The Pulse

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 ...

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 ...

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 f...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 st...

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 sci...

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 r...

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 ...

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 ...

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,...