The Pulse

We live in an age of self-optimization — a time when seemingly everyone is striving to squeeze more from our already packed days. But what are we sacrificing with all of that productivity? On this episode, we talk with two former overachievers about how the search for perfection impacted their lives, and how they decided to do less and find more joy. We talk with writer and filmmaker Priyanka Mattoo about learning to embrace inefficiency — and how, after a lifetime of perfectionism, letting go helped her rediscover joy. Her new book is “How to Be Less Useful: The Joy of Inefficiency.” For years, entrepreneur Pat Croce was best known for his boundless energy, business successes, and a can-do attitude that helped rocket Philadelphia’s 76ers from a losing record to the NBA finals. It wasn’t until more recently, though, that Croce realized that his lifelong pursuit of achievement had left him feeling unfulfilled. He harkens back to the moment that he reached that epiphany and explains how he finally found peace in meditation and spiritual exploration. His new book is "Enjoy Your Self Now!: 66 Sacred Shifts to Instantly Awaken the Peaceful Presence within You."

Sometimes, it can feel like tech has a mind of its own — from the smart speaker that suddenly starts laughing, to the chatbots that say oddly human things. On this episode, stories about “the ghost in the machine.” We investigate why a strange man’s name kept appearing in our show transcripts, learn about the long history of tech in horror, and hear the spooky story of an AI agent that went rogue. A few months ago, Pulse producer Lindsay Lazarski noticed something strange — a man’s name that kept appearing in our interview transcripts: Aaron Ross Powell. In this homespun mystery, she leads us on an investigation into why this was happening. We talk with Aviva Briefel, a professor of English and Cinema Studies at Bowdoin College, about why "possessed" technologies have been such a persistent theme in the horror genre, and what it says about our anxieties related to technological change. We’ve all heard about the threat AI might pose to the future of humanity — but what if it went after you directly? Pulse reporter Liz Tung tells the story of Scott Shambaugh, and the vindictive AI agent that tried to take him down.

Most Americans say that spending time with loved ones is one of the most important things in their lives — and yet, amid the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day, relationships often take a backseat to other commitments. We find ourselves canceling date nights to finish work, rescheduling family calls to catch up on chores — maybe even choosing to scroll on our phones over a night out with friends. It can be hard making time for friends and family — and easy to tell ourselves they’ll still be there tomorrow — but there’s a cost to neglecting our personal connections. New research is revealing just how important those ties are, and why nurturing them is an investment not only in our relationships, but in our own health and well-being. On this encore episode, we explore the science of human connection, from why it matters to how we can make it a priority in our lives.

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 exactly peptides are, what led to their explosion in popularity, and the dangers of unregulated use, both for consumers and for the field of peptide research.  Reporter Bruce Gil dives into the world of consumer peptides, exploring what's driving their growing popularity, the science behind them, and the thorny regulatory landscape. He also talks with regular users about why they started using peptides, and what effects they’ve had on their health. Many people are interested in peptides, and want access. A growing fleet of clinics and medical providers provide peptide treatments targeting everything from weight loss to muscle growth to cognitive function and mental health. We talk with Evan Miller, the CEO of a chain of clinics called Gameday Men's Health, about how he got into peptides, and what patients should look out for when they’re seeking out peptide treatments. Peptides are also a hot commodity in skincare products. Dermatologist Elizabeth Houshmand breaks down the different categories of peptides in creams and serums, and how consumers can tell if a product has actually been studied or not.

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 to tasks that they find boring, complicated, or aversive. Pulse reporter Liz Tung offers a day-in-the-life glimpse at what it’s like trying to start one of these tasks … and what she ended up doing instead. We talk with psychologist Russell Ramsay, the co-founder and former co-director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, about why ADHD in adults has been neglected for so long, and the many parts of people’s lives it affects — from work, to relationships, to their own self-perception. He also discusses what's behind time blindness, why people with ADHD struggle with long deadlines but excel at short ones, and what's going on in the brain that causes these behaviors. For a lot of adults with ADHD, finally receiving a diagnosis can be a relief — something that explains and reframes a lifetime of struggle. But it can also be destabilizing, especially when the diagnosis comes later in life. Pulse reporter Alan Yu tells the story of how one older woman’s diagnosis transformed her life, her understanding of herself, and her relationship with her daughter. For years, psychiatrist Sasha Hamdani thought she was just sensitive — she would cry at the drop of a hat and spiral when she’d made a mistake. It wasn’t until years later that she encountered a name for what she was experiencing: Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, or RSD — a powerful emotional reaction, common in people with ADHD, to perceived criticism or rejection. Hamdani discusses how RSD shaped her professional life, the proposed brain mechanism behind it, and techniques for dealing with it. Her book is “Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply.”

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, those extra miles can make a big difference.  On this episode, we explore the rural healthcare crisis, and emerging solutions aimed at increasing — or at least preserving — access to care. We visit communities in rural Pennsylvania where residents are fighting to save their hospitals. We find out how other systemic pressures, like prior authorization, are squeezing rural healthcare systems. And we hear about potential solutions, ranging from state-funded reimbursement programs, to sophisticated “hospitals on wheels” aimed at bringing healthcare to the people. SHOW NOTES: Reporters Nicole Leonard and Alan Yu take us on a journey to two towns in rural Pennsylvania facing similar pressures — Bradford, a once-booming oil town now in decline, and Honesdale, a former railway hub nestled in the Pocono Mountains. For years, both locales have dealt with shrinking populations and a loss of businesses. We hear about the residents’ efforts and struggles to save their hospitals. Many states, including Pennsylvania, have been working to prevent hospital closures in rural areas through experimental initiatives aimed at shoring up their finances. The Pulse's Alan Yu explains how one such initiative — the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model — aimed to combat these financial pressures by replacing the traditional fee-for-service model with a value-based model, which shifts the focus to preventative care in exchange for fixed, predictable funding. We explore how the five-year experiment played out — and why economists say it didn’t ultimately work for some hospitals.  We talk with Miranda Yaver, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of Pittsburgh, about another challenge squeezing rural hospitals — prior authorization. Her new book is “Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States.” In some parts of rural America, patients have to travel hours in order to access care — but what if medical care could come to them? That's the idea behind a new, federally funded program called PARADIGM, which deploys AI-enabled mobile health units to patients who don’t have access to healthcare. We talk with PARADIGM’s director, emergency medicine physician Bon Ku, about how these mobile clinics work, and  hear from reporter Grant Hill about one of the program's latest creations — MARCUS, a futuristic hospital on wheels that contains an exam room, scanning machines, and even a laboratory.

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 all-black wardrobe with help from Jill Rafter, a color consultant with House of Colour, who breaks down seasonal palettes and how to choose your ideal hues based on your skin’s undertones. We talk with lexicographer Kory Stamperabout her deep dive into the origins of ultra-specific color definitions, and the fascinating history of how major global changes, ranging from industrialization to international warfare, led to a government effort to standardize not just the production of synthetic colors, but also how we talk about them. Stamper’s new book is “True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color – from Azure to Zinc Pink.” How do we know that the colors we see are the same as the colors other people see? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with University of Pennsylvania researcher David Brainardabout the science of how we perceive color, what we know — and don’t know — about our shared perceptions, and the philosophical questions this raises about the nature of subjective experience. Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with Cricket Matthews, who experiences  grapheme-colors synesthesia, a unique neurological trait in which letters, numbers, and words trigger specific colors in your mind.

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 messages were also paired with eye-catching designs and beloved mascots. It was all a powerful marketing formula, one that sold a dream to buyers — that indulging in sugary cereal could also be a healthy choice. But, over the years, the healthy veneer has chipped off the cereal box. On this episode, public health nutritionist Marion Nestle and former Vice President of Nutrition at Kellogg Company Lisa Sutherland discuss their new book, “Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast Food.”

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 lunches. We all know we’re supposed to limit our sugar intake — but tracking how much we’re actually eating can be hard, especially given how many products, ranging from pasta sauce to salad dressing, contain added sugars. We talk with recent high school grads Joe Faranda and Jay Lopez about what they discovered after tracking their sugar intake for a week. It's a question we ask ourselves every day, multiple times a day: What should I eat? The answer has gotten increasingly complicated over the years, as our food options have ballooned, and dietary advice shifts. We talk with evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman about why humans are poorly adapted to decide what to eat, how our diets — and the way we think about them — have changed, and why nutrition labels don't give the full story. Lieberman’s new book is “Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health and Eating Well.” Growing research on the negative health effects of ultra-processed foods has led to a call for healthier school lunches — but what does that really mean, and what would it require? Reporter Megan Myscofski visits a California school district that provides nutritious, locally sourced meals that are mostly made from scratch  — and finds out why similar efforts are out of reach for many districts.

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 conditions like asthma and pain. Can extreme heat affect your menstrual cycle? The internet thinks so. In June, , a strange phenomenon went viral on social media — thousands of women experienced unexpected changes to their periods as temperatures soared. For some, it came early; for others, late. Still others missed it entirely, or reported having a second period shortly after their first. Pulse producer Nichole Currie investigates the potential connection. Writer Alison Espach was taking a dip in the ocean one summer when something strange happened — she emerged covered head-to-toe in hives. She dismissed it as a fluke, but then it happened again when she swam in a lake, and again in a river. We talk with Espach about the bizarre culprit: her sudden allergy to cold.  Heat waves don't just make for uncomfortable temperatures — they often lead to poor air quality, which, in many places, has been exacerbated by wildfires. Pulse reporter Alan Yu talks with patients affected by air pollution, why it's dangerous to our health, and the people working to better track air quality. We talk with writer Lorraine Boissoneault about her new book of essays, "Body Weather: Notes on Chronic Illness in the Anthropocene," which explores the ways in which her own chronic illnesses mirror the weather changes wrought by climate change. Psychologist Trevor Harley explains the science of how the weather affects our mental and physical health, the evolutionary roots of our sensitivity to the weather, and how we can use that knowledge to improve how we feel. His new book is “Head in the Clouds: How the Weather Affects Our Minds and Mental Health.”

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 her three young children?  British journalist Katinka Blackford Newman also followed the trial closely, but she has a different perspective. She says her own story could have ended up like Clancy’s. Newman describes how she became completely delusional after experiencing adverse effects to psychiatric medications. Quickly, her perfectly ordinary life went completely off the rails and teetered on the edge of catastrophe.  Later, we’ll discuss postpartum psychosis, a condition Clancy’s defense team said she was experiencing at the time of the murders. Susan Hatters-Friedman, a psychiatrist specializing in maternal mental health, weighs in on diagnosis and treatment of postpartum psychosis and the conversations happening around the trial.

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 the nation — “Mars Mania,” a belief shared by scientists and the public alike that Mars was home to a sophisticated civilization poised to guide us into the future. We talk with science writer David Baron about what was behind these beliefs, why it became a nationwide obsession, and what happened when scientists discovered the truth. Baron’s book is “The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America.”

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 owner’s affection. Ronson tracked down the castle's owner and found a much bigger story waiting inside. He joins us to talk about "The Castle" and men searching for purpose in all the wrong places. He also tells us about the millions of men who've quietly dropped out of work and life altogether and profiles influencers who chase clicks and purpose online to disastrous consequences.

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 wilderness as land that's untouched by human hands — vast, and pristine. But the more you seek out that version of nature, the blurrier the idea seems to become. Even the most remote landscapes on Earth carry traces of human history and human borders. And preserving the wilderness, and having access to it, also means managing it. On this episode, the paradox of the wilderness — how we try to protect and control the wild.  We talk with writer Cal Flyn about the myth of untouched nature, and what drives us to experience it. She talks about how our views of the wilderness have changed over time, from fearsome and untamed lands to places of spiritual escape; what she discovered about the human histories of supposedly wild spaces; and what the paradox presented by our desire to both preserve and interact with nature means for how we think of the wild. Flyn’s new book is “The Savage Landscape: How We Made the Wilderness.” It started with a tip received by a dutiful New Hampshire Fish and Game warden — and quickly turned into a twisted tale of illegal baiting and hunting, one-upmanship, digital trophy rooms, and one of the biggest poaching cases in recent state history. New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Nate Hegyi tells the story in the podcast “Operation Night Cat.” We’ll hear an excerpt and talk to Hegyi about the case.

Do animals feel love, anger, or empathy? Researchers have long dismissed such ideas as anthropomorphism, arguing that attributing human emotions to animals was unscientific. But as we learn more about animal sentience, that’s starting to change — and, in the process, we’re learning more than ever about the complex inner lives of animals, including why we may be more alike than we once thought. On this encore episode, we explore what researchers have discovered about what’s really going on inside other species’ heads. We talk with a primatologist about why she believes baboons and other animals possess a theory of mind; investigate whether crabs, lobsters, and shrimp are capable of experiencing pain; and hear about one beagle’s journey from lab subject to pet. Host Maiken Scott and reporter Alan Yu visit the Chamounix Equestrian Center in Philadelphia to test an app that claims to detect pain in horses. When primatologist Christine Webb was in college, she was taught that it was “unscientific” to investigate animal emotions — but that attitude has started to change. We talk with Webb about what’s causing that shift, what she learned from her mentor, the famed primatologist Frans de Waal, and the challenges involved with stepping outside our human biases to understand the inner lives of animals. Webb is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, and her new book is “The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why it Matters.” Reporter Sophia Schmidt pays a visit to the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania to meet an unlikely pair of besties: Hunter, the red-tailed hawk, and Stan, the turkey vulture. We hear about why Hunter and Stan’s relationship is so rare, how they became friends (and, sometimes, more than friends), and what biological factors could be driving their behavior. It’s easy enough to believe that animals like cats and dogs have feelings — but what about less cuddly creatures, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with researchers who’ve been investigating the question of sentience in decapod crustaceans, and whether or not they’re capable of feeling pain. We talk with journalist Melanie Kaplan about her investigation into the world of animal research, spurred by her adoption of Hammy — a beagle who spent the first four years of his life in a lab. Her book is, “Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research.”

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. Journalist Erica Gerardwas first prescribed Prozac in college after years of feeling sad, lonely and disconnected from her peers. The medication helped — but it also left her constantly exhausted and feeling as though she was watching her own life from behind a screen. After more than two decades, she decided she wanted to stop taking the medication. She documented her journey for The Pulse, and what she learned about tapering off safely. A new federal initiative aimed at getting Americans off antidepressants has put a spotlight on this issue. Psychiatrist Jonathan Slaterjoins us to discuss the complexities of de-prescribing these medications. He says there’s a lack of training and guidelines for tapering off safely, adding that the process requires individualized, monitored care with psychological support.  When a mental health issue made it impossible for British author Madeline Dyer to focus on her writing career, a physician suggested she should try an antidepressant. She was reluctant to give it a shot, fearing it would make her less creative. The medication ended up helping her a lot, but she says it impacted her genre of choice.

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 our physical and mental health, our relationships with others, and life trajectories and careers. Vieten joins us to talk about her research, and her new book, “Imagine That: Transform How You Think, Feel, and Live with the Science of Imagination.”

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 work. We talk with science writer David Epstein about his new book “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better.” He explains how restrictions led to the invention of everything from impressionism to the iPod, and how to develop rules and limits for your own creative work that could encourage innovation.

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 that pain has as much to do with our brains as it does our bodies. We talk with pain researcher and psychologistRachel Zoffness about how emotions shape — and construct — our experience of pain, and how identifying the unique biopsychosocial factors contributing to pain can ultimately help patients overcome it. Her new book is "Tell Me Where It Hurts: The New Science of Pain and How to Heal." Giving birth is one of the most painful things many people will experience — which is why a majority of expectant mothers choose epidurals, IV opioids, or both to manage their pain. But recently, another option has been making its way into the delivery room— nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. Reporter Andrew Stelzer explains how N02  stacks up against its competitors, and why a growing number hospitals in the U.S. are offering it as an option. Opioids work well on all kinds of pain — but, as the last few decades have shown, they also pose a severe risk of addiction. We talk with neuroscientist and addiction researcher Anjali Rajadhyaksha about a recent discovery that could make opioids safer.

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 about their worst vacation-related health incidents, ranging from chicken pox to head injuries.  Ahead of an international trip, Pulse host Maiken Scott talks with Olivia Walch, a researcher at University of Michigan and CEO of a circadian rhythm startup called Arcascope, about the biological processes behind jet lag, and evidence-based tips on how to prevent the worst of it.  Ever notice that your first couple days on a trip, you become a little … backed up? Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with neurogastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha about what causes “vacation constipation,” and how to overcome it. Pasricha’s new book is “You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.” Listen to their full  interview.  As avid globetrotters, Gay and Phil Courter always loved going on cruises — until their trip got taken over by an unexpected threat. Pulse reporter Liz Tung recounts the story of how they ended up trapped on a cruise they didn’t want to be on — and how they ultimately escaped. Watch their documentary on the experience, or read Gay’s book. Of all the adventurous activities on offer while traveling — from volcano trekking to whitewater rafting — there's one that might be a bit more dangerous than you'd expect: snorkeling. We talk with Caitlin Thompson, an investigative reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat, about Hawaii’s perplexing number ofsnorkeling deaths, and the potential causes.

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 has been growing around a specific kind of investigator: FBI behavioral analysts, better known as criminal profilers — agents specially trained in psychology to help decode the minds of serial offenders. In TV shows and movies, they’re shown making brilliant, almost miraculous, connections that ultimately help catch the bad guy. But how accurate are these depictions? Pulse reporter Liz Tung explores the history of criminal profiling, how it works, and what’s behind longstanding criticisms of its methods. In 2004, the FBI was called in to assist on an investigation into a series of terrorist train bombings in Madrid. The agency connected the fingerprints gathered to a lawyer in Oregon, ultimately arresting him. There was just one problem: They’d nabbed the wrong guy. The attorney was ultimately released and received a settlement, but the fallout wasn’t over. Pulse reporter Alan Yu explores how the blunder led to efforts to create standards for evidence collection.  Jens Ludwig, director of the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, was taking his dog for a walk, when an unleashed dog came charging towards him. Ludwig started screaming at the dog's owner, his neighbor - the conflict was broken up by a campus security guard. The incident left Ludwig shaken — how did he spiral into such sudden, almost uncontrollable, rage? And what did it say about the deadliest manifestation of such rage — American gun violence? We talk with Ludwig about what his exploration turned up, from how our brains switch from rational to enraged, to what causes eruptions of gun violence — and what strategies could help stop it. Ludwig's new book is “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence.”

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 one day, the golden toad vanished — never to be seen again. It’s mysteries like these that have drawn scores of researchers out of their labs and into the wild — tugging them to explore, to climb distant mountains, to venture into faraway forests and discover or rediscover a creature, a place, some new clue. On this encore episode, we hear stories of those adventures. We talk with Trevor and Kyle about their quest to find out what happened to the golden toad — and what they ultimately discovered. We hear the epic tale of writer Kim Frank’s travels to India in search of wild Asian elephants. And we talk with conservation ecologist Ryan Almeida about how the global wildlife trade is affecting certain species and their habitats. We talk with brothers Kyle and Trevor Ritland — a writer and documentary filmmaker, respectively — about their search for the mythical golden toad, a presumed-extinct species that hasn’t been seen for over three decades, and what they learned in their travels through the cloud forests of Costa Rica. Their book is “The Golden Toad: An Ecological Mystery and the Search for a Lost Species.” About 10 years ago, writer Kim Frank set out to understand why wild elephants were trampling people in India. But her journey and the human-wildlife conflict was far more complex than she imagined — taking her down dead ends, meeting with an Indian princess, and finally coming face-to-face with the forest giants.  They’re the kind of animals you only expect to see in documentaries — green anacondas; giant alligator snapping turtles; even the deadly black mamba — but around the world, millions of these often-dangerous animals are sold as pets. We talk with conservation ecologist Ryan Almeida about what fuels the wildlife trade, its effects on native habitats, and what happens when these pets escape into new ecosystems.

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 recovering alcoholic Charles Knowles about how booze affects our brains and health, and what finally pushed him to give up alcohol for good; we hear about a trend known as “California sober,” and why so many people are embracing it; and we find out how zero-proof cocktail bars are helping some people socialize without the booze. Charles Knowles was barely a teen when he discovered the power of alcohol to transform him from a shy outsider into the life of the party. But as he got older, and sank deeper into drinking, alcohol stopped being fun — and started affecting his health and his life. We talk with Knowles,  a surgeon and physician, about what makes some people more vulnerable to problematic drinking, how alcohol affects our brains, and how his life changed once he stopped drinking. Knowles’ book is “Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture.” For a lot of former drinkers, “sobriety” means total abstinence — no alcohol, or any other substances that produce a similar buzz. But recently, a new, more permissive version of sobriety has been gaining popularity: “California sober.” It involves embracing cannabis and psychedelics as a means of avoiding alcohol and hard drugs. Reporter Andrew Stelzer tracks the origins of this phenomenon, why some people find it helpful, and what researchers have to say about it. One of the hardest parts about sobriety for a lot of people is dealing with the social impact. Not only is alcohol a social lubricant — it’s often at the center of social events themselves. But recently, some entrepreneurs have been creating alternatives in the form of zero-proof cocktail bars. Pulse reporter Alan Yu visits Philadelphia’s Bar Palmina to find out who goes there, and why.

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 in Philadelphia to explore how tracking the transit of Venus in 1769 became a major success for astronomers in the colonies, one that put American science on the map. We’ll also hear about efforts to find the exact location of the observatory that once stood near Independence Hall — the place some people say was the location where the Declaration of Independence was read out loud for the first time. The first sentence of the Declaration of Independence cites, “Laws of Nature and of Nature's God,” but what exactly does that mean? Caroline Winterer, Professor of History and American Studies at Stanford University joins us to discuss the ideas that allowed the Founders to bridge the gap between physical science and political governance, effectively inventing our modern concepts of society and inalienable rights. We dive into the story of the "Turtle," the first submarine used in combat which was invented during the Revolutionary War. Reporter Alan Yu explains the many innovations contained in this small vessel, and its daring first mission. Then Host Maiken Scott travels to The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., to see a replica of the craft. We head into the kitchen with three prominent Black Philadelphia chefs, Omar Tate,Angie Brown, andShola Olunloyo, to reconstruct an iconic dish that fueled the revolution: Philadelphia pepper pot soup. Reporter Justin Kramon tells the story of this dish, and how people are keeping its memory alive.

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 goal was to get her patients healthy as quickly as possible. But when she  experienced her own medical emergency — one that ended her pregnancy and nearly killed her — her perspective on the role of clinicians shifted. Awdish later wrote a memoir about her experience, “In Shock,” that explored the importance of not only healing patients, but connecting with them on an emotional level. But the story didn’t end there. Fellow doctor and podcast host Neda Frayha talks with Awdish about her continuing journey, in the wake of the book’s success, to realizing that she hadn’t fully healed from her medical crisis, and that just as clinicians needed to connect with their patients, she needed to connect with her own body. Awdish’s new book is "After Shock: Learning to Reinhabit My Body After Illness." We talk with psychologist Jim Jackson about his decades-long work on medical trauma — the invisible psychological scars that many patients experience after serious illness or injuries. We hear about the causes of medical trauma, helpful and harmful ways of responding to it, and treatment options. His new book is “Reclaiming Your Life from Medical Trauma: Recognize the Symptoms, Find Treatment That Works, and Heal Your Brain and Body.” Medical crises don’t just affect patients — they affect their loved ones too. Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with writer Abby Maslin and her husband T.C. Maslin about dealing with the fallout of an assault that almost killed T.C., and left him with a traumatic brain injury. They explore the effects on their lives and marriage — and dealing with cognitive and personality changes that made Abby feel like she was married to a stranger. Her book on their experience is “Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love.”

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 changes go much deeper. Drawing on longitudinal studies, she explains how fatherhood triggers a biological reorganization — including measurable changes in brain volume within the social cognition network and dynamic shifts in hormones like testosterone and prolactin. Far from being "damage," these changes are an adaptive process, streamlining the brain to help fathers process social information and bond with their children.

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 University, about how music affects our brains, and how it helps us make meaning and sense — both of ourselves, and of the world. Her new book is “Transported: The Everyday Magic of Musical Daydreams.” We listen back to an interview with musician and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin about music's ability to engage our brains, its close link with physical movement, and its function — both therapeutically, and in human evolution. He’s the author of  “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music As Medicine.”

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 Donald Trump made an announcement that marijuana advocates had been waiting decades to hear — plans by the federal government to move cannabis from schedule 1 to schedule 3, a much less restrictive legal category that would allow scientists to more easily conduct research on the drug’s therapeutic value. Pulse reporter Liz Tung digs into the history of how cannabis first became a federally illicit drug, what impact that status has had on research, and how much of a difference rescheduling will really make. We talk with Britt Carpenter, a recovery advocate and executive director of Philly Unknown Project, about how medical marijuana helped him get off opioids after years of addiction — and how the stigma against marijuana may prevent others from doing the same. Abortion has been in a state of legal flux ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, putting many providers at risk of criminal prosecution. That might seem like a new development — but doctors faced similar pressures in the tumultuous years after Roe v. Wade was first decided. Reporter Linda Marsa tells the story of one young physician named Kenneth Edelin who became a national focal point of the debate after facing manslaughter charges for performing an abortion. It seems like a simple, common sense idea — that medical decisions should be made by doctors, not investors. But it’s an idea that’s been increasingly under threat, thanks to the rise of private equity in medicine. Now, some states are pushing back, with legislation aimed at curbing corporate influence in healthcare. Pulse reporter Alan Yu breaks down a recent court case out of Oregon that tested one such law, how it was decided, and what it could mean other states moving forward.

Think about the last time you were really happy — where were you? What were you doing? Who were you with? And, most importantly, how can you recreate that feeling? Happiness can feel like lightning in a bottle — beautiful in the moment, but hard to find and harder yet to sustain. So what is it that makes for a happy life? And how do we engineer our lives for greater contentment, fulfillment, and joy? On this encore episode: the science of happiness and how we can experience more of it every day. We talk with psychologist Eric Zillmer about why certain places bring us joy, and how to engineer happiness in our lives. We hear about one reporter’s experiment to bring more moments of serendipity in her life. And, writer Daniel Coyle explains why community is at the heart of what it means to flourish. Drexel University psychologist Eric Zillmer created a “happiness map” of Philadelphia with the help of his students. He says it holds greater lessons on why certain places bring us joy, and how we can reverse-engineer happiness into our days. Zillmer directs the happiness lab at Drexel University. Writer Daniel Coyle built his career on exploring what it is that makes people successful — but when both of his parents died a few years ago, Coyle found himself unmoored, questioning what makes for a happy and meaningful life. The resulting journey led to his newest book, “Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.” We talk with Coyle why he says community is at the heart of flourishing, how to create the right conditions for happiness, and why he says life isn’t a treasure hunt — it’s the process of treasure creation.

On this 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 all-black wardrobe with help from Jill Rafter, a color consultant with House of Colour, who breaks down seasonal palettes and how to choose your ideal hues based on your skin’s undertones. We talk with lexicographer Kory Stamperabout her deep dive into the origins of ultra-specific color definitions, and the fascinating history of how major global changes, ranging from industrialization to international warfare, led to a government effort to standardize not just the production of synthetic colors, but also how we talk about them. Stamper’s new book is “True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color – from Azure to Zinc Pink.” How do we know that the colors we see are the same as the colors other people see? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with University of Pennsylvania researcher David Brainard about the science of how we perceive color, what we know — and don’t know — about our shared perceptions, and the philosophical questions this raises about the nature of subjective experience. Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with Cricket Matthews, who experiences  grapheme-colors synesthesia, a unique neurological trait in which letters, numbers, and words trigger specific colors in your mind.

When disaster strikes and the chips are down, who makes it out alive? On this episode, we explore what it takes to survive a crisis. We hear the incredible story of a 17-year-old girl, who after surviving a plane crash, faced a harrowing journey though the Amazon to safety, why some people experience hallucinations when facing death, and how we’re wired to behave in emergencies. On Christmas morning in 1971, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke woke up deep in the jungle, injured, in shock, and utterly alone. She was the sole survivor of a plane crash that had dumped her in the Peruvian Amazon — and now she would have to find her way to safety all by herself. Writer Ellen Cochrane documented Koepcke’s incredible, 11-day journey back to civilization in her new book, “Follow the Water: The Unbelievable True Story of a Teenager's Survival in the Amazon.” We talk with journalist and lifelong adventurer John Geiger about the “Third Man Factor,” a phenomenon in which people in extreme, often life-threatening situations find themselves being helped and guided by a mysterious presence. Geiger’s book is “The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible.” Journalist Amanda Ripley has spent decades covering disasters, ranging from plane crashes to natural disasters. After interviewing hundreds of survivors and experts, she  breaks down the three stages of how we respond to disasters, what they say about how we're wired, and the strategies that help people survive. Her book is “The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — and Why?”

How do you sum up the experience of motherhood, and all of the changes it brings, both big and small? It’s a transformation that affects everything — hormones, body image, relationships, feelings, money, career — even the answers to larger, existential questions like, “Who am I in this world, and what is my role?” On this episode, we explore the impact of motherhood. We talk with a psychologist about “matrescence” — a term used to describe the multi-faceted transformation ushered in by motherhood — and why it comes as a surprise to so many mothers. We find out how motherhood rewires the brain, and how those changes affect the way we think and behave. And we hear about a new play that challenges ideas about motherhood and women’s health. After interviewing women about their experiences of motherhood, Aurélie Athan came across a term that seemed to describe all of the changes: Matrescence. Athan is a reproductive psychologist and a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City. 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 book is called “Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood.” We talk with writer and actor Andrea Peterson about her new play, (plan c) — a dark comedy that explores the gray areas of motherhood, from medical issues to fears about maintaining independence to relationship troubles. The world premiere of (plan c) with Pygmalion Productions is running now at the Rose Wagner Black Box Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. When Katie Pratt was 3 years old, she was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation, a rare brain 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.

For decades, psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA were regarded as dangerous drugs of abuse — but that’s started changing as research increasingly reveals their ability to help treat serious mental health issues. On this episode, we listen back to past conversations about the science behind these drugs’ therapeutic potential, along with powerful stories of healing. When Marcus Capone retired from the Navy SEALS in 2013 after more than a decade of service, he found himself at loose ends, and battling a deep depression. He cycled through antidepressants and other prescription medications, but nothing worked — until his wife suggested a radical alternative: psychedelic-assisted therapy. Capone describes his experience with ibogaine, how it changed him, and why he thinks it worked when nothing else did. Capone is the co-founder and chairman of VETS: Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, and is featured in the documentary “In Waves and War” now on Netflix. Psychiatrist and researcher Rachel Yehuda explains the science behind psychedelic-assisted therapy, and what she’s learned about its potential to treat PTSD in veterans. She leads the PTSD clinical research program at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in New York City. MDMA — otherwise known as ecstasy or molly — is best known as a party drug, but in recent years, scientists have begun investigating it as a treatment for PTSD. We talk with science journalist Rachel Nuwer about the history of MDMA, the science behind its therapeutic potential, and how it helped change one woman’s life. Nuwer’s book is called “I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World.” Cluster headaches can be debilitating — but a little over a decade ago, a group of sufferers, who call themselves “Clusterbusters,” began investigating the potential of psilocybin, otherwise known as magic mushrooms, to treat their intractable pain. We talk with sociologist Joanna Kempner about her research into the group and their mission, documented in her book “Psychedelic Outlaws: The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine.”

Forty years ago, news was only beginning to emerge that an accident had occurred — one that could put millions of people at risk. A reactor at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, then part of the Soviet Union, had exploded, releasing a plume of radioactive gases and particles into the atmosphere and spreading some of the most hazardous radionuclides known to humanity. We look back at what caused this devastating nuclear accident, and explore its legacy with Adam Higginbotham, author of “Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster.” He describes the perfect storm of Soviet secrecy, design flaws, and a series of bad decisions and mistakes that led to the accident, and how it shaped the future of nuclear energy. We’ll find out how a special fungus discovered in the reactor could help protect astronauts from cosmic radiation. And we’ll also hear why and how nuclear energy is making a comeback in the U.S. — including at Three Mile Island, the site of another nuclear accident.

Science writer Michaeleen Doucleff was sitting on a beautiful beach with her daughter, but she couldn’t relax. She kept reaching for her phone, checking it over and over. She was frustrated but couldn’t stop. Why was she doing this? In her new book, “Dopamine Kids: A Science-Based Plan to Rewire Your Child's Brain and Take Back Your Family in the Age of Screens and Ultraprocessed Foods,” Doucleff explores how devices can hijack our brain’s reward system to keep us coming back for more, even after the pleasure is gone.

Politicians are eyeing Greenland as an important strategic location, perfectly situated between Europe and North America. President Donald Trump has said he remains highly interested in acquiring or controlling Greenland as a national security and economic asset. But for a lot of researchers, Greenland is a beautiful and fragile place that holds important clues to the Earth’s past and future. So what are they learning about the large, icy island?  On this episode, we’ll explore some of the research happening in Greenland. We’ll hear about archeologists digging up Viking graves to find out why a settlement disappeared sometime in the 15th century, and talk to an adventurous climate scientist who tracks and follows meltwater that’s flowing from Greenland’s ice sheet into the sea. Also, what are the riches buried under the ice that everybody is interested in? We’ll find out how mining for Greenland’s rare earth metals could affect this ecosystem. We talk with writer and photographer Neil Shea about his travels to Greenland and the intriguing historical mystery he found there — the Viking settlement that thrived and then vanished 500 years later. Shea explains how and why Erik the Red first pioneered the settlement, the global shifts that put them into decline, and lingering clues as to how and why they disappeared. Shea’s book about his Arctic adventures is “Frostlines: A Journey Through Entangled Lives and Landscapes in a Warming Arctic.” President Trump's intense interest in Greenland has raised the question — what is it about Greenland that makes it so valuable? One answer, according to journalist Vince Beiser, is its rare earth metals. We talk with Beiser about what makes these metals so valuable, the challenges involved with mining them, and his predictions for what will happen next. Beiser's book is “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future.” Greenland isn’t just valuable strategically and economically — it’s also a key hub for research on climate change. We talk with Rutgers University geography professor Åsa Rennermalm about why Greenland — and, in particular, its massive ice sheet — is so important to this research, her experiences roughing it in the tundra, and what the recent political discourse could mean for the future of her research.

The number of urgent care centers in the U.S. has doubled over the past decade, and it isn’t hard to see why — they fill a void in the market. Urgent care offers quick and convenient access to medical care when patients can’t get an appointment to see their primary care doctor, but their issue doesn’t seem to warrant an ER visit. But the rapid rise of urgent care has come with some growing pains — questions over the quality of care, and how they’re affecting doctor-patient relationships. On this encore episode, we explore the rise of urgent care. We hear about what draws providers to urgent care, and how they feel about the work; the role of private equity funding; and why some specialty care providers are borrowing from this model. Comedian Aaron Weber talks about his popular bit on urgent care — and what kind of response he got from audience members who work in the industry. Urgent care may occupy an important niche in the health care ecosystem, but let’s be honest — it isn’t the sexiest job. So what makes physicians and other providers decide to work in urgent care? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talked with some of them to find out. We usually think of urgent care centers as handling minor issues like cuts, scrapes, and colds — but recently, some centers have been springing up that cater to specialized needs. Pulse producer Nichole Currie explores the emergence of urgent care centers for cancer patients. Mayo Clinic neurologist Joseph Servin explains what urgent cares reveal about our fragmented health care system, and why it can be a bad thing when they become neurology patients’ first stop.

Have you ever looked in the toilet bowl and wondered, ‘Is that normal?’ Well, you’re not alone — and according to neurogastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha, it’s time to talk about poop.  Pasricha says understanding what’s normal about your bowel movements isn’t just a silly or squeamish conversation, but one that can be lifesaving. Digestive issues affect millions of Americans, yet many of them are scared to discuss them, even with their doctors. Meanwhile, the rate of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of young people dying from colon cancer is rapidly increasing. On this episode, we talk with Pasricha about her new book, “You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.” She answers our embarrassing yet universal questions — from why no one poops normally on vacation to how childhood trauma can haunt your gut today. She also digs into what researchers are learning about the gut-brain relationship and how it shapes digestion.

We often think of perfectionism as a virtue; a kind of shorthand for high standards, a solid work ethic, and attention to detail. But in reality, perfectionism can be a paralyzing force — like sand wedged in the gears of our minds. It slows us down, makes us question our choices, and traps us in an endless cycle of tweaking and re-tweaking, unable to move on to the next task. It can even have consequences for our health, as we push ourselves beyond our limits, in pursuit of impossible standards. And it’s on the rise, especially among teens and young adults. On this episode, we explore what causes perfectionism, how we can escape its grip, and why letting go of unrealistic expectations doesn’t have to mean abandoning excellence. We hear from recovering perfectionists about what finally forced them to let go of their impossible  standards, and how their lives have changed since. We talk with a longtime perfectionism researcher about what’s at the root of perfectionism, and some of its more dire consequences. And we learn about a new movement that’s pushing high school kids to invest less in their academic achievements — and more in how they matter to others. For most of her life, Gitanjali Trevorrow-Seymour was a perfectionist — and as an adult, her exacting standards seemed to have paid off, in the form of a successful career, beautiful home, and loving family. But a few years ago, she reached a turning point that prompted her to question her pursuit of perfection — and the toll it was taking on her life and health. We talk with Trevorrow-Seymour about what finally caused her to change, and what it’s like living on the other side of perfectionism. It’s something we all hear as kids: “Practice makes perfect.” But for budding cellist Joshua Roman, it was more than just a saying — it was the only way to become the best. His relentless work ethic  paid off when, at the tender age of 22, Roman became the youngest lead cellist in the Seattle Symphony Orchestra’s history. But everything changed for Roman several years ago, when he contracted a debilitating case of long COVID, and found himself struggling to function. Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with Roman about how his newfound limitations have changed his life and forced him to face his perfectionism. Researcher Gordon Flett breaks down the dark side of perfectionism — from burnout to health effects — explaining where it comes from, why it’s on the rise in young people, and how to deal with it. Flett is a professor emeritus of psychology at York University in Toronto, and the author of several books on perfectionism. For a lot of high school kids, college admissions are a major driver of stress — not to mention depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Pulse reporter Alan Yu talks with perfectionism researchers about the dangers of America’s “achievement culture,” along withjournalist Jennifer Wallace about a potential solution — the Mattering Movement.

From Kevlar to windshield wipers, pulsars to dark matter and radioactivity, women are responsible for countless scientific discoveries and inventions that changed the world — and yet, many of them remain overlooked, forgotten, or ignored. On this episode, we shine a light on some of these women and hear about the detective work required to unearth their lives and legacies; chasing clues, rifling through dusty boxes, and hitting plenty of dead ends.  We rediscover the life and work of Katharine Burr Blodgett, a physicist and chemist whose seminal inventions are still in use today. We hear about what it was like being one of the few female engineers working at NASA in the 1970s, and we talk with quantum physicist Shohini Ghose about some of the brilliant women who helped us decode the mysteries of the universe. SHOW NOTES: Journalist Katie Hafner was on a mission — to uncover the details of physicist and chemist Katharine Burr Blodgett's work and life. But so much of Blodgett's correspondence and laboratory notes were missing — it felt like doing a puzzle with so many missing pieces. We listen to an excerpt from “Layers of Brilliance” a documentary podcast from Lost Women of Science about the life of Katharine Burr Blodgett.  From the time she was a kid, Candy Vallado had a singular ambition: to work in aerospace. But when she graduated college in 1968, she quickly discovered that no one wanted to hire a “woman engineer.”  We talk with Vallado about what led her to joining her first NASA mission, some of the sexism she faced, and how she feels, looking back, about the progress of women in STEM. We talk with quantum physicist Shohini Ghose about some of the brilliant, forgotten women who helped us decode the mysteries of the universe. Ghose’s book is “Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe."

Over 60 million Americans — or one in four adults — currently serve as family caregivers for partners, parents, or other loved ones with illness or disability. But despite how common this experience is, it can often feel extremely isolating for the caregiver. In between daily tasks like wound care, medications, and bathing, or navigating health care and insurance — many caregivers find themselves grappling with burnout, loneliness, and bigger questions of love, death, and obligation. On this episode, we explore the experience of caregiving, from how illness affects relationships, to the emotional fallout of changing roles, to some of the messy, unspoken frustrations caregivers face. Sociologist Laura Mauldin shares her experience of going from whirlwind romance to caring for a dying partner when she was in her late twenties. We explore the challenges of discussing death at the end of a long illness with a partner. And we talk with a pair of psychologists about the challenges of caring for elderly — and strong-willed — parents. Sociologist Laura Mauldin was in grad school when she fell head over heels in love. A few months into the relationship, her girlfriend’s cancer returned, and Mauldin became her primary caregiver. She writes about her own experience, and that of many other caregivers, in her new book "In Sickness and in Health: Love Stories From the Front Lines of America's Caregiving Crisis." Married psychologists Barry Jacobs and Julia Mayer discuss their experiences caring for Jacobs’ elderly parents, from navigating role reversals, to better ways of supporting caregivers. Jacobs and Mayer are the authors of  “AARP Meditations for Caregivers: Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family.”

The signs are all there — the perfectly packed gym bag is collecting dust in your closet, the kitchen pantry has quietly been refilled with junk food, and your early morning alarms are losing their battle with the snooze button. The goals you set at the beginning of the year seem more and more unattainable. It may feel like you don’t have enough determination — enough resolve — but productivity expert Chris Bailey says there are ways to align our goals with our values and get better results. On this podcast extra, Bailey talks about his new book, “Intentional: How to Finish What You Start.”

When Alexander Graham Bell made the first-ever phone call on March 10, 1876, he never could have dreamed how the telephone would evolve — not to mention the many ways it would end up changing the way we live, work, and communicate. This week, on the 150th anniversary of that first call, we take a look back at the history of the phone, and how it transformed America. We hear about the dramatic race to invent the telephone — and why some people questions whether Alexander Graham Bell deserves all of the credit learn about early cultural debates over everything from how phones should be used, to the etiquette of picking up calls; and explore recent trends in usage, from a growing movement to buy kids landlines, to telephobia — a fear of making calls. It’s a well-known story, one often lifted up as a shining example of American ingenuity — the invention of the telephone by the appropriately named Alexander Graham Bell. But there’s a more dramatic version of the phone’s origin story — one involving a fierce dispute over who really deserves credit for its invention. Pulse reporter Liz Tung digs into the 150-year-old controversy, filled with accusations of fraud, government corruption, and a fierce legal showdown that ended at the Supreme Court.  Phones have changed a lot over the past few decades — and so have the etiquette and culture surrounding how we use them. We survey friends and coworkers about their memories of what it was like when the landline was king, and talk with sociologist Claude Fischer about changing beliefs and cultural norms surrounding the phone, from its changing purpose, to debate over how to answer calls. Fischer is the author of “America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940.” These days, landlines are largely a thing of the past. But recently, they’ve started making a comeback — specifically among kids. Pulse reporter Alan Yu finds out why some parents are embracing this older technology, and some of the unexpected ways their children are deploying it. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, spending hours on the phone was considered an essential part of being a teenager — but today, for a lot of Gen Z, making and taking calls has become a terrifying prospect. Reporter Grant Hill looks into what’s behind the rise of “telephobia.”

Do animals feel love, anger, or empathy? Researchers have long dismissed such ideas as anthropomorphism, arguing that attributing human emotions to animals was unscientific. But as we learn more about animal sentience, that’s starting to change — and, in the process, we’re learning more than ever about the complex inner lives of animals, including why we may be more alike than we once thought. On this episode, we explore what researchers have discovered about what’s really going on inside other species’ heads. We talk with a primatologist about why she believes baboons and other animals possess a theory of mind; investigate whether crabs, lobsters, and shrimp are capable of experiencing pain; and hear about one beagle’s journey from lab subject to pet. Host Maiken Scott and reporter Alan Yu visit  the Chamounix Equestrian Center in Philadelphia to test an app that claims to detect pain in horses. When primatologist Christine Webb was in college, she was taught that it was "unscientific" to investigate animal emotions — but that attitude has started to change. We talk with Webb about what’s causing that shift, what she learned from her mentor, the famed primatologist Frans de Waal, and the challenges involved with stepping outside our human biases to understand the inner lives of animals. Webb is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, and her new book is “The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why it Matters.” Reporter Sophia Schmidt pays a visit to the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania to meet an unlikely pair of besties: Hunter, the red-tailed hawk, and Stan, the turkey vulture. We hear about why Hunter and Stan’s relationship is so rare, how they became friends (and, sometimes, more than friends), and what biological factors could be driving their behavior. It’s easy enough to believe that animals like cats and dogs have feelings — but what about less cuddly creatures, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with researchers who’ve been investigating the question of sentience in decapod crustaceans, and whether or not they’re capable of feeling pain. We talk with journalist Melanie Kaplan about her investigation into the world of animal research, spurred by her adoption of Hammy — a beagle who spent the first four years of his life in a lab. Her book is, “Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research.”

When someone wrongs us, getting revenge can feel like the only right move — the only way for us to balance the scales, to set the world right again. But the consequences can be disastrous, especially when payback becomes an all-consuming obsession. On this encore episode, we talk with lawyer-turned-researcher James Kimmel about his book, “The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World’s Deadliest Addiction — and How to Overcome It.” We discuss the evolutionary roots of revenge, the neuroscience behind why it feels so good, and how Kimmel eventually traded vengeance for forgiveness. We also find out what caused a murder of crows to target an unsuspecting woman, and what was behind their years-long grudge.

Artificial Intelligence is already guiding surgeons in operating rooms; it’s used to read image scans or take notes during your doctor’s visit. And the pace of AI integration is only getting faster. So what will health care look like in the next 10 to 20 years? Will we consult with an AI-powered doctor before we see our primary care physician or a specialist? Will it give more patients access to cutting-edge care? On this episode; a conversation with physician Robert Wachter on the future of medicine. He’s the chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and author of “A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future."

For those deep in the dating trenches, love and attraction can feel like uncrackable riddles. How do I make myself attractive to others? How do you know if someone’s into you? What should I look for in a partner — and how do I know if I’ve found “the one”? On this episode, we train a scientific lens on the mysteries of love. We talk with psychologist Paul Eastwick about the latest research on attraction, relationships, and finding love; learn about how dating apps are transforming the courting process; and hear about two couples who found love in unexpected places. Researcher Paul Eastwick discusses what fuels romantic attraction, why dating apps aren’t necessarily the best way to gauge compatibility, and what makes for a good and healthy relationship. Eastwick is the principal investigator for the attraction and relationships research laboratory at the University of California, Davis. His new book is “Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection.” By most measures, Danielle and Kevin Robinson’s longtime marriage is what the kids would call “relationship goals” — they laugh constantly, share the same interests, and get along like a house on fire. But, in the beginning, not everyone thought they were a match — including Kevin. Pulse reporter Liz Tung tells the story of how they got together, and what their romance shows about compatibility, and different kinds of attraction. When it comes to love stories, Celine Broeckaert and Frank Verstraete have a pretty unique one — they fell in love while writing a book about quantum physics. We hear the story of how the unlikely pair — Broeckaert a playwright and filmmaker, and  Verstraete a quantum physicist — met, what it was about working on the book that bonded them together, and how the right partner can bring a new magic to the familiar. Their book is “Why Nobody Understands Quantum Physics: The Story of the Science That Shapes Our World.”

When it comes to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, and cancer, Black Americans have higher rates and worse outcomes than most other groups in the U.S. It’s a problem that’s gained growing attention over the past few decades, as public health experts have worked to untangle the causes of these disparities, and to find ways of mitigating their effects. Now those efforts face serious headwinds, with federal funding cuts and pressure against DEI measures threatening to roll back progress. But in the face of these challenges, providers are doubling down on offering care that builds trust and delivers better outcomes. On this special production of The Pulse, we find out what that work looks like on the ground. From becoming an ally to patients to mentoring the next generation of Black physicians, we’ll hear how providers are expanding access to quality care. We’ll also explore how the birth of Medicare led to the desegregation of hospitals. Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford is changing the way we talk about obesity, and how we treat it. She explains why she got into obesity medicine in the first place, why she never gives her patients a goal weight, and how being invited to a patient’s 90th birthday party was a great reminder of why her work matters. Pulse producer Nichole Currie gets into the kitchen with her aunt Gladys McLean to learn how to enjoy traditional Southern recipes while eating a healthy and nutritious diet. Physician, surgeon, and now-congressional candidate Ala Stanford gained national recognition during the pandemic, when she stepped up to provide COVID testing, and later vaccines, to underserved communities. She talks about how her own upbringing shaped her as a physician and leader —- and why increasing access and trust are key for better care.

At the best of times, alcohol makes us feel great — relaxed and gregarious, warm and fuzzy, happy and confident. But at the worst of times, it can morph into a serious problem, damaging our relationships, our health, and our lives as a whole. As we close out Dry January, a popular movement to abstain from drinking for a month, we explore our relationship with alcohol. Why we consume it, how it affects us, and when it’s time to quit. We talk with surgeon and recovering alcoholic Charles Knowles about how booze affects our brains and health, and what finally pushed him to go sober for good; we hear about a trend known as “California sober,” and why so many people are embracing it; and we find out how zero-proof cocktail bars are helping some people socialize while sober. Charles Knowles was barely a teen when he discovered the power of alcohol to transform him from a shy outsider into the life of the party. But as he got older, and sank deeper into drinking, alcohol stopped being fun — and started affecting his health and his life. We talk with Knowles,  a surgeon and physician, about what makes some people more vulnerable to problematic drinking, how alcohol affects our brains, and how his life changed once he stopped drinking. Knowles’ new book is “Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture.” For a lot of former drinkers, "sobriety" means total abstinence — no alcohol, or any other substances that produce a similar buzz. But recently, a new, more permissive version of sobriety has been gaining popularity: "California sober." It involves embracing cannabis and psychedelics as a means of avoiding alcohol and hard drugs. Reporter Andrew Stelzer tracks the origins of this phenomenon, why some people find it helpful, and what researchers have to say about it.. One of the hardest parts about sobriety for a lot of people is dealing with the social impact. Not only is alcohol a social lubricant — it’s often at the center of social events themselves. But recently, some entrepreneurs have been creating alternatives in the form of zero-proof cocktail bars. Pulse reporter Alan Yu visits Philadelphia’s Bar Palminato find out who goes there, and why.

On January 28, 1986, a frigid cold day with an icy blue sky, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The accident killed all seven crew members aboard and was the first fatal in-flight spacecraft disaster in NASA's history. For many, the explosion came as an absolute shock. Millions of people were watching live, including school children who were especially eager to catch a glimpse of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire and the first civilian in space. On this episode, we remember the Challenger tragedy with author Adam Higginbotham who details what went wrong and the aftermath in his book, “Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space.”

Space exploration relies heavily on the interest of the public — the voters, and taxpayers, who are ultimately footing the bill. But that support and excitement can be fickle. When space missions go well, and deliver new insights, the payoff is cheering crowds and increased support. But when they don’t, the result can be reduced funding, canceled missions — and even deaths. That means, with each mission, the pressure is on to push boundaries, break new ground, and get everything right. Even a small mistake or malfunction could potentially lead to absolute disaster. On this episode, we look back at three historic NASA missions and how they shaped the course of space exploration. From the awe-inspiring triumph of the first spacecraft landing on Mars in 1976, to a devastating national tragedy in 1986, to the long-game Pluto mission launched in 2006. It was the mission that was supposed to reignite the public's interest in the work of NASA — the Space Shuttle Challenger, an orbiter that, in January 1986, would carry six astronauts and one civilian, a teacher named Christa McAuliffe, into space. But on the day of lift-off, tragedy struck — the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members. We talk with author Adam Higginbotham about what led up to the mission, what went wrong, and the lasting impact it had on both NASA and the public's perception of space exploration. He’s the author of “Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space.” In 2006, NASA launched New Horizons — an interplanetary space probe slated to become the first spacecraft to perform a flyby of Pluto, a journey of roughly 10 years. Pulse reporter Alan Yu tells the story of the mission's difficult beginnings, what we learned, and the dramatic moment that almost derailed everything.

If you go by pop culture depictions, menopause seems like no big deal — a few hot flashes, some comical bouts of hormone-fueled rage, and the “big change,” as it was once called, is over. But for many of the 2 million American women who enter menopause each year, the symptoms can be a lot more serious and long-lasting, ranging from vertigo and joint pain to brain fog and heart problems. On this episode, we take a deep dive into perimenopause and menopause – what’s going on biologically? What can be done to ease symptoms? And why do so many women struggle to receive help from their doctors? We talk with menopause experts about hormone replacement therapy, and why it was demonized for many years; find out what researchers have discovered about the causes of brain fog; and hear about new efforts to deal with medically induced menopause. In this excerpt from our live event, Reimagining Menopause, host Maiken Scott talks with two certified menopause providers — Robyn Faye, an OB-GYN at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, and Arina Chesnokova, assistant professor in of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine — about the ins and outs of hormone therapy, which symptoms it alleviates, when it’s safe and when it’s not. Watch the full discussion here. Reporter Alan Yu talks with researchers about what’s behind one of the most vexing symptoms of menopause for many women — brain fog. For women who have cancer when they’re younger, especially breast or ovarian cancer, chemotherapy and other medications needed to treat the disease can affect hormones - and suddenly plunge them into menopause, years before they might naturally experience it. We explore what their options are, and why so many say they were not prepared for this change.

Capsule wardrobes have become a popular way to streamline and organize your closet — basically, paring it down to a few staple pieces that you can combine in multiple ways, and freshen up with seasonal accessories. Registered Dietitian Jenn Salib Huber says this is how women should think about nutrition during perimenopause and menopause. Rather than obsessing over calorie counts and macronutrients, they should focus on staples like soy and fish that are not only delicious but can also alleviate symptoms like hot flashes or brain fog. Huber joins us to discuss her new cookbook, “Eat to Thrive During Menopause.” She offers advice for getting the most out of your meals, tells us which ingredients are “must-haves” during menopause, and shares some of her favorite recipes.

Think about the last time you were really happy — where were you? What were you doing? Who were you with? And, most importantly, how can you recreate that feeling? Happiness can feel like lightning in a bottle — beautiful in the moment, but hard to find and harder yet to sustain. So what is it that makes for a happy life? And how do we engineer our lives for greater contentment, fulfillment, and joy? On this episode: the science of happiness and how we can experience more of it every day. We talk with psychologist Eric Zillmer about why certain places bring us joy, and how to engineer happiness in our lives. We hear about one reporter’s experiment to bring more moments of serendipity in her life. And, writer Daniel Coyle explains why community is at the heart of what it means to flourish. Drexel University psychologist Eric Zillmer created a “happiness map” of Philadelphia with the help of his students. He says it holds greater lessons on why certain places bring us joy, and how we can reverse-engineer happiness into our days. Zillmer directs the happiness lab at Drexel University. Writer Daniel Coyle built his career on exploring what it is that makes people successful — but when both of his parents died a few years ago, Coyle found himself unmoored, questioning what makes for a happy and meaningful life. The resulting journey led to his newest book, “Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment.” We talk with Coyle why he says community is at the heart of flourishing, how to create the right conditions for happiness, and why he says life isn’t a treasure hunt — it’s the process of treasure creation.

For a lot of us, noise is a constant factor — an inescapable soundtrack playing on loop in the background. Kids screaming, sirens blaring, the roar of traffic, the sounds of music, lawn mowers, construction, and so much more. We ignore it when we can, or wear headphones to block out the racket. But all that noise can actually damage our hearing and, subsequently, our overall health.  On this encore episode, we explore what researchers are learning about the connections between noise, hearing loss, and our well-being. We find out whether constant headphone listening could put our hearing at risk, and why live concerts are so loud, along with how to protect your ears. Also, why stigma remains around hearing aids, even though so many people need them. SHOW NOTES: We talk with exposure scientist Rick Neitzel about the long-neglected topic of noise pollution and its effects on our health. He explains the physiological effects of noise, theories on how it causes harm, and some of the most common sources of damaging sound exposure. Meg Wallhagen — a geriatric nurse practitioner and hearing loss researcher — explains age-related hearing loss, and why there still remains a stigma against hearing aids.

Twenty-five years ago, President Bill Clinton stood before a podium in the East Room of the White House, and, in front of an all-star lineup of researchers and dignitaries, made a historic announcement: After years of painstaking work, scientists had created “the most important, most wondrous map ever produced by humankind” — the first-ever survey of the human genome. In his remarks, Clinton compared the achievement to the maps created by Lewis and Clark’s expedition into the American West — but maybe a comparison to the space race would have been more accurate. Because, behind the scenes, the journey leading up to that day’s announcement had been defined by nerve-wracking, cut-throat competition — a competition where every minute counted, and the future of scientific inquiry was at stake. On this encore episode, we look back at how what started as a scientific collaboration fractured into a bitter race to finish decoding the human genome. On one side was the federally funded Human Genome Project; on the other, a private start-up called Celera; and, in between, a raucous mashup of conflicting personalities, values, and ideas that would eventually help to transform science and medicine.

As patients, we often wonder what our role should be when it comes to getting better. Should we research options, get second opinions, and ask lots of questions? Or should we sit back, and let the health care professionals take charge? When does it make sense to push, and when is it best to do less? On this episode, we examine our role as patients, the choices we make, and charting our path toward better health. A reporter gets a wake-up call while looking into diabetes rates among Latinos in Oklahoma, we hear about one woman’s choice to forgo cancer treatment — and how her family and doctors responded, and we explore a controversial proposed diagnosis for severe, long-term anorexia.  SHOW NOTES: First Juliet Wayne's brother died from cancer — then her long-term partner broke up with her. That was followed by a deep depression; and then, the nightmares started. We talk with Wayne about how these nightmares affected her life, why doctors said she couldn't take a drug designed to stop them, and how a chance encounter finally led her to relief. Historian Joy Lisi Rankin talks about her mother’s choice not to pursue treatment for breast cancer — and how Rankin’s own experience years later with breast cancer treatment changed how she felt about her mother’s choices. You can read Rankin’s essay about her mother at Stat News. Anorexia has one of, if not the, highest mortality rates of any mental illness, with a relatively low recovery rate. Patients and their families suffer deeply from this illness, which can last for decades. In 2022, a paper proposed a new and controversial diagnosis: terminal anorexia. Reporter Elizabeth Zwerling tells the story of how this diagnosis came to be proposed, and the difficult conversations it kicked off in the world of eating disorder treatment.

In 1973, Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan published a bombshell paper called “On Being Sane in Insane Places.” In the paper, Rosenhan described faking symptoms to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and recruiting several other pseudo patients to do the same. Could staff tell they were faking? What was it like to be a patient in an institution? The “Rosenhan experiment,” as it came to be known, created a major stir, sparking public debates over the validity of psychiatric diagnoses and contributing to a shift away from institutionalization. Decades later, when journalist Susannah Cahalan began looking into the experiment, she made a startling discovery about Rosenhan’s famous research; he had made up most of it. On this episode, we explore what happens when long-held narratives are upended. For the first time, we hear the voices of the pseudo patients who participated in the famous study, and find out why Cahalan was so passionate about finding them. We’ll also hear a story about one woman’s decades-long search to investigate the Oklahoma City bombing that killed her two grandsons. SHOW NOTES: The reason Susannah Cahalan was so interested in the Rosenhan experiment was personal — she had her own brush with the mental health system. Check out this week’s edition of KQED's Snap Judgment, where she tells that story. It starts with Cahalan waking up in a hospital room, and having no idea why she’s there.  Kathy Sanders’ grandsons, Chase, 3, and Colton, 2, were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. Sanders felt numb with grief and sadness — but soon, another emotion crept in: doubt. She felt that the federal investigation was dropping leads, and not pursuing important clues. Reporter Grant Hill talks with Sandersabout what she found in her own investigation, and why, 30 years later, she’s still looking for the truth.

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

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

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

How do our dreams connect to health, and how could “dream engineering” help people get over nightmares? Researcher Michelle Carr writes about that in her new book “Nightmare Obscura: A Dream Engineer's Guide Through the Sleeping Mind.” We talk with Carr about why we dream, the benefits of lucid dreaming, and what she’s learning about our ability to “engineer” our dreams.

Chatbots don’t have feelings of their own, but they’ve been stirring plenty of emotions in us humans. On this episode, we explore how AI is making us feel, and what those feelings say about us. We hear about using ChatGPT for DIY therapy, what kinds of personalities we prefer in our chatbots, and how both the market and online culture is responding to the spike in AI-generated content.

On this Veterans Day episode, we explore the invisible wounds of war — and the different paths veterans take to heal them. We talk with a Marine Corps vet about how ceramics helped him reconnect with civilian life, a retired Navy SEAL about his experience with psychedelic-assisted therapy, and a Vietnam vet who, decades after the war, found peace in an unexpected place.

Cybercrime has been around for as long as computers have — but over the past 20 years, it's exploded into a global threat, with staggering financial, political, and even personal consequences. On this encore episode, we hear about the virus that ushered in the age of social engineering attacks, the history of cybercrime, and what led one man to become a hacker.

Coca-Cola is launching a cane sugar version of its classic soda in the U.S. after President Donald Trump urged a switch from high fructose corn syrup. The effort supports the administration's “Make America Healthy Again” initiative — but many experts argue that it won’t make a difference.  On this episode, journalist Murray Carpenter discusses his new book, Sweet and Deadly: How Coca-Cola Spreads Disinformation and Makes Us Sick.

Ghosts seem far out of the realm of science. But small groups of investigators remain committed to proving — or disproving — the existence of paranormal phenomena. On this episode, we find out what motivates these investigators, and we’ll hear about a lab on the UCLA campus that studied paranormal activities.

If it feels like urgent care centers are everywhere these days — that’s because they are. Over the past decade, they’ve exploded in popularity, offering a quick and convenient alternative to long waits at the ER, and even longer waits to see your primary care provider. On this episode, we explore the rise of urgent care, from the role of private equity to its impact on patient care.

What if treatments or even cures for devastating rare diseases already existed — and were just waiting to be discovered? On this podcast extra, we dive into the extraordinary journey of physician and researcher David Fajgenbaum, cofounder of Every Cure. After facing death five times due to a rare illness called Castleman Disease, Fajgenbaum not only discovered his own treatment, but also launched an ambitious project using AI to unlock existing drugs for countless other conditions.  He has a new TED Talk and was recently featured in Time Magazine’s list of “The World’s Most Influential Rising Stars.” Fajgenbaum’s life is also the subject of an upcoming movie based on his memoir “Chasing My Cure.” Listen to his incredible story of resilience, the profound lessons he’s learned from living in "overtime," and how his work is already saving lives by repurposing treatments hiding in plain sight.

We often think of digital distractions, from TikTok to newsfeeds, as a way of giving our brains a break. But in reality, they could be doing the opposite. We talk with psychologist Marc Berman about a better way of restoring our focus — spending time in nature. We also try a dopamine fast, to see if it can really improve our attention spans.

Many adventurers and researchers feel the call of the wild — a force tugging them to explore, climb distant mountains, venture into faraway forests, and discover or rediscover something: a creature, a place, some new clue. On this episode: Adventures in the Wild, featuring the mythical golden toad, raging elephants, and poisonous snakes.

In its heyday, “The Biggest Loser” was one of the biggest shows on TV. But now, nine years after it went off the air, a  Netflix docuseries and new book by leading obesity researcher Kevin Hall, are prompting a re-examination of the show’s tactics, and some of the surprising discoveries it led to surrounding metabolism and weight loss.

Different Patients, Different Outcomes

Most of us take our muscles for granted, but they play a bigger role in our physical and mental health than most people realize. On this encore episode, we explore their cultural and scientific significance. We hear about the history of weight-lifting, along with how it went from niche hobby to medical treatment, and learn about the intricate biology and beauty of our muscles.

When we see surprising couples, like Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, we can’t help but wonder what brought them together. In this podcast extra, we explore the mysteries of attraction and love. We talk with researcher Paul Eastwick about the idiosyncratic factors that go into attraction, and behavioral scientist Logan Ury coaches us on the science of optimizing online dating.

We think of Martians as belonging to the realm of sci-fi — but in the early 1900s, a radical idea swept the nation, scientists included: that Martians weren’t only real, they were intelligent beings with their own sophisticated civilization. On this episode, we hear about the astronomer who pushed “Mars Mania,” and a cautionary tale of what happens when belief trumps science.

It seems like we’re all constantly striving to be more productive — to find the right hacks or systems or habits that will allow us to squeeze more from our days. But is maximum  productivity really desirable, or are we missing the bigger picture while running on that treadmill? On this episode, we look at productivity — what works, what doesn’t, and how we can redefine it in a changing world.

It’s back-to-school time, which, for millions of families across the country, means a return to bedtimes, shopping for school supplies, and frantic efforts by kids to finish their summer reading. On this episode, we explore how our fast-changing world is transforming learning and life inside the classroom, from the lingering effects of the pandemic, to the impact of generative AI tools, to the pressures of “Ivy League fever.” Interviews with host Maiken Scott: When COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March 2020, schools across the country closed down — and stayed closed — as part of an effort to stem the pandemic’s spread. At the time, it seemed like the right move for public health — but according to investigative reporter David Zweig, the basis for those closures was a lot shakier than the public knew, the benefits less clear, and the impact on kids more profound than we imagined. He joins us to discuss his new book, “An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus and a Story of Bad Decisions.” We talk with education reporter Holly Korbey about how the adoption of new technologies — from Smartboards, to laptops, to ChatGPT — are transforming the classroom, and what science has to say about whether those changes are good or bad for learning. Korbey writes The Bell Ringer, a newsletter on the science of learning.

In the summer of 1976, when 2,000 people came to Philadelphia for a national convention of the American Legion, a strange illness gripped hundreds of attendees, and more than 30 people died. Symptoms included cough, shortness of breath, and fever. Was it a virus, bacteria, some sort of toxin? A major investigation was launched by the CDC — and the gathering in Philadelphia became forever tied to one of the greatest medical mysteries of our time.    Almost 50 years later, reports of Legionnaires' Disease are in the news again. Reporter Elana Gordon tells the story of how scientists — with some serious shoe-leather detective work and a scientific breakthrough — tracked down the origin of this mysterious airborne illness.  On this episode, we listen back to her reporting from 2016:Audio Time Capsule: The discovery of Legionnaires’ disease.

Farming is a tough gig — physically, and mentally.  And it’s only gotten harder in recent years, with the impact of climate change and a shifting political and economic landscape. On this episode, we explore the connection between farming and health, and how these new challenges are affecting the well-being of the people who produce our food.

We live in a noisy world — from the din of busy restaurants, to the roar of traffic, to the clamor of partying neighbors. We’ll explore what researchers are learning about the connections between noise, hearing loss and our well-being.

On this episode, we explore the stories of people who survived extraordinary trials, from life-threatening illnesses to assault, and ask what came after survival. We’ll hear what it’s like to survive — and come back from — locked-in syndrome, explore the emotional roller coaster of being a young cancer survivor, and find out how one writer created guide to intimacy after sexual assault.

More than a hundred thousand people in the U.S. are on the national transplant list waiting for a life-saving organ. Hospitals across the country transplant more than 45,000 organs each year and there are rules and protocols about how it is supposed to go. But what happens when the process fails? The New York Times investigative reporter Brian Rosenthal joins us to discuss some recent cases where doctors discovered that patients were still alive and conscious when the donation process was underway. He talks with host Maiken Scott about a relatively new method of procuring organs, called circulatory death donation, and new pressures on procurement organizations that could be jeopardizing safety. Rosenthal and his colleague Julie Tate recently published an investigation in The New York Times called, “A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk.”

Shame has a way of making us feel alone — like we’re the only ones in the world struggling with something. It can make us withdraw or feel depressed, out of control, and helpless. In the worst cases, it can destroy our self-esteem and even lead to self harm. But shame can also be a force for positive change, from enforcing social norms, to pushing us to improve our behaviors and circumstances.  On this episode, we untangle why we feel it, where shame comes from, and how it affects our behavior and health. Lots of us have hangups about what we look like in swimsuits — but wait until you hear about what “kind of attire” used to be acceptable at pools. We’ll explore the evolutionary roots of shame, how one woman discovered what was behind her monthly meltdowns, and how shame figures into treatment approaches in the opioid epidemic.

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 that; they’re our planet’s defining feature, its largest ecosystem, and the original source of all life. On this encore episode, we explore the engine that powers our planet.

We often think of sleep as the gas that keeps us running. We refuel at night — or whenever we can — run around all day until our tanks are empty, and then do it all over again the next day. But some sleep scientists would like us to think about sleep less as fuel, and more as a biological rhythm — one that’s as essential to our overall health as our heartbeat. On this episode, we’ll explore how finding your body’s unique sleep rhythm can help you get better rest.

We’ve only been able to harness the cold for our benefit for a little over 100 years, but innovations like refrigeration and air conditioning have completely transformed the way we live and eat. But it all comes at a cost — and not just financially. On this encore episode, how advances in cold technology have shaped our lives and changed the world.

Twenty-five years ago, President Bill Clinton announced a historic achievement: The completion of the first-ever survey of the human genome. The ceremony focused on the power of unity and collaboration — but, behind the scenes, the journey to this generational discovery had been marked by a bitter, cut-throat competition. We  look back at the race to decode the human genome — and who really won.

Friends make us laugh, they have our back, we share memories and stories. Beyond that, scientists are learning that friendships are key in keeping us healthy and thriving. On this episode, we explore why researchers say our brains are wired for connection, and why making our friendships a priority is one of the key pillars of longevity. We’ll get some research-backed advice on making new friends as adults and hear from two friends who love spending time with each other, though they usually can’t remember their adventures.

When someone wrongs us, getting revenge can feel like the only right move — the only way for us to balance the scales, to set the world right again. But the consequences can be disastrous, especially when payback becomes an all-consuming obsession.  On this episode, we talk with lawyer-turned-researcher James Kimmel about his new book, "The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction — and How to Overcome It." We discuss the evolutionary roots of revenge, the neuroscience behind why it feels so good, and how Kimmel eventually traded vengeance for forgiveness. We also find out what caused a murder of crows to target an unsuspecting woman, and what was behind their years-long grudge.

Creativity plays a role in every facet of our lives, from childhood education, to everyday problem-solving, to the artistic works we enjoy and the innovations shaping our future. We explore what human creativity is, how it works, and some of the unexpected ways it’s remaking our world.

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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 leading scholars and researchers in the field of neurotechnology. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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 changing conditions to a part of the continent? 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 episode, 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. We hear about climate change almost every day — the threats it poses, the fight to stop it. On this episode, we spend time with scientists on the front lines of climate research. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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 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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy