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This week in science: Mental health and chatbots, ultrarunning and intermittent fasting

NPR's science podcast Short Wave talk about how ultrarunning affects the body, the trend of intermittent fasting and how to protect people's mental health when they talk with chatbots.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Rachel Carlson
Rachel Carlson (she/her) is a production assistant at Short Wave, NPR's science podcast. She gets to do a bit of everything: researching, sourcing, writing, fact-checking and cutting episodes.
Mary Louise Kelly is a co-host of All Things Considered, NPR's award-winning afternoon newsmagazine.