About this episode

This episode explores the science and perception of color, featuring discussions on color standardization and personal color consulting.

On this 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…

People in this episode

Host: Maiken Scott

Guests: Jill Rafter, Kory Stamper, David Brainard, Cricket Matthews

Topics covered

• color perception
• color standardization
• synthetic colors
• color definitions
• subjective experience
• color consulting

Keywords

• color
• perception
• standardization
• synthetic colors
• color definitions
• color consulting
• subjective experience

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: House of Colour, University of Pennsylvania

Books & works: True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color – from Azure to Zinc Pink

More episodes of The Pulse

• How Music Shapes Memory, Emotion, and Imagination · June 11, 2026 · 50 min
• When Healthcare Meets the Law: Abortion, Cannabis, and Corporate Medicine · June 4, 2026 · 50 min
• Engineering Happiness into Our Daily Lives · May 28, 2026 · 50 min
• What It Takes to Survive a Disaster · May 14, 2026 · 50 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Pulse podcast page.