The Pulse

Recovery from serious mental illness is tough but possible with care, dedication, and strong relationships.

On this episode, we explore what it takes to treat serious mental illness, and the support needed to stay well.

What It Takes to Treat Serious Mental Illness - WHYY We hear personal stories about what it takes to treat and recover from serious mental illness.

A Philadelphia program called Beyond the Bars pulls techniques from music therapy to help students tie music and social-emotional learning together.

Our summer youth correspondents have more ↓

Philadelphia program allows students to tap into healing power of music - WHYY Beyond the Bars pulls techniques from music therapy to help students tie music and social-emotional learning together.

🚨Our team is hiring a new reporter!

Are you a great storyteller with a deep interest in health and science? Do you have audio reporting experience? Apply here ⬇️

Multiplatform Reporter, The Pulse About WHYY WHYY serves the Philadelphia region with trusted journalism, eye-opening storytelling and intimate local arts...

You've heard that music is the language of the soul — but could it also be a treatment for the body?

On this episode, we explore some of the latest science on the healing power of our favorite tunes, from how they affect our brains, to the promise they show in treating illnesses like epilepsy and Parkinson's.

The Healing Power of Music - WHYY A look at how music affects our brains, and its power to treat illnesses ranging from Parkison’s to depression.

Check out our latest podcast extra, where we explore all things teeth 😬

Zoologist Bill Schutt joins us to discuss his new book, Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans.

What Teeth Tell us About Survival on Earth - WHYY Zoologist Bill Schutt says teeth are power tools for survival. He joins us to talk about his new book “Bite.”

Our lives are shaped not just by our decisions, but also by the people around us, social trends, and subconscious behaviors.

On this episode, we take a look at some of the hidden forces that shape our behaviors and decisions.

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Behavior On this episode, we take a look at some of the hidden forces that shape our behaviors and decisions.

Replay one of our favorite episodes today! Virtual worlds allow us to reinvent ourselves and build new lives. But some of our troubles follow us there.

On this episode, a look at navigating community, love, and work in digital realms.

Virtual Worlds, Virtual Lives - WHYY Virtual worlds allow us to reinvent ourselves and build new lives. But some of our troubles follow us there. A look at navigating community, love, and work in digital realms.

Hierarchy is important in the workplace. It’s part of the structure that allows decisions to be made and a direction to be decided on. But when do rigid power structures get in the way of collaboration and new ideas? We’re working on a story about hierarchy in the workplace for The Pulse, and we would love to hear any and all stories about this topic.

When did strong power structures help you do good work? When did they become a hindrance? When did you unwittingly break a rule related to hierarchy?

Interest in using psychedelics for mental health treatments has taken off in recent years — but the field hit a wall on August 9, when the FDA rejected the first-ever M**A treatment for PTSD.

On this episode, the future of psychedelic research ↓

The Promise and Future of Psychedelics Research - WHYY What is the future of psychedelic research after the recent FDA decision to reject M**A as a treatment for PTSD?

Blast freezers freeze food quickly and at very low temperatures, ensuring freshness and reducing food waste.

Zoë Read looks into these super cold freezers ↓

Store owners use “blast freezers” to improve food safety, quality, reduce waste - WHYY Blast freezers freeze food super fast and at very low temperatures, which ensures freshness, and cuts down on food waste.

We’ve been able to harness the cold for a little over 100 years — but innovations like refrigeration and air conditioning have costs and benefits. On this episode, we look at how cold technology has shaped our lives — for better and for worse.

The Big Chill and the Future of Refrigeration - WHYY Amid the summer heat, we explore the history and future of cold technology, from innovations in freezing to the next generation of air conditioners.

AI-powered therapy bots are gaining popularity, but researchers caution that not every service claiming to be a therapist qualifies as one. Grant Hill reports ↓

The future of AI-powered therapy is here and mostly unregulated - WHYY AI-powered therapy bots are gaining popularity, but researchers caution that not every service claiming to be a therapist qualifies as one.

Comedian Kelli Dunham has always struggled with asking people for help — but right before her partner Heather McAlister died, Dunham promised to face her fear.

Reporter Justin Kramon follows Dunham as she asks complete strangers for help ↓

How a nurse and comedian learns to ask for and accept help - WHYY Comedian Kelli Dunham accepts a challenge to head to Times Square in New York City to ask a few strangers for help.

We can all use an assist every now and then — but asking for it can be tough. It can make you feel weak or like a burden.

On this episode, why asking for help is so hard ↓

Asking for Help - WHYY We can all use an assist every now and then — but asking for it can be tough. We hear stories about the struggles of asking for help.

Before great white sharks, megalodons ruled the oceans. What researchers have learned about these apex predators and their extinction. Lauren Tran-Muchowski reports ↓

Why megalodons have captured our imagination and what researchers have learned from their extinction - WHYY Before great white sharks, megalodons ruled the oceans. What researchers have learned about these apex predators and their extinction.

13 years ago, AJ Rotondella realized he could catch sharks from the beach. He’s been hooked ever since, even moving across states to chase sharks. Alan Yu reports ↓

Meet a shark fisherman who structured his life around catching, and saving, sharks - WHYY 13 years ago, AJ Rotondella realized he could catch sharks from the beach. He’s been hooked ever since, even moving across states to chase sharks.

Before dinosaurs, before trees — even before Saturn had its rings – there were sharks.

On this episode, we take a deep dive into the secret lives of these predators — from their history, to the threats they face, to what makes them special.

Sharks — From Fear to Fascination - WHYY We take a deep dive into the secret lives of sharks — from their history, to the threats they face, to what makes them special.

A promising new cure sparked a wave of renewed interest in gene therapies about a decade ago — but it also set off alarm bells in the financial world. Grant Hill reports ↓

Are financial incentives holding back cures? - WHYY A promising new cure sparked a wave of renewed interest in gene therapies about a decade ago — but it also set off alarm bells in the financial world.

Hospitals are legally required to care for undocumented patients in emergencies. But when a patient is too sick to be discharged, some turn to a controversial practice.

Alan Jinich reports ↓

Desperate for care, patients out of options, and the threat of ‘medical deportation’ - WHYY Hospitals are legally required to care for undocumented patients in emergencies. But when a patient is too sick to be discharged, some turn to a controversial practice.

Health care is a billion-dollar industry, and the business aspect often impacts the treatment and care patients receive.

On this episode, we explore how money shapes our health care system — from treatment, to medical debt, to the pharma industry ↓

How Money Shapes Medicine - WHYY How money affects our health care system and patient care.

It’s easy to forget that the earth below us is always changing and shifting — but sometimes, we get a dramatic demonstration of exactly that, like with the recent eruptions of a volcano in Iceland. On this episode, we dive into Earth’s history with an exploration of all things geologic, from active volcanoes to the rock record.

Unearthing the Secrets of Volcanoes and Rocks - WHYY On this episode, we dive into Earth’s history with an exploration of all things geologic, from active volcanoes to the rock record.

We have a treat for you this holiday weekend!

In honor of Independence Day, check out one of our favorite episodes: Degrees of Freedom. Listen again ↓

Degrees of Freedom - WHYY We’ll look at freedom from different perspectives.

The largest concentration of data centers in the world is in northern Virginia. Amazon estimates that around 70 percent of global internet traffic goes through the area.

Alan Yu reports ↓

Data centers transformed Northern Virginia’s economy, but residents are wary of more expansion The largest concentration of data centers in the world are in northern Virginia. Amazon estimates that around 70 percent of global internet traffic goes through the area.

Supply chain innovations helped Amazon, the online juggernaut, change the way we shop and achieve two-day delivery.

Liz Tung reports ↓

How Amazon dominated the e-commerce market Supply chain innovations helped the online juggernaut change the way we shop and achieve two-day delivery.

Launched in a garage 30 years ago, Amazon has expanded from its humble beginnings to a global powerhouse.

On this episode, we’ll explore the innovations fueling its growth ↓

How Amazon Revolutionized Shopping and Changed the World - WHYY Launched in a garage 30 years ago, Amazon has expanded from its humble beginnings to a global powerhouse. On this episode, we’ll explore the innovations fueling its growth.

Latinos are America’s biggest minority — and yet many of them feel alienated by our country’s health care system.

On this episode, we look for solutions to provide better care to Latino communities and patients.

Bridging the Gaps for Latino Health - WHYY Latinos are America’s biggest minority — and yet many of them feel alienated by our country’s health care system.

Latinos and African Americans suffer the highest rates of long COVID. Yet health care inequality and poor outreach have resulted in clinics with mostly white patient lists.

Lygia Navarro reports ↓

The short reach of long COVID care Latinos and African Americans suffer the nation’s highest rates of long COVID. Yet systemic health care inequality and poor outreach have resulted in clinics with mostly white patient lists.

Navigating mental health resources and paying medical bills are just some of the challenges Latino gun violence survivors face.

Aitana Vargas reports ↓

The price of a gunshot Gun violence suffered by Latinos in the U.S. has increased. Survivors often face a difficult road ahead that includes medical bills and accessing mental health resources.

A physician and policy expert team up on a decades-long effort to bring Spanish-speaking doctors to California — and the roadblocks that stood in their way. Charlie Garcia reports ↓

One bold initiative to recruit Mexican doctors to help bridge language barriers back home A physician and policy expert team up on a decades-long effort to bring Spanish-speaking doctors to California — and the roadblocks that stood in their way.

Imagine looking at a crowd of people, and they either all look vaguely familiar or like complete strangers. That’s an experience for people with a condition called face blindness.

On this episode, we explore the spectrum of face recognition ↓

Making Faces - WHYY When we see a familiar face, a flood of information comes rushing in. It’s an extremely important skill that we often take for granted.