The Pulse – December 13, 2013

On The Pulse this week, we take a look at a new law in the state of Delaware that calls for stiffer penalties for non-nurse midwives working without a permit and we’ll explore the varying perspectives on the safety of home birth.

We’ll take you on a tour of a bucolic farm in Chester County to see the science behind growing mushrooms and into the MRI tube for a sound-rich journey through the anxiety-inducing experience.

We’ll also hear from a local scientist about his quest to make vaccines and other medications more available in developing countries. His secret weapon: lettuce. 

Kerry Grens, an associate editor at The Scientist and a regular Pulse contributor, joins us to talk about a lake found on Mars, new dyslexia research and a possible link between lead exposure and Alzheimer’s.

We’ll also introduce a new segment, called Pain in the Neck, in which we hear from patients about their complaints about how things tend to happen in health care. We look into why the system operates the way it does – and whether anyone has a fix. This week’s pet peeve: getting inaccurate recovery time estimates from your doctor.

For those stories and more, click on the audio icon above.