Why do we feel so weird when robots look a little too much like humans? How have artists navigated the... more

Who is the mysteriously unnamed "rocket enthusiast" behind the founding of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory? Ashley uncovers the story of... more

What makes volcanic eruptions get so catastrophically massive? What's going on below the Earth's surface? Should we be worried about... more

Understanding a fungus isn't brain surgery... unless you're an ant. Ellen & Ashley discuss how and why the "zombie-ant fungus"... more

Ellen takes Ashley and and guest Alex Schmidt on a journey through the history of Pompeii before, during, and after... more

We’ve got fire in our belly for this episode’s topic: the puzzling phenomenon of spontaneous human combustion. How does a... more

The animal kingdom takes toxic relationships to a whole new level. Ellen & guest Katie Goldin discuss their favorite parasites,... more

This podcast is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it! Ellen & Ashley discuss... more

Ellen & guest, the Plant Professor™ Dr. Vikram Baliga, discuss nightshade, hemlock, poisonous eggplants, medieval pranks, witchcraft, and the death... more

Hooking up with your coworkers is awkward enough on Earth. Just imagine how astronauts feel. Ashley & Ellen discuss the... more