The Pulse – Jan. 2 2015

The word “buzz” is a fleeting thing in the world of technology. Products that are supposed to change everything often don’t. In search of the “next big thing” in tech, we’ll take a look at the Gartner Hype Cycle—an investing tool that tries to measure all that hype and predict how long it takes to go from harebrained idea to mainstream acceptance.

It goes without saying that 2014 was a watershed year for climate change. Record snow and heat had the scientific community singing from the same page, and world powers started to prioritize the environment in ways they hadn’t prior. So, what does 2015 hold in store? Later this year, the UN Climate Change Conference will be held in Paris, where climate negotiators will be trying to achieve a legally binding and universal climate agreement on climate with all nations. How likely is that to happen? Carolyn Beeler takes a look.

This week, we reflect on the 500th anniversary of Andres Vesilius, the father of anatomy and skepticism in medicine. Then we revisit students participating in their first anatomy class.

Ever heard of the phrase “Health in all Policies”? It’s the idea that you can look at any government policy through a health lens. Improved health becomes a yardstick—similar to jobs—when deciding if a policy is good or bad. Each January, we make guesses about the people and things we think you’ll be talking about in the New Year and we think “Health in all Policies” will be one of them.

When the federal government asked doctors to digitize their medical records, some physicians started filling out those electronic forms right in the exam room…during the office visit! We’ve all been there, right? But in the last decade, a possible solution, and a new job title, has emerged.

Also on the show, we talk to the author of “Smart People Don’t Diet” to hear what the latest science is telling us about what to eat or avoid.