iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 27/01/2026

Forty years ago — for the first time ever — NASA launched a school teacher into space. The organization planned to make history, but instead, a disaster unfolded. On this podcast extra, @adamhigginbotham.bsky.social discusses what exactly went wrong. bit.ly/4aix80b

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

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/26/2026 · 38m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 23/01/2026

NASA missions have continued to shape space exploration, but they don't always go as planned. On this episode, we take a look at three missions and how NASA's goal of keeping public attention has impacted spaceflight. bit.ly/4jVmhg7

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

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/22/2026 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 16/01/2026

When we think of menopause, we picture night sweats and hot flashes, but some other surprising and weird symptoms make the list. On this episode, we explore women's health, approaching menopause, and what you can do to navigate this inevitable transition. bit.ly/4qpVmLT

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

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/15/2026 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 14/01/2026

Can the food on your plate help you navigate menopause better? On this podcast extra, we chat with Registered Dietitian Jenn Salib Huber about her new cookbook, “Eat to Thrive During Menopause.” Listen now 🔗 bit.ly/4bzCm8R

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From Soy to Carbs: How Food can Ease Menopause Symptoms

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/13/2026 · 49m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 09/01/2026

Should you wait for happiness — or create it with intention? On this episode: the science of designing a happier life, from reverse-engineering joy to moments of serendipity. bit.ly/49MtbRa

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Engineering Happiness into our Daily Lives

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/08/2026 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 02/01/2026

Need some time to wind down from the holiday season — some peace and quiet? Learn how much noise affects our health by listening to one of our favorite episodes. bit.ly/45o3W56

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How Noise Affects Our Health

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 01/01/2026 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 29/12/2025

As the Holiday season continues, enjoy one of our favorite episodes! On this episode, a look back at the cut-throat competition that led to the historic unveiling of the decoded human genome. bit.ly/3LkVa12

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Inside the Dramatic Race to Decode the Human Genome

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 12/25/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 19/12/2025

Health data shows that Latinos are becoming especially vulnerable to diabetes, but why? Check out how Reporter Lionel Ramos' investigation into the risk became a personal wake-up call about his own health. whyy.org/segments/how...

whyy.org

How Latinos have become especially vulnerable to diabetes, and one reporter’s 'wake-up call’' managing the disease

How a reporter began to investigate diabetes risk, and along the way, made a startling discovery about his own health.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 19/12/2025

As patients, it’s hard to know when to take charge and when to let doctors lead. On this episode, we explore patient autonomy and how our choices impact our health. bit.ly/3YBsGDb

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When Should Patients Decide for Themselves?

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 12/18/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 12/12/2025

In 1973, psychologist David Rosenhan published a paper about a bold experiment: Asking people to fake hearing voices to get into a psychiatric hospital, to test diagnostic accuracy. On this episode, journalist Susannah Cahalan tracks down those patients. bit.ly/44ZTdxt

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Searching for the Truth — and Finding Unexpected Answers

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 12/11/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 11/12/2025

Over 50 years ago, a psychologist sent several healthy volunteers undercover into psychiatric hospitals. The unusual study tested how accurate diagnoses were. But who were these mysterious “pseudopatients”? Journalist Susannah Cahalan looked into it ⬇️ whyy.org/segments/pse...

whyy.org

Uncovering the ‘pseudo patients’ from the famous ‘Rosenhan Experiment’

Investigative reporter Susannah Cahalan set out to find eight pseudo patients who'd participated in the "Rosenhan Experiment."

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 05/12/2025

Neil Shea’s first trip to the Arctic in 2005 was filled with admiration — from white wolves to indigenous life. So when a warming climate began to threaten the region, he had to go back. On this episode, @neilshea13 adventures in the Arctic. bit.ly/449vdrB

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Inside the Hidden Wonders of the Shrinking Arctic

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 12/04/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 01/12/2025

Thanksgiving may be over, but that warm feeling we get from being with family and friends doesn’t have to be. On this new episode, neuroscientists Emily Falk and @dr-brein.bsky.social explain how to prioritize relationships and why our brains need connection. bit.ly/3KwFaIU

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Why Nurturing Connection is Good for Your Health

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 11/27/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 21/11/2025

Counting carbs this Thanksgiving? Good luck😅 But what if researchers told you that demonizing an entire food group doesn’t really help as much as you think? On this new episode, the science of our food choices with @kevinh-phd.bsky.social & @juliabelluz.bsky.social bit.ly/49CYEpz

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What Science Says About How Much Our Food Choices Matter

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 11/20/2025 · 50m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 19/11/2025

These days, it's not uncommon for people to be accused of using AI to write an email or maybe a well-thought-out post on Reddit. But why does detecting AI in writing infuriate people, and how can you avoid sounding like a chatbot? Researchers weigh in. whyy.org/segments/how...

whyy.org

How not to be mistaken for a chatbot

Top signs from researchers that something was written by AI, and how to avoid sounding like a chatbot yourself.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 18/11/2025

Having a bad dream or a nightmare can seem like an inevitable part of sleep — out of our control. But, does it have to be that way? On this podcast extra, researcher Michelle Carr discusses dream engineering and her new book, Nightmare Obscura. bit.ly/3LJGl8a

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How to 'Engineer' Your Dreams and End Nightmares

Podcast Episode · The Pulse · 11/17/2025 · 32m

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 03/11/2025

Americans have lost more than $16.6 billion to cybercrime, and it's still more challenging than ever to sniff out an online scam. That's why it's never a bad time to check out our episode on cybercrime and how scammers prey on the rest of us. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 31/10/2025

It's Halloween — a time when we celebrate the unknown. But what about the scientists who once studied it? Reporter Nichole Currie tells the story of an old research lab at UCLA that studied ghosts, psychics, and auras. 🔗 whyy.org/segments/the...

whyy.org

Psychics, ghosts, auras, and the UCLA research lab that studied it all

In the 1970s, UCLA housed The Parapsychology Lab, which became a haven for those with psychic abilities and the researchers who studied them.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 30/10/2025

In Boyertown, PA, artist Charlee Heinz turns bones from forest finds into meaningful artwork that explores death and beauty. Lise Peet reports 🔗 whyy.org/segments/ani...

whyy.org

Animal skulls and bones get a second life in the art works of Boyertown creator

In Boyertown, PA, artist Charlee Heinz turns bones from forest finds into meaningful artwork that explores death and beauty.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 29/10/2025

Coca-Cola rolled out a cane sugar version of its soda after Trump urged the corporation to do so — but debates around the sweetener in Coke are decades old. On this podcast extra, we talk about this with journalist @murray-journo.bsky.social, author of Sweet and Deadly. 🔗 bit.ly/4ofqexy

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 24/10/2025

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans say ghosts are real. Some even search for proof. On this episode, a look at paranormal phenomena and the investigators who chase them. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 20/10/2025

The number of urgent care centers in the U.S. have doubled, from more than 7,000 to more than 14,000 over the last decade or so. Alan Yu reports why ⬇️ whyy.org/segments/why...

whyy.org

Why urgent care clinics, once derided as ‘doc in a box,’ have spread like wildfire

The number of urgent care centers in the U.S. have doubled, from more than 7,000 to more than 14,000 over the last decade or so.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 17/10/2025

If it feels like urgent care centers are everywhere these days — that’s because they are. On this episode, we explore the rapid rise of urgent care, what’s fueling it, and how it’s affecting care. 🔗 bit.ly/4onrRZx

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 15/10/2025

What if cures for rare diseases already exist — just waiting to be found? On this podcast extra, meet @davidfajgenbaum.bsky.social, who not only discovered his own treatment for Castleman Disease, but is now using AI to repurpose existing drugs to help others. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 09/10/2025

About 10 years ago, writer Kim Frank set out to learn why wild Asian elephants were trampling people in India. After many trips overseas and meeting an Indian Princess, Kim eventually revealed a complex human-wildlife conflict. Listen to Kim's story ⬇️ whyy.org/segments/cha...

whyy.org

Chasing giants: One writer’s journey to bring nuance to India’s wild elephant conflict

About 10 years ago, writer Kim Frank set out to learn why wild elephants were trampling people in India. She revealed a complex human-wildlife conflict.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 03/10/2025

Mysteries of the wild often pull scientists from labs to mountaintops, forests, and far-off places. On this episode, a quest for the vanished golden toad, a journey to find wild Asian elephants, and a look at the global wildlife trade’s impact. 🔗 bit.ly/48MvBPI

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 19/09/2025

Despite major advances in understanding how genetics, lifestyle, and environment shape health, it remains a mystery why similar patients can have such different outcomes. On this episode, we discuss what factors shape health, disease, and survival. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 12/09/2025

Weightlifting, once for only bodybuilders, is now popular for strength and brain health. On this remixed episode, we explore the proven and emerging benefits of pumping iron and why so many people say it’s changing their lives. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 10/09/2025

When we see surprising couples, like Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, we can’t help but wonder what brought them together 💘 In this podcast extra, we explore the mysteries of attraction and love. 🔗 bit.ly/4m66NW5

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 05/09/2025

We think of Martians as belonging to the realm of sci-fi — but in the early 1900s, they were believed to be a real civilization living on Mars 👽 On this episode, why astronomers once believed in life on Mars. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 02/09/2025

Labor Day is over, and it's back to work — back to a laundry list of emails, meetings, and projects. How can you possibly stay productive when your workload is massive? On this episode, we explore productivity, what works, and what doesn't. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 25/08/2025

AI in the classroom🤖? Teachers in Philadelphia and New Jersey make the case for and against using artificial intelligence in school. Alan Yu reports 🔗 whyy.org/segments/tea...

whyy.org

Ban it or use it? How teachers are grappling with generative AI in the classroom

Generative AI tools have transformed classrooms. But local teachers and school districts are still deciding on whether, and how, to use them.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 25/08/2025

It’s that time of year when students with big dreams go all in — piling on extracurriculars and chasing perfection. They call it Ivy League Fever 🤒 Reporter Najay Greenidge explores how pursuing prestigious schools impacts students' mental health 🔗 whyy.org/segments/ivy...

whyy.org

Kids are chasing Ivy League dreams and the pressure to succeed is leaving many overwhelmed and burned out

Kids, often barely out of elementary school, are internalizing the idea that their futures depend on getting into an Ivy League school.

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Holly Korbey @hollykorbey.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

I was honored to be on The Pulse to explain the science of learning and why understanding how we learn matters so much more to transforming education than AI and the internet. Get a primer on the research and why it matters in this episode 👇

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 22/08/2025

It's back-to-school time. Students, teachers, and parents are facing numerous challenges — from using AI in the classroom to reckoning with the long shadow of the pandemic. On this episode, we explore how our rapidly changing world is transforming school. 🔗 bit.ly/4lLyHGH

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 18/08/2025

Reports on a Legionnaires' disease outbreak are making the news. Back in 1976, the same illness was a mystery. On this Pulse Extra, listen as Reporter Elana Gordon tells the story of how scientists tracked down the origin of this deadly illness. 🔗 bit.ly/4mmZASv

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Hearing Health Foundation @hearinghealthfn.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

"Part of what Fligor contributed to the field through his study was the idea of measuring sound according to 'dose' — a combination of how loud a sound is and how long you’re exposed to it — as opposed to volume alone." whyy.org/segments/cou... @thepulse.whyy.org #hearing #health #keeplistening

whyy.org

Could wearing headphones be damaging your hearing?

Over a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss in part due to headphone use. Audiologists weigh in on the risk, and how to protect your ears.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 04/08/2025

The scans are clear, you rang the bell, you've beaten cancer — but now what? Reporter Nicole Leonard spoke with people who survived cancer at a young age about the emotional journey that followed. 🔗 whyy.org/segments/tee...

whyy.org

Cancer’s second act: Navigating survivorship and the psychological aftermath after treatment for teens and young adults

Cancer survivorship programs and clinics can help patients figure out what long-term recovery might look like and address the physical and mental effects of treatment.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 01/08/2025

Surviving traumatic events and devastating illnesses is a reason to celebrate. We ring the bell, throw a party, and get back on our feet — but we often learn, the fight is rarely over. On this episode, the quieter struggle that follows survival. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 01/08/2025

Surviving traumatic events and devastating illnesses is a reason to celebrate. We ring the bell, throw a party, and get back on our feet — but we often learn, the fight is rarely over. On this episode of The Pulse, the quieter struggle that follows survival. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 30/07/2025

More than a hundred thousand people in the US are waiting for a life-saving organ — but the pressure for organ donations is putting some donors at risk. On this Pulse Extra, @brianmrosenthal.bsky.social discusses his recent investigation into the issue. 🔗 bit.ly/3HdqTz7

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 28/07/2025

While it might be unbelievable today, boys were once required to swim nude at YMCA pools — yet some recall the experience with no shame. Andrew Stelzer reports this history of nude swimming. bit.ly/4f66SqE

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Remember when swimsuits weren't allowed? A history of nude swimming

While it might be unbelievable today, boys were once required to swim nude at YMCA pools — yet some recall the experience with no shame.

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 25/07/2025

Shame can make us feel isolated, hurting our health and relationships — but it can also drive growth. On this episode, we untangle why we feel it, where shame comes from, and how it affects our behavior and health. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 18/07/2025

We have a treat for you this summer! Check out one of our favorite episodes: The Inner Workings of the Ocean. We explore the Earth's defining feature, the largest ecosystem, and the engine that powers our planet 🌊 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 11/07/2025

Sleep isn't just what fuels us to get through the day. It's a biological function, just as vital as your heartbeat. On this episode, we discuss how finding your body’s unique sleep rhythm can help you get better rest. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 07/07/2025

We have a special treat for you this summer! Amid the summer heat 🥵, we explore the history and future of cold technology on this encore episode of The Pulse — from innovations in freezing to the next generation of air conditioners. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 30/06/2025

23andMe shared consumer DNA with a big pharma company, and got a million-dollar investment in return. But how much is a tube of spit worth? And who should profit — the company or the people who shared their DNA whyy.org/segments/how...

whyy.org

23andMe made millions by sharing your genetic data — but how much is DNA actually worth?

After years of collecting consumer DNA, genetic testing companies are monetizing the data. But who should profit — the company or the people who shared their DNA?

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The Pulse @thepulse.whyy.org · 27/06/2025

New Episode 🚨: When scientists set out to decode the human genome, they knew it could change medicine forever. What they didn't expect was the behind-the-scenes and hostile race to get there. On this episode, the human genome project and the price of DNA. 🔗 lnk.to/whyy-thepulse

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