Spellbound and Gagged
A podcast about all things that fascinate, unsettle and disgust. Not for kids. Hosted by Ellen Weatherford.
Episodes
13: Dark Patterns in Video Games w/ Jared Rusk
Have you spent an embarrassing amount of money on microtransactions? Did you suffer through hours of a game that you hated just to get a virtual trophy? Are you setting alarms to log on at ungodly hours of the morning to make it to an in-game event? If so, this episode might be for you.Links:Jared recommends Crossplay, "a newsletter at the intersection of parenting and video games" by Pa
12: Terror-tomas w/ Dr. Ella Hubber
Get ready to sink your teeth into this week’s topic: teratomas. What is a tumor, and how do they sometimes grow structures like teeth and hair? What is it really like to work in a research lab? Who would we cast in a teratoma puppet duet musical? Find out with us.Links:Hear more from Ella on Let's Learn Everything!Follow Ellen on Instagram or BlueSky!Follow the show on Instagram!Credits:Editi
11: Freaks with Beaks w/ Ralph Crewe
Who is the absolute worst mom in the animal kingdom? Why is there an ominous population of black vultures haunting Pennsylvania? In your relationship, are you the crab or the raptor? Explore these questions and more with Ellen and special guest, science communicator Ralph Crewe, as we bob for viscera with some of nature's gnarliest bird facts.Special thanks to Jared Rusk for editing help on t
10: The Funcanny Valley w/ Tom Lum
Why do we feel so weird when robots look a little too much like humans? How have artists navigated the uncanny valley - whether narrowly avoiding it or intentionally plunging into the psychological trench? Ellen & guest, science communicator Tom Lum, ride the zombie train right into the uncanny valley.Links:Follow Tom on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Follow Spellbound an
9: Sex, Drugs, and Rocket Fuel
Who is the mysteriously unnamed "rocket enthusiast" behind the founding of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory? Ashley uncovers the story of rocket engineer Jack Parsons and his relationship to space, occultism, sex rituals, L. Ron Hubbard, and more.Links:Follow Ashley on Threads and check out her podcast Taboo Science!Follow Ellen on TikTok!Follow Spellbound and Gagged on Instagram an
8: Live, Laugh, Lava w/ Meagan Ankney
What makes volcanic eruptions get so catastrophically massive? What's going on below the Earth's surface? Should we be worried about Yellowstone? Ellen & guest, geochemist and science communicator Meagan Ankney, explore all the most burning questions about supervolcanoes. Links:Check out Meagan's podcast, Spooky Science Sisters!Follow Spooky Science Sisters on Tiktok, Instagram,
7: Striking a Cordyceps
Understanding a fungus isn't brain surgery... unless you're an ant. Ellen & Ashley discuss how and why the "zombie-ant fungus" takes control over its insect host, compare reality with the way it's portrayed in pop culture, and look ahead into our own fungal future.Links:Follow Spellbound and Gagged on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
6: Pompeii and Circumstance w/ Alex Schmidt
Ellen takes Ashley and and guest Alex Schmidt on a journey through the history of Pompeii before, during, and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.Links:Follow Alex on Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok and check out his website for more!Check out Alex's podcast, Secretly Incredibly Fascinating!Follow Spellbound and Gagged on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
5: The Fat is in the Fire
We’ve got fire in our belly for this episode’s topic: the puzzling phenomenon of spontaneous human combustion. How does a person suddenly and mysteriously burst into flames, and what happens to the human body when it burns? Find out with us.Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/doug-organ/snake-oilLicense code: E0XTG15DVOSBM1F3
4: A Parasite for Sore Eyes w/ Katie Goldin
The animal kingdom takes toxic relationships to a whole new level. Ellen & guest Katie Goldin discuss their favorite parasites, from snail eyestalk raves to big juicy butts to warm, cozy fish mouths. What’s the matter? Crab got your tongue?Follow Katie on Twitter & listen to her podcast Creature Feature for more!Extra credit:Video: "This Mind-Controlling Parasite Turns Snails Suicidal
3: Let's Get Nuclear Wasted
This podcast is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it! Ellen & Ashley discuss nuclear waste, from the Simpsons and ninja turtle ooze to the mysteries of the distant future and our best attempts to protect them from ourselves. Further reading:7 Things The Simpsons Got Wrong About NuclearExpert judgment on markers to deter inadvertent human intrusion into the Waste
2: Pick Your Poison w/ Vikram Baliga
Ellen & guest, the Plant Professor™ Dr. Vikram Baliga, discuss nightshade, hemlock, poisonous eggplants, medieval pranks, witchcraft, and the death of Socrates.Further reading:Why the Tomato Was Feared in Europe for More Than 200 Years“Hexing Herbs” in Ethnobotanical Perspective: A Historical Review of the Uses of Anticholinergic Solanaceae Plants in EuropeMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators
1: The Zero G Spot
Hooking up with your coworkers is awkward enough on Earth. Just imagine how astronauts feel. Ashley & Ellen discuss the "ins and outs" of off-planet sex, from the effects of radiation on reproduction to the troublesome issue of bodily fluid dynamics in microgravity. It's out of this world!Further reading:Newt gestation in space"100 Tampons" by Marcia BelskyMusic from U
Spellbound and Gagged Trailer
Get a preview of Spellbound and Gagged, a podcast about all the weird, gross and unsettling stuff that keeps us up at night. The first episode will be up on Friday, November 11. Subscribe now so you don't miss it!Keep up with updates on the podcast by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/doug-organ/snake-oilLicense code:
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