The Pulse

Flying saucers, little green men, and the X-Files — for years, that's what most people associated with unidentified flying objects, or UFOs. They were the stuff of sci-fi and supermarket tabloids, conspiracy theories and punchlines.But ever since a bombshell article in The New York Times several years back documented confirmed sightings by navy pilots, UFOs — or UAPs, unidentified aerial phenomena, as they've been rebranded — have been slowly migrating into the mainstream.Today, it's not uncommon to find scientists, elected officials, and decorated members of the military talking publicly about UFOs. Records are being unclassified, research projects launched — there was even a Congressional hearing dedicated to UFOs. And beneath it all lies the age-old question: Are we alone?On this episode, we explore the past — and future — of the search for life on other planets. We talk with a historian about how attitudes towards UFOs have changed over the decades; we look at how scientists are approaching the study of UFOs; and we hear the strange story of a sighting back in the 90s that begs the question of what — and who — we believe.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Dealing with a serious or chronic health condition is hard enough — but what happens when that condition comes with moral judgment? That's the case for millions of people around the world. From obesity to lung cancer, sexually transmitted diseases to mental illness, stigmatized conditions are shrouded in shame and blame that can not only hinder treatment — but ruin lives.On this episode, we explore stigmatized health conditions — how they earn their reputations, affect the lives of patients, and complicate efforts to treat them. We hear about the flawed effort to track down the origin of the HIV epidemic in the U.S. that inadvertently introduced a new term into our language. We explore what researchers say is behind the "blame and shame" game in public health, and we find out why a man diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder says his condition isn't always as scary as people think.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Scientists are studying how fat cells function and the impact on weight loss. Injectable weight loss drugs like Ozempic are revolutionizing obesity treatment. The podcast explores the challenges of coverage and costs for these drugs. It also addresses the rise of pediatric obesity and the new guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Leonard Rhett shares his inspiring weight loss journey through bariatric surgery.

In 1978, NASA recruited six candidates out of thousands of applicants for a special, groundbreaking mission: to become the first American women in space. Over the next few years, the six women would endure sexism, grueling training, and unending scrutiny from the media. In her new book, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts," author Loren Grush explores the stories of these female pioneers, along with the longer history of women's fight for inclusion in the male-dominated world of NASA.On this episode, we talk with Grush about how America's first female astronauts came to be, their journeys and challenges, and what kept them committed to their mission. Later, we hear from another space pioneer — a Navajo NASA engineer who says his childhood in Arizona prepared him for his work studying Mars.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It sneaks up on us while we're sitting in traffic, or waiting at the doctor's office, or doing our taxes — boredom, that restless feeling of dissatisfaction that arises when we harbor "the desire for desires," as Leo Tolstoy said.At the same time, we're living in an age of never-ending stimulation, all at our fingertips — texting, social media, 24-hour news, and streaming galore. But despite this constant content consumption, we're still getting bored — maybe even more so than ever. We find ourselves hopping from tab to tab, scrolling through Instagram while watching a show, tuning out of meetings to check our email. And now some researchers are worried that all this stimulation could be changing our brains.On this episode, we look at boredom in the age of information overload, and whether or not it's really good for us and our brains. We hear stories about what happened when two reporters quit their digital addictions for four weeks, a monk who took his search for boredom to the ultimate extreme, and why there's value to the slow pace of baseball.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In November of 2019, New York Times tech reporter Kashmir Hill got a tip that immediately had her on high alert. It was about a secretive tech company called Clearview AI, that claimed to have developed a facial recognition app that could identify people with 99 percent accuracy. The company had apparently scraped billions of images from the internet to create this tool, and was already offering this software to police departments across the U.S.The tip sent Hill on a chase to find out who was behind this company and how this tool was being used. Her new book, "Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It," details what she found. On this podcast extra, Hill joins us to talk about the company's billionaire investors, the mysterious and glamorous tech genius at its center, and what all of this means for our right to privacy.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Explore the hidden connection between art and science. Learn about the presence of mathematics in literature and how it helps to understand structure and pattern in writing. Discover the inspiration composers find in nature, particularly birdsong. Dive into the intersection of art, science, and the natural world, including an artist's project capturing the energy and essence of a riverbed.

We spend a lot of time thinking about happiness. Wondering if we are truly happy, and how we could get there. We try to predict what will make us happy in the future, or what might lead to misery down the road. We chase success, money, and love. We work hard or maybe move from place to place to find fulfillment. But what actually brings us contentment is often very different from what we thought, and researchers are trying to quantify what leads to that lasting sense of well-being.On this episode, we'll explore happiness - and how we can find more of it. We'll hear about the longest-running study on the subject, find out if money is really a game-changer, and talk to a therapist who says we need to stop obsessing over happiness.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The teenage years can be an emotional rollercoaster. One moment everything is great, it's amazing, then suddenly life is terrible, and all is ruined. But - it seems like something else is going on right now, beyond these expected ups and downs. Statistics are rising across the board for issues like anxiety and depression, the number of kids receiving mental health treatment, or reporting that they feel hopeless.So what's happening - and what's to blame? On this episode: teens, their mental health, and how families can navigate these challenging times. We'll hear from psychologists, parents and teens about their approaches and solutions. We'll also visit a gymnasium full of teenagers to hear what they really want to know about mental health, and meet an adolescent who found an unexpected ray of hope in a very dark place.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Explore the future of remote work and hear about the latest research on the benefits and challenges of working from home. Learn about the impact of remote work on productivity and employee loyalty, as well as the competition between the office and the home. Discover the concept of cyberloafing and its controversies, and understand the importance of relationships and small interactions in the workplace.