The Pulse

Peptides are having a moment – but how much do we actually know about them? On this episode, we explore the potential benefits and risks. We investigate the science behind peptides, find out what lagging research and regulation could mean for regular users, and learn about how — and whether – to use peptides in a responsible way. We talk with Stanford pathology professor Katrin Svensson about what...

On this episode, we explore ADHD in adults — how to spot it, how to treat it, and how to function with it. We talk with a leading psychologist about what’s behind ADHD’s often frustrating symptoms, hear about what it’s like receiving a diagnosis late in life, and find out why people with ADHD are often very sensitive. People with ADHD often struggle with task initiation — especially when it comes...

It’s a story that’s unfolding across America, from Texas to Tennessee, Kansas to the Rust Belt — rural hospitals are struggling or closing, leaving residents, towns, and entire regions without access to important healthcare services, from cancer screenings to maternity care. For some people, it can even mean a several-hour drive to the nearest emergency room — and in life-or-death situations, thos...

On this encore episode, we explore the world of color — from how we perceive it, to our efforts to describe and differentiate its many shades. We talk with a lexicographer about efforts to standardize synthetic colors, and how we describe them, and investigate how we know that the colors we see are the same as the ones everyone else sees. The Pulse host Maiken Scott adds some pops of color to her...

Cereal was born as a health food — but quickly, sweet, crunchy flavor, bright colors, and fun shapes became more important than the nutritional value. That didn’t stop cereal companies from leaning into health claims, though.  From Cheerios to Frosted Flakes and Wheaties, brands made bold promises to lower cholesterol, promote weight loss, boost fiber and even help prevent cancer. These healthy me...

We all know we’re supposed to eat healthy — but what exactly does that mean? On this episode, what’s on your plate, why it matters, and how to make sense of conflicting nutrition advice. We talk with paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman about what human evolution can teach us about how we should eat, look at a typical teen’s sugar intake, and explore barriers to serving healthy and fresh school lu...

As summer winds down, some people are celebrating the approach of fall, while others are dreading the shorter, colder days. We know that weather can affect our mood — maybe we're extra irritable when it's hot, or gloomy when it's gray — but it can also influence our overall health. On this episode, a look at how weather affects well-being and health, from its impact on menstrual cycles to chronic...

A judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy after jurors said they were deadlocked over whether she should be held criminally responsible for strangling her three children in January 2023: Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, who was just 8 months old.  The shocking case touched a nerve with millions of people who have been following the trial and asking: How could a mother kill h...

On this episode, a look back at our search for life on Mars. We hear about the Viking mission to Mars — the first to land a craft on the Red Planet — and the controversy over what it discovered, what drove a national obsession with the “Martian civilization” in the early 1900s, and how NASA repairs its rovers from millions of miles away. Back in the early 1900s, a strange phenomenon was sweeping t...

Journalist Jon Ronson's new book starts with a series of panicked text messages from his son — who had been lured to a massive, gothic-looking castle in Connecticut. A female friend had been invited to a party by a wealthy older man from Tinder. But there was no party. Instead, they were asked to join a reality show that was going to be called "101 Princesses" where women compete for the castle ow...

Sometimes, modern life can feel like an endless cacophony of distractions. We spend our days being inundated with noise and traffic, news and emails, obligations and hectic schedules. Many of us long to escape to nature or the wilderness — someplace simpler, quieter — where we can find peace and reconnect with what's really important. But can we ever truly get away? We tend to think of the wildern...

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

Erica Gerard tried to find the right antidepressant for over two decades, one where the benefits outweighed the side effects. Finally, she decided to get off her medication. What followed was a harrowing journey she was not prepared for. On this episode, what people should consider before quitting. We also explore whether new tools could help doctors better match patients with medications. Journal...

In some ways, our imagination is like an all-access pass. It can transport us to a different place, it allows us to picture a beautiful beach, or a lush flower garden. We can envision what our lives may look like in the future or revisit the past. Psychologist Cassandra Vieten argues that using our imagination is not about immersing ourselves in a fantasy world. It’s a powerful tool that affects o...

We tend to think that creativity flourishes in the absence of limits, when we have all of the freedom to innovate and dream big. But what if the opposite is true? What if constraints — from strict rules to tight deadlines — actually make us more creative? On this episode, we explore how limitations force us to think differently, solve problems in unexpected ways, and allow us to create our best wo...

Millions of people in the U.S. have chronic pain that’s unresponsive to medical interventions. But there are new and comprehensive ways of treating pain. We explore how emotions, stress, sleep, and diet impact pain, a new option for easing labor pain, and emerging research that could reduce the addictive properties of opioids. We often think of pain as a physical ailment — but newer research shows...

Vacations are a time to experience new things, and restore our minds and bodies — but sometimes the opposite happens. On this episode, when vacations wreck your health — and how to deal. We hear about evidence-based ways of overcoming jet lag, tips for avoiding "vacation constipation,” surviving the cruise from hell, and what's behind snorkeling deaths in Hawaii. SHOW NOTES: We hear from listeners...

Investigators have long relied on science to help solve crimes, from fingerprint and blood splatter analysis to the psychology of criminal minds. But not every investigative technique rests on solid scientific ground. On this episode, how science is used in criminal investigations, and what happens when these methods aren’t as reliable as we might think. For years in Hollywood, a kind of mythology...

When twin brothers Trevor and Kyle Ritland were children, their father — a biologist — would tell them stories about a mythical creature that lived high in the misty mountains of Costa Rica: the golden toad. The toad was elusive, he told them — but for a few weeks every spring, hundreds of them would emerge from the shadows to mate, lighting up the dense forest like brilliant spots of fire. Until...

At the best of times, alcohol makes us feel great — relaxed and gregarious, warm and fuzzy, happy and confident. But at the worst of times, it can morph into a serious problem, damaging our relationships, our health, and our lives as a whole. On this encore episode, we explore our relationship with alcohol. Why we consume it, how it affects us, and when it’s time to quit. We talk with surgeon and...

Two hundred and fifty years ago, Philadelphia was not just the center of political revolution, but a hub of scientific discovery. For America’s founders, science was more than a pastime — it was a way of understanding the world and the natural laws that shaped it. On this episode, we explore how science and innovation helped give birth to a new nation. We visit the American Philosophical Society i...

On this episode, we explore the lingering effects of medical crises, both physical and emotional, and what true healing really means. We hear about one doctor’s journey to reconnecting with her body — and her pain — after nearly dying, what researchers are learning about medical trauma, and how a traumatic brain injury transformed the lives and marriage of a couple. As a physician, Rana Awdish’s g...

We often talk about the biological and emotional transformation of motherhood, but what happens to men’s brains when they become fathers? On this episode, host Maiken Scott chats with psychologist and researcher Darby Saxbe to explore her new book, “Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives.” While the "dad bod" is a common trope, Saxbe’s research reveals that the chan...

Music can transport us to a different time and place — but how does that happen? We explore how music affects our brains — from its ability to tap into our memories and imaginations, to “musical daydreaming” and how it helps us understand both the world and ourselves. We also discuss the therapeutic power of music. We talk with Elizabeth Margulis, director of the Music Cognition Lab at Princeton U...

On this episode, we look at the intersection of health, medicine, and the law. We explore how the upcoming rescheduling of marijuana may impact research on the drug, hear the story of a doctor who faced manslaughter charges in the 1970s for providing an abortion, and learn about legislation that some states are using to try and keep private equity out of medicine. Near the end of 2025, President D...