The Pulse

By WHYYScience Health & Fitness

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The Pulse episodes

October 16, 2020The Hidden Costs of Science
In science, we tend to focus on the destination, not the journey. But for every big breakthrough, every historic discovery, there are countless contributions that no one notices: the forgotten grunt workers, research that came to nothing, even lives lost in the pursuit of progress. Today’s episode is about the hidden cost of science — the price of doing business that we rarely think about. We hear stories about the mental health toll of graduate school, the literal cost of research, and the environmental impact of scientific progress.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
J’Nese Williams — a historian of Modern Britain and lecturer at Stanford University — tells the story of the enslaved workforce that built the botanical garden on the tropical island of St. Vincent. She did some of her research on this topic during a fellowship at the Linda Hall Library in Kansas City, Missouri.
We talk with diabetes researcher Antentor Hinton Jr. about learning to say no, and his tips for succeeding and thriving in graduate school.
Each year, universities spend millions of dollars on a hidden cost: access to research and scientific journals. But that’s starting to change thanks to the Open Access movement. Reporter Liz Tung talks with University of California librarian Jeffrey MacKie-Mason about what’s changing and why.
Many scientists are passionate about the use of animals in their research. They feel empathy for the animals, but they also believe that this work is necessary, and serves a greater purpose. Reporter Jad Sleiman explores this complicated relationship.
50 min
October 09, 2020Chasing Happiness
The pandemic has changed the way a lot of us understand and experience happiness. In normal times, we think of happiness as a big-picture goal — a guiding principle for making decisions. Will this job make me happy? Will this relationship make me happy? Will starting a family, or moving, or switching careers make me happy?
But over the past few months, as our lives have increasingly been shaped by restrictions, loss, and fear, many of us have had to reexamine what happiness means, and how we can find it.
On this episode, we hear from psychologists who study happiness, and explore what contributes to happiness, and what it means in this unique moment.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
How do we achieve happiness? That’s a question that University of California psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky has been exploring for years. She says happiness is both a state — a fleeting moment — and also a trait, something that’s more stable, and a more dominant characteristic in some people than in others.
Brock Bastian, a psychologist and professor at the University of Melbourne, discusses the pursuit of happiness, and how a more fearless approach to life might result in greater happiness.
At the age of 4, Lise Deguire was severely burned in an accident, causing third-degree burns all over her body. The ensuing years were filled with surgeries, pain, and parental neglect. Despite everything, Deguire — who’s now a psychologist and author — found her way to happiness. She tells us about that journey. Her book is called “Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor.”
How does culture shape our expectations and experience of happiness? We get the lowdown from Jeanne Tsai, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Culture and Emotion Lab.
We also created a playlist of songs about happiness. Check it out on Spotify or press play below.
49 min
October 02, 2020Booze, Science and Our Health
We all know that drinking a lot of alcohol is bad for your health. It’s tied to heart disease, heightened risk for some cancers, addiction, and accidents. But there is a long-held belief that moderate drinking is fine — even good for your health. So what does science actually say about the health impact of drinking? On this episode, we dig into the complicated relationship between alcohol and our health, and discover a tangled web of industry funding, thwarted research studies, and frustrated scientists. We also hear stories about how the pandemic has affected our drinking habits, and a new substance that promises to deliver the buzz of booze without the hangover.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
New York Times reporter Roni Rabin recounts her investigation into a massive study that was supposed to shed light on how moderate drinking impacts health. Instead, she broke open a story that raised questions about money and integrity in alcohol research.
Vivian Gonzalez, a professor of psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, discusses the impact of alcohol on Native American communities, and the widespread “firewater myth.”
Key West, Florida is a hard-drinking town — but like everywhere, COVID-19 has closed down bars and limited social gatherings. Will the pandemic change this party town forever? Reporter Nancy Klingener takes a look at the party town’s history — and its future.
Getting — and staying — sober is a daily commitment for many people… one that the pandemic’s made a lot harder. KUT reporter Claire McInerny tells this story about recovery in the time of COVID-19.
51 min
September 25, 2020Confronting Implicit Biases
We’re trying to have more meaningful conversations about racism as a country. Part of that means talking about implicit bias — assumptions and stereotypes that may influence our decisions and actions without us even realizing it. Implicit bias can have many harmful consequences: The customer who’s accused of stealing; the grad student being told they’re in the wrong room; the driver being pulled over for no reason. And in some cases, these biases can lead to violence.
On this episode, we explore what implicit bias means — what it is, how we can test for it, and what we can do about it. We hear stories about whether or not anti-bias training actually works, the origins — and criticisms — of Harvard’s Implicit Association Test, and where our biases actually come from.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
Stanford University social psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt talks about the ways implicit biases have affected her own life, and how she tries to educate people about them in her work. Her book is “Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do.”
Evolutionary psychologist Corey Cook from Pacific Lutheran University discusses the evolutionary origins of biases. He argues that they likely developed as a way to assess threats.
We hear from Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji, one of the researchers who helped develop the Implicit Association Test, about the humbling experience of confronting her own biases. Her book is “Blind Spot – Hidden Biases of Good People.”
White people aren’t the only ones with implicit biases — that’s what Brennan Center for Justice fellow Ted Johnson discovered when he took Harvard’s Implicit Association Test a few years ago. In this story, we hear what the test taught Johnson about himself, and about the nature of racism. Johnson’s Atlantic essay is called “Black-on-Black Racism: The Hazards of Implicit Bias.“
Despite its popularity, the Implicit Association Test has drawn criticism over the years. Is it really an accurate way of measuring biases? Olivia Goldhill, a science reporter for Quartz, helps us dive into the history of the IAT, and its critiques.
Neurologists Anjan Chatterjee and Roy Hamilton of the University of Pennsylvania discuss an app they’ve used to try and change people’s biases.
50 min
September 18, 2020Science and Medicine, Under Pressure
The pandemic has put a lot of pressure on both our health care system and the scientific process — exposing weaknesses that have long existed, but only now become impossible to ignore. On this episode, we take a look at some of the hard truths that COVID-19 is revealing, and what can be done about them. We hear stories about America’s problem with drug shortages, how COVID-19 is affecting the lives of young doctors, and the devastating reality of racial health disparities in New Orleans.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
President Donald Trump promoted hydroxychloroquine as a potential COVID-19 treatment in March, causing a surge in demand, and shortages for patients who needed it. But even before the pandemic, drug shortages have led to missed cancer treatments, and even deaths. Reporter Alan Yu talks with Rebecca Mosner, Ethan Daniels, Chip Davis from the Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Ryan Marable from Kroger and the National Pharmaceutical Association, Erin Fox from University of Utah Health, Rena Conti from the Boston University Questrom School of Business, Anne Pritchett from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
Racial health disparities exist across the country — but in New Orleans, recently, ProPublica has found they led to the deaths of elderly Black patients who were sent home to die after contracting COVID-19. We talk with the investigative reporters behind that story, Annie Waldman and Joshua Kaplan.
NYU medical ethicist Art Caplan talks about the importance of a slow and deliberate process in scientific research, even when the pressure for breakthroughs is great.
49 min
September 11, 2020Why We Need Friends — Especially Now
We rely on our friends for all kinds of things — companionship, laughter, and right now — support in times of crisis. But it’s only recently that scientists have started investigating how friendship works, and why it matters to our health and well-being. On this episode, we explore the anatomy of this unique bond, with stories about what happens when friendship turns romantic, the painful experience of bestie breakups, and how friendships can form between unlikely animal pairings.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
Science journalist Lydia Denworth discusses why friendship is essential to our health and to our survival. She is the author of “Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond.”
Dakota Fisher-Vance and Cara Scharf were both diagnosed with cancer in their early 20s. They talk to us about how being young adults with cancer brought them together, and why having a shared illness has made their bond stronger. They are the co-founders of Young Adult Cancer Connection.
Do friendship apps actually work? Reporter Buffy Gorrilla takes us on a journey as she navigates different apps while looking for friendship in Australia.
Some animals form something akin to what we think of as friendship. It’s usually animals that live in “stable, bonded social groups,” like primates or whales. But sometimes, friendships happen with animals that aren’t usually candidates for that kind of relationship. Liz Tung reports on an unlikely friendship between two bears at the Philadelphia Zoo.
We also created a mixtape of all of our favorite songs about friends. Check it out on Spotify or press play below.
50 min
September 04, 2020The Future of Work
Technology is always changing the way we work, and what kinds of jobs are available. But now these changes are happening at lightning speed, and some people have dubbed the integration of technology into every aspect of our lives “the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” What will work look like 10 years from now? And what makes humans unique and relevant, as robots are taking over? We look at the future of work, and also examine some more imminent changes: the impact of working from home, “bossware” that allows employers to check up (or spy) on their employees, and the career aspirations of the next generation of workers.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
What do humans have that artificial intelligence doesn’t? Natalie Nixon says creativity gives us a leg up, and we should tap into this resource with more intention. Natalie is the author of “The Creativity Leap: Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation, and Intuition at Work.”
Why do we work so hard, and care so deeply about our careers? Philosophy professor Jennifer Baker discusses the ideas of the influential sociologist Max Weber, who argued that our work ethic has its roots in religion and morality.
What does the next generation of workers aspire to? Many of them say they want to be gamers or YouTubers. Should that worry us? Reporter Sonja Swanson looks into it.
50 min
August 28, 2020Buzz Off, Mosquitoes
Most of us dread mosquito season — but on some level, you’ve got to admire these pesky bloodsuckers. Over the millennia, they’ve spread around the world — finding ways to survive even the coldest winters, mate while flying through the air, breed pretty much anywhere, and hunt their prey with relentless precision. In the meantime, viruses have evolved to use mosquitoes as a free ride to millions of hosts. That, of course, is a major reason to fear mosquitoes — they’re not just annoying, they’re dangerous, serving as the vectors for deadly plagues past and present. Scientists and communities have been striving to figure out how we can reduce their numbers. On this episode, we explore why mosquitoes are so hard to control, and why the fight to control them sometimes becomes its own war, tearing communities apart.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
Cornell University entomologist Laura Harrington explains why mosquitoes feed on humans, how viruses capitalize on that relationship, and what mosquito research looks like in the lab.
50 min
August 21, 2020Class of COVID-19
Fall usually means the start of a new school year — but for millions of American kids, it marks the continuation of an extended limbo that’s come to define their lives. With the pandemic, uncertainty, upended routines, and constant change have come to replace the usual hallmarks of growing up — from school plays and sports, to proms and graduations. And then there are the smaller moments: hangouts with friends, birthday parties, and first crushes. How is all this affecting kids? On this episode, we explore what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of COVID-19, and how kids are dealing with the added pressures. We hear stories about what it’ll take to return safely to school, what kinds of (life) lessons kids miss when learning goes online, and some of the unexpected ways the virus is affecting children’s health.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
When Victoria Marsh tested positive for COVID-19, her mother, Karen, was beside herself with worry. Victoria has osteosarcoma, a kind of bone cancer that requires immunity-busting treatments like chemotherapy. Without a healthy immune system, Karen worried, her daughter would be subject to the ravages of COVID-19. But as it turns out, immunocompromised kids might not be as vulnerable as everyone expected. Liz Tung reports.
We talk with Adam Ratner, the director of pediatric infectious diseases at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, about MIS-C — a rare condition that affects some children in the wake of COVID-19.
One of the biggest disruptions in lives of children during this pandemic has been the transition from in-person to online classes. After months of missing school — will students bounce back? And who are the students in need of extra support and attention this fall? We discuss learning loss with Megan Kuhfeld, a senior research scientist at NWEA in Portland, Oregon.
The pandemic has brought just about everything to a screeching halt — including many of the time-honored traditions that high school seniors have been looking forward to since freshman year. Trinity Hunt, a student reporter, brings together her two best friends, Jackson and Ivanka (online, of course), to share their hopes and fears on how COVID-19 will affect their senior year.
This episode was produced in collaboration with students from WHYY’s Pathways to Media Careers Youth Employment Program, with support from The Lenfest Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Bank of America. Our student reporters were Sammy Sacksith, Kaitlyn Rodriguez, and Trinity Hunt. Special thanks to instructors Gabriel Setright and Becca Morgan for their help and guidance.
50 min
August 14, 2020The Puzzle of Personality
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Open to new experiences, or comforted by routine? Shy or the life of the party? Figuring out what makes us tick is an important part of understanding how we function within our families, communities, and workplaces. Thousands of tests online promise to assess your personality — but what are they actually measuring? Where does personality come from, how does it form, and where does it live? On this episode, we explore the science behind how we become who we are. We hear stories about what makes for a healthy personality, how our brains betray who we are, and why we change depending on who we’re with.
Also heard on this week’s episode:
Reporter Jad Sleiman explores how advances in brain imaging are bolstering the science behind personality research — including the famous “Big Five” personality test. Neuroscientists Colin DeYoung and Emily Finn talk test scores and brain mapping.
Countless self-help books promise to turn us into the kind of people we want to be. But what exactly is a healthy personality — and is it even possible to change? To find out, Alan Yu talks with Kristen Meinzer about what she’s learned from years of living by self-help books, along with psychologists Wiebke Bleidorn, Rodica Damian, and Brent Roberts about what science has to say about personality change.
Science historian Jonny Bunning discusses how humans have thought about personality across the ages, and how we’ve tried to measure it. We also explore how much of our personality comes from within, and how much is shaped by outside influences.
Science journalist Olga Khazan from The Atlantic talks about her new book “Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World.”
49 min

About The Pulse

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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…