The Pulse
Go on an adventure into unexpected corners of the health and science world each week with award-winning host Maiken Scott. The Pulse takes you behind the doors of operating rooms, into the lab with some of the world's foremost scientists, and back in time to explore life-changing innovations. The Pulse delivers stories in ways that matter to you, and answers questions you never knew you had.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 48 minutes
- Episodes
- 151
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
The Science Behind the Healing Power of Music
You've heard that music is the language of the soul — but could it also be a treatment for the body? On this reissued episode, we explore the latest science on the healing power of our favorite tunes…
00:50:50 |
Wed 25 Dec 2024
First Responders and the Toll on Their Health
We turn to first responders for help during emergencies. We expect them to stay calm and cool, and to know exactly what to do. In scary, dangerous, or life-threatening situations, they're the ones ta…
00:48:54 |
Wed 18 Dec 2024
Why We're All So Outraged
When we're feeling morally outraged — over politics, global conflicts, or violence, like the recent murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson — what's at the root of this feeling? Psychologist K…
00:48:54 |
Fri 13 Dec 2024
Parrot or Prophet: How AI is Shaping Language
For thousands of years, we've thought of language as one of the key features that makes humans unique. But with the rapid evolution of large language models, the line between human communication and …
00:48:39 |
Fri 06 Dec 2024
When Being 'Gifted' No Longer Feels Like a Gift
What does it mean to be 'gifted'? Who qualifies and how should we teach and treat gifted children? And, where do the limits of their talents lie? On this encore episode, we hear stories about the cha…
00:48:44 |
Fri 29 Nov 2024
Thanksgiving Disasters — And How to Avoid Them
Thanksgiving is a lovely holiday — a time for food, family, and counting our blessings. But let's face it: The festivities don't always go as planned. On this episode, we explore the full range of ho…
00:56:56 |
Fri 22 Nov 2024
The Threats Facing Trees — and How to Save Them
We not only love trees for their beauty — we need them for our survival. But around the world, some trees, and even entire forests, are facing numerous existential threats. On this episode, we explor…
00:48:49 |
Fri 15 Nov 2024
Biomimicry: What Nature Can Teach us about Engineering and Design
How does nature make durable materials like corals and seashells without a heat or a kiln? How do peacock feathers get their beautiful colors? Scientists are trying to understand these processes and …
00:48:51 |
Fri 08 Nov 2024
What Makes Our Circadian Clocks Tick
Circadian rhythms affect more than our sleep — they can shape all aspects of our health, and are in turn shaped by the rhythms of our lives. We explore the intricate mechanics of our internal clocks,…
00:48:58 |
Fri 01 Nov 2024
How Politics Are Changing Health and Science
With a contested presidential election looming, we explore what's at stake for health and science, from fertility medicine to cyber security with voting machines, and efforts by scientists to protect…
00:50:44 |
Fri 25 Oct 2024
Thrills & Chills: The Psychology of Fear
It's that time of year when we celebrate something we usually hate: fear. We visit haunted houses and corn mazes or binge-watch the scariest horror movies. In its most primitive form, fear is about s…
00:48:00 |
Fri 18 Oct 2024
All the Rage
Your face flushes hot, maybe your fists clench, your heartbeat speeds up and your blood pressure rises. It's rage and it can go from zero to red-hot in seconds. It's normal to feel angry when you or …
00:48:59 |
Fri 11 Oct 2024
When Law Enforcement and Health Care Meet
Police generally aren't trained to deal with mental health crises — and yet they constantly find themselves called to intervene in these challenging situations, sometimes leading to disastrous result…
00:49:04 |
Fri 04 Oct 2024
When Every Second Counts: Advances in Cardiac Care
Every second counts when it comes to treating patients in cardiac arrest — which is why researchers and health care professionals are working constantly to find faster and better ways of delivering c…
00:48:49 |
Fri 27 Sep 2024
Navigating Autism in School
What's the best educational setting for my child to learn and grow? It's a question many parents contemplate, but it's an especially difficult question for parents of autistic kids. We explore the of…
00:48:54 |
Fri 20 Sep 2024
What It Takes to Treat Serious Mental Illness
We explore what it takes to recover from serious mental illness, with stories about how a patient's decades-long relationship with his psychiatrist helped him overcome severe depression, how a new cr…
00:48:44 |
Fri 13 Sep 2024
The Healing Power of Music
You've heard that music is the language of the soul — but could it also be a treatment for the body? On this episode, we explore some of the latest science on the healing power of our favorite tunes,…
00:50:19 |
Fri 06 Sep 2024
What Teeth Tell us About Survival on Earth
Zoologist Bill Schutt argues that teeth were pivotal to the success of vertebrate animals, they're power tools for survival. His latest book is "Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Hu…
00:30:20 |
Tue 03 Sep 2024
The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Behavior
There are countless hidden forces that affect how we behave, the choices that we make, and the general shape of our lives. On this episode, we take a deep dive into some of those forces. We hear stor…
00:49:49 |
Fri 30 Aug 2024
Virtual Worlds, Virtual Lives
On this encore episode of The Pulse - We're in a major technological revolution where artificial intelligence, gaming, and virtual reality are allowing us to create and enter totally new spaces and h…
00:48:41 |
Fri 23 Aug 2024
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