ScienceHealth & Fitness

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 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.

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Today · 49 min
The Peptide Craze: Benefits, Risks and the Science Behind Them
Peptides are having a moment – but how much do we actually know about them? On this episode, we explore the potential benefits and risks. We investigate the science behind peptides, find out what lagging research and regulation could mean for regular users, and learn about how — and whether – to use peptides in a responsible way. We talk with Stanford pathology professor Katrin Svensson about what exactly peptides are, what led to their explosion in popularity, and the dangers of unregulated use, both for consumers and for the field of peptide research. Reporter Bruce Gil dives into the world of consumer peptides, exploring what's driving their growing popularity, the science behind them, and the thorny regulatory landscape. He also talks with regular users about why they started using peptides, and what effects they’ve had on their health. Many people are interested in peptides, and want access. A growing fleet of clinics and medical providers provide peptide treatments targeting everything from weight loss to muscle growth to cognitive function and mental health. We talk with Evan Miller, the CEO of a chain of clinics called Gameday Men's Health, about how he got into peptides, and what patients should look out for when they’re seeking out peptide treatments. Peptides are also a hot commodity in skincare products. Dermatologist Elizabeth Houshmand breaks down the different categories of peptides in creams and serums, and how consumers can tell if a product has actually been studied or not.
October 8 · 49 min
Adult ADHD: Why You Know What to Do But Can’t Do It
On this episode, we explore ADHD in adults — how to spot it, how to treat it, and how to function with it. We talk with a leading psychologist about what’s behind ADHD’s often frustrating symptoms, hear about what it’s like receiving a diagnosis late in life, and find out why people with ADHD are often very sensitive. People with ADHD often struggle with task initiation — especially when it comes to tasks that they find boring, complicated, or aversive. Pulse reporter Liz Tung offers a day-in-the-life glimpse at what it’s like trying to start one of these tasks … and what she ended up doing instead. We talk with psychologist Russell Ramsay, the co-founder and former co-director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, about why ADHD in adults has been neglected for so long, and the many parts of people’s lives it affects — from work, to relationships, to their own self-perception. He also discusses what's behind time blindness, why people with ADHD struggle with long deadlines but excel at short ones, and what's going on in the brain that causes these behaviors. For a lot of adults with ADHD, finally receiving a diagnosis can be a relief — something that explains and reframes a lifetime of struggle. But it can also be destabilizing, especially when the diagnosis comes later in life. Pulse reporter Alan Yu tells the story of how one older woman’s diagnosis transformed her life, her understanding of herself, and her relationship with her daughter. For years, psychiatrist Sasha Hamdani thought she was just sensitive — she would cry at the drop of a hat and spiral when she’d made a mistake. It wasn’t until years later that she encountered a name for what she was experiencing: Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, or RSD — a powerful emotional reaction, common in people with ADHD, to perceived criticism or rejection. Hamdani discusses how RSD shaped her professional life, the proposed brain mechanism behind it, and techniques for dealing with it. Her book is “Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply.”
October 1 · 49 min
The Fight to Save Rural Hospitals — and Access to Healthcare
It’s a story that’s unfolding across America, from Texas to Tennessee, Kansas to the Rust Belt — rural hospitals are struggling or closing, leaving residents, towns, and entire regions without access to important healthcare services, from cancer screenings to maternity care. For some people, it can even mean a several-hour drive to the nearest emergency room — and in life-or-death situations, those extra miles can make a big difference. On this episode, we explore the rural healthcare crisis, and emerging solutions aimed at increasing — or at least preserving — access to care. We visit communities in rural Pennsylvania where residents are fighting to save their hospitals. We find out how other systemic pressures, like prior authorization, are squeezing rural healthcare systems. And we hear about potential solutions, ranging from state-funded reimbursement programs, to sophisticated “hospitals on wheels” aimed at bringing healthcare to the people. SHOW NOTES: Reporters Nicole Leonard and Alan Yu take us on a journey to two towns in rural Pennsylvania facing similar pressures — Bradford, a once-booming oil town now in decline, and Honesdale, a former railway hub nestled in the Pocono Mountains. For years, both locales have dealt with shrinking populations and a loss of businesses. We hear about the residents’ efforts and struggles to save their hospitals. Many states, including Pennsylvania, have been working to prevent hospital closures in rural areas through experimental initiatives aimed at shoring up their finances. The Pulse's Alan Yu explains how one such initiative — the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model — aimed to combat these financial pressures by replacing the traditional fee-for-service model with a value-based model, which shifts the focus to preventative care in exchange for fixed, predictable funding. We explore how the five-year experiment played out — and why economists say it didn’t ultimately work for some hospitals. We talk with Miranda Yaver, an assistant professor of health policy at the University of Pittsburgh, about another challenge squeezing rural hospitals — prior authorization. Her new book is “Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States.” In some parts of rural America, patients have to travel hours in order to access care — but what if medical care could come to them? That's the idea behind a new, federally funded program called PARADIGM, which deploys AI-enabled mobile health units to patients who don’t have access to healthcare. We talk with PARADIGM’s director, emergency medicine physician Bon Ku, about how these mobile clinics work, and hear from reporter Grant Hill about one of the program's latest creations — MARCUS, a futuristic hospital on wheels that contains an exam room, scanning machines, and even a laboratory.
September 24 · 49 min
The Strange Science of Color — And Our Quest to Understand It
On this encore episode, we explore the world of color — from how we perceive it, to our efforts to describe and differentiate its many shades. We talk with a lexicographer about efforts to standardize synthetic colors, and how we describe them, and investigate how we know that the colors we see are the same as the ones everyone else sees. The Pulse host Maiken Scott adds some pops of color to her all-black wardrobe with help from Jill Rafter, a color consultant with House of Colour, who breaks down seasonal palettes and how to choose your ideal hues based on your skin’s undertones. We talk with lexicographer Kory Stamper about her deep dive into the origins of ultra-specific color definitions, and the fascinating history of how major global changes, ranging from industrialization to international warfare, led to a government effort to standardize not just the production of synthetic colors, but also how we talk about them. Stamper’s new book is “True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color – from Azure to Zinc Pink.” How do we know that the colors we see are the same as the colors other people see? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with University of Pennsylvania researcher David Brainardabout the science of how we perceive color, what we know — and don’t know — about our shared perceptions, and the philosophical questions this raises about the nature of subjective experience. Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with Cricket Matthews, who experiences grapheme-colors synesthesia, a unique neurological trait in which letters, numbers, and words trigger specific colors in your mind.
September 23 · 28 min
How the Cereal Industry Won Breakfast
Cereal was born as a health food — but quickly, sweet, crunchy flavor, bright colors, and fun shapes became more important than the nutritional value. That didn’t stop cereal companies from leaning into health claims, though. From Cheerios to Frosted Flakes and Wheaties, brands made bold promises to lower cholesterol, promote weight loss, boost fiber and even help prevent cancer. These healthy messages were also paired with eye-catching designs and beloved mascots. It was all a powerful marketing formula, one that sold a dream to buyers — that indulging in sugary cereal could also be a healthy choice. But, over the years, the healthy veneer has chipped off the cereal box. On this episode, public health nutritionist Marion Nestle and former Vice President of Nutrition at Kellogg Company Lisa Sutherland discuss their new book, “Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast Food.”
September 17 · 49 min
The Science of Eating: What We Get Wrong About Diet and Nutrition
We all know we’re supposed to eat healthy — but what exactly does that mean? On this episode, what’s on your plate, why it matters, and how to make sense of conflicting nutrition advice. We talk with paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman about what human evolution can teach us about how we should eat, look at a typical teen’s sugar intake, and explore barriers to serving healthy and fresh school lunches. We all know we’re supposed to limit our sugar intake — but tracking how much we’re actually eating can be hard, especially given how many products, ranging from pasta sauce to salad dressing, contain added sugars. We talk with recent high school grads Joe Faranda and Jay Lopez about what they discovered after tracking their sugar intake for a week. It's a question we ask ourselves every day, multiple times a day: What should I eat? The answer has gotten increasingly complicated over the years, as our food options have ballooned, and dietary advice shifts. We talk with evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman about why humans are poorly adapted to decide what to eat, how our diets — and the way we think about them — have changed, and why nutrition labels don't give the full story. Lieberman’s new book is “Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health and Eating Well.” Growing research on the negative health effects of ultra-processed foods has led to a call for healthier school lunches — but what does that really mean, and what would it require? Reporter Megan Myscofski visits a California school district that provides nutritious, locally sourced meals that are mostly made from scratch — and finds out why similar efforts are out of reach for many districts.
September 10 · 49 min
Under Pressure: How Weather Affects our Health
As summer winds down, some people are celebrating the approach of fall, while others are dreading the shorter, colder days. We know that weather can affect our mood — maybe we're extra irritable when it's hot, or gloomy when it's gray — but it can also influence our overall health. On this episode, a look at how weather affects well-being and health, from its impact on menstrual cycles to chronic conditions like asthma and pain. Can extreme heat affect your menstrual cycle? The internet thinks so. In June, , a strange phenomenon went viral on social media — thousands of women experienced unexpected changes to their periods as temperatures soared. For some, it came early; for others, late. Still others missed it entirely, or reported having a second period shortly after their first. Pulse producer Nichole Currie investigates the potential connection. Writer Alison Espach was taking a dip in the ocean one summer when something strange happened — she emerged covered head-to-toe in hives. She dismissed it as a fluke, but then it happened again when she swam in a lake, and again in a river. We talk with Espach about the bizarre culprit: her sudden allergy to cold. Heat waves don't just make for uncomfortable temperatures — they often lead to poor air quality, which, in many places, has been exacerbated by wildfires. Pulse reporter Alan Yu talks with patients affected by air pollution, why it's dangerous to our health, and the people working to better track air quality. We talk with writer Lorraine Boissoneault about her new book of essays, "Body Weather: Notes on Chronic Illness in the Anthropocene," which explores the ways in which her own chronic illnesses mirror the weather changes wrought by climate change. Psychologist Trevor Harley explains the science of how the weather affects our mental and physical health, the evolutionary roots of our sensitivity to the weather, and how we can use that knowledge to improve how we feel. His new book is “Head in the Clouds: How the Weather Affects Our Minds and Mental Health.”
September 4 · 40 min
'I Could Have Been Lindsay Clancy’
A judge declared a mistrial in the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy after jurors said they were deadlocked over whether she should be held criminally responsible for strangling her three children in January 2023: Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, who was just 8 months old. The shocking case touched a nerve with millions of people who have been following the trial and asking: How could a mother kill her three young children? British journalist Katinka Blackford Newman also followed the trial closely, but she has a different perspective. She says her own story could have ended up like Clancy’s. Newman describes how she became completely delusional after experiencing adverse effects to psychiatric medications. Quickly, her perfectly ordinary life went completely off the rails and teetered on the edge of catastrophe. Later, we’ll discuss postpartum psychosis, a condition Clancy’s defense team said she was experiencing at the time of the murders. Susan Hatters-Friedman, a psychiatrist specializing in maternal mental health, weighs in on diagnosis and treatment of postpartum psychosis and the conversations happening around the trial.
September 3 · 49 min
The Search for Life on Mars: From Mars Mania to NASA’s Rovers
On this episode, a look back at our search for life on Mars. We hear about the Viking mission to Mars — the first to land a craft on the Red Planet — and the controversy over what it discovered, what drove a national obsession with the “Martian civilization” in the early 1900s, and how NASA repairs its rovers from millions of miles away. Back in the early 1900s, a strange phenomenon was sweeping the nation — “Mars Mania,” a belief shared by scientists and the public alike that Mars was home to a sophisticated civilization poised to guide us into the future. We talk with science writer David Baron about what was behind these beliefs, why it became a nationwide obsession, and what happened when scientists discovered the truth. Baron’s book is “The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America.”
August 30 · 49 min
Jon Ronson, 101 Princesses, and a World of Unraveling Men
Journalist Jon Ronson's new book starts with a series of panicked text messages from his son — who had been lured to a massive, gothic-looking castle in Connecticut. A female friend had been invited to a party by a wealthy older man from Tinder. But there was no party. Instead, they were asked to join a reality show that was going to be called "101 Princesses" where women compete for the castle owner’s affection. Ronson tracked down the castle's owner and found a much bigger story waiting inside. He joins us to talk about "The Castle" and men searching for purpose in all the wrong places. He also tells us about the millions of men who've quietly dropped out of work and life altogether and profiles influencers who chase clicks and purpose online to disastrous consequences.
August 27 · 49 min
The Search for Wilderness
Sometimes, modern life can feel like an endless cacophony of distractions. We spend our days being inundated with noise and traffic, news and emails, obligations and hectic schedules. Many of us long to escape to nature or the wilderness — someplace simpler, quieter — where we can find peace and reconnect with what's really important. But can we ever truly get away? We tend to think of the wilderness as land that's untouched by human hands — vast, and pristine. But the more you seek out that version of nature, the blurrier the idea seems to become. Even the most remote landscapes on Earth carry traces of human history and human borders. And preserving the wilderness, and having access to it, also means managing it. On this episode, the paradox of the wilderness — how we try to protect and control the wild. We talk with writer Cal Flyn about the myth of untouched nature, and what drives us to experience it. She talks about how our views of the wilderness have changed over time, from fearsome and untamed lands to places of spiritual escape; what she discovered about the human histories of supposedly wild spaces; and what the paradox presented by our desire to both preserve and interact with nature means for how we think of the wild. Flyn’s new book is “The Savage Landscape: How We Made the Wilderness.” It started with a tip received by a dutiful New Hampshire Fish and Game warden — and quickly turned into a twisted tale of illegal baiting and hunting, one-upmanship, digital trophy rooms, and one of the biggest poaching cases in recent state history. New Hampshire Public Radio reporter Nate Hegyi tells the story in the podcast “Operation Night Cat.” We’ll hear an excerpt and talk to Hegyi about the case.
August 20 · 49 min
What's Really Going On Inside Animals' Heads?
Do animals feel love, anger, or empathy? Researchers have long dismissed such ideas as anthropomorphism, arguing that attributing human emotions to animals was unscientific. But as we learn more about animal sentience, that’s starting to change — and, in the process, we’re learning more than ever about the complex inner lives of animals, including why we may be more alike than we once thought. On this encore episode, we explore what researchers have discovered about what’s really going on inside other species’ heads. We talk with a primatologist about why she believes baboons and other animals possess a theory of mind; investigate whether crabs, lobsters, and shrimp are capable of experiencing pain; and hear about one beagle’s journey from lab subject to pet. Host Maiken Scott and reporter Alan Yu visit the Chamounix Equestrian Center in Philadelphia to test an app that claims to detect pain in horses. When primatologist Christine Webb was in college, she was taught that it was “unscientific” to investigate animal emotions — but that attitude has started to change. We talk with Webb about what’s causing that shift, what she learned from her mentor, the famed primatologist Frans de Waal, and the challenges involved with stepping outside our human biases to understand the inner lives of animals. Webb is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University, and her new book is “The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why it Matters.” Reporter Sophia Schmidt pays a visit to the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania to meet an unlikely pair of besties: Hunter, the red-tailed hawk, and Stan, the turkey vulture. We hear about why Hunter and Stan’s relationship is so rare, how they became friends (and, sometimes, more than friends), and what biological factors could be driving their behavior. It’s easy enough to believe that animals like cats and dogs have feelings — but what about less cuddly creatures, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp? Pulse reporter Liz Tung talks with researchers who’ve been investigating the question of sentience in decapod crustaceans, and whether or not they’re capable of feeling pain. We talk with journalist Melanie Kaplan about her investigation into the world of animal research, spurred by her adoption of Hammy — a beagle who spent the first four years of his life in a lab. Her book is, “Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research.”
August 13 · 49 min
Quitting Antidepressants: From Withdrawal to Tapering One Step at a Time
Erica Gerard tried to find the right antidepressant for over two decades, one where the benefits outweighed the side effects. Finally, she decided to get off her medication. What followed was a harrowing journey she was not prepared for. On this episode, what people should consider before quitting. We also explore whether new tools could help doctors better match patients with medications. Journalist Erica Gerard was first prescribed Prozac in college after years of feeling sad, lonely and disconnected from her peers. The medication helped — but it also left her constantly exhausted and feeling as though she was watching her own life from behind a screen. After more than two decades, she decided she wanted to stop taking the medication. She documented her journey for The Pulse, and what she learned about tapering off safely. A new federal initiative aimed at getting Americans off antidepressants has put a spotlight on this issue. Psychiatrist Jonathan Slater joins us to discuss the complexities of de-prescribing these medications. He says there’s a lack of training and guidelines for tapering off safely, adding that the process requires individualized, monitored care with psychological support. When a mental health issue made it impossible for British author Madeline Dyer to focus on her writing career, a physician suggested she should try an antidepressant. She was reluctant to give it a shot, fearing it would make her less creative. The medication ended up helping her a lot, but she says it impacted her genre of choice.
August 11 · 29 min
The Science of Imagination: Transforming How We Think, Feel, and Live
In some ways, our imagination is like an all-access pass. It can transport us to a different place, it allows us to picture a beautiful beach, or a lush flower garden. We can envision what our lives may look like in the future or revisit the past. Psychologist Cassandra Vieten argues that using our imagination is not about immersing ourselves in a fantasy world. It’s a powerful tool that affects our physical and mental health, our relationships with others, and life trajectories and careers. Vieten joins us to talk about her research, and her new book, “Imagine That: Transform How You Think, Feel, and Live with the Science of Imagination.”
August 6 · 24 min
Think Inside the Box: How Limits Fuel Creativity
We tend to think that creativity flourishes in the absence of limits, when we have all of the freedom to innovate and dream big. But what if the opposite is true? What if constraints — from strict rules to tight deadlines — actually make us more creative? On this episode, we explore how limitations force us to think differently, solve problems in unexpected ways, and allow us to create our best work. We talk with science writer David Epstein about his new book “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better.” He explains how restrictions led to the invention of everything from impressionism to the iPod, and how to develop rules and limits for your own creative work that could encourage innovation.
July 30 · 49 min
The Future of Pain Relief: Managing Chronic Pain, Laughing Gas, and Safer Opioids
Millions of people in the U.S. have chronic pain that’s unresponsive to medical interventions. But there are new and comprehensive ways of treating pain. We explore how emotions, stress, sleep, and diet impact pain, a new option for easing labor pain, and emerging research that could reduce the addictive properties of opioids. We often think of pain as a physical ailment — but newer research shows that pain has as much to do with our brains as it does our bodies. We talk with pain researcher and psychologist Rachel Zoffness about how emotions shape — and construct — our experience of pain, and how identifying the unique biopsychosocial factors contributing to pain can ultimately help patients overcome it. Her new book is "Tell Me Where It Hurts: The New Science of Pain and How to Heal." Giving birth is one of the most painful things many people will experience — which is why a majority of expectant mothers choose epidurals, IV opioids, or both to manage their pain. But recently, another option has been making its way into the delivery room— nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. Reporter Andrew Stelzer explains how N02 stacks up against its competitors, and why a growing number hospitals in the U.S. are offering it as an option. Opioids work well on all kinds of pain — but, as the last few decades have shown, they also pose a severe risk of addiction. We talk with neuroscientist and addiction researcher Anjali Rajadhyaksha about a recent discovery that could make opioids safer.
July 23 · 49 min
Jet Lag, Cruise Outbreaks, and Vacation Constipation: How to Deal with Travel Health Woes
Vacations are a time to experience new things, and restore our minds and bodies — but sometimes the opposite happens. On this episode, when vacations wreck your health — and how to deal. We hear about evidence-based ways of overcoming jet lag, tips for avoiding "vacation constipation,” surviving the cruise from hell, and what's behind snorkeling deaths in Hawaii. SHOW NOTES: We hear from listeners about their worst vacation-related health incidents, ranging from chicken pox to head injuries. Ahead of an international trip, Pulse host Maiken Scott talks with Olivia Walch, a researcher at University of Michigan and CEO of a circadian rhythm startup called Arcascope, about the biological processes behind jet lag, and evidence-based tips on how to prevent the worst of it. Ever notice that your first couple days on a trip, you become a little … backed up? Pulse producer Nichole Currie talks with neurogastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha about what causes “vacation constipation,” and how to overcome it. Pasricha’s new book is “You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong: How to Make Your Bowel Movements a Joy.” Listen to their full interview. As avid globetrotters, Gay and Phil Courter always loved going on cruises — until their trip got taken over by an unexpected threat. Pulse reporter Liz Tung recounts the story of how they ended up trapped on a cruise they didn’t want to be on — and how they ultimately escaped. Watch their documentary on the experience, or read Gay’s book. Of all the adventurous activities on offer while traveling — from volcano trekking to whitewater rafting — there's one that might be a bit more dangerous than you'd expect: snorkeling. We talk with Caitlin Thompson, an investigative reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat, about Hawaii’s perplexing number of snorkeling deaths, and the potential causes.
July 16 · 49 min
How Reliable Is Forensic Science? The Truth About Criminal Profiling and Investigations
Investigators have long relied on science to help solve crimes, from fingerprint and blood splatter analysis to the psychology of criminal minds. But not every investigative technique rests on solid scientific ground. On this episode, how science is used in criminal investigations, and what happens when these methods aren’t as reliable as we might think. For years in Hollywood, a kind of mythology has been growing around a specific kind of investigator: FBI behavioral analysts, better known as criminal profilers — agents specially trained in psychology to help decode the minds of serial offenders. In TV shows and movies, they’re shown making brilliant, almost miraculous, connections that ultimately help catch the bad guy. But how accurate are these depictions? Pulse reporter Liz Tung explores the history of criminal profiling, how it works, and what’s behind longstanding criticisms of its methods. In 2004, the FBI was called in to assist on an investigation into a series of terrorist train bombings in Madrid. The agency connected the fingerprints gathered to a lawyer in Oregon, ultimately arresting him. There was just one problem: They’d nabbed the wrong guy. The attorney was ultimately released and received a settlement, but the fallout wasn’t over. Pulse reporter Alan Yu explores how the blunder led to efforts to create standards for evidence collection. Jens Ludwig, director of the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, was taking his dog for a walk, when an unleashed dog came charging towards him. Ludwig started screaming at the dog's owner, his neighbor - the conflict was broken up by a campus security guard. The incident left Ludwig shaken — how did he spiral into such sudden, almost uncontrollable, rage? And what did it say about the deadliest manifestation of such rage — American gun violence? We talk with Ludwig about what his exploration turned up, from how our brains switch from rational to enraged, to what causes eruptions of gun violence — and what strategies could help stop it. Ludwig's new book is “Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence.”
July 9 · 49 min
Chasing Wildlife: From the Golden Toad to Giant Elephants
When twin brothers Trevor and Kyle Ritland were children, their father — a biologist — would tell them stories about a mythical creature that lived high in the misty mountains of Costa Rica: the golden toad. The toad was elusive, he told them — but for a few weeks every spring, hundreds of them would emerge from the shadows to mate, lighting up the dense forest like brilliant spots of fire. Until one day, the golden toad vanished — never to be seen again. It’s mysteries like these that have drawn scores of researchers out of their labs and into the wild — tugging them to explore, to climb distant mountains, to venture into faraway forests and discover or rediscover a creature, a place, some new clue. On this encore episode, we hear stories of those adventures. We talk with Trevor and Kyle about their quest to find out what happened to the golden toad — and what they ultimately discovered. We hear the epic tale of writer Kim Frank’s travels to India in search of wild Asian elephants. And we talk with conservation ecologist Ryan Almeida about how the global wildlife trade is affecting certain species and their habitats. We talk with brothers Kyle and Trevor Ritland — a writer and documentary filmmaker, respectively — about their search for the mythical golden toad, a presumed-extinct species that hasn’t been seen for over three decades, and what they learned in their travels through the cloud forests of Costa Rica. Their book is “The Golden Toad: An Ecological Mystery and the Search for a Lost Species.” About 10 years ago, writer Kim Frank set out to understand why wild elephants were trampling people in India. But her journey and the human-wildlife conflict was far more complex than she imagined — taking her down dead ends, meeting with an Indian princess, and finally coming face-to-face with the forest giants. They’re the kind of animals you only expect to see in documentaries — green anacondas; giant alligator snapping turtles; even the deadly black mamba — but around the world, millions of these often-dangerous animals are sold as pets. We talk with conservation ecologist Ryan Almeida about what fuels the wildlife trade, its effects on native habitats, and what happens when these pets escape into new ecosystems.
July 2 · 50 min
From Buzz to Burnout: How Alcohol Affects the Brain and Body
At the best of times, alcohol makes us feel great — relaxed and gregarious, warm and fuzzy, happy and confident. But at the worst of times, it can morph into a serious problem, damaging our relationships, our health, and our lives as a whole. On this encore episode, we explore our relationship with alcohol. Why we consume it, how it affects us, and when it’s time to quit. We talk with surgeon and recovering alcoholic Charles Knowles about how booze affects our brains and health, and what finally pushed him to give up alcohol for good; we hear about a trend known as “California sober,” and why so many people are embracing it; and we find out how zero-proof cocktail bars are helping some people socialize without the booze. Charles Knowles was barely a teen when he discovered the power of alcohol to transform him from a shy outsider into the life of the party. But as he got older, and sank deeper into drinking, alcohol stopped being fun — and started affecting his health and his life. We talk with Knowles, a surgeon and physician, about what makes some people more vulnerable to problematic drinking, how alcohol affects our brains, and how his life changed once he stopped drinking. Knowles’ book is “Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture.” For a lot of former drinkers, “sobriety” means total abstinence — no alcohol, or any other substances that produce a similar buzz. But recently, a new, more permissive version of sobriety has been gaining popularity: “California sober.” It involves embracing cannabis and psychedelics as a means of avoiding alcohol and hard drugs. Reporter Andrew Stelzer tracks the origins of this phenomenon, why some people find it helpful, and what researchers have to say about it. One of the hardest parts about sobriety for a lot of people is dealing with the social impact. Not only is alcohol a social lubricant — it’s often at the center of social events themselves. But recently, some entrepreneurs have been creating alternatives in the form of zero-proof cocktail bars. Pulse reporter Alan Yu visits Philadelphia’s Bar Palmina to find out who goes there, and why.

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