The Pulse

WHYY 855 - Jon Ronson, 101 Princesses, and a World of Unraveling Men

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.

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Episodes

30 Aug 2026

27 Aug 2026

20 Aug 2026

13 Aug 2026

11 Aug 2026

06 Aug 2026

30 Jul 2026

23 Jul 2026

16 Jul 2026

09 Jul 2026

02 Jul 2026

25 Jun 2026

18 Jun 2026

16 Jun 2026

11 Jun 2026

04 Jun 2026

28 May 2026

21 May 2026

14 May 2026

07 May 2026

30 Apr 2026

23 Apr 2026

16 Apr 2026

09 Apr 2026

02 Apr 2026

01 Apr 2026

26 Mar 2026

19 Mar 2026

12 Mar 2026

10 Mar 2026

05 Mar 2026

26 Feb 2026

19 Feb 2026

18 Feb 2026

12 Feb 2026

05 Feb 2026

29 Jan 2026

26 Jan 2026

22 Jan 2026

15 Jan 2026

13 Jan 2026

08 Jan 2026

01 Jan 2026

25 Dec 2025

18 Dec 2025

11 Dec 2025

04 Dec 2025

27 Nov 2025

20 Nov 2025

17 Nov 2025

The Pulse

Episodes

Jon Ronson, 101 Princesses, and a World of Unraveling Men

The Search for Wilderness

What's Really Going On Inside Animals' Heads?

Quitting Antidepressants: From Withdrawal to Tapering One Step at a Time

The Science of Imagination: Transforming How We Think, Feel, and Live

Think Inside the Box: How Limits Fuel Creativity

The Future of Pain Relief: Managing Chronic Pain, Laughing Gas, and Safer Opioids

Jet Lag, Cruise Outbreaks, and Vacation Constipation: How to Deal with Travel Health Woes

How Reliable Is Forensic Science? The Truth About Criminal Profiling and Investigations

Chasing Wildlife: From the Golden Toad to Giant Elephants

From Buzz to Burnout: How Alcohol Affects the Brain and Body

How Science and Ingenuity Built Early America

The Body Remembers: Exploring the Invisible Wounds Left by Serious Illness

You’ve Heard of ‘Dad Bod’ But How About ‘Dad Brain?’

How Music Shapes Memory, Emotion, and Imagination

When Healthcare Meets the Law: Abortion, Cannabis, and Corporate Medicine

Engineering Happiness into Our Daily Lives

The Strange Science of Color — And Our Quest to Understand It

What It Takes to Survive a Disaster

The Complexity of Motherhood

Healing with Psychedelics: Veterans, PTSD, and the Science of Mind-Altering Drugs

40 Years After Chernobyl: What Caused the Disaster — and How It Changed Nuclear Energy

So Many Cravings, So Few Rewards: Understanding How Dopamine Works

What Greenland Can Teach Us About The Earth’s Past and Future

Inside the Boom of Urgent Care: How It’s Changing American Medicine

Why We Need to Talk About Poop

The Problem with Being Perfect: How Unrealistic Standards Hurt Our Minds and Bodies

Unearthing the Hidden Stories of Women Scientists

When Love Becomes Caregiving: How Illness Changes Relationships

Already Forgotten About Your New Year’s Resolution? Here’s Why

Hello? From Bell’s First Call to Gen Z’s Telephobia: 150 Years of the Telephone

Beyond Anthropomorphism: The Science of Animal Emotions

Revenge Feels Great — But the Cost is High

Will My Doctor Be a Bot? AI and the Future of Medicine

Finding Your Match: The Science of Love and Attraction

Closing the Gap: Improving Health Outcomes for Black Americans

From Buzz to Burnout: How Alcohol Affects the Brain and Body

Challenger at 40: How the Disaster Shaped the Future of NASA

Triumph, Tragedy and Ennui: Three NASA Missions That Shaped the Future of Space Exploration

The Weird Menopause Symptoms No One Ever Told You About — And How to Treat Them

From Soy to Carbs: How Food can Ease Menopause Symptoms

Engineering Happiness into our Daily Lives

How Noise Affects Our Health

Inside the Dramatic Race to Decode the Human Genome

When Should Patients Decide for Themselves?

Searching for the Truth — and Finding Unexpected Answers

Inside the Hidden Wonders of the Shrinking Arctic

Why Nurturing Connection is Good for Your Health

What Science Says About How Much Our Food Choices Matter

How to 'Engineer' Your Dreams and End Nightmares