Program Menu
Go on an adventure into unexpected corners of the health and science world each week with award-winning host Maiken Scott. The Pulse will take 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.
Listen at noon every Sunday and Monday on WHYY-FM
-
Hosted by Maiken Scott
Recent Articles
Artificial voices sound like us, but they lack fundamental qualities of human speech
Professor of linguistics Emily Bender discusses the limitations of speech powered by LLMs and why it’s fundamentally different from human speech.
2 weeks ago
Listen 21:03How some endangered language speakers get creative with AI for preservation efforts
Revitalizing endangered Indigenous languages that have little or no digital presence is challenging with artificial intelligence—but not impossible.
2 weeks ago
Listen 11:05How AI and 40 years of recordings can help detect the subtle forces that shape how we speak
The Philadelphia Neighborhood Corpus collected more than 400 audio recordings to study spoken language. AI is helping researchers understand the data.
2 weeks ago
Listen 14:08When holiday travel goes wrong: How flight crews deal with unruly passengers
Flying has gotten worse over the years — and so have passengers. An inside look at how aviation workers deal with angry customers
4 weeks ago
Listen 14:00How a turkey farmer dealt with an avian flu outbreak on Thanksgiving
The bird flu virus continues to spread around the world, including in mammals like cows. Scientists are worried it could become a human virus.
4 weeks ago
Listen 9:25The years-long quest to make an ‘artificial leaf’ as a promising fuel alternative
The artificial leaf was a vision for moving beyond fossil fuels. Researchers have since run into obstacles, but continue to push the field forward.
1 month ago
Listen 10:00Nature's grip: Scientist examines gecko feet to develop new medical adhesives
A Villanova University biologist is studying how geckos stick to surfaces in an effort to replicate this mechanism for new medical adhesives
1 month ago
Listen 8:37Does it matter what time you take your medicine?
Years of research show it matters when a patient takes medicine. So why don't drugs come with those instructions?
2 months ago
Listen 9:48Practice in the dark: a student athlete’s guide to waking up before dawn
Corinne Carlson, a student athlete, shares how early morning rowing practice affects how she schedules her sleep, and her life.
2 months ago
Listen 4:16Can night owls become morning larks — and should they?
What science has to say about what makes someone a night owl, whether it’s bad for your health, and if it’s even possible to change.
2 months ago
Listen 8:46Despite reassurances, election security risks continue to mount
Election security experts warn that underfunding and a lack of expertise in the field could threaten election integrity.
2 months ago
Listen 10:50How opioid prescriptions are tracked and monitored by law enforcement and health care providers
Medical sociologist Liz Chiarello discusses the effects of prescription drug monitoring programs on both patients and physicians.
2 months ago
Listen 12:22New generation of AEDs designed to reach cardiac arrest victims faster
Surviving cardiac arrest is rare. Only about 10% of patients pull through. One major factor is getting CPR immediately. New AEDs could help speed things up.
3 months ago
Listen 10:13How close are we to artificial hearts? New advancements in heart health
Cardiac researcher Sian Harding discusses scientific advances in heart health including growing artificial hearts from stem cells.
3 months ago
Listen 11:51Understanding PDA — when tantrums and school avoidance have deeper roots
Extreme tantrums related to any demands define PDA, but experts say it’s not about demands, it’s about anxiety.
3 months ago
Listen 15:03