a profoundly lonely experience. The individual nature of pain, the mysterious way it often sneaks into our lives, without a definitive source, can make it hard to deal with — and even harder to treat.
On this episode, we explore the nature of chronic pain — what causes it, how it affects us, and the ongoing fight to stop it. We talk with physician Haider Warraich, who wants to change the way medicine thinks about pain, people who’ve spent years trying to treat their pain, and a reporter who’s tracking the newest developments in pain medicine.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- As a med student in Pakistan, all Haider Warraich knew about pain was what he’d learned in textbooks. That changed when, while lifting weights at the gym, his back gave out, and he found himself thrust into a world of agony. Today, Warraich is a doctor who’s calling on the medical world to change the way it approaches pain — we talk with him about his own experience, what he’s learned about the nature of pain, and what doctors can and should do differently. His book is “The Song of Our Scars: The Untold Story of Pain.”
- Millions of Americans live with chronic pain — and despite seeing doctor after doctor, never find an answer about what’s causing their misery, or how to fix it. Reporter Alan Yu tells the story of one man whose journey to alleviate his pain took him through the gamut of medical options — and ended in an unexpected place.
- Drugs like oxycodone used to be a go-to solution for treating acute and longer-lasting pain — but that’s changed in the wake of the ongoing opioid epidemic. We talk with Damian Garde, a biotech industry reporter for STAT News, about the challenges to developing non-addictive painkillers, and one candidate — a new drug from the biotech company Vertex — that could offer hope.
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 that they work on in anatomy class — when they first learn to make careful incisions, and lay eyes on the beautiful intricacies of bone, muscle, blood vessels, and organs that make our bodies work.
Human cadavers have long played a crucial role in medicine and science. They not only teach generations of doctors about the human body — they allow researchers to learn valuable lessons about everything from the causes of rare diseases to the effects of how we live our lives. But how do bodies end up on dissection tables in the first place? What can they still teach us? And why do people choose to donate their remains?
On this episode, we explore bodies donated to science — how they’re used, why they’re so important, and why people make this choice for their remains. We hear stories about one woman’s mission to recruit future medical cadavers, and how 19th century medical schools got involved in body snatching. We’ll take a closer look at a program that connects med students to the families of their “first patients,” and find out why one firefighter has opted for a future in the Body Worlds exhibition.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Across the country — and the world — medical schools are facing a shortage of cadavers, a situation that has been worsened by the pandemic. Reporter Grant Hill explores the rules that govern donations, and one woman’s mission to recruit future donors.
- Reporter Elana Gordon dug into the history of medical schools and body snatching, through the tale of “One-Eyed Joe” a legendary 19th-century horse thief whose brain went missing after his body was autopsied in prison.
- We chat with Ernest Talarico, a researcher and anatomy professor at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana, about what cadavers can teach us about rare conditions.
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? How do you test a new energy source when it doesn’t really exist yet?
These are the challenges that the world of physics often faces. You can come up with theories, using modeling and calculations, and devise some kind of experiment on paper to investigate things. But then you have to translate those ideas into tangible, real-world experiments, which is often incredibly challenging.
On today’s show, we peek behind the curtain of multimillion-dollar physics experiments that are changing the way we understand our world — and hear about some of the big challenges they face. We dig into the origins of the James Webb Space Telescope, talk with xkcd cartoonist Randall Munroe about some of his more outlandish — and complicated — physics calculations, and hear from accelerator physicist Suzie Sheehy about the physics experiments that changed the world.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- When the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope were revealed just last year, they seemed to inspire a collective moment of awe. They offered stunning glimpses of deep space never before seen. We talk with astronomer and astrophysicist Garth Illingworth about the origin of the telescope, and what pushed him and his colleagues to design something they’d never even dared to imagine.
- Cartoonist Randall Munroe joins us to talk about his latest book “What If? 2,” in which he uses science to answer absurd questions from fans and readers.
- Suzie Sheehy is an experimental physicist, so she knows all about the challenges of creating places and spaces where she can test out her ideas. Her new book about famous experiments in physics is called “The Matter of Everything.”
- Dakotah Tyler wants to inspire the next generation of astrophysicists — and he’s taking to TikTok and Instagram to talk about space, stars, and dark matter in an approachable way.
In 2019, brother and sister filmmaking duo Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev traveled to a beach in the Siberian Arctic — an area in Northeast Russia. When they arrived on this beach, the sand was almost black in color, and a horrifying smell of decay filled the air. The beach looked deserted, except for a man living in a small hut nearby.
His name is Maxim Chakilev. He’s a marine biologist who waits for more than 100,000 walruses to pile their massive bodies on this beach in autumn. The walruses overcrowd the beach and sometimes die due to stampedes. This coming out-of-the-water phenomenon is called a haulout, and it’s a result of climate change in the area.
After witnessing a haulout with Chakilev, Arbugaeva and her brother returned to the beach one year later to live with the biologist for three months and film his every move. For weeks at time, the hut was completely surrounded by the animals, making it impossible to leave.
They produced a documentary with The New Yorker on their findings last year called “Haulout” – and it’s nominated for an Academy Award for best Documentary Short Film this year.
Filmmaker Evgenia Arbugaeva spoke to host Maiken Scott about the film.
Interview highlights
Why do walruses haulout on this beach?
“So, in an ideal world, walruses would not come out on land at all, or they would come out in very small numbers. They’re migratory animals. And they would rest on floating ice during their migration and feeding. But because there is no ice in summer anymore, they’re just forced to come out, haulout, on land to rest. And the reason why they come out on this particular beach is because their feeding ground, which is mollusks on the bottom of the ocean, is about 200 kilometers from this beach. So, what they do, they go feed, then they come back, and they rest on the beach, and then they go back and feed, and they do it about three times.”
Inside the visual experience of a haulout
“I felt that I was in the film “Lord of the Rings,” and there was the army of orcs. It was scary, and it was scary because they’re not aggressive animals because especially when they’re on the beach, they’re in their unnatural environment. So, they’re really vulnerable, and actually, they’re so easily scared. So, any foreign smell or sound can scare them and kind of send this wave of panic in the whole haulout. So, we had to be really careful actually, not to scare them, not to use the stove, not to produce any smell, not to use a generator, which was quite challenging because we couldn’t use batteries, or charge our batteries. But the sound was scary because you could hear the animals struggling, you could hear some voices, like very high-pitched voices of cubs that are looking for their mothers and being separated or being squashed by these bigger animals.”
Maxim Chakilev’s concerns about the walrus population and climate change
Maxim Chakilev is a marine biologist who has been researching pacific walruses in the Siberian Arctic for a decade. (The New Yorker Studios)“The biggest concern, of course, is how this animal adapts to the new reality that this has been happening for a long time now. Maxim started his research 10 years ago … And unfortunately, as we know, this process is irreversible. So, there will be a possibility of a shrinking of the population of the animal. I think all biologists that are now working are concerned about the same thing really, of the disappearance of species and what can be done to protect them.”
Filming during the hottest year on record in the Arctic
“We were anticipating, of course, that we’ll be surrounded by walruses, but we didn’t know for how long. And that was the record. The longest time walruses were on the beach. And so, we planned only for a maximum of a week being surrounded. And we had just enough water for that time. And when we realized it will be two weeks, and it went to almost three weeks, we started to be really worried about the amount of water that we had. And we had to be very careful not to wash our hands and just keep it for drinking.”
The takeaway message from the film, “Haulout”
“We made this film because we wanted to show people what really is happening in the Arctic, and we wanted to make it in the way that is not heavily message-driven or narrated. We wanted people to see for themselves that this is the reality that animals in the Arctic are facing and that we just need to do something about it. We need to be realistic. I mean, there are so many ways to talk about climate change. Oftentimes, it’s stories of hope, which I also support. There has to be hope, but there also has to be some realistic understanding of what is really going on. And I hope our film will contribute to that understanding.”
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 summer, and the pigeons that flutter around busy city streets. And yet, in other places and times, a lot of these animals are anything but pests. They could be seen as beloved pets and important working animals, or even be revered.
So what is it exactly that defines a pest? On this episode, we investigate that question, looking at animals ranging from your everyday pigeons and rats — to more exotic creatures like Burmese pythons and Bobbit worms. We talk with a science writer who’s done a deep dive into the science of pests, find out why one mosquito researcher loves the world’s most hated insect, and hear the story of one man’s epic battle against the sea’s most disturbing creature.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Cornell entomologist Laura Harrington about her mission to find out why mosquitoes prefer human blood — and the superpower she gained after letting thousands of mosquitoes feed on her arm.
- Reporter Alan Yu tells the story of how entomologist Autumn Angelus — who works in mosquito control — came to love the bugs everyone else hates.
- We hear the epic tale of the Bobbit Worm Chronicles — one man’s harrowing journey to defend his aquarium against the ocean’s creepiest pest. Reported by Liz Tung.
It seems like every day, new skin care products hit the market: lotions, serums, collagen boosters, light therapy, at-home lasers — potions and procedures designed to coax our skin into peeling and healing, plumping and renewing. Their promise: wrinkle-free faces, poreless, dewy skin, and an eternally youthful glow.
But there’s no one magic bullet to flawless skin. And what is this chase really about?
On this episode, we get into the science of skin care, looking at what works, what doesn’t, and what dermatologists have to say about the latest frontiers in our quest for eternal youth. We hear stories about a new treatment that uses stem cells to rejuvenate skin, some shady aspects of the Botox business, and why K-beauty has taken global skin care by storm.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Janiene Luke, a dermatologist at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Southern California, about common skin concerns — from wrinkles to dryness to discoloration — along with what actually works (and doesn’t) to treat them. Luke gives skin care advice on her Instagram and TikTok.
- When NPR’s Elise Hu first moved to Seoul, she noticed something striking — the faces. Flawless and dewy, they beamed from skyscrapers and subway stations — monuments to one of South Korea’s most popular exports: skin care. Hu explains what exactly “K beauty” is, the cultural factors that have led to its dominance, and what it says about social pressures on women. Hu’s upcoming book is called “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K Beauty Capital.” We’ll post a longer version of our interview when the book is out — follow our podcast so you won’t miss it!
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 for millions of people around the world. From obesity to lung cancer, sexually transmitted diseases to mental illness, stigmatized conditions are shrouded in shame and blame that can not only hinder treatment — but ruin lives.
On this episode, we explore stigmatized health conditions — how they earn their reputations, affect the lives of patients, and complicate efforts to treat them. We hear about the flawed effort to track down the origin of the HIV epidemic in the U.S. that inadvertently introduced a new term into our language. We explore what researchers say is behind the “blame and shame” game in public health, and we find out why a man diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder says his condition isn’t always as scary as people think.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Harvard obesity researcher and physician Fatima Cody Stanford talks about her campaign to change the way doctors interact — and sometimes judge — patients based on their weight.
- Biocultural/medical anthropologist Alex Brewis discusses her research on stigmatized health conditions — why we judge certain illnesses, what that stigma does to patients, and how it hinders global public health efforts. Brewis has co-authored a book called “Lazy, Crazy, and Disgusting: Stigma and the Undoing of Global Health.”
- If there’s one condition that seems to deserve its bad reputation, it’s psychopathy — the turbocharged version of a personality disorder that’s associated with violent crime, manipulation, and a chilling lack of remorse. But are psychopaths really as different as we think? Reporter Liz Tung talks with “Paul,” who has been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, about his rocky life journey.
Health disparities between Black and white Americans run deep in the U.S. Black people are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or asthma, and their life expectancy is shorter than that of their white peers. The causes for these inequities are far-reaching and include bias and systemic racism in health care and medical treatments, lack of access to care, and economic differences. Advocates, researchers, and health systems have been looking for ways to address these issues — chipping away at different aspects of the problem. On this episode, we’ll look at several different solutions — and meet the people who are pushing for more equitable health care for all.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Journalist and author Linda Villarosa recounts how her approaches to Black health have changed over the course of her career. She started off writing lots of self help pieces, thinking that information would change outcomes, but has come to understand that the issues go far beyond that.
- Med student Joel Bervell talks about his mission to educate both health care providers and patients about biases that are affecting care. His viral TikTok videos reach thousands of viewers, and some of his fans have called them “life-saving.”
Finding the right therapist — or, sometimes, any therapist — can be a grueling process. Someone with the right expertise, who is still taking new clients, lives in your area, who accepts your insurance, or whose services you can afford. Over the past few years, online therapy platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace have seen an explosion in popularity. They promise easy access — anytime you need it — and affordability.
Major changes are happening in the field of mental health, as more people turn to online services — not just for counseling, but for diagnosis and prescriptions. How good are these platforms really — for clients and for therapists? And what are the larger issues they raise about the field as a whole? On this episode, we look at the rise of online mental health services. We hear stories about working for one of these apps, what clients like or dislike about them, and the unregulated world of online ADHD diagnosis.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Charles Jacob, psychologist and professor at Sacred Heart University, about some of the thorny issues facing online and in-person therapy — from state licensing requirements to complaints about unprofessionalism, and how to know if a therapist is right for you.
- Reporter Grant Hill talks with Gabby Rogut, a Mexican high school teacher who was struggling with suicidal thoughts, about the convenience — and later the pitfalls — of online therapy.
When you hear the word fungi, chances are mushrooms come to mind: button mushrooms, maybe portobellos, or chanterelles. But so much of the fungi kingdom is invisible — underground — and many say underappreciated. Fungi are vital to life on the planet, but scientists are just beginning to understand their many functions and possibilities. On this episode, we explore the role of fungi in nature, in medicine, and in our lives. We’ll talk about sustainable design that utilizes mycelium, discuss how fungi form networks that communicate information, and look at an experimental and unapproved fungi-based treatment people are using to regain their sense of smell.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Mycologist and mushroom entrepreneur Paul Stamets talks about growing mushrooms in your own backyard.
- Biologist Merlin Sheldrake discusses the important role of fungi as the planet’s “brilliant decomposers,” and explains why he loves the idea of having fungi all around us — and inside of us.
- We visit Vedge Restaurant in Philadelphia to get a crash course on preparing mushrooms from Chef Rich Landau (Pro tip: hold the salt until the very end!) He explains how to cook with different mushrooms, and recalls a time when portobello mushrooms were an expensive rarity.
- Designer Danielle Trofe talks about the lampshades she grows from mycelium. They’re light, velvety to the touch, sturdy, and yet completely biodegradable.
- Foraging for mushrooms was a “national sport” in the Czech Republic where Barbora Batokova grew up. Now, she brings her love of mushrooms to fans online, where she goes by “Fungiwoman.” Her sites feature beautiful photos of mushrooms that she finds in the wild, as well as explanations and tips for identification.
Humans have long been fascinated by the idea of communicating with other species — not just teaching animals to mimic human words, but truly understanding their calls or cries, and interpreting their meaning. In recent years, new technologies and research are getting us closer to that point. So what are scientists learning about the way animals’ minds work — what they think about, care about, and want us to understand?
On this episode, we explore animal communication — from their ability to speak our language, to our ability to understand theirs. We hear stories about what viral videos of “talking” dogs and cats are teaching scientists, the hidden meanings behind whale songs and dolphin whistles, and how machine learning is decoding the oinks and squeals of pigs.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Nicole Cordova says her husky Manson loves to talk — whine, argue, and yell like Chewbacca. We hear about what it’s like living with a chatty canine.
- In 1970, biologist Roger Payne released a haunting album called “Songs of the Humpback Whale” that left listeners spellbound. Fifty years later, what have we learned about what those songs mean? We talk with nature documentary filmmaker Tom Mustill — author of the recent book “How To Speak Whale” — about what scientists have discovered.
- We talk with Justin Gregg, a researcher at the Dolphin Communication Project, about what dolphin clicks and whistles mean, how their communication differs from human language, and what we’re learning about what matters to dolphins.
- When pigs oink, grunt, or snort, does it mean they feel good or bad? That’s the question Élodie Briefer, an animal cognition expert who teaches biology at the University of Copenhagen, is trying to answer. She tells us what machine learning is uncovering about the feelings behind these vocalizations, and how it can help livestock farmers and inspectors improve pigs’ lives.
It’s the goosebumps you get at the crescendo of your favorite song; the stupefying wonder that comes with witnessing a birth or a death; the astonishing mystery we feel when gazing at the vast night sky. This is awe — a complex, often overwhelming emotion that can elicit everything from pleasure and connectedness to a crawling sense of uncertainty.
Moments of awe can create unforgettable memories — and they can have a lasting impact on our minds and the way we interact with others.
One of the leading scientists studying awe is Dacher Keltner, a University of California, Berkeley psychologist, who’s dedicated the past 15 years to investigating the origins and effects of this emotion. On this episode, we talk with Keltner about his new book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life.” He discusses his own, very personal experience of awe amid profound grief, the ability of awe to transform our experience of the world, and how we can cultivate awe on a daily basis.
We also hear from listeners about their experiences of awe, and listen back to a story about how voyages to space change the way astronauts perceive life, their relationships, and Earth as a whole.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We listen back to a story by reporter Irina Zhorov about how venturing into space transforms astronauts’ experience of Earth.
It’s the start of a new year — a time when lots of people are thinking about how they can improve their lives … and themselves. We make plans to get to the gym, eat healthier, sleep more, and have a better work-life balance. But despite our best intentions, these resolutions are usually short-lived, and often fizzle out by February.
It’s a recipe for disappointment. Not only that — chasing the elusive, future version of ourselves can mean that we’re failing to deal with our current reality. So instead of change, we’re focusing on acceptance on this first episode of 2023 — specifically, how do we find acceptance under challenging circumstances? How do we adapt when life throws us a curveball in the form of a life-changing diagnosis?
We’ll dig into those questions — ditching the New Year’s resolutions in favor of tales about making peace with where we are now. We’ll hear stories about an actor struggling with cystic fibrosis, making your life and schedule work with ADHD, living with a rare and inescapable allergy, and how one family navigated their son’s diagnosis with autism.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Kirsten Michelle Cills always wanted to be an actor. She had the talent and the ambition — just one thing stood in her way: cystic fibrosis. Reporter Justin Kramon tells the story of how this life-threatening illness affected Kirsten’s dream … and eventually opened new doors.
- We talk with psychologist Jacqueline Mattis, who studies human well-being and positive development at Rutgers University, about ways we can find joy and meaning in what we have now — even if it’s not what we wanted.
- For years, Jonita Davis heard the same things over and over: that she was flaky, unreliable, forgetful — different. It wasn’t until she was an adult that Jonita finally discovered the reason — and learned to make her life work for her. Nichole Currie reports.
- Allergies can range from annoying to life-threatening — but usually people can find ways to avoid the things they’re allergic to. But what if you discovered you were allergic to something inescapable? Writer Alison Espach tells the story of how she discovered she was allergic to the cold. Read her essay about the experience, “I Woke Up with Cold Urticaria.”
- Raising a child with autism comes with unique challenges, from making friends to doing well in school — but one of the most daunting is raising them to be independent. Reporter Jad Sleiman talks with Max, along with his parents, Amy, and Tim, about his Asperger’s diagnosis, and how it transformed their expectations of who and how he would be in the world.
On a technical level, noise and sound are the same thing: vibrating molecules that travel in waves straight to our ears. But when sound is annoying, we tend to call it noise. From garbage trucks to car alarms, shrieking babies to nails on a chalkboard, noise can be really grating and irritating. In fact, some noises are so annoying, so loud, so obnoxious that they can take a toll on our well-being and health.
On this episode — part two of our exploration of sound — we take a look at noise, how it affects us, and what we can do to reduce it. We listen to stories about a phantom beep in Brooklyn that had everybody on edge, the quest to quiet hospital alarms, and a day in the life of a noise detective.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Last fall, a mysterious beeping noise started plaguing Brooklyn Heights — a noise that no one could identify, and no one could find. Reporter Liz Tung tells the story of how a neighborhood came together to track down the phantom beep, and why experts say noise pollution is so bad for our health. This story is based on an article originally reported by Mary Frost for the Brooklyn Eagle, “Search for the mysterious noise in Brooklyn turns into massive crowdsourced investigation.”
- We hear from listeners about their noise pet peeves, from screeching children to ice cream trucks.
- Alarms in hospitals are supposed to alert staff that a patient is in crisis. But too often, they blare for no reason — in fact, in the majority of cases, they are false alarms. They make patients anxious, disrupt nurses and physicians while they’re caring for other patients, and lead to burnout and alarm fatigue. A few years ago, The Pulse met researcher and pediatrician Christopher Bonafide from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was determined to find ways to change alarms in hospitals. We check back in with him to find out what he’s learned. We also speak to nurse Meghan McNamara, who is a safety and quality specialist at the same hospital and participated in this research. We hear, too, from Joe Schlesinger, a physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a musician who has created a series of new alarms that contain layers of important information.
- Alan Fierstein has an unusual job: He’s an “acoustic consultant,” aka a noise detective, who spends his days tracking down unwanted sounds in the noise capital of the U.S., New York City. Reporter Jad Sleiman follows Fierstein around for a day as he hunts noise in the Big Apple.
Science journalist Ed Yong is a must-read — with his in-depth reporting, his beautifully told stories, and spot-on analysis. He is one of the go-to-journalists for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the pandemic.
On top of his reporting, he also published a book in 2022, called “An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us,” about how animals experience the world, outside the confines of human senses.
“Each creature really is only able to sense a small amount of the fullness of reality,” he said. “I find this idea to be one of the most beautiful in biology. At the same time, it is humbling and also very expansive … because it tells us how much we’re missing, how much there is to understand and know about.”
The Pulse invited Yong to come to Philadelphia for a conversation at the Academy of Natural Sciences. He talked about what he learned while writing the book, and he also reflected on what it was like to work on the book during the pandemic, and why he thinks we will be stuck in an era of epidemics and pandemics yet to come.
Interview highlightsOn a “scallop TV” experiment:
There’s a guy called Daniel Speiser. He’s done some great work on scallop vision, and … he did an experiment that he calls scallop TV where you put little scallops on, on small chairs and showed them movies, of flecks of food drifting past in the water. And sure enough, the scallops would open the shells and extend little sensory tentacles out to explore … hell of a thing watching a scallop be curious about the world.
On empathy:
I really, really tried to understand how animals use their senses, and a really cool part of the book was this idea that … “An Immense World” is not a book about superiority, but about diversity. So often one common way of engaging with animals’ sense is to prize them only when they exceed our own. So … an eagle’s vision or a shark’s sense of smell — the super sensers. But my argument here is that … the really interesting thing here … is the variation: it’s how disparate the experiences of other animals can be, so that even when you have something like a scallop, which has much poorer vision than ours, there is something truly fascinating about how it uses its eyes and what it gets from the world.
On reading a bat’s mind through echolocation:
It’s almost like one of the easiest to study because unlike, say, vision or smell, echolocation doesn’t work unless the bat is doing something. It needs to put out energy in the world. The bat says Marco, and it makes its surroundings say Polo back. Because of that, by recording the bats calls, you can kind of gauge its intent. So an echolocating bat will change the types of sounds it produces to get different kinds of information back from the environment. … You can record that with a microphone and it basically gives you an insight into exactly what the bat, what it’s trying to do at that moment. It’s sort of like reading the creature’s mind, and yet you can’t really read the creature’s mind. Despite … the technological sophistication that makes echolocation such an understandable sense, I still don’t know what it’s like to be a bat.
On the mystery of magnetoreception
Magnetoreception is the least understood of all the senses because it is by far the hardest to study. It is the only one, for example, we still don’t know where or what the sense organ is. … And partly that’s because magnetic fields are a very weird stimulus. They penetrate living tissue and are unimpeded by it. So while a lot of sense organs need to be on the surface, usually connected to some kind of hole in a shell or a skeleton, a magnetic receptor, an organ that senses magnetic fields could be anywhere, could be in my knee, it could be in my elbow, could be buried deep in my body. It could be spread out all across my body … we don’t know. Someone who studies this has described this to me as like maybe trying to find a needle in a needle stack.
On science as a social endeavor:
One of the biggest lies that is told about science and how it works is that it is a purely objective, like very clinical, very cold procession of facts. … Instead, it is just a very gradual and erratic stumble towards slightly less uncertainty. And it is profoundly a social endeavor, like, a scientist’s interpretation of the world depends on the results from her work, and the results from her work depend on the kinds of experiments that she decides to run. The kind of experiments she decides to run depend on the kinds of questions she thinks about asking in the first place. And the questions she asked in the first place are dependent on her values, her culture, the dogma within her field at a time, all of these like deeply social forces.
Why we are in an “era of pandemics”:
As the climate warms, animals are being forced to relocate to track their preferred environmental conditions. And that means that species are changing their ranges all the time. And that means that animal species that never previously co-existed will suddenly find themselves living in the same place because they will have moved and that will give opportunities for their viruses, which were unique and special to them to jump into new hosts and then eventually into us. There was a very good paper that came out this year showing exactly this process that is well underway and that we are living through probably like the golden age of that process of what I have termed the ‘pandemicene’ in my reporting where, and the horrible thing about that is that a lot of the spillovers will be concentrated in areas with high human habitation and that process is now effectively runaway, like, even if we halted all greenhouse gas emissions today, the momentum of climate change will mean that those that increased spillover dynamic will continue happening.
On hope as a discipline:
A lot of the problems that we’ve experienced in the pandemic boil down to a catastrophic failure of empathy. And while I’m not naive enough to think that learning about scallop eyes is suddenly going to make people take actions that protect their fellow humans, I do think that empathy is a muscle that you can flex and build and strengthen. And I hope that this is part of it. I also know that despair is lethal. Right now, we have a huge number of global, massive problems that need constant attention and persistence …The abolitionist Mariame Kaba talks about how hope is a discipline. And it’s not a nebulous, fluffy thing. It is something that requires effortful work, constant effortful work. And I think to sustain in the face of all the challenges and the tragedies that we see around us, we need to embrace things that bring joy, and that bring hope, and that bring wonder.
The soundscape of our lives changes depending on where we are — the murmuring of voices, birdsong in trees, the beeps and dings of technology, and the cacophony of traffic.
Our worlds are dense with sound. Often, it all blends together to the point that we barely notice it. But every sound has its own distinct profile — providing information, bringing joy or irritation, causing us to snap to attention or zone out.
In this episode, we explore the world of sound, how we interact with it, and the people who compose the sounds that define our lives.
We hear stories about the teams designing the hum of electric cars, how the sounds of a rainforest inspired the pings and dings coming from your computer, and a disorder that makes ordinary noises almost unbearable.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski about what sound is, how it travels, how our sense of hearing evolved, and her favorite topic — the sound of bubbles. Czerski is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at University College London. Her book is called “Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life.”
- Great cars make great sounds — the growl of a Porsche, the roar of a Mustang, the purr of a BMW. But what about electric cars? They’re known for being quiet, but in recent years, electric car makers have been working to create their own signature sound. Reporter Alan Yu finds out what automobiles of the future will sound like.
- Who decides the sounds our electronics make: email notifications, event reminders, and error alerts? Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with sound designer Matthew Bennet about the unlikely origin of the beeps and boops that define our daily lives.
- We listen back to a conversation with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about how different she sounds on the radio than in her head — and talk with William Hartmann, who’s part of the psychoacoustics group at Michigan State University, about why that is.
Whether we’re in a forest, a park, or in the middle of a city, wildlife is always close by. Birds flying overhead, deer peeking through the branches, rabbits hopping through our yards, or rats and raccoons rummaging through our garbage. Sharing space with wild animals means our paths often cross — which can have less than desirable outcomes for either. On this episode, we’ll explore human-wildlife interactions — and the challenges that arise from living in the same space. We’ll hear about efforts to reduce bird strikes, which are frequent and dangerous for low-flying planes, and find out how scientists are keeping a rabies outbreak among raccoons at bay. We’ll also hear about a disease that’s being spread by kissing bugs, and meet volunteers dedicated to rescuing injured wildlife.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- In 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was taking off from LaGuardia airport when it collided with a flock of Canada geese — causing them to lose all engine power. The plane landed safely, but it brought attention to a problem that goes back more than 100 years: bird strikes. Reporter Marcus Biddle investigates a new strategy to prevent birds from flying into the path of planes.
- For decades, America has been dealing with a growing public health threat that has cute little hands and a ringed tail: rabid raccoons. Scientists long ago identified the problem; the question was: How do you vaccinate thousands of raccoons? Reporter Alan Yu tells this story of an innovative campaign to do exactly that.
- Wild animals are often injured or killed by human activities — especially driving. Just last year, Pennsylvania had the highest number of animal and vehicle road collisions in the country. But while there aren’t many large-scale solutions to lessen the effect, there is a small community of volunteers who are doing their best to save injured wildlife. Producer Nichole Currie reports.
The death of a loved one can be shattering — especially when it’s unexpected. It destroys our feeling of safety, warps our sense of reality, and often leaves us feeling lost … unsure if we’ll ever come out on the other side.
It’s an experience just about everyone goes through at some point in their lives, and yet it can feel profoundly lonely. There’s no linear logic or prescribed progression; grief advances stubbornly at its own pace. The wounds can feel both fresh and ancient, stifling and endless, like it’s a connection to our loved ones — and a wall that we can never break through.
And yet, every day, people do survive their grief — they live with it and through it, and emerge on the other side.
On this episode, we hear stories of grief and healing. A mother whose son was murdered at the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 describes how her grief has changed over the past decade. We will also explore what researchers have learned about grief in the wake of the pandemic — what some have called a “shadow pandemic” of loss. And we’ll meet a researcher who is trying to compile the best information to help people who are dealing with grief.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- For many young people, the pandemic brought their first brush with death. We listen back to a story by student reporter Jacob Smollen, who explored how young people deal with grief, starting with his own experience after losing his grandmother at the end of 2020.
- Prolonged grief disorder is now an official diagnosis — but what do we actually know how long grief lasts, and how to treat it? We talk with scientist and writer Hilda Bastian about her research after losing her son to sudden illness.
- When you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, time seems to warp — it speeds up and slows down, or holds us frozen in place. We listen back to conversations with grief therapist Claire Drexler, writer Jared Michael Lowe, and others about whether time really heals all wounds.
Pain is powerful — and when it becomes chronic, it can be all-consuming. It takes over our minds, saps our energy, and becomes the focus of our existence. And yet, pain is also invisible. We can try to describe it — stabbing, nagging, dull, achy; we can rate it on a number scale from one to 10, or point to a smiley or frowny face to define it, but it’s not something we can ever fully communicate. Our pain is ours — to feel, to bear, to live with.
Millions of Americans live with chronic pain, and yet it can be a profoundly lonely experience. The individual nature of pain, the mysterious way it often sneaks into our lives, without a definitive source, can make it hard to deal with — and even harder to treat.
On this episode, we explore the nature of chronic pain — what causes it, how it affects us, and the ongoing fight to stop it. We talk with physician Haider Warraich, who wants to change the way medicine thinks about pain, people who’ve spent years trying to treat their pain, and a reporter who’s tracking the newest developments in pain medicine.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- As a med student in Pakistan, all Haider Warraich knew about pain was what he’d learned in textbooks. That changed when, while lifting weights at the gym, his back gave out, and he found himself thrust into a world of agony. Today, Warraich is a doctor who’s calling on the medical world to change the way it approaches pain — we talk with him about his own experience, what he’s learned about the nature of pain, and what doctors can and should do differently. His book is “The Song of Our Scars: The Untold Story of Pain.”
- Millions of Americans live with chronic pain — and despite seeing doctor after doctor, never find an answer about what’s causing their misery, or how to fix it. Reporter Alan Yu tells the story of one man whose journey to alleviate his pain took him through the gamut of medical options — and ended in an unexpected place.
- Drugs like oxycodone used to be a go-to solution for treating acute and longer-lasting pain — but that’s changed in the wake of the ongoing opioid epidemic. We talk with Damian Garde, a biotech industry reporter for STAT News, about the challenges to developing non-addictive painkillers, and one candidate — a new drug from the biotech company Vertex — that could offer hope.
The bottom of the ocean seems like an unlikely place to be teeming with life — it’s dark, freezing cold, and subject to enormous pressure. And yet, in recent years, scientists have discovered that these depths are a rich ecosystem, boasting more species than you’d find just about anywhere else in the world. Most of the deep ocean remains unexplored, but we’re learning more about this mysterious place — including how its inhabitants have adapted to not only survive but thrive in such extreme conditions.
On this episode, we hear about some of the secrets that scientists are unlocking about the depths of the sea. We hear stories about some of the weirdest and most interesting creatures living deep in the ocean, one man’s epic battle against a very persistent predator, and the chase to uncover centuries-old shipwrecks.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We listen back to a conversation with marine biologist Erik Cordes— which we conducted when he was 1600 feet deep in a submersible named Alvin. Erik was studying deep-water coral reefs and explained what they can teach us about saving shallow-water reefs.
- We talk with science writer Sabrina Imbler about their book of essays, “How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures,” which takes a deep dive into bizarre and amazing sea life, from the octopus that spends four years brooding her eggs, to crabs that grow their own food.
- Daniel Stone, a senior editor for National Geographic, takes us into the murky world of shipwrecks — and the people who search for them. He explains why some shipwrecks last the test of time (and others don’t), what it takes to find a shipwreck, and the lost ships that treasure-hunters continue to seek. His book is “Sinkable: Obsession, the Deep Sea, and the Shipwreck of the Titanic.”
What we eat — and how our food is produced — is always changing. Over the past few decades, we’ve seen attempts to go from industrial farming to eating local, from factory farms to pasture-raised, anti-fat to anti-carb, wheat to quinoa, dairy milk to soy milk, bacon and eggs to avocado toast, and the list goes on. There’s a lot that goes into these changes — market forces, innovation, supply chain issues and increasingly, climate change.
In fact, food may be the single most direct way that most of us will experience the impact of global warming. It will change how food is produced, what we eat, and how much we pay for it. Farmers and food producers are adapting to a warming planet and expanding population. On this episode, we’ll look at the forces that are shaping and changing the way we eat, along with some of the foods that may become far more common in the decades to come. We’ll hear about how vertical farming is making the most of our space, why kelp could be the new soy, and the innovative solutions making their way on to our plates.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with science journalist Amanda Little, who’s traveled the world investigating threats to agriculture, about the innovations that could save our global food supply — and the Earth. Her book is The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter and Smarter world.”
- As the world warms, agriculture is being forced to grow up — literally. Reporter Catherine Nouhan takes us into a vertical farm to find out how this innovative new way of cultivating crops is replacing fields, pesticides, and even soil.
- It’s hard to believe now, but in the early 19th century, soy was virtually unknown to many Americans — today, it’s our second largest crop, right behind corn. Now, environmentally-focused farmers are trying to replicate that success with a different crop: seaweed. But are Americans ready to accept it? Alan Yu reports.
- For years, overfishing has been a problem that’s brought many fish stocks to a dangerous tipping point — but today, new tech is transforming our appetite for fish from an existential deep-sea threat to a sustainable industry. We talk with Nicholas Sullivan about the future of fish farming, why it’s gotten a bad rap, and how new innovations are changing the way we fish. His book is The Blue Revolution: Hunting, Harvesting, and Farming Seafood in the Information Age.
- Youtuber and internet cook Adam Ragusea schools us about eating sustainably, some of his favorite staple meals, and why too much good food has become a problem.
Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Blizzards. Flooding. Over the past 20 years, we’ve seen a staggering increase in extreme weather events, resulting in millions of deaths and trillions of dollars of damage around the globe.
This increase has made the stakes for precise and accurate forecasts higher than ever — but the best forecast is useless if people don’t act on the information.
On this episode, we explore what scientists are learning, not only about predicting extreme weather, but also about how to deliver their message in a way that will compel people to heed their warnings. Then we’ll look into the aftermath of storms, how communities attempt to recover — and be better prepared for the next storm.
We hear stories about a storm-chaser’s mission to understand tornadoes, how the blizzard of 1993 settled a long debate over meteorological predictions, what happens when storms keep patients from life-saving treatments, and how communities rebuild — or don’t — after being ravaged by severe weather events.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with storm-chaser and scientist Adam Houston about his mission to solve a longtime mystery: the exact conditions in which supercell thunderstorms generate tornadoes. Adam leads a team of researchers who are trying to gather better data to make more exact predictions.
- Most of us take weather forecasts for granted — but as it turns out, decades of research and debate went into creating a prediction model that works. In 1993, that model was still in question — until the east coast of the U.S. was slammed by the “blizzard of the century.” Jad Sleiman reports.
- Extreme weather forecasts can save lives — but that doesn’t mean the public always listens. Reporter Kerry Sheridan experienced that first-hand when she rode out Hurricane Ian, a massive and deadly Category 4 storm that recently hit southwest Florida. She tells the story of how extreme weather events are prompting meteorologists to change the way they deliver their warnings.
- When a freak snowstorm knocked out power and water in Texas back in 2021, thousands of dialysis patients were left in the lurch. Many found themselves trapped in their homes, unable to access life-saving treatment as deadly toxins built up in their blood. Reporter Sara Willa Ernst has this story on what happened — and Texas’ efforts to prepare better for future storms.
- Escaping extreme weather is one thing — but how do communities rebuild after devastating damage? That’s the topic of the new podcast “In Deep,” which follows residents of Lake Charles — a small city in Southwest Louisiana — that over the past few years was pummeled by consecutive hurricanes and a severe blizzard. We hear an excerpt from the podcast, and talk with reporter and host Lauren Rosenthal about the toll all of this has taken on Lake Charles residents.
There are 19 million veterans in the U.S. who have served in the armed forces. For many, the military gave them a sense of shared purpose, a strong connection to their comrades. But that community often disappears when they get out of the service, leaving many feeling alone, or misunderstood. On top of that, many veterans suffer with lingering health challenges, both visible and invisible. On this episode, we talk to veterans about what they experienced, and what they want other people to know. We hear stories about one woman’s struggle to get help for her PTSD, how Shakespeare is helping veterans transition back to civilian life, and some of the health effects that come with combat.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Utibe Essien — a core investigator with the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion in Pittsburgh — explains how and why race-based health disparities exist in a system designed to provide equal health care to all veterans.
- The transition from military service back into society can be challenging. One military veteran is trying to make that process easier using an unlikely approach — Shakespeare. Nichole Currie reports on a program that taps into verse for healing trauma, it’s called De-Cruit.
- We talk with Zachary Bell, the former Marine who started Veteran with a Sign — a popular Instagram account that features everything from inside jokes to very serious messages about mental health on cardboard signs.
- Former Navy SEAL James Hatch talks about his unique transition from warfighter to Yale freshman. His book is “Touching the Dragon: And Other Techniques for Surviving Life’s Wars.”
- Combat Veteran Ray Christian interviews a female veteran, Jessica Ian Jenkins, about her experiences at VA health centers. She was seeking treatment for PTSD, but says she only got help after it was almost too late.
It’s that time of year when we celebrate something we usually hate: fear. We visit haunted houses and corn mazes or binge-watch the scariest horror movies. But our relationship with fear is complicated. In its most primitive form, fear is about survival — it raises our heart rates, redirects our blood flow, makes us faster and fiercer, all so we can face — or escape — serious threats. In other settings — where there’s no real danger — fear can feel exhilarating, fun, and exciting. It can serve as a form of entertainment, or even help us focus and perform better.
On this episode, we look at fear and how it overlaps with other emotions. We hear stories about why we love scary movies, overcoming paralyzing stage fright, and what happened to one man who completely lost his sense of fear.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with science writer Nina Nesseth about why we love scary movies, how playing Tetris can disrupt our experience of fear, and why she’s afraid of actress Toni Collette. Nesseth’s new book is “Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films.”
- We hear from listeners about the fears that haunt them, from church steeples to suffocating in space.
- Fear researcher and trauma psychiatrist Arash Javanbakht explains the purpose of our primitive fear circuitry, how it fits into modern life, and why we crave scary experiences. Javanbakht is the director of the Stress Trauma and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, where he studies how people react to threats.
- British TV presenter Jordy Cernik was always an anxious guy — until around 10 years ago, when he had his adrenal glands removed to treat a rare illness called Cushing’s Syndrome. Liz Tung reports on what happened next, when Cernik came to a startling realization: He’d lost his sense of fear.
There’s a lot to love about grasslands — the sound of the wind blowing through them, the way the colors change with the seasons, how the sun lights up the valley, and the flowers that bloom in the spring and summer.
But in many ways, we’ve taken these open spaces for granted, using them for our own purposes, from building houses to grazing livestock and planting crops. And in terms of conservation efforts, grasslands have been a bit neglected, compared to ecosystems like tropical rainforests.
But increasingly, scientists are paying more attention to grasslands as spaces that have to be protected. On this episode, we look at the role of grasslands as habitats, their importance to preserving biodiversity, and how they can help fight climate change.
We hear stories about how scientists came to appreciate the value of grasslands — and their attempts to protect what’s left, a spicy effort by researchers in Montana to fight a small but mighty opponent, a recent effort to reintroduce cheetahs into India’s grasslands, and how exactly you go about growing a lush green soccer field in a place where grass is definitely not native.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- For years, grasslands have been neglected by conservationists in favor of sexier ecosystems, like tropical rainforests. But increasingly, scientists are recognizing the importance of grasslands — and why we need to save them. Alan Yu reports.
- We talk with Dean Pearson, a research ecologist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana, who’s spent years working to restore native grasslands. He tells us about a small but mighty foe thwarting his efforts: native deer mice. Pearson explains the creative solution they came up with to prevent their tiny saboteurs from gobbling up all their seeds.
- Anthropologist Krystal D’Costa talks about the history of how and why Americans became obsessed with our lawns.
- How do you plant a soccer pitch in the middle of the desert? That’s the challenge facing FIFA ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Reporter Danielle Elliot investigates.
In the early days of the pandemic, life on the streets changed. Traffic was clear, and the roads felt nearly deserted. Bumper-to-bumper commutes gave way to free and easy drives. So it came as a shock when it turned out that motor vehicle deaths had surged to nearly 40,000 people in 2020 — a jump of more than 20% per mile driven. How could this happen with far fewer drivers on the road?
On this episode, we take a look at road safety, and what researchers are learning about it. What are the factors — besides human error — that contribute to greater safety or danger on the roadways? Can we design our way to safer streets? And if so, what does that look like? We’ll hear stories about subtle cues that can get drivers to slow down, finding a safer way to merge, and what’s really at the bottom of potholes.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Bevan Kirley and Wes Kumfer, researchers at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, who focus on crash analysis and safety education, and how human behavior impacts our driving.
- There is an empirically safer and more efficient way for drivers to merge where one lane ends, and all the cars have to move to the remaining lane — it’s called the zipper merge. But despite years of promotion, it remains controversial and drivers are reluctant to try it. Reporter Alan Yu looks into why.
When Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) first emerged on the national stage, it was hailed as a ray of hope. It was an intensive, interactive therapy that seemed to have positive results with kids on the autism spectrum, teaching them valuable skills while eliminating unwanted behaviors. It was expensive and time-consuming — so parents lobbied to have it covered by insurance or schools. By the 2010s, they’d largely achieved that goal, and ABA became a standard treatment for kids with autism.
But over the past few years, that first generation of kids to receive intensive ABA has grown up — and they’re telling a different story. Many have criticized ABA as harmful and even abusive, calling it “conversion therapy for autistic people.”
On this episode, we explore the battle over ABA. We hear from a young man who received it as a kid, autistic self-advocates, experts, and parents — all of whom have a different perspective on ABA, its benefits, and whether or not the approach should be revamped or scrapped altogether.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- STAT news reporter Tara Bannow joins us to discuss her investigative reporting on private equity firms that are backing the biggest chains in the country providing ABA, and how that has impacted the quality of services people are receiving.
A smile, clean socks, a sandwich, a wound care kit, a heartfelt “how are you feeling today?” All of these things can be part of a public health approach called harm reduction, and many believe it’s the best way to help those who’re living with opioid addiction. The approach is to meet people where they’re at, gaining their trust, and paving a path toward treatment and recovery.
Journalist Beth Macy has covered the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic for years — including in her best-selling book “Dopesick,” which was turned into a Hulu limited series. In her latest book, she pivots to solutions. In “Raising Lazarus” she introduces audiences to the people on the frontlines of the opioid crisis, who are trying to save lives — one person at a time. We talk to Macy about her book and hear from people who are trying new ways to keep people alive and get them into treatment.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Ed Bisch about the personal tragedy that led him to connect with other grieving families, and his activism with the group Relatives Against Purdue.
- We listen back to Nina Feldman’s story of a volunteer outreach worker in Philadelphia, who believes everybody should have Narcan available.
During World War I, thousands of soldiers suffered catastrophic facial injuries. If these soldiers survived their injuries, they were often shunned once they got back home.
Some were forced to sit on brightly painted blue benches so that the public knew not to look at them. Many became isolated — sometimes their fiancées broke off their engagements, or their families rejected them — and came to feel that their lives were no longer worth living.
But then an enterprising surgeon entered the picture, who was determined to repair and even rebuild these men’s injured faces: Harold Gillies.
On this episode, we talk with medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris about her new book “The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon’s Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I,” which traces Gillies’ pioneering mission to reconstruct faces. We hear about how he gathered artists, radiographers, dental surgeons, and more for novel collaborations, their miraculous results, and how Gillies’ efforts led to the birth of modern reconstructive surgery.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- From the 1960s to the late ’80s, countless people who were incarcerated were given plastic surgery in the hopes that improved looks could reduce recidivism. Reporter Jad Sleiman tells the strange story of this experiment and talks with a famous plastic surgeon to the stars about this flawed program.
- Flight nurse Dave Repsher lived an active life — until a medical helicopter he was riding in crashed, resulting in Repsher suffering burns on over 90 percent of his body. Colorado Public Radio’s Ryan Warner tells the story of Repsher’s difficult recovery using cutting-edge techniques.
Tom Mustill was sure he was going to die — that was the last thing he thought as he watched a humpback whale arc majestically out of the water … and begin to fall directly onto his kayak. But Mustill didn’t die. A video of the incident went viral, and as he later learned from an expert, it appeared that the whale pivoted at the last second — maybe to avoid crushing Mustill. It was a terrifying experience — but one that also ignited a deep curiosity in him. What exactly was the whale thinking? Was it all just an accident? Or was it really trying to save the tiny humans in its wake?
These questions sent Mustill, a biologist-turned-nature documentarian, on a journey to understand whales — how they think, how they live, and how they communicate. The result is his new book, “How to Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication.” In the process, Mustill discovered a revolution at the intersection of biology and technology — researchers who are using AI to observe, document, and decode animal communications.
We’ll hear about the book and talk to some of the whale researchers who are working to get a better understanding of these animals.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Joy Reidenberg — a professor of anatomy at the Icahn School of Medicine — about what she’s learned from her years spent studying whales, including how smart they really are, what makes their brains different from ours, and what new technologies are teaching us about them.
- Justin Gregg talks about his work with the Dolphin Communication Project and what he’s learned about how and why they communicate. Gregg’s book is called “If Nietzsche were a Narwhal.”
Around the world, at dawn, something magical happens. As the sun rises, nature seems to wake up, and different species break into a chorus of song and call. These “dawn choruses” are one way we experience the rich tapestry of life all around us. But that tapestry is wearing thin, as species disappear from our planet at an increasingly fast rate.
On this episode, we take a look at biodiversity — the variety of life on earth. We talk about why it matters, how it’s being threatened, and what people are doing to better understand and protect it. We explore the legacy of the late biologist E.O. Wilson, who popularized the term “biodiversity,” and speak to conservation scientists about their efforts to protect “biodiversity hotspots.” Also, the challenges affecting natural history museum collections, and the fight against the growing threat of species extinction.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with conservation ecologist and Duke University professor Stuart Pimm about the legacy of his longtime friend and colleague E.O. Wilson, and what it will take to protect and preserve biodiversity on the planet.
- What does studying biodiversity look like in the field? It starts with data — collecting lots of data. We hear from four students who participated in the “Paint Rock Forest Dynamics Project” and their efforts to tag every tree over a centimeter in diameter in a forest.
The pandemic hasn’t just changed how we live — it’s changed how we work, and how we feel about our jobs. One of the major ripple effects: burnout. Over the past couple years, people in all different jobs — from doctors to teachers, students to hospital workers — have found themselves exhausted and struggling, questioning if it’s them or their workplaces, and if they belong in their jobs at all.
Burnout can lead to serious problems — depression and insomnia, the feeling that your work, or even your life, has no meaning. It can affect job performance too, leading to mistakes that, in some cases, could cost lives. But burnout can also mark a fresh start — a breaking point that leads you onto a new path.
On this episode, we look at what’s fueling widespread burnout, why so many people report feeling pushed to their absolute limits, and what can be done to stop it. We talk with a psychologist about the signs of burnout and how to avoid it, a teacher who was forced to choose between his health and his profession, and a former ER doctor who coaches physicians on how to avoid that sinking feeling.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with psychologist and burnout expert Brad Johnson about the signs of burnout, how it begins, why it’s more common among women and people of color, and how to deal with it. Johnson is a clinical psychologist and a professor of psychology at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
- Teachers have always had a high burnout rate — but according to a survey from the National Education Association, that rate has reached crisis proportions. Reporter Jad Sleiman tells the story of how one Philadelphia teacher reached his limit, and was forced to choose between his career and his health. A version of this story was featured on the WHYY podcast series “Schooled.”
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We hear from teenagers about what’s stressing them out and how adults sometimes don’t take them seriously. This piece was produced by student reporters at WHYY’s Pathways to Media Careers Youth Employment project.
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Rob Orman spent years working as an ER doctor before burnout sent him looking for new opportunities. Now he coaches other physicians on how to avoid the same fate. He tells us about the systemic problems fueling doctors’ high burnout rates, and the compromises that are needed to save America’s stressed-out health care workers.
- We talk with Amelia Nogoski about how her PhD program drove her to the edge, and how she walked herself back. Nogoski is an associate professor and music coordinator at Western New England University. Her book is called “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.”
It was a summer day in 2012 when Bob Richey’s life was changed forever. He was a new college grad, having fun with friends at the beach. Like he’d done so many times before, Richey dove into the surf — but this time, something was off. He broke two vertebrae in his neck and ended up paralyzed from the chest down.
Since then, he’s been using a power wheelchair, which allows him to get around, work as a software engineer, even drive a custom van.
When medical equipment is an absolute necessity — the only way someone can keep going, literally and figuratively — it takes on an outsized role. It must fit right and work right, be accessible and affordable — or the consequences can be grave.
On this episode, we look at the medical gear that’s changing — and even saving — lives. We hear stories about how the ice bucket challenge changed life for people with ALS, the growing role prosthetists are playing in patients’ lives, and the medical device that alerted the bomb squad at the airport.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Remember the robotic hand that Luke Skywalker gets at the end of “The Empire Strikes Back”? Today, we’re closer than ever to making that kind of prosthesis a reality. We get a glimpse at one such model — The Michelangelo — and what it’s taken for Brian Simms to make it work for him.
Learning how to be a parent can feel overwhelming, and advice is everywhere. There are the things you’re learning from other parents, the things you’re reading in books, the things you hear from your pediatrician, from influencers, from your great aunt Margaret … and in the meantime, you’re trying to develop your own instincts as a parent.
So who do you listen to? Who’s the real expert? And how much do these decisions ultimately matter to the health and well-being of your kid?
On this episode — navigating parenting advice, and what science can tell us about raising kids. We dig into advice about sleep, food allergies, how much influence parents actually have on their children, and how to raise kids who aren’t a**holes.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with neurologist and sleep researcher Chris Winter about helpful methods to improve a child’s quality of sleep. Winter also discusses today’s culprits of poor sleep and how they affect the brain. Winter’s books include “The Sleep Solution” and “The Rested Child: Why Your Tired, Wired, or Irritable Child May Have a Sleep Disorder — And How To Help.”
- Danya Glabau knows the world of food allergies firsthand — she was diagnosed in college. Her new book, “Food Allergy Advocacy: Parenting and the Politics of Care,” explores this issue from the perspective of parents, who are often forced to become experts fast.
- In 1998, the late psychologist Judith Harris published “The Nurture Assumption” — a book that made the controversial argument that peers, not parents, are the most important factor in children’s development. Reporter Jad Sleiman explores how Harris — an outsider in the field — formulated her argument, and how it eventually went from fringe to more mainstream. Steven Pinker discusses his friendship with Harris, and how her arguments influenced his work.
- A few years ago, science journalist and mom Melinda Wenner Moyer grew concerned about the bad behavior she was seeing all around her: from bullying and racism to MeToo allegations. How would all of this impact her kids? And how can you raise kids who are kind and empathetic? She started digging into research on how to instill empathy, honesty, and generosity in kids. She explains what she found in her book, “How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes.”
Serum follows the life and work of Dr. Gary Davis, a Black physician from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who was working on a treatment for AIDS in the 1990s. This is episode 3: Red Flags and Green Lights.
Reporter Grant Hill gets in touch with one of the last people to have seen Dr. Davis’ serum in action, a Tulsa photographer named Doug Henderson. The conversation reveals that in 2004, Dr. Davis conducted human trials in Africa — enlisting the help of the photographer and celebrity Bishop Carton Pearson to document and publicize his work. What they witness is both astonishing and shocking: Trials with the doctor’s serum seem to leave participants completely recovered. But soon, things fall apart. Dr. Davis appears panicked and afraid for his life. He disappears. Rumors abound. Back in Oklahoma, the photographer is asked to erase all evidence that any of this ever happened. Then he gets word: The doctor is dead.
Serum, a limited-run podcast, is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
The modern ICU, or Intensive Care Unit, was born out of a time of crisis. It was 1952, and polio was raging in many places — especially the city of Copenhagen. Patients poured into the hospitals, many of them gasping for air, turning blue, and eventually dying. Then a brilliant doctor tried a radically different approach — pumping air directly into patients’ lungs. It was an idea that would require intensive manpower, but save many lives. And it led to the birth of a new kind of medicine: intensive care.
Seventy years later, ICUs sit at the cutting edge of modern medicine. They’re the destination for the sickest patients — including those who’re hovering at death’s door — and home to some of medicine’s most profound interventions. ICUs can be a place of pain and healing, of comfort and dying, a laboratory for innovation, or a sanctuary for grieving families.
On this episode, we take a look at intensive care — its roots, what it’s like to work there, and how the coronavirus pandemic has changed it.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Journalist Daniel Semo tells the story of anesthesiologist Bjorn Ibsen — the brilliant doctor who ushered in a new era in medicine.
- We talk with Haney Mallemat, a critical care physician at Cooper Medical Center at Rowan University, about what drew him to intensive care, making life-and-death decisions, and dealing with the lingering trauma of COVID-19.
- Reporter Jad Sleiman talks with Nirav Shah, an ICU doctor at the University of Maryland Medical Center, about the strange, sometimes one-sided relationships doctors develop with their unconscious patients … and one patient he will never forget.
Science is all about discovery — tackling the big questions that define our world, and hopefully our future. But some of these questions are as obscure as they are important. The challenges seem endless — with any kind of answer decades or even generations away — but, if answered, these quests could transform life as we know it.
On this episode, we explore some of science’s holy grails — we look into why these questions matter, and how close they are to being answered, and meet the people who are leading the charge.
We hear stories about the search for extraterrestrial life, what fusion power could mean for the fate of our planet, humans’ quest for immortality, and more.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Technology journalist Peter Ward introduces us to a community of people dedicated to using cutting-edge science to extend their lives — by decades, or maybe even centuries. Ward explains the current state of their quest for immortality, including using cryonics to freeze and preserve the body. His book is “The Price of Immortality: The Race to Live Forever.”
- Forget carbon emissions or radioactive waste — hello clean, abundant energy! That is the promise of fusion power, a scientific holy grail that’s hovered outside our grasp for nearly a century. We talk with physicists Martin Greenwald and Clifford Johnson, as well as science journalist Steven Krivit, about how close — or far — fusion power actually is.
It’s when a dark alleyway makes the hairs stand up on the back of our neck; when a mother just knows that something’s wrong with her kid; when you meet someone, and can tell they’ll either be your best friend — or your worst nightmare.
On the surface, intuition can seem a bit like magic — this unexplainable knowledge that pops in our heads, based on nothing but a feeling. But scientists say there’s more to intuition than just gut instinct. It’s about how our brains use years of accrued information to make predictions about what’s going to happen next — all on a subconscious level. But if we don’t know exactly how intuition works, how can we trust it — and should we trust it?
On this episode, we explore intuition — what it is, how we can harness it, and when to avoid it. We hear stories about the edge that human doctors have over AI, one woman’s incredible feat of motherly intuition, and why some people call intuitive eating the antidote to diet culture.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with David Jaison, who offers us a peek behind the curtain of “mentalism” — a kind of performance art that uses a mix of psychology, showmanship, and intuition to surprise audiences.
- Neuroscientist Joel Pearson breaks down the emerging science behind intuition — where it comes from, how it works, and when we should (and shouldn’t) trust our gut feelings. Pearson is the founder and director of Future Minds Lab at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
- Artificial intelligence may not have the best bedside manner, but it’s getting better and better at diagnosing and treating patients. So what does that mean for traditional MDs? Reporter Jad Sleiman explores the edge that human doctors have over AI — at least for now.
- When Katie Pratt was 3 years old, she was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation, a rare condition in which the cerebellum bulges through an opening in the skull into the spinal canal. Katie’s mom, Wendy, had a hunch about what the solution would be — but it wasn’t until doctors opened up Katie’s skull that they discovered she was right. Katie interviews her mom about the experience, and her incredible flash of mother’s intuition.
- You might’ve heard of intuitive eating, a practice that proponents are calling an antidote to both diet culture and disordered eating. Reporter Liz Tung talks with Elyse Resch, one of the founders of intuitive eating, and one young woman about how intuitive eating changed her relationship with food.
In the fall of 2019, reporter Grant Hill jumped into a cab — where his driver, Clyde Ashley Sherman, told him the story of a lifetime. Decades before, the driver had worked for a Black physician from Oklahoma named Gary Davis. In the 1990s, Davis developed a treatment for AIDS based on goat antibodies. The physician submitted his research to the FDA, but his clinical trial was shut down right before it was set to start. Frustrated, Davis went abroad to get his treatment off the ground. He got involved with some questionable characters to find financial support — and when he died unexpectedly, lots of questions remained.
Grant Hill spent more than two years on Davis’ trail — discovering a tangled story that spans decades and stretches into the innermost circles of power and fame. On this episode, we’ll hear an excerpt from our new podcast series “Serum,” which tells Davis’ story. We also talk to an infectious disease specialist who has worked on HIV research since the early days of this epidemic, and we’ll meet a couple that found love amid the AIDS crisis.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Reporter Jad Sleiman tells the story of a couple whose meandering path to love started at the height of the AIDS crisis. At first, the specter of HIV pushed them to take very different roads in life — until they met again.
- We talk with Carlos del Rio, co-director of the Center for AIDS Research at Emory University, about the earliest days of HIV research, and how the search for treatments has unfolded in the years since.
Our lives depend on water — not just any water: clean, safe water. We need it for drinking, for cooking, for washing. And very often, we take it for granted. But in many parts of the world — including the U.S. — water is becoming a precious commodity.
The American West is currently experiencing a “megadrought,” which is rapidly draining important water supplies. That’s led one ranching community in Wyoming to seek out ways to protect their water sources. Emerging science is on their side — but the law isn’t.
On this episode, we talk about these and other people who are desperate to shore up and protect their water supply, and the conflicts that mission can bring. We hear stories about an environmental scientist who’s teaching other people how to source their own water, an eco-artist dedicated to empowering communities to know, restore, and preserve their waters, and more.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Climate change is causing the American West to experience what’s now being called a “megadrought” — the worst water shortage in centuries. The Ogallala Aquifer is a huge underground water source supplying eight states with this precious resource. But as one ranching community in Wyoming is finding out, that water is disappearing. Melodie Edwards, host and producer of The Modern West podcast from PRX and Wyoming Public Media, reports on how part of the problem is that water law hasn’t kept up with emerging science.
- If you live in a city, your water probably comes from a large public utility that purifies it in a treatment plant. Not so for environmental scientist David Tarsi, who has wells on his own property, and uses sand filters to clean up rain water. Reporter Jad Sleiman talks with Tarsi about his quest to teach more people how to collect and filter their own water supply.
- Associate producer Nichole Currie talks with eco-artist Betsy Damon about her decades-long quest to put water challenges — and solutions — in front of the public.
Science is constantly propelling athletes to run faster, jump higher, push harder, and break records. Scientific advances have become such a big part of competitions that some critics say innovation is beginning to overshadow athleticism. On this episode, we explore the different ways in which science is shaping sports. We hear stories about high-tech gear and equipment, like running shoes with soles that contain highly-engineered foam, and find out how neuroscientists are trying to get into athletes’ heads to measure their performance. Also, how athletes are harnessing emotions for the win, and a look at the future of “robot umpires.”
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- In 2019, long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge accomplished something almost no one thought possible — running a full marathon in under two hours. But in the weeks and months after the run, a growing chorus of voices protested that the feat didn’t truly count. The reason? Kipchoge’s shoes. Reporter Liz Tung looks into Nike’s controversial “super shoes” that have runners smashing world records.
- In baseball, umpires make controversial and sometimes game-changing decisions. In 2019, the Atlantic League made headlines when they started using robot umpires – to call balls and strikes. Could robot umps take human error out of these calls? Or would it take the tension — and some of the fun out of the game? Alan Yu looked into it.
- We talk with science writer Jennifer Swanson about how high-tech gear continues to transform sports, ranging from tennis to golf. Her book is “The Secret Science of Sports: The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick.”
- Taylor Johnson coaches esports athletes, after a career working in the NFL. He says coaching people who compete in video games means analyzing a ton of data from each game, and helping players optimize their focus and reaction times.
- Author Zach Schonbrun discusses how neuroscientists are trying to get into athletes’ heads to see what is going on in their brains as they compete. For his book, “The Performance Cortex: How Neuroscience is Redefining Athletic Genius,” Schonbrun observed experiments with baseball players that shed some light on their decision-making process and speed.
When we’re stressed, upset, feeling down, or off, most of us have things we do to decompress. Things we find therapeutic — maybe it’s listening to music, working with our hands, or unplugging for a while. But sometimes these mood boosters don’t do the trick and it seems like it’s time to talk to a professional.
During the pandemic, more people sought counseling than ever before. But the process of therapy can still seem a bit opaque. What exactly happens in therapy? How does it work? And which approach is right for which issues? On this episode, we get inside the heads of therapists to find out how they ply their craft, and what it takes to really feel better.
We hear stories about what happened when a city took a bold step toward providing free, virtual mental health services to its residents. Also: what happens when politics and therapy collide; how Freud’s brainchild — psychoanalysis — is still relevant; and what it’s like to grow up as the child of two shrinks.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with veteran relationship therapist Argie Allen-Wilson about who should get therapy and why, how long therapy should last, and how to break up with your therapist. Allen-Wilson is CEO and co-founder of Family and Individual Therapeutic Healing (or F.A.I.T.H.) Inc. and Connections Matter.’
- Freud may have given rise to modern talk therapy — but these days, a lot of his ideas, from penis envy to the Oedipal complex, have fallen out of favor. So where does that leave modern psychoanalysis? Reporter Liz Tung talks with psychoanalysts Jonathan Shedler and Steven Kuchuck. For more on psychoanalysis, see Kuchuck’s new book “The Relational Revolution in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy,” and Shedler’s “That Was Then, This is Now: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for the Rest of Us.”
- From the time she was a kid, Dara Lovitz had one big fear: vomiting. But when she became a mother, she knew things had to change. Lovitz explains her journey, step by step, from phobia to acceptance through exposure therapy. Her book, with psychologist David Yusko, is “Gag Reflections: Conquering a Fear of Vomit Through Exposure Therapy.”
- Can you imagine having a therapist around 24/7 — analyzing your behavior, your moods, maybe even your dreams? For journalist Micah Toub, that was just normal life growing up as the son of two shrinks. Nichole Currie reports. Toub’s book is “Growing Up Jung: Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks.”
This episode was first broadcasted on January 7, 2022
Imagine yourself out in nature — away from all the noise and the distractions of our lives. You can smell the rich scents of the forest, you can hear birds singing, the wind rustling the leaves, insects buzzing. It can feel calming, and invigorating. Now, imagine yourself alone in the forest for days, and weeks, looking for shelter from the elements and food to eat. That probably sounds more unsettling or scary than calming, right?
On this episode, we explore how our experiences in nature affect us — and change us. We hear from wilderness guide and “Alone” winner Jordan Jonas, about his stint in the Canadian wilderness and his legendary battle with a wolverine. We discuss the practice of forest bathing as a medical treatment, and science journalist Ed Yong explores how other animals experience the world around them.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- When he was in his 20s, survivalist and wilderness guide Jordan Jonas spent a lot of time in the tundra in Siberia. Living there uniquely equipped him to survive all by himself near the Arctic, which is where he was dropped off as a competitor on the History Channel reality TV show “Alone, Season Six.” Jordan outlasted his competitors to win the challenge.
- On some level, we tend to want to experience nature on our own terms. Swim in the ocean, but not be tossed around by huge waves. Climb a mountain, but not get caught in a storm. Look at animals – but not have them attack us. And when we realize that nature doesn’t play by our rules, it can be deeply unsettling. Reporter Liz Tung brings us this story of an entomologist who had an encounter in nature that shook him to his core – and set him on a path to learn more about evolution.
- Ed Yong’s new book, “An Immense World” immerses readers into the experiences of other animals, and how they sense what’s around them. Yong explores how our different “windows” to the world offer very different vantage points.
- Tara Brown discovered “forest bathing” during a long stay in Japan. She felt lonely, isolated, and depressed. Then, she lived like a Japanese mountain monk for a week — and discovered the healing powers of being in nature. Nichole Currie reports on Brown’s journey into studying “forest bathing” as medicine.
In 2018, journalist Linda Villarosa wrote an article in The New York Times Magazine that kicked off a national conversation about health disparities. It showed that Black mothers and their babies in the U.S. were dying at more than double the rate of their white peers, and it pulled back the curtain on how those statistics related to racism.
For Villarosa, it had been a long road linking health disparities to racism. In the beginning of her career, she was a big believer in self-help, thinking that better information and more education could close the health gap. But the more she reported on these issues, the more she came to understand how racism, discrimination, and bias affect health experiences and outcomes for Black Americans.
On this episode, we talk with Villarosa about her new book, “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation.”
We also meet a Black midwife in West Virginia and find out how she’s making a difference for her patients, and a med student who’s using TikTok to spread life-saving information.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Fathers’ Day is almost here, and a new book from author Michael Hannon provides resources and guidance for Black fathers. Hannon is an associate professor of counseling at Montclair State University in New Jersey. We hear an excerpt of his conversation with health equity fellow Marcus Biddle.
IVF clinics have long tested embryos for genetic disorders and abnormalities — but in recent years, new startups have been pushing the envelope of genetic testing, helping parents screen their future children for all kinds of health risks, ranging from diabetes to breast cancer.
Many people see this technology as promising — it can give parents, many of whom have already faced devastating losses, their best shot at having happy, healthy children. But others see a dark side to the advancing field of embryo screening. What happens when testing goes beyond health and parents get the chance to select for other traits, like eye color, height, or intelligence? What does it mean to want “the best” for your child?
On this episode, we look at new and emerging DNA technologies aimed at selecting embryos. We discuss critics’ fears, concerns, and the ethics of embryo screening. We also hear about one experiment from the past that went very wrong.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Nita Farahany — a professor of law and philosophy at Duke University who studies ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies — about the thorny legal and ethical issues surrounding embryo screening.
- Back in the 1980s, a wealthy inventor named Robert K. Graham came up with an idea to make the world a better place — a sperm bank for geniuses. His goal was to create a new generation of intellectual elites, spawned from the sperm of noted scientists. More than 200 children were born from this bank. The new podcast series BioHacked: Family Secrets, hosted by T.J. Raphael, sheds light on this experiment, and introduces us to one of the people who was conceived from one of the donors. We’ll hear an excerpt of his story.
Emotions are fleeting — they can bubble up seemingly out of nowhere and change quickly. Studying them is challenging, but it’s also important. Emotions not only shape our day-to-day lives, they also influence our behavior, the decisions we make, and the relationships that sustain us. Sometimes, they can be overwhelming — so knowing what fuels them offers us a better chance of getting a handle on them.
Increasingly, understanding emotions is also a big business — it can make the difference in how an election swings, or the direction of the stock market, which means lots of people want to understand how to tap into them.
On this episode: what researchers are learning about emotions — why it’s so challenging and what we can gain from it. We hear stories about what makes studying emotions so difficult, new theories of where they come from, and the future of emotion-sensing AI.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Researchers who study emotions face a whole host of challenges, from ethical restrictions, to a lack of shared understanding of how emotions are expressed. Reporter Jad Sleiman finds out what makes studying emotions so slippery, and how scientists are forging ahead.
- Where do emotions come from? We have long thought of them as reactions that are universal, and hardwired into our brains. We hear from neuroscientist, psychologist, and leading emotions researcher Lisa Feldman Barrett who is challenging those ideas with her “theory of constructed emotion.”
- Emotions are big business, shaping everything from elections to the economy — which is why a growing number of companies are developing artificial intelligence capable of “reading” the public’s emotions. We talk with Cognovi Labs CEO Beni Gradwohl and their Chief Psychology Officer Nirit Pisano about how they’re using machine learning to mine people’s written communications and social media posts for emotions.
- We talk with AI expert Kate Crawford about the limitations of emotion-sensing AI that seeks to interpret facial expressions — and why it could be something to worry about. Her book is called “Atlas of AI.”
- We get a sneak peek at the upcoming Netflix movie “Spiderhead” which offers a terrifying take on manipulating emotions. Therapist Brittney Brownfield from the podcast “Popcorn Psychology” says the film brings up a lot of interesting themes.
Sleep — we all need it, but most people aren’t getting enough of it. Ideally, we spend about a third of our lives asleep. When we’re well rested, we feel like we can take on the world. But when we’re not, we find ourselves exhausted, cranky, moody, forgetful … and our overall health takes a hit.
Clearly, sleep is important. The question is — why? What happens when we sleep? What makes it such an important part of our survival? And what’s stopping us from getting our best rest?
On this episode, we look at the anatomy of sleep — why it matters, how we get our best sleep, and what happens when we don’t.
We hear stories about what happened to one physician when long COVID brought her sleeplessness to a crisis level, why one physical therapist says we’re all sleeping wrong, and a look inside our sleeping brains.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Mark Wu, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and sleep physician, who explains the latest science on what happens in our brains when we sleep, and what happens when we don’t.
- We also put together a mixtape with some of our favorite songs about sleep and dreams. You can find it below or listen on Spotify.
Skydiving, BASE jumping, climbing the highest peaks, adventuring to remote parts of the world — pushing the boundaries of safety. For thrill-seekers, chasing the rush is what it’s all about. Where lots of us would break into a cold sweat, they experience something different: calm, focus, even moments of sublime awe.
So what is it that makes thrill-seekers different? On this episode, we investigate what fuels their desire for adventure, and ask when the pursuit of kicks becomes dangerous and disruptive.
We hear stories about storm chasers, rocket builders, and hikers. We also talk to a psychologist who avoids thrills in his personal life, but is deeply invested in understanding why other people love it.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Meteorologist John Homenuk unpacks the appeal of his greatest passion — chasing storms.
- We talk with clinical psychologist Ken Carter about what sets thrill-seekers apart from the rest of us. His book is “Buzz: Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils, and Adrenaline Junkies.”
- At first, Doran Lamb thought hiking and climbing mountains was a healthy habit, something to replace her addiction to alcohol. But then she realized that it wasn’t.
We all know the vow: “In sickness and in health.” But in reality, when serious illness enters a relationship, everything changes. A powerful mix of conflicting emotions can tug on people — love, devotion, grief, guilt, and even resentment. Illness can be a test — a trial by fire — but also an opportunity for growth.
On this episode, we hear from couples and families whose lives have been touched by illness and find out how they made it through. How were their relationships transformed? How did they not only survive — but thrive? And what helps people cope, and even appreciate the good moments? We hear stories about how cancer changed the trajectory of writer Delia Ephron’s life, the hidden struggles of family caregivers, and how one mother’s illness transformed her family’s life.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- When writer Delia Ephron lost her husband of more than 30 years to prostate cancer, she thought she’d never love again. But then an acquaintance from her past, psychiatrist Peter Rutter, came along, and everything changed. Ephron’s new memoir is called “Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life.”
- In the U.S., more than 50 million people serve as caregivers for a family member or loved one — and that number is on the rise. We talk with psychologist Julia Mayer and her husband, therapist Barry Jacobs, about the challenges caregivers face. They are the authors of “AARP Meditations for Caregivers: Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family.”
- Mothers are often the glue that holds the family together — and when they get sick, it upsets the entire system. Reporter Diana Opong tells the story of what happened to one family in the aftermath of a new baby, a cancer diagnosis, and multiple surgeries.
- Writer Justin Kramon brings us this story of a romantic vacation gone wrong. Elaine Allard was enjoying a trip to Paris to visit her partner, Josh Evans — but a suspicious package, mysterious illness, and Josh’s increasingly erratic behavior started to make her wonder if Josh was really the right partner for her.
Around the world, at dawn, something magical happens. As the sun rises, nature seems to wake up, and different species break into a chorus of song and call. These “dawn choruses” are one way we experience the rich tapestry of life all around us. But that tapestry is wearing thin, as species disappear from our planet at an increasingly fast rate.
On this episode, we take a look at biodiversity — the variety of life on earth. We talk about why it matters, how it’s being threatened, and what people are doing to better understand and protect it. We explore the legacy of the late biologist E.O. Wilson, who popularized the term “biodiversity,” and speak to conservation scientists about their efforts to protect “biodiversity hotspots.” Also, the challenges affecting natural history museum collections, and the fight against the growing threat of species extinction.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with conservation ecologist and Duke University professor Stuart Pimm about the legacy of his longtime friend and colleague E.O. Wilson, and what it will take to protect and preserve biodiversity on the planet.
- What does studying biodiversity look like in the field? It starts with data — collecting lots of data. We hear from four students who participated in the “Paint Rock Forest Dynamics Project” and their efforts to tag every tree over a centimeter in diameter in a forest.
When you hear the word fungi, chances are mushrooms come to mind: button mushrooms, maybe portobellos, or chanterelles. But so much of the fungi kingdom is invisible — underground — and many say underappreciated. Fungi are vital to life on the planet, but scientists are just beginning to understand their many functions and possibilities. On this episode, we explore the role of fungi in nature, in medicine, and in our lives. We’ll talk about sustainable design that utilizes mycelium, discuss how fungi form networks that communicate information, and look at an experimental and unapproved fungi-based treatment people are using to regain their sense of smell.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Mycologist and mushroom entrepreneur Paul Stamets talks about growing mushrooms in your own backyard.
- Biologist Merlin Sheldrake discusses the important role of fungi as the planet’s “brilliant decomposers,” and explains why he loves the idea of having fungi all around us — and inside of us.
- We visit Vedge Restaurant in Philadelphia to get a crash course on preparing mushrooms from Chef Rich Landau (Pro tip: hold the salt until the very end!) He explains how to cook with different mushrooms, and recalls a time when portobello mushrooms were an expensive rarity.
- Designer Danielle Trofe talks about the lampshades she grows from mycelium. They’re light, velvety to the touch, sturdy, and yet completely biodegradable.
- Foraging for mushrooms was a “national sport” in the Czech Republic where Barbora Batokova grew up. Now, she brings her love of mushrooms to fans online, where she goes by “Fungiwoman.” Her sites feature beautiful photos of mushrooms that she finds in the wild, as well as explanations and tips for identification.
Jessie Flynn decided she’d had enough. For years, multiple sclerosis had taken more and more away from her life — her ability to move, her freedom, the job she loved, even her marriage. Now it seemed like medical treatments and physical therapy were no longer halting the illness’ progression — it seemed like she was on a rapid slide toward immobility. She wanted hope, and she wanted options. So she decided to try an experimental treatment called HSCT, which is not yet approved in the U.S. It came with great risks and a staggering price tag — which Jessie was willing to take on against her medical team’s advice.
Many patients find themselves in a similar place; a new treatment promises results, some experts call it a breakthrough — others caution that it’s not as good as it seems, or worse yet, a scam that takes advantage of vulnerable people.
On this episode, we examine the crossroads where desperate patients and experimental treatments meet.
Learning how to be a parent can feel overwhelming, and advice is everywhere. There are the things you’re learning from other parents, the things you’re reading in books, the things you hear from your pediatrician, from influencers, from your great aunt Margaret … and in the meantime, you’re trying to develop your own instincts as a parent.
So who do you listen to? Who’s the real expert? And how much do these decisions ultimately matter to the health and well-being of your kid?
On this episode — navigating parenting advice, and what science can tell us about raising kids. We dig into advice about sleep, food allergies, how much influence parents actually have on their children, and how to raise kids who aren’t a**holes.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with neurologist and sleep researcher Chris Winter about helpful methods to improve a child’s quality of sleep. Winter also discusses today’s culprits of poor sleep and how they affect the brain. Winter’s books include “The Sleep Solution” and “The Rested Child: Why Your Tired, Wired, or Irritable Child May Have a Sleep Disorder — And How To Help.”
- Danya Glabau knows the world of food allergies firsthand — she was diagnosed in college. Her new book, “Food Allergy Advocacy: Parenting and the Politics of Care,” explores this issue from the perspective of parents, who are often forced to become experts fast.
- In 1998, the late psychologist Judith Harris published “The Nurture Assumption” — a book that made the controversial argument that peers, not parents, are the most important factor in children’s development. Reporter Jad Sleiman explores how Harris — an outsider in the field — formulated her argument, and how it eventually went from fringe to more mainstream. Steven Pinker discusses his friendship with Harris, and how her arguments influenced his work.
- A few years ago, science journalist and mom Melinda Wenner Moyer grew concerned about the bad behavior she was seeing all around her: from bullying and racism to MeToo allegations. How would all of this impact her kids? And how can you raise kids who are kind and empathetic? She started digging into research on how to instill empathy, honesty, and generosity in kids. She explains what she found in her book, “How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes.”
Getting the right diagnosis can be life-changing. It can mean the end of pain and the beginning of answers; it can mean treatment, a cure — or at least a path forward; or it can just mean validation for everything a patient has been through.
Diagnosis is at the heart of medicine — and yet it seems like it often goes wrong. Patients sometimes wait months or even years for answers. They suffer through endless tests, ineffective treatments, overlooked issues — or straight-up misdiagnoses. And for some patients, answers never come at all.
On today’s episode, we travel down the long and winding road to diagnosis. We get an inside look at how diagnoses are made, what they mean to and for patients, and the challenges doctors face in getting them right.
We hear about the dangers of too much testing, the debate over “gaming disorder,” and a medical mystery from The New York Times columnist Lisa Sanders.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Primary care physician Neda Frayha discusses the challenges of making the right diagnosis, the fear of getting it wrong, why it sometimes takes so long to get answers, and why it’s okay to cry when you are communicating a tough diagnosis to a patient. We also hear from another primary care physician Jay-Sheree Allen, about the importance of taking a good patient history, and getting comfortable with the unknown.
- In a perfect world, medical tests help narrow down the possibilities, leading to a diagnosis. But sometimes, the opposite happens — a suspicious finding leads to more tests, which leads to a specialist visit, which leads to scans or x-rays, and on it goes. This is what experts call “a cascade of care” — seemingly endless diagnostics that are time-consuming, anxiety-provoking, not to mention expensive. In this story from the health policy podcast Tradeoffs, Dan Gorenstein explores what’s behind cascading care, and what it would take to stop it.
- The New York Times “Diagnosis” columnist and physician Lisa Sanders shares one of her latest mysteries — and explains why confirmation bias can point health care providers in the wrong direction.
- The World Health Organization recently added a controversial new illness to its comprehensive manual of diseases: gaming disorder. Reporter Alan Yu looks into why gaming disorder has sparked so much debate, and whether this new diagnosis is actually changing the way patients are treated.
When it comes to generosity, there’s a wide spectrum in terms of how far we’ll go for others. There’s buy-your-friends-dinner generosity, donate-to-charities generosity — and then there’s give-your-organ-to-a-perfect-stranger generosity. There’s generosity that makes us feel good, generosity that happens anonymously, generosity that goes viral on social media, generosity that changes someone’s mood, and generosity that changes someone’s life.
On this episode, we explore generosity — what it is, where it comes from, and how it spreads. We talk with Georgetown psychologist and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh, who studies everything from psychopaths to extraordinary altruists. We hear stories about the role of an altruistic family structure in the Black community and find out how the TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is inspiring random acts of kindness.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- When Kelly Schmidt heard about a stranger who was hanging onto dear life as he waited for a donated kidney, she made a spur-of-the-moment decision to help him — by donating one of her own. She’d been a volunteer for an organization called Gift of Life, and had long felt passionate about organ donation — but this was a huge step beyond her previous volunteer work. What motivated this incredibly generous act? We talk to Kelly and the recipient of her kidney, Roc Hyon.
- Georgetown University psychologist and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh has spent years studying the human spectrum of altruism. She explains what brain scans of psychopaths helped her discover about extraordinary altruists, how the desire for gratitude complicates altruistic motives, and how organ donors felt about The New York Times Magazine’s viral story, “Who Is the Bad Art Friend.”
- When Sade Boyewa lost her job due to COVID-19, she took it as a blessing in disguise — and started the Harlem Community Fridge, sparking a movement of generosity across New York City and beyond. But can altruism stirred by the pandemic create lasting change?
- What would cause strangers who’ve never met to send each other help, money, and gifts? Just one shared interest: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Alan Yu reports on a close-knit community that’s sprung up thanks to a Facebook group for fans of a podcast dedicated to the show, “Buffering the Vampire Slayer.”
On a technical level, noise and sound are the same thing: vibrating molecules that travel in waves straight to our ears. But when sound is annoying, we tend to call it noise. From garbage trucks to car alarms, shrieking babies to nails on a chalkboard, noise can be really grating and irritating. In fact, some noises are so annoying, so loud, so obnoxious that they can take a toll on our well-being and health.
On this episode — part two of our exploration of sound — we take a look at noise, how it affects us, and what we can do to reduce it. We listen to stories about a phantom beep in Brooklyn that had everybody on edge, the quest to quiet hospital alarms, and a day in the life of a noise detective.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Last fall, a mysterious beeping noise started plaguing Brooklyn Heights — a noise that no one could identify, and no one could find. Reporter Liz Tung tells the story of how a neighborhood came together to track down the phantom beep, and why experts say noise pollution is so bad for our health. This story is based on an article originally reported by Mary Frost for the Brooklyn Eagle, “Search for the mysterious noise in Brooklyn turns into massive crowdsourced investigation.”
- We hear from listeners about their noise pet peeves, from screeching children to ice cream trucks.
- Alarms in hospitals are supposed to alert staff that a patient is in crisis. But too often, they blare for no reason — in fact, in the majority of cases, they are false alarms. They make patients anxious, disrupt nurses and physicians while they’re caring for other patients, and lead to burnout and alarm fatigue. A few years ago, The Pulse met researcher and pediatrician Christopher Bonafide from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was determined to find ways to change alarms in hospitals. We check back in with him to find out what he’s learned. We also speak to nurse Meghan McNamara, who is a safety and quality specialist at the same hospital and participated in this research. We hear, too, from Joe Schlesinger, a physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a musician who has created a series of new alarms that contain layers of important information.
- Alan Fierstein has an unusual job: He’s an “acoustic consultant,” aka a noise detective, who spends his days tracking down unwanted sounds in the noise capital of the U.S., New York City. Reporter Jad Sleiman follows Fierstein around for a day as he hunts noise in the Big Apple.
The soundscape of our lives changes depending on where we are — the murmuring of voices, birdsong in trees, the beeps and dings of technology, and the cacophony of traffic.
Our worlds are dense with sound. Often, it all blends together to the point that we barely notice it. But every sound has its own distinct profile — providing information, bringing joy or irritation, causing us to snap to attention or zone out.
In this episode, we explore the world of sound, how we interact with it, and the people who compose the sounds that define our lives.
We hear stories about the teams designing the hum of electric cars, how the sounds of a rainforest inspired the pings and dings coming from your computer, and a disorder that makes ordinary noises almost unbearable.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski about what sound is, how it travels, how our sense of hearing evolved, and her favorite topic — the sound of bubbles. Czerski is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at University College London. Her book is called “Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life.”
- Great cars make great sounds — the growl of a Porsche, the roar of a Mustang, the purr of a BMW. But what about electric cars? They’re known for being quiet, but in recent years, electric car makers have been working to create their own signature sound. Reporter Alan Yu finds out what automobiles of the future will sound like.
- Who decides the sounds our electronics make: email notifications, event reminders, and error alerts? Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with sound designer Matthew Bennet about the unlikely origin of the beeps and boops that define our daily lives.
- We listen back to a conversation with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross about how different she sounds on the radio than in her head — and talk with William Hartmann, who’s part of the psychoacoustics group at Michigan State University, about why that is.
It’s when a dark alleyway makes the hairs stand up on the back of our neck; when a mother just knows that something’s wrong with her kid; when you meet someone, and can tell they’ll either be your best friend — or your worst nightmare.
On the surface, intuition can seem a bit like magic — this unexplainable knowledge that pops in our heads, based on nothing but a feeling. But scientists say there’s more to intuition than just gut instinct. It’s about how our brains use years of accrued information to make predictions about what’s going to happen next — all on a subconscious level. But if we don’t know exactly how intuition works, how can we trust it — and should we trust it?
On this episode, we explore intuition — what it is, how we can harness it, and when to avoid it. We hear stories about the edge that human doctors have over AI, one woman’s incredible feat of motherly intuition, and why some people call intuitive eating the antidote to diet culture.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with David Jaison, who offers us a peek behind the curtain of “mentalism” — a kind of performance art that uses a mix of psychology, showmanship, and intuition to surprise audiences.
- Neuroscientist Joel Pearson breaks down the emerging science behind intuition — where it comes from, how it works, and when we should (and shouldn’t) trust our gut feelings. Pearson is the founder and director of Future Minds Lab at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.
- Artificial intelligence may not have the best bedside manner, but it’s getting better and better at diagnosing and treating patients. So what does that mean for traditional MDs? Reporter Jad Sleiman explores the edge that human doctors have over AI — at least for now.
- When Katie Pratt was 3 years old, she was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation, a rare condition in which the cerebellum bulges through an opening in the skull into the spinal canal. Katie’s mom, Wendy, had a hunch about what the solution would be — but it wasn’t until doctors opened up Katie’s skull that they discovered she was right. Katie interviews her mom about the experience, and her incredible flash of mother’s intuition.
- You might’ve heard of intuitive eating, a practice that proponents are calling an antidote to both diet culture and disordered eating. Reporter Liz Tung talks with Elyse Resch, one of the founders of intuitive eating, and one young woman about how intuitive eating changed her relationship with food.
The human brain has an incredible capacity for processing information, from sensory data, to casual conversations, to everything we hear and read — in fractions of seconds. Not only that, our brains make sense of it all, allowing us to learn, work, form relationships, and navigate the world. On this episode, we take a closer look at how this all works — and why it sometimes doesn’t. We hear stories about listening instead of reading — and test the limits of speed listening; we’ll find out why reading comprehension tests in schools may be misguided; and why some people who think they’re hard of hearing might actually have a different issue going on.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Jayatri Das, Chief Bioscientist at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, gives us the lowdown on how our brains process information, and the databases we all keep in our heads.
- Reporter Jad Sleiman talks to Michael Mena, a PhD candidate who found a hack for all his reading — and in the process, discovered a personal superpower: speed listening.
- Find the main idea, define words, spot the synonym — kids in U.S. elementary and middle schools spend a lot of time learning how to extract meaning from what they’re reading, and get tested on these skills frequently. Education journalist Natalie Wexler explains why she thinks comprehension tests in schools are not measuring “a skill or any skills at all” and what would make for better instruction. Wexler is the author of “The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America’s broken education system — and how to fix it.”
Science is constantly propelling athletes to run faster, jump higher, push harder, and break records. Scientific advances have become such a big part of competitions that some critics say innovation is beginning to overshadow athleticism. On this episode, we explore the different ways in which science is shaping sports. We hear stories about high-tech gear and equipment, like running shoes with soles that contain highly-engineered foam, and find out how neuroscientists are trying to get into athletes’ heads to measure their performance. Also, how athletes are harnessing emotions for the win, and a look at the future of “robot umpires.”
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- In 2019, long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge accomplished something almost no one thought possible — running a full marathon in under two hours. But in the weeks and months after the run, a growing chorus of voices protested that the feat didn’t truly count. The reason? Kipchoge’s shoes. Reporter Liz Tung looks into Nike’s controversial “super shoes” that have runners smashing world records.
- In baseball, umpires make controversial and sometimes game-changing decisions. In 2019, the Atlantic League made headlines when they started using robot umpires – to call balls and strikes. Could robot umps take human error out of these calls? Or would it take the tension — and some of the fun out of the game? Alan Yu looked into it.
- We talk with science writer Jennifer Swanson about how high-tech gear continues to transform sports, ranging from tennis to golf. Her book is “The Secret Science of Sports: The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick.”
- Taylor Johnson coaches esports athletes, after a career working in the NFL. He says coaching people who compete in video games means analyzing a ton of data from each game, and helping players optimize their focus and reaction times.
- Author Zach Schonbrun discusses how neuroscientists are trying to get into athletes’ heads to see what is going on in their brains as they compete. For his book, “The Performance Cortex: How Neuroscience is Redefining Athletic Genius,” Schonbrun observed experiments with baseball players that shed some light on their decision-making process and speed.
If there’s one thing humans can’t get enough of, it’s love. The spark of a first kiss, the warm glow of a happy couple — even if it leads to jealousy, heartache, and pain. We’re obsessed — there are millions of songs, movies, poems, paintings, even scriptures — dedicated to exploring romantic love. And yet, in many ways, love remains mysterious. There’s no formula for love — no predicting who it’ll strike, how it’ll unfold, when it’ll end. But scientists are learning more and more about love, how it affects us, and how technology is changing the way we meet our mates.
In this episode, we hear stories about a scientific cure for heartbreak, the TikTok test that claims to tell if someone’s really into you, and how a glitch in dating algorithms brought one couple together. Also, a rundown from evolutionary anthropologist Anna Machin about how and why love evolved, how it affects our brains, and why “love at first sight” might be a scam.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with evolutionary anthropologist Anna Machin about all things related to the science of love — from why it evolved, to how it affects our brains, to whether dating apps actually work, and the potential development of “love drugs.” Machin’s book is called “Why We Love: The New Science Behind Our Closest Relationships.”
- You know what they say — there’s no cure for a broken heart … except, scientists say there is, at least for voles, a mouse-like rodent that happens to mate for life. Reporter Jad Sleiman dives into what scientists have learned about treating vole heartbreak, and what it could mean for humans.
- Call it a crush, call it infatuation, call it obsession — some experts call it limerence. Reporter Grant Hill explains the difference between love and limerence, and what it has to do with “love addiction.”
From Amazon to Angie’s List, Google, Facebook, and Yelp, we live in a world driven by feedback. In the best of circumstances, honest critiques can make us better — they can give us new perspectives, improve our work, or just offer some encouragement to keep us going. But feedback is a double-edged sword — it can be both kind and cruel, honest and petty, insightful and downright useless. So how do we navigate this world of reviews and commentary?
How do we know who to listen to? When is feedback helpful, and when does it hurt? And how do we give it in a way that’s both honest and kind?
On this episode, we explore those questions and more. We hear from physicians about the online reviews they receive, the problems with the peer review process, and why it’s time to retire the compliment sandwich. We also step inside a program that’s been built around student feedback — MFA writing programs — and find out what it looks like to try and objectively judge creative work.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- You can find online reviews for just about everything these days — even physicians. But how accurate are those reviews? And do doctors take them to heart? Physician Neda Frayha talks with her fellow docs about how they feel about patient reviews. Frayha is a primary care physician in Maryland, and host of the Primary Care Reviews and Perspectives podcast for Hippo Education.
- We talk with researcher and author Marcus Buckingham about reviews of all kinds — when they help, when they hurt, and why employee performance reviews are “worse than useless.” Buckingham is the co-author of “Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World.”
- Before scientific studies get published in respectable journals, they’re supposed to go through a process called peer review — a kind of editing process performed by other scientists. But in the age of COVID-19, that important step has increasingly been pushed back in order to get new data out quicker. We talk with Mark Humphries, a neuroscientist at the University of Nottingham, about the limitations of the peer review process, and what he thinks needs to change.
- To be helpful, feedback must be honest — but sometimes honesty can be painful. So how do you offer the unvarnished truth without alienating the other person? We put that question to researcher Taya Cohen, who studies radical honesty. She tells us how three days of honesty affected people’s relationships, what’s wrong with the “compliment sandwich,” and how to give feedback that’s actually helpful. Cohen is a professor of organizational behavior and business ethics at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Friends can be one of our best resources for honest feedback — if we’re willing to hear it. Psychologist Tasha Eurich makes a case for the “dinner of truth,” and what it taught her about not being annoying. Eurich is the author of “Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think.”
Sleep — we all need it, but most people aren’t getting enough of it. Ideally, we spend about a third of our lives asleep. When we’re well rested, we feel like we can take on the world. But when we’re not, we find ourselves exhausted, cranky, moody, forgetful … and our overall health takes a hit.
Clearly, sleep is important. The question is — why? What happens when we sleep? What makes it such an important part of our survival? And what’s stopping us from getting our best rest?
On this episode, we look at the anatomy of sleep — why it matters, how we get our best sleep, and what happens when we don’t.
We hear stories about what happened to one physician when long COVID brought her sleeplessness to a crisis level, why one physical therapist says we’re all sleeping wrong, and a look inside our sleeping brains.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with Mark Wu, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and sleep physician, who explains the latest science on what happens in our brains when we sleep, and what happens when we don’t.
- We also put together a mixtape with some of our favorite songs about sleep and dreams. You can find it below or listen on Spotify.
Americans love their pets — as many as seven out of 10 households are home to cats, dogs, birds… or more unusual animal choices. What defines a pet in the first place? Plenty of people are pushing the boundaries of the kinds of animals we usually think of as pets, blurring the lines between wild and domestic, livestock and companion, pets and pests. On this episode, we look at unusual pets and why people love and keep them — while others find them objectionable.
We hear stories about ferrets and why they’re banned in some parts of the country, how one woman befriended a wild fox, and the chicken that helped a widow cope with her grief.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with James Serpell, an animal behavior researcher and professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, about his neurotic parrot, treasure-hunting rat, and what defines a pet. Serpell has written “In the Company of Animals: A Study of Human-Animal Relationships.”
- Self-described “ferret people” are passionate about these mustelids, and say they’re funny, smart, and interesting pets. But owning ferrets is not permitted in California, New York City, and Hawaii — and these rules have gotten the attention of some of the most prominent politicians of our time. So why the ban on ferrets? Jad Sleiman looked into the backstory.
- Catherine Raven tells the story of how she befriended a wild fox — and what made their relationship different from that of owner and pet. Her book is called “Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship.”
- Throughout the episode, we hear stories about people’s best, worst, and strangest pets — from a field mouse thirsting for freedom, to some very fertile gerbils, to some disappointing sea monkeys, and a cat whose love language is scratching.
When it comes to generosity, there’s a wide spectrum in terms of how far we’ll go for others. There’s buy-your-friends-dinner generosity, donate-to-charities generosity — and then there’s give-your-organ-to-a-perfect-stranger generosity. There’s generosity that makes us feel good, generosity that happens anonymously, generosity that goes viral on social media, generosity that changes someone’s mood, and generosity that changes someone’s life.
On this episode, we explore generosity — what it is, where it comes from, and how it spreads. We talk with Georgetown psychologist and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh, who studies everything from psychopaths to extraordinary altruists. We hear stories about the role of an altruistic family structure in the Black community and find out how the TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is inspiring random acts of kindness.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- When Kelly Schmidt heard about a stranger who was hanging onto dear life as he waited for a donated kidney, she made a spur-of-the-moment decision to help him — by donating one of her own. She’d been a volunteer for an organization called Gift of Life, and had long felt passionate about organ donation — but this was a huge step beyond her previous volunteer work. What motivated this incredibly generous act? We talk to Kelly and the recipient of her kidney, Roc Hyon.
- Georgetown University psychologist and neuroscientist Abigail Marsh has spent years studying the human spectrum of altruism. She explains what brain scans of psychopaths helped her discover about extraordinary altruists, how the desire for gratitude complicates altruistic motives, and how organ donors felt about The New York Times Magazine’s viral story, “Who Is the Bad Art Friend.”
- When Sade Boyewa lost her job due to COVID-19, she took it as a blessing in disguise — and started the Harlem Community Fridge, sparking a movement of generosity across New York City and beyond. But can altruism stirred by the pandemic create lasting change?
- What would cause strangers who’ve never met to send each other help, money, and gifts? Just one shared interest: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Alan Yu reports on a close-knit community that’s sprung up thanks to a Facebook group for fans of a podcast dedicated to the show, “Buffering the Vampire Slayer.”
The new year often feels like a good time to make a fresh start, to tackle some issue that’s giving you grief — eating habits, work-life balance, having time for friends or exercise… but as the pandemic rages on, it’s hard to have the energy to keep trudging along, let alone become some better version of yourself.
Which is why more people than ever are turning to therapy. But the process of therapy can still seem a bit opaque. What exactly happens in therapy? How does it work? And which approach is right for which issues? On this episode, we get inside the heads of therapists to find out how they ply their craft, and what it takes to really feel better.
We hear stories about what happened when a city took a bold step toward providing free, virtual mental health services to its residents. Also: what happens when politics and therapy collide; how Freud’s brainchild — psychoanalysis — is still relevant; and what it’s like to grow up as the child of two shrinks.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with veteran relationship therapist Argie Allen-Wilson about who should get therapy and why, how long therapy should last, and how to break up with your therapist. Allen-Wilson is CEO and co-founder of Family and Individual Therapeutic Healing (or F.A.I.T.H.) Inc. and Connections Matter.
- Freud may have given rise to modern talk therapy — but these days, a lot of his ideas, from penis envy to the Oedipal complex, have fallen out of favor. So where does that leave modern psychoanalysis? Reporter Liz Tung talks with psychoanalysts Jonathan Shedler and Steven Kuchuck. For more on psychoanalysis, see Kuchuck’s new book “The Relational Revolution in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy,” and Shedler’s “That Was Then, This is Now: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for the Rest of Us.”
- From the time she was a kid, Dara Lovitz had one big fear: vomiting. But when she became a mother, she knew things had to change. Lovitz explains her journey, step by step, from phobia to acceptance through exposure therapy. Her book, with psychologist David Yusko, is “Gag Reflections: Conquering a Fear of Vomit Through Exposure Therapy.”
- Can you imagine having a therapist around 24/7 — analyzing your behavior, your moods, maybe even your dreams? For journalist Micah Toub, that was just normal life growing up as the son of two shrinks. Nichole Currie reports. Toub’s book is “Growing Up Jung: Coming of Age as the Son of Two Shrinks.”
It seems like every week, we hear about new breakthroughs in cancer treatment — new discoveries, new medications, new hopes for a cure. The war on cancer has been a slow and steady grind, with incremental progress that’s been built one study, one breakthrough at a time.
Behind each of those small but meaningful victories are years of unseen work — lifetimes spent studying specific cells, protein structures, gene mutations, and more.
On this episode, we take a look at some of the latest breakthroughs in cancer treatment, and the personal stories behind them. We hear about the tradeoffs with new lung cancer screenings, find out how immunotherapy is advancing, and talk with a veteran of cancer research about the big wins and grating frustrations.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Veteran oncologist and researcher Otis Brawley offers an overview of America’s war on cancer. Brawley, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains where we’ve made progress — and where we haven’t.
- Screening people who are at high risk for lung cancer can lead to earlier detection, and much better outcomes. Dan Gorenstein from the podcast Tradeoffs looks into why not enough people are getting screened, and what doctors are doing to change that.
As a materials scientist, Anna Ploszajski was trained to analyze materials on a number of levels — their atomic structure, their chemical properties, their ability to conduct or resist electricity, their magnetism, hardness, ductility, and more.
But Ploszajski quickly realized there was a hole in her knowledge — in terms of what it feels like to work with materials hands-on. She set out to understand things differently, learning by doing. Along the way, she met craftspeople who built their own body of knowledge about everything from glass and steel, to sugar and wool, using only their eyes, their instincts, and their hands. Her new book is called “Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning Through Making.”
On this episode, we follow Ploszajski and others on their journeys to understand everyday materials through the process of creating. We also hear why making things can feel so empowering and soothing, and learn about a movement that wants all of us to learn how to fix our belongings.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Appliances like toasters and dishwashers have become so advanced in recent years, that most people can’t repair them without expert help. But now, the “right to repair” movement is trying to change that. Alan Yu reports.
- Physicist Clifford Johnson talks about his hobby: baking, and why he loves the feeling of creating order from chaos (while making pie crusts).
- Making something by hand allows a creator to be uniquely in touch with the way a material feels, its balance and even how it smells. Producer Diana Opong got a chance to see a Washington-based master bowyer in action. He describes the materials he uses to make English longbows, and the strength and effort it takes for him to get the wood to bend into that perfect arc.
- In Portland, Oregon, Julie Wilson is known as “the cast iron lady.” You can find her at street fairs and pop-up events all around the city with shelves full of cast iron cookware that she restored by hand. Producer Joel Shupack caught up with her at her home, as she describes how to bring neglected pots and pans back to life.
Humans have long tried to mitigate their own destructive impact on the planet through conservation efforts. Often, those efforts are attached to one iconic species or another — the majestic bald eagle, cuddly cute baby seal, or awe-inspiring blue whale. But is this about them, or is it about us? On this episode, we take a closer look at conservation, and dig into the human motivations and emotions behind it.
We hear stories about a near-extinct fish called the delta smelt — and whether it’s actually worth saving; how a weird-looking bird has sparked a battle over land in the American West; and how plucky raccoons carve out their own existence in cities.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Out in sagebrush country — a remote area of the American West — a strange and beautiful bird called the greater sage grouse has sparked a war over land. Reporter Ashley Ahearn explains why the grouse’s fight for survival has put it in direct conflict with humans, and how — and whether — compromise is possible. This story is excerpted from the podcast “Grouse.”
- We talk with science journalist Michelle Nijhuis about what drives the conservation movement and the hard questions that not enough people are asking. Her book is called “Beloved Beasts.”
- What can bird songs teach us about the origins of human language? Plenty, according to Erich Jarvis, a neuroscientist and molecular biologist who explores the neurobiology of vocal communication. We find out more in this preview of our new podcast extra series — subscribe to The Pulse to hear the whole interview and others like it.
In 2018, Owen Rivers woke up in a hospital bed after a fentanyl overdose — and could no longer form new memories. It was a terrifying experience; he’d ask the same questions over and over — why he was there and what had happened to him — only to forget the answers.
As it turns out, his case is part of a larger medical mystery surrounding a type of amnesia that appears to be related to opioid overdoses.
On this episode, we’ll hear Owen’s story and explore what scientists are finding out about the connection between overdoses and amnesia — along with what all of this means for other people suffering from memory loss. Science journalist Lauren Aguirre captured this scientific puzzle in her book “The Memory Thief: And the Secrets Behind How We Remember — A Medical Mystery” and she joins us to discuss what she’s learned.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Early childhood experiences play a formative role in who we become — or do they? Thanks to a phenomenon called childhood amnesia, most people are unable to remember anything from before the age of three or four. So do those forgotten memories actually matter? Reporter Jad Sleiman explores that question along with what scientists think is behind childhood amnesia.
Living on a planet that’s been inhabited by humans for hundreds of thousands of years means pretty much every piece of ground that you walk on holds some history. Somebody was born right here, somebody died, somebody got married, gave a speech, or ran a store. Maybe a famous battle was fought on this spot. Maybe the piece of grass you call your lawn was once sacred ground.
Over time, left alone, the structures and belongings of those who came before us return to the ground, becoming layers of dust and dirt. In some places, we choose to preserve that history, and the land that holds it — in others, the physical past is razed to the ground, and exists only in human memories.
Either way, being in those places can be a powerful experience — an anchor for our memories, and how we remember what happened.
On today’s episode we look at the connection between place and memory and why they’re so deeply linked. We hear stories about a mountain in West Virginia that was the site of a bloody battle between coal miners and mine owners — and the ongoing fight over how that history should be remembered. We take a tour of an area that used to be known as Black Bottom, a largely African-American neighborhood in Philadelphia that was razed in the name of development. And we talk to scientists about how memories exist in our brains, and why they’re so deeply tied to place.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Over the past 20 years, journalist Tim Lambert has watched as the land his family once owned in Western Pennsylvania transformed from tranquil farmland to the horrific crash site of Flight 93, to a national memorial. He joins us to discuss the connection between the land and the memory of Flight 93. Lambert and NPR reporter Scott Detrow have produced an audio documentary for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 called “Sacred Ground.”
- The neighborhood where 71-year-old Andre Black grew up was a tight-knit community of working-class Black families. Then, in the 1960s, the city of Philadelphia claimed the area for “urban renewal,” forcibly relocating 5,000 of its residents. Reporter Sojourner Ahébée follows Black on a tour of the neighborhood once known as Black Bottom — that now exists only in memory.
- We talk with Adam Osth, a lecturer at the University of Melbourne who studies theories of memory formation, about how and why places are so closely tied to memories.
- In 2017, developers were excavating a site for a new condo project in Philadelphia when they came across the remains of hundreds of people — a forgotten burial ground from the colonial era. Reporter Elana Gordon followed two archaeologists on their mission to rescue those remains for the sake of history and science.
The human brain has an incredible capacity for processing information, from sensory data, to casual conversations, to everything we hear and read — in fractions of seconds. Not only that, our brains make sense of it all, allowing us to learn, work, form relationships, and navigate the world. On this episode, we take a closer look at how this all works — and why it sometimes doesn’t. We hear stories about listening instead of reading — and test the limits of speed listening; we’ll find out why reading comprehension tests in schools may be misguided; and why some people who think they’re hard of hearing might actually have a different issue going on.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Jayatri Das, Chief Bioscientist at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, gives us the lowdown on how our brains process information, and the databases we all keep in our heads.
- Reporter Jad Sleiman talks to Michael Mena, a PhD candidate who found a hack for all his reading — and in the process, discovered a personal superpower: speed listening.
- Find the main idea, define words, spot the synonym — kids in U.S. elementary and middle schools spend a lot of time learning how to extract meaning from what they’re reading, and get tested on these skills frequently. Education journalist Natalie Wexler explains why she thinks comprehension tests in schools are not measuring “a skill or any skills at all” and what would make for better instruction. Wexler is the author of “The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America’s broken education system — and how to fix it.”
Thanksgiving is near, which means many families will come together with loved ones over a shared meal that celebrates abundance. But along with their appetites, guests bring their food preferences. As omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, or those interested in eating sustainably grown food gather, a meal can turn into a battleground for arguments that go way beyond what’s on the plate.
On this episode, we explore our desire to make food choices that benefit our health — and perhaps the health of the planet — and why we get so passionate about these choices. Are we taking the old saying “We are what we eat” too seriously — using our food choices as an anchor for identity? Gastroenterologist and winner of the BBC’s MasterChef competition Saliha Mahmood Ahmed describes mouth-watering ways to combine delicious flavors that promote good gut health, and why she thinks it’s perfectly fine to occasionally eat a jam-filled doughnut. Food writer Alicia Kennedy talks about her choice to become first vegan and then vegetarian, and why her family still seems to think it’s a phase.
And we visit a farm that was created with hard work, enthusiasm, and idealism: small and sustainable, with a mission to make humanely raised animal products available to many people … but a closer look reveals that things may not be idyllic as promised.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Gastroenterologist Saliha Mahmood Ahmed looks at food with the eyes of a physician and a passionate chef. In 2017, she won the high-stakes BBC MasterChef competition. She joins us to talk about eating for joy and health, and her new book, “Foodology: A Food-lover’s Guide to Digestive Health and Happiness.”
- Food writer Alicia Kennedy explains why her family still (sometimes) thinks her choice to be a vegetarian is a phase, and why the decision to forgo meat seems to rub some people the wrong way.
- Producer Joel Shupack talks with his partner, Jenni Goldstein, a therapist in Portland, Oregon, as she tries to redefine her relationship with food after decades of restrictive eating.
- Actress and filmmaker Nina Womack describes her journey from eating lots of junk food to craving salads — and her effort to make healthy food available to more people through a mobile food pantry called “Let’s Be Whole.” Produced by Avishay Artsy.
For thousands of years, humans have obsessed over Mars from afar. At first, maybe it was the fact that Mars stands out in the night sky because of its reddish color. But as we learned more about Mars and the conditions there, it was the possibility of life on this distant planet that captured our collective imagination. At its closest, Mars is nearly 40 million miles away from Earth — and we’ve tried for centuries to bridge that distance, using everything from telescopes to flybys and probes. Mars has inspired wild fantasies about distant civilizations and little green men. It’s put a spell on many observers, who hope to unlock its mysteries. On this special episode of The Pulse, we explore what we are learning about Mars, and when we can expect to actually see humans set foot on the red planet.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, talks about our attempts to get closer and closer to the red planet, the important work that’s being done by the Mars rovers, and what it would take to land humans on Mars.
- Some people called it the next great leap in space exploration — others, a suicide mission. But for Dan Carey and Leila Zucker, Mars One was a dream come true. Spearheaded by a Dutch company, Mars One aimed to land ordinary people on Mars by the year 2023, where they’d start the red planet’s first human colony. There was just one catch — it was a one-way trip … and survival was not guaranteed. Reporter Liz Tung talks with Carey and Zucker about what made them want to leave their lives on Earth, and start new ones on Mars.
- We talk with science historian Jordan Bimm about “Mars jars” and the group of exobiologists — scientists who study extraterrestrial biology — who spearheaded early research about life on Mars.
There are 19 million veterans in the U.S. who have served in the armed forces. For many, the military gave them a sense of shared purpose, a strong connection to their comrades. But that community often disappears when they get out of the service, leaving many feeling alone, or misunderstood. On top of that, many veterans suffer with lingering health challenges, both visible and invisible. On this episode, we talk to veterans about what they experienced, and what they want other people to know. We hear stories about one woman’s struggle to get help for her PTSD, how Shakespeare is helping veterans transition back to civilian life, and some of the health effects that come with combat.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Utibe Essien — a core investigator with the VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion in Pittsburgh — explains how and why race-based health disparities exist in a system designed to provide equal health care to all veterans.
- The transition from military service back into society can be challenging. One military veteran is trying to make that process easier using an unlikely approach — Shakespeare. Nichole Currie reports on a program that taps into verse for healing trauma, it’s called De-Cruit.
- We talk with Zachary Bell, the former Marine who started Veteran with a Sign — a popular Instagram account that features everything from inside jokes to very serious messages about mental health on cardboard signs.
- Former Navy SEAL James Hatch talks about his unique transition from warfighter to Yale freshman. His book is “Touching the Dragon: And Other Techniques for Surviving Life’s Wars.”
- Combat Veteran Ray Christian interviews a female veteran, Jessica Ian Jenkins, about her experiences at VA health centers. She was seeking treatment for PTSD, but says she only got help after it was almost too late.
A lot of us had our first taste of remote medical care during the pandemic — telemedicine checkups performed right in our own homes. It has its advantages — no travel time, no waiting room germs, no need to find a babysitter or change out of our jammies. And it can help doctors reach more patients without creating more strain.
Health systems across the country are thinking about bringing care right into patients’ homes, with ideas that go way beyond virtual visits — including everything from primary care check-ups to chemotherapy, and even hospital-level care.
On this episode, we explore what it takes to bring medical services into people’s homes. We hear stories about a new push to provide chemo at home, what it would take to provide high-level care, and what it’s like working as a home health aide.
- Chemotherapy can be a time-consuming process — but thanks to COVID-19, some patients have been getting the chance to try it out at home. Jad Sleiman reports.
- A doctor coming to your house sounds like something from a bygone era, where the physician arrives on horseback with a leather satchel full of instruments and tinctures. But there is a growing demand for this kind of service. Reporter Irina Zhorov tagged along with a primary care provider in a rural area, as she went to see her patients at home.
- David Zaas was a president of a North Carolina hospital, when he himself became a patient at a different hospital. He had cancer, and required specialty care several hundred miles away from home. He missed his family and bed; he felt lonely and afraid. The experience made him wonder: Could high-level care be provided outside of hospital walls? The idea of bringing hospital care home is gaining a lot of traction right now. Dan Gorenstein, host of the health care podcast “Tradeoffs” explored what it would take to make it happen.
- We talk with home health aides about what makes their job both difficult and rewarding — and what could be behind the massive projected staff shortages in their field.
- Sometimes, health care happens at home without any planning or preparation. We listen back to a story from our archives about a dramatic birth that took place on a couple’s steps — just as they were headed to the birthing center.
The search for solutions to address climate change is urgent. People want action now, something that will move the needle. But every solution that’s on the table has potential unintended consequences or tradeoffs involved. For example, wind power sounds like a great, clean option, but wind farms need space — where should they be located? A plan to construct them in the ocean is upsetting many fishermen and conservationists. Efforts to mine the ocean floor for precious metals needed to make batteries for renewables are scaring marine biologists. And an audacious plan to cool the earth through geo-engineering is making lots of folks very anxious. On this episode, we explore climate solutions, their potential drawbacks, and how we can carefully weigh the risks and benefits.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with environmental researcher Forrest Fleischman about why planting trees may not be the climate cure-all we think it is. Fleischman is an associate professor of environment and natural resource policy at the University of Minnesota.
- How do we cut fossil fuel emissions? One idea from the Biden administration is opening large-scale commercial offshore wind farms. But in New Jersey, Susan Phillips reports the planned wind farms occupy some of the most fertile fishing grounds in the nation, which has sparked a major fight.
- Erik Cordes, professor and vice chair of biology at Temple University in Philadelphia, joins us to discuss the pivotal — yet often forgotten — role the deep ocean plays in protecting us from some of the worst effects of climate change, along with a new threat facing it: deep sea mining.
- While countries struggle to cut carbon emissions, some scientists say it’s time to study a more controversial, short-term measure — reflecting more sunlight away from the earth to cool the planet. Alan Yu reports.
- People spend a lot of time and effort fighting invasive plant species and trying to return landscapes to their previous state. Samantha Chapman, professor of biology at Villanova University and co-director of its Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, joins us to discuss rethinking that approach.
The modern world is made possible by a web of electromagnetic radiation. Your phone, computer, TV, cable box, radio — all depend on millions of signals zipping past each other every second. As more and more devices and inventions rely on these signals, this highway of information is getting crowded. On this encore presentation, we explore this unseen world and some of the new issues that are emerging.
We hear stories about how scientists are dealing with this increasingly crowded radio spectrum; who has access to high-speed internet, and who doesn’t; and our efforts to listen to space to get a better understanding of our universe, and whether or not we’re alone.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We chat with Nicol Turner Lee, who studies equitable access to technology, about who has access to high-speed internet, and who doesn’t. She explains the need for better broadband infrastructure and the challenges families and communities face in staying connected. Turner Lee is the Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution.
- If intelligent life is out there — how would we know? And how would we communicate? Astronomer Derrick Pitts explains our search for intelligent life forms using radio signals. and the limits of this technology.
- Tech expert Sean Gallagher explains how efforts to jam GPS signals have led to the return of an older navigation system called Loran-C. Gallagher is the Senior Threat Researcher at SophosLabs.
Jessie Flynn decided she’d had enough. For years, multiple sclerosis had taken more and more away from her life — her ability to move, her freedom, the job she loved, even her marriage. Now it seemed like medical treatments and physical therapy were no longer halting the illness’ progression — it seemed like she was on a rapid slide toward immobility. She wanted hope, and she wanted options. So she decided to try an experimental treatment called HSCT, which is not yet approved in the U.S. It came with great risks and a staggering price tag — which Jessie was willing to take on against her medical team’s advice.
Many patients find themselves in a similar place; a new treatment promises results, some experts call it a breakthrough — others caution that it’s not as good as it seems, or worse yet, a scam that takes advantage of vulnerable people.
On this episode, we examine the crossroads where desperate patients and experimental treatments meet.
Who becomes a physician in this country — and who never gets that chance? On this encore presentation, we explore this question a lot of medical schools are grappling with, as groups like Black people and Latinos remain especially underrepresented among students. What would it take to attract and retain a more diverse group of students? On this episode, we hear stories about people’s path to med school, and the challenges they face along the way. We learn about a major push to increase diversity that happened in the 90s — and what happened to it; why some are rallying to do away with a tough entry exam applicants have to take; and the challenges of being the only person of color in your class.
Also featured on this week’s episode:
- University of Chicago Medicine OB-GYN Pierre Johnson describes his path toward becoming a physician, and the burden of often being the only Black student in the room. His book and nonprofit are called “Pulse of Perseverance.”
- We talk with Jaya Aysola, the founder and executive director of Penn Medicine’s Center for Health Equity Advancement. She says more diversity in med schools would bring positive change – but beyond that, the entire health care delivery system has to change as well.
- As a kid — growing up in the Bay area, the son of Mexican immigrants — Cesar Padilla didn’t imagine becoming a doctor. His school was bad, and his grades were failing. He tells the story of what changed along the way that guided him into medicine. Padilla is an obstetric anesthesiologist, and he will be joining Stanford University School of Medicine this May.
- We talk with Madi Sinha, a physician and author, about her novel “The White Coat Diaries,” which explores the competing pressures of doing a medical residency — while also being a “good Indian daughter.”
As a materials scientist, Anna Ploszajski was trained to analyze materials on a number of levels — their atomic structure, their chemical properties, their ability to conduct or resist electricity, their magnetism, hardness, ductility, and more.
But Ploszajski quickly realized there was a hole in her knowledge — in terms of what it feels like to work with materials hands-on. She set out to understand things differently, learning by doing. Along the way, she met craftspeople who built their own body of knowledge about everything from glass and steel, to sugar and wool, using only their eyes, their instincts, and their hands. Her new book is called “Handmade: A Scientist’s Search for Meaning Through Making.”
On this episode, we follow Ploszajski and others on their journeys to understand everyday materials through the process of creating. We also hear why making things can feel so empowering and soothing, and learn about a movement that wants all of us to learn how to fix our belongings.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- Appliances like toasters and dishwashers have become so advanced in recent years, that most people can’t repair them without expert help. But now, the “right to repair” movement is trying to change that. Alan Yu reports.
- Physicist Clifford Johnson talks about his hobby: baking, and why he loves the feeling of creating order from chaos (while making pie crusts).
- Making something by hand allows a creator to be uniquely in touch with the way a material feels, its balance and even how it smells. Producer Diana Opong got a chance to see a Washington-based master bowyer in action. He describes the materials he uses to make English longbows, and the strength and effort it takes for him to get the wood to bend into that perfect arc.
- In Portland, Oregon, Julie Wilson is known as “the cast iron lady.” You can find her at street fairs and pop-up events all around the city with shelves full of cast iron cookware that she restored by hand. Producer Joel Shupack caught up with her at her home, as she describes how to bring neglected pots and pans back to life.
It’s one of the first questions we hear on detective shows after a heinous crime has occurred: “What’s the motive?” For hundreds of years, criminologists, politicians, and law enforcement have been asking a bigger version of that question: What causes crime? What makes criminals — criminals?
People have turned to everything from appearance to biology and environment for answers, and they’ve tried to use science to address this question.
On this episode, we look at science, crime, and the sometimes ill-fated attempt to use one to address or explain the other. We hear stories about the use of plastic surgery to prevent people in prison from reoffending, a recent case involving the “warrior gene defense” — and whether there’s anything to it — and the origins and evolution of criminology.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
- We talk with science journalist Douglas Starr about how the field of criminology came to be, and the rise of junk science used to solve crimes — including some still in use today. Starr’s book is “The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science.”
- Earlier this year, a case about genetic predisposition made its way to the New Mexico Supreme Court: The defense argued that their client was genetically predisposed toward his actions. Reporters Sojourner Ahébée and Alan Yu investigate this DNA defense — what scientists are saying about it, and why some are worried it’s a dangerous road to take.
- You’ve heard of math prodigies, and musical prodigies — how about criminology prodigies? That’s the reputation Eric Schubert got when, as a high school student, local police enlisted him to help solve a cold case using genealogy. Now in college, Schubert is helping people across the country hunt down relatives, and investigators solve crimes. He explains how he uses distant family connections and public databases to puzzle together genetic mysteries.