Spellbound and Gagged

Jul 26 2024 11 ep. 51 mins 166
Spellbound and Gagged Podcast artwork

A podcast about all things that fascinate, unsettle and disgust. Not for kids. Hosted by Ellen Weatherford.

  Science  Comedy
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10: The Funcanny Valley w/ Tom Lum

Jul 26 2024 69 mins  
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!Foll

9: Sex, Drugs, and Rocket Fuel

Jun 28 2024 39 mins  
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 a

8: Live, Laugh, Lava w/ Meagan Ankney

May 12 2023 70 mins  
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

Apr 14 2023 44 mins  
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

Mar 03 2023 74 mins  
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

Feb 17 2023 50 mins  
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

Jan 13 2023 61 mins  
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 Sn

3: Let's Get Nuclear Wasted

Dec 16 2022 58 mins  
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 intrusio

2: Pick Your Poison w/ Vikram Baliga

Dec 02 2022 49 mins  
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 Uppb

1: The Zero G Spot

Nov 11 2022 48 mins  
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 Uppbeat (f