Tag: interview

MerPeople- Netflix Documentary

Tags interview, mushrooms, plants

Ep 75- Yl’luria: Mermaid and Disability Rights Activist

Post date July 11, 2025

Welcome to the 75th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

In this episode, Enku, Anjel, and Jamie talk with mermaid and disability rights activist Yl’luria about her life as a mermaid and blind person. We talk a great deal about the art of mermaiding, including events that listeners can check out if they are mer-curious, and how merpeople need more representation and diversity. We even get to talk a bit about different merfolk related myths and how mermaids can be amazing advocates for the ocean. At the end of the episode we talk about our Patreon and details for the 3rd Trans Telethon happening in November 2025.

Show Notes

Weeki Wachee Mermaids

Dive Bar – Sacramento

The Wreck Bar

Service Animal Policy for Lyft

The origins and inventors of the typewriter

Ancient Bones Offer Clues To How Long Ago Humans Cared For The Vulnerable

Accessibility for the Blind at Disney Sea Tokyo + Hello Kitty World and the Snoopy Museum!

Hannah Fraser – Mermaid

Eric Ducharme- Makings of a Mertailor

Sparkle Girl Costume

Portland Mermaid Parade

Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits in Africa and Its Diasporas

The History of Yemaya, Santeria’s Queenly Ocean Goddess Mermaid

The Starbucks mermaid: Melusine

What is the legend of the pink dolphin in Brazil?

Erzulie

Mermaids scare off reservoir workers in Zimbabwe

Photograph Israeli Mermaid, Win $1 Million

Scientists Use AI to Translate the Language of Whales

Scientists Find an ‘Alphabet’ in Whale Songs

Orcas Sink 50-Foot Yacht Off the Coast of Morocco

Blackfish

The Modern Day Pacific Sardine Collapse: How to Prevent a Future Crisis

1972 Peruvian anchoveta crisis

Canceled Peru anchovy season costs industry $1 billion; fishmeal plants shut down for first time in 30 years

Microplastics contaminate the deepest part of the world’s ocean

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Corals are endangered 90% of coral reefs could disappear by 2050.

Mermaid at Any Age

Ylluria Linktree

Realms Unknown

California Mermaid Con

MerMagic Con

Mermaid Summit

Transcripts for Interview

Transcripts for Intro/Outro

Ep 11- Interview with Amy Blackthorn

Tags interview, mermaid

Ep 74- Return of the Blackthorn

Post date June 21, 2025

Welcome to the 74th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

In this episode, just in time for pride, Anjel and James talk to one of the favorite guests of the podcast, Amy Blackthorn and check in with them about what they’ve been up to with their new books, how plant magick can help save us from Late Stage Capitalism existential dread, how AI is horrible for writers, witches and pretty much everyone else, and we even talk a bit about being poly, queer, and shadow work. At the end of the episode we talk about our upcoming Trans Telethon 3, and some new offerings on the Pateron.

Show Notes

Ep 51- Protection Magick with Amy Blackthorn

Disability History: The 1977 504 Sit-In

Master Gardener- OSU extension

Blackthorn’s Book of Sacred Plant Magic: Spells, Rites, and Rituals for Living an Aromatic Life by Amy Blackthorn

Legality of Cannabis

How to grow Pineberries – White Strawberries with a Citrus Kick

Meta’s Massive AI Training Book Heist: What Authors Need to Know

Woman poisoned after using an AI generated mushroom field guide

The AI grift that can literally poison you: When AI comes for mushroom foragers.

Authors fighting deluge of fake writers and AI-generated books

Writing samples from several prolific ‘authors’ on Amazon deemed highly likely to be AI-generated

Lawyer Cites Fake Case Generated by ChapGPT in legal brief

Hasbro has just laid off 1100 people, heavily focused on WotC and particularly art staff, before Christmas to cut costs. CEO takes home $8 million bonus.

Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers

Funny People (2009)

Spirit Northwest

Once Upon a Convention

Blackthorn Grove Podcast

Transcripts for the interview

Transcripts of Intro/Outro

BITE Model of Authoritarian Control

Tags amy blackthorn, interview, plant magick

Ep 73- Comedy, Disability and Recovery with Eleanore

Post date April 29, 2025

Welcome to the 73rd episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

Eleanore Ryan, stand up comic and sober activist

In this interview with stand up comedian and sober activist, Eleanore Ryan, talks to 3 of the co-hosts about her comedy, recovery and spirituality. This episode comes with a heavy content warning about discussions of sexually explicit nature as well as about drug use and recovery and we also talk about Eleanore’s dwarfism and disability in very candid ways. This is also a conversation where we find a lot of common ground and catharsis with Christianity and we hope our listeners will find humor and solace in Eleanore’s words like we have.

Show Notes

Turner Syndrome

Heart of Invictus

Eleanore Ryan on Instagram

Transcripts for the Interview

Transcripts for Intro/Outro

Tags comic, interview

Ep 71: Chaos Magick with Oliver

Post date January 31, 2025

Welcome to the 71st episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

In this episode, the 4 co-hosts revisit the topic of Chaos Magick with one of the SWP coven, Oliver. This conversation brings in a lot of interesting threads to both introduce and pique listener interest in the topic of Chaos Magick as well as help give our community more tools for surviving the next 4 years and making it a bit more magical.

Books by Peter J. Carroll

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Show notes

Breath of Fire – HBO Docuseries

Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic As Power by Audre Lorde

The Jeremy Bearimy Timeline

Transcripts of this episode

Tags chaos magick, interview

Ep 70: Solstice Traditions with Morgan Daimler

Post date December 22, 2024

Welcome to the 71st episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

Morgan Daimler from the Irish Pagan School

For this year’s Solstice episode, we interviewed the indomitable Morgan Daimler about the holidays and misconceptions, and debunked some misinformation about where some of our holiday traditions come from. This was an enjoyable and thought provoking conversation that was very informative and revealing to the point where we want to schedule for Morgan to come back to continue some of the threads we picked up in this episode.

5 Worst Witch Books ever Possibly

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Show Notes

How did the Christmas Tree tradition start

How to Maintain Your 12-Foot Skeleton and Other Giant Halloween Decorations

The Living Goddesses by Marija Gimbutas

The Venerable Bede (673 AD – 735 AD)

The Temple of Sulis Minerva at Bath

The Fear PDX

Why did people start eating Egyptian mummies? The weird and wild ways mummy fever swept through Europe

Helena Blavatsky on Occult Confessions

The Nine Noble Virtues

An Cailleach mural in Drogheda, Ireland

Jane Brideson

Morgan Daimler

T. Thorne Coyle Course

Transcripts for this interview and intro/outro.

Tags holidays, interview, solstice

Ep 68- Samhain Special : Death midwifery with Angela of Journey Home Death Care

Post date October 31, 2024

Welcome to the 68th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

For our Samhain episode for this year, we interviewed Angela, Death Midwife and founder of Journey Home Death Care about perceptions of death and how to be advocates for our own death. We want to make a heavy content warning for discussions of death, suicide, and suicide ideation, but despite these heavy topics, Angela brings a gracious compassion to all these discussions and our conversation was very affirming. We have also included resources for suicide prevention in the show notes.

Journey Home on Instagram

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Show Notes

Journey Home on Facebook

Sacred Crossings

Bahai Faith

Friend plans online tribute to teen that drowned in Bitterroot

When You Die, You’ll Probably Be Embalmed. Thank Abraham Lincoln For That

National Home Funeral Alliance

Indigent Disposition Program

Sacred Passages

Ram Dass quotes about dying

Kubler-Ross Stages of Dying and Subsequent Models of Grief

Transcripts for Intro Outro

Transcripts for Interview

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Number: 988 (formerly 1-800-273-TALK)
Website: 988lifeline.org
Available: 24/7
Services: Free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741
Website: crisistextline.org
Available: 24/7
Services: Free crisis counseling via text message.

The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ Youth)

Number: 1-866-488-7386
Text START to 678678
Website: thetrevorproject.org
Available: 24/7
Services: Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.

SAMHSA National Helpline (Substance Abuse and Mental Health)

Number: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
Website: samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
Available: 24/7
Services: Free, confidential help for mental health or substance use disorders.

It’s important to remind listeners that they’re not alone, and help is available. Including this information in your podcast could really make a difference for someone!

Tags death worker, interview, samhain

Ep 67: The Sacred Fool with Rick Quaresma

Post date October 21, 2024

Welcome to the 67th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

Line art by Rick Quaresma and color by Anjel

In this episode, Enku, Anjel and Ruby interview Anjel’s partner and aspiring comedian, Rick Quaresma about comedy, the importance of humor as resistance and speaking truth to power. Rick shares his beliefs and inspirations in comedy and we talk a bit about the upcoming election and how conservative pundits are fundamentally unfunny.

The outrageousness of what Louis CK did is totally lost’: the film about the backlash faced by his accusers

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Show Notes

Hannah Gatsby

Ahisma

Larry the Cable Guy

Dat Phan

The Musk that Fell to Earth Ep 12 Season 26 of Simpsons

Fact Check: CBS not working with Tim Allen and Richard Karn on ‘non-woke sitcom’

Trump asked whether the DOJ and the FCC could investigate ‘SNL’ after it mocked him, report says

Matt Rife

WGA statement on AI

The George Carlin ‘AI’ Stand-Up Creators Now Say a Human Wrote the Jokes

AP Declares That ‘JD Vance Did Not Have Sex With A Couch’ In Fact Check

Step Brothers

American Dad- Lincoln Lover

NotsoevilRick on TikTok

NotsoevilRick on Twitter

NotsoevilRick on Instagram

Transcripts from this Episode

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If you have any question, thoughts, or feedback, we’d love to hear from you! Send questions to questions@sciencewitchpodcast.com and we’ll follow up and, with your permission, share it on an upcoming episode.

Also… please follow us, share this episode out, give us a fabulous rating and let others know about what we’re up to so we can keep growing this sweet little community of ours!

Tags comedy, interview, political

Episode 66: Native Pollinators and Mason Bees with Carol Haven

Post date August 14, 2024

Welcome to the 66th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

For this episode, Enku and Anjel interview Master Gardner and Pollinator Protector, Carol Haven. We talk about the intersections of studying pollinators scientifically and spiritually, as well as the Master Gardener program. Ruby joined Anjel for the intro/outro and we updated folks about the upcoming show we’re producing: The Trans Telethon 2.

Marion County Master Gardeners

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Show Notes

OSU 10 minute University

Marion County Fair

Master Gardeners

Spend time outdoors. It’ll improve your health, experts say.

Mason Bees

The Fifth Sacred Thing by Star Hawk

Princeton research shows how the decline in pollinators can ripple across ecosystems

Raptors and Rodenticides

Integrated Pest Management

Pollinator Haven Farm

Transcripts of Intro/Outro

Transcripts of Interview

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Also… please follow us, share this episode out, give us a fabulous rating and let others know about what we’re up to so we can keep growing this sweet little community of ours!

Tags gardening, interview, pollinators

Episode 65: Queer Fiction with Redfern

Post date June 29, 2024

Welcome to the 65th episode of the Science Witch Podcast!

In this episode, Enku, Ruby and Anjel talk with writer Redfern about their work writing queer and speculative fiction, as well as some of the major themes in their work that echoes the current struggles of the queer community to find solidarity. We also discuss AI and what this new technology means for writers of the future. In the outro Enku discusses how he uses AI in the making of this episode

Goat and Thistle