Best Wondery Ballen Studios Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 95 | Two Hearts Beat As One 25:59

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4h ago25:59

25:59

After sitting down for a nice meal with her husband, a woman becomes violently ill and has to be hospitalized. But the problem isn’t her stomach – it’s her heart. Making things even stranger, her husband ends up in the ER too. And if their doctors can’t find the common denominator between their cases… both husband and wife could end up dead. Be the…

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Operation Fast & Furious: When Feds Armed Cartels 34:42

4h ago34:42

34:42

A secretive U.S. government operation to track gun traffickers goes horribly wrong when the weapons end up in the hands of criminals—and are used to kill a Border Patrol agent. As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives scrambles to cover its tracks, one agent defies orders and risks everything to expose the truth. Be the first to …

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Listen Now: Lawless Planet 5:29

16h ago5:29

5:29

It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe a sun-bleached cow skull in a dried-up lake bed. The only thing missi…

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Listen Now: Lawless Planet 5:29

10h ago5:29

5:29

It’s not that hard to kill a planet. All it takes is a little drilling, some mining, a generous helping of pollution and voila! Earth over. When you take stock of what’s left, it starts to look like a crime scene: decapitated mountains, poisoned rivers, oil-soaked pelicans, maybe a sun-bleached cow skull in a dried-up lake bed. The only thing missi…

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The Watercooler (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 36:14

13h ago36:14

36:14

On a morning in early-1986 in Arizona, someone sat hunched over a desk, furiously writing a letter. And almost every line of this letter included a direct threat of violence this person was going to inflict on the recipient. They kept writing, embellishing every horrible thing that they wanted to do. Finally, they finished writing and read over the…

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A Trail of Questions 37:48

5d ago37:48

37:48

Today’s podcast will feature 3 hiking horror stories that are still shrouded in mystery. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "The Overlook" -- He turned around and couldn't believe what he saw... (O…

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Operation Underworld: The Secret WW2 Alliance between The Navy and the Mafia 41:23

8d ago41:23

41:23

During World War II, the U.S. Navy made an unthinkable alliance—with the Mafia. Fearing enemy sabotage in New York Harbor, military officials turned to notorious gangster Charles “Lucky” Luciano and his underworld network for help securing the docks against Nazi spies. But what started as a desperate bid to protect America’s shores soon spiraled in…

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Ep. 94 | The Leftovers 30:02

8d ago30:02

30:02

After giving birth, an ambitious lawyer struggles through an avalanche of health issues that won’t go away. As the years go by, she manages to power through it. But eventually, it becomes too much to bear – and if she can’t get the problem fixed, she could miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcas…

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Murder and Meditation (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 40:38

8d ago40:38

40:38

One September afternoon in 2003, a woman in Tucson, Arizona, heard a knock on her front door and answered it. She was surprised to see a Tucson police detective standing on her front steps, and even more surprised when the detective started asking a bunch of questions about her next door neighbor. The woman was a law-abiding citizen, and she didn’t…

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No Way Out Vol. VII 33:55

13d ago33:55

33:55

Today’s podcast features 3 stories that involve people who were trapped – with “no way out.” The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "The 15th Floor" -- Something truly…

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Listen Now: Flesh and Code 8:58

14d ago8:58

8:58

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his …

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Ep. 93 | Gut Check/Sleeping Beauty 37:36

15d ago37:36

37:36

“Gut Check”: When a 16-year-old girl starts experiencing constant and severe stomach pain, her first concern is the effect it’ll have on her social life. But when she discovers how bad the problem really is, she realizes that her social standing is the last thing she needs to worry about. “Sleeping Beauty”: A high-achieving teenager’s grades start …

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Murder in Mississippi: The Medgar Evers Assassination Case 37:03

15d ago37:03

37:03

For decades, justice for civil rights leader Medgar Evers remained out of reach. Assassinated in his own driveway in 1963, his killer walked free after two all-white juries refused to convict him. But the story didn’t end there. Nearly 30 years later, long-hidden government documents revealed possible jury tampering, reopening the case and leading …

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Listen Now: Flesh and Code 8:58

15d ago8:58

8:58

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his …

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Tinseltown (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 36:11

16d ago36:11

36:11

In December 2007, a lab technician sat at a table covered in dozens of evidence bags. The technician wasn’t sure where to start, because the bags didn’t contain the kind of evidence the lab normally tested. They were full of tinsel – which is a shiny, ribbon-like strip of material that’s used to decorate during the holidays. The samples had been co…

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Listen Now: Flesh and Code 8:58

16d ago8:58

8:58

Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human. Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his …

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Follow the Leader 28:53

20d ago28:53

28:53

Today’s podcast will feature 2 horror stories about manipulative people who twisted others’ faith into fear. The audio from both of these stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #2 -- "The New Nanny"…

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Ep. 92 | Trigger Point 24:55

22d ago24:55

24:55

After an uneventful flight, a college professor suddenly experiences severe pain in his cheek. The excruciating spasms come on with no warning, and no explanation. No matter what his doctors suggest, the agony is unyielding – and the only possible solution could end up making the problem even worse. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podca…

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The Dreyfus Affair: France's Anti-Semitic Military Scandal 32:44

22d ago32:44

32:44

In 1894, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French officer, was falsely accused of espionage and sentenced to life in prison on the remote Devil’s Island in French Guiana. As evidence came to light pointing to his innocence, a bitter national debate erupted that would change France forever. Some maintained Dreyfus was guilty, while others, like writer Émile …

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Bad Blood (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 37:47

23d ago37:47

37:47

On a chilly night in March 2012, a wiry, 56-year old man with a patchy beard trudged through a backyard in rural Iowa with his coat pulled tight, dragging something heavy behind him. He reached the fence and paused, scanning the darkness to confirm that he was alone. His gaze fell on the trailer home on the opposite side of the fence. The lights we…

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Diagnosis Vol. III 33:25

27d ago33:25

33:25

Today’s podcast will feature 3 medical horror stories. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "All In Her Head" -- An infant is rushed to the ER, what they discover wi…

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Ep. 91 | The Mad Gasser 28:10

29d ago28:10

28:10

During World War 2, the small town of Mattoon, Illinois erupts into a panic. Some of its residents are falling prey to what seem like random gas attacks from an unidentified assailant. But who is the man known as “the Mad Gasser”? And why is he doing this? Is he a local madman, conducting a twisted experiment? A Nazi saboteur? Or something else ent…

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Deep Cover: The ATF Agent Who Became a Hell’s Angel 36:49

29d ago36:49

36:49

In the early 2000s, undercover ATF agent, Jay Dobyns, infiltrated the infamous Hells Angels motorcycle gang. To gain their trust, Dobyns had to walk the walk—trafficking guns, staging violent attacks, and proving his loyalty in ways that pushed the limits of the law. But when the government unexpectedly pulled the plug on the operation, Dobyns foun…

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The Body in the Bathtub (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 33:34

30d ago33:34

33:34

On the morning of January 13, 2010, two twin girls nicknamed Tas and Jas stood at the kitchen counter in their home in Conyers, Georgia, writing notes back and forth to each other in a little notebook, and giggling. The girls were late for school, and they were writing instead of talking because they didn’t want to wake their mom up and get yelled …

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La Mussara 32:44

1M ago32:44

32:44

Today’s story is about a group of friends who travel to this supposedly haunted abandoned town up in the mountains in Spain, and when they get there, the town totally lives up to the hype. Story name, preview & link to original YouTube video: #1 -- "La Mussara" -- An abandoned town in Spain has a dark secret (Original YouTube link -- https://www.yo…

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MrBallen and the Art of Storytelling 1:06:35

1M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Start listening to Audible today when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at https://www.audible.com/mrballen Join my sister and me as we dive into the art of storytelling in this never-before-seen Live Podcast Recording Presented by Audible! WATCH the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW5aWKXOPAs See Privacy Policy at https://art19.…

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Cambridge Five: The Spy Scandal That Broke M16 34:43

1M ago34:43

34:43

They were charming, brilliant, and deeply embedded in the British establishment — but they were also secretly working for the enemy. Later dubbed the Cambridge Five, this ring of Soviet spies passed government secrets to Moscow right under British Intelligence’s nose for decades. But when two of them suddenly vanished in 1951, suspicions erupted in…

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Ep. 90 | Walk Like the Birds 24:44

1M ago24:44

24:44

One day at the park, a mother notices her young son is walking strangely – almost like Frankenstein. At first, she writes it off as an oddity. But soon, her son’s legs stop working altogether… and the rest of his body starts shutting down with them. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now…

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Medical Mysteries - "She Haunts Me" 25:59

1M ago25:59

25:59

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries. In the late 1800s, a young man in rural New England comes down with a deadly illness known as “the White Death.” When his doctor can’t help, the man’s neighbors propose a bizarre treatment… that involves the supernatural. Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM For 100s more stories like this one,…

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Forsaken Mission 32:35

1M ago32:35

32:35

Today’s podcast will feature 3 military horror stories. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "Ramree Island" -- What happened on this island would go down as one of the most terrifying world records …

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Ep. 89 | Half a Face 26:23

1M ago26:23

26:23

A teenage girl panics when clumps of hair start to fall off the right side of her head. From there, the problem gets even worse - the entire right side of her face starts to crumple in. But the problem isn’t just cosmetic. It’s extremely painful… and her doctors have no idea how to stop it. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, cura…

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The JFK Assassination: New Evidence Reveals The CIA's Fatal Mistake 39:47

1M ago39:47

39:47

In 2025, the Trump Administration released long-classified government files about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. At the center of the most obsessed-over murder in American history stands the gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, a man whose life was marked by political radicalization and personal failure. His actions on November 22, 1963 cont…

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Death of a Dentist (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 40:54

1M ago40:54

40:54

One day in the spring of 2006, a detective stood next to a refrigerator in her police station, holding a little container full of evidence. She knew that what she was about to do represented a breach of protocol – but that wasn’t going to stop her. Because she was working her first murder case ever, and she was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to…

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Stranger Than Fiction Vol. X 31:14

2M ago31:14

31:14

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And today’s podcast features 3 stories that demonstrate that. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "Rest Stop" -- You n…

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Ep. 88 | 15,000 Coughs/The Putrid Smell 29:26

2M ago29:26

29:26

“15,000 Coughs”: When an 11-year-old girl develops a worrisome cough, her workaholic mom drops everything to get her help. But nothing seems to work. Soon, her daughter is coughing almost constantly – 15,000 times a day – and doctors have no idea how to stop it. “The Putrid Smell”: A woman spends her life dealing with an embarrassing and infuriatin…

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The Secret of Churchill’s Anthrax Island 34:17

2M ago34:17

34:17

Towards the end of WWII, Winston Churchill decided it was time for Britain to develop deadly bioweapons. He chose a remote island off of Scotland where experiments could be carried out away from human contact. But toxic secrets often have a way of resurfacing. Years later, a group of environmental activists called ""Dark Harvest"" would force Brita…

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You Can't Risk It (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 25:44

2M ago25:44

25:44

This is a special bonus episode of "You Can't" Today, I’m going to tell two stories about how an idea that might seem brilliant in the moment… can quickly turn out to be the worst thing ever. For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to …

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The Dog and the Golden Gun (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 41:22

2M ago41:22

41:22

On a cold winter night in 1999, a man drove down a dark street towards his house in a small Iowa town. Suddenly, he saw something glowing in his headlights, and he slammed on the brakes. He got out of his car. And there, in the lights, he saw a dog standing all by herself. And she was making this soft squeaking sound like she was scared. The man sl…

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The Discovery 34:43

2M ago34:43

34:43

Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories about terrifying discoveries people made that would change their lives forever. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #3 -- "Cutting it Close" -- A stark reminder to n…

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The Briefcase Bomb That Could Have Ended World War II 33:10

2M ago33:10

33:10

Towards the end of WWII, a rogue group of German conspirators realized what they had to do to protect the future of their country: kill Adolf Hitler. But eliminating the Führer was easier said than done. Dud bombs, botched assassination attempts, and cruel twists of fate spared Hitler’s life again and again. In the end, fake news of his death set t…

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Ep. 87 | 99th Percentile 26:38

2M ago26:38

26:38

After a difficult pregnancy, a woman is delighted to give birth to a baby girl. Her new child is perfect – though she has an unusually large head. Although the problem seems to be benign, the baby soon develops other problems. Desperate to help her child, the mother takes her to every specialist possible – but will anyone be able to find the answer…

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The Red Sandals (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 36:35

2M ago36:35

36:35

In 1984, in a small city in northeastern China, a security guard stood outside of a warehouse, working an overnight shift. The guard heard a noise coming from some bushes nearby, but he didn’t think much about it. This was a safe town, and usually the hardest part of his job was staying awake. But suddenly, two thieves in ski masks emerged from the…

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Deadly Catch 30:29

2M ago30:29

30:29

Today’s podcast will feature 2 horrifying stories that both take place on the open sea. The audio from both of these stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #2 -- "The Perfect Bait" -- Fishing trip t…

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Ep. 86 | Out of This World/A Good Scrub Down 25:24

2M ago25:24

25:24

“Out of This World”: In 2003, a treasure hunter in Chile makes a shocking discovery: a tiny, 6-inch skeleton of what appears to be a human. But parts of its anatomy just don’t make sense. It’s too well-formed to be a fetal skeleton, and its skull is strangely elongated – making some people wonder, is this a medical mystery… or an extraterrestrial o…

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The CIA Puppetmaster Part 2 32:46

2M ago32:46

32:46

In Part Two of this two-part series, CIA Director Allen Dules' plan to invade Cuba goes disastrously wrong. Though this political mastermind thinks he has everything under control, he quickly learns that he underestimated the young American President, John F. Kennedy. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, an…

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The Man Who Knocks At Windows (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 38:40

2M ago38:40

38:40

A seven-year-old boy cowered in the closet of his family’s suburban home in Florida. He was buried beneath jackets and sports gear, listening to screams coming from down the hall. When they stopped, the silence that followed was far worse. Then heavy footsteps approached and a shadow passed beneath the door. The boy braced for it to burst open, thi…

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Closer to God 32:53

2M ago32:53

32:53

Every now and again, I’ll find a story that’s just really upsetting to me. Now, obviously a lot of the stories I cover are all quite distressing. But today’s story, which is about a missing hiker named Mike Turner – it just really upset me. It actually made it really hard to record this episode. So, consider this your warning that I personally beli…

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Ep. 85 | Maximum Volume 24:50

2M ago24:50

24:50

After a successful overseas tour, an American rock guitarist comes home with a troubling affliction. All of a sudden, his hearing is extremely sensitive – like everything is turned up to 11. When it doesn’t go away, he’s forced to give up everything he loves, including music. Trapped in his own personal hell, he desperately tries to find an answer …

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The CIA Puppetmaster Part 1 35:50

2M ago35:50

35:50

In Part One of this two-part series, the CIA Director and political chessmaster, Allen Dulles, has his eyes set on overthrowing the Cuban Dictator, Fidel Castro. But though Dulles thinks he has every move figured out, he unwittingly puts the pieces in motion for one of the greatest embarrassments in American history. Be the first to know about Wond…

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Skin Deep (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) 34:00

2M ago34:00

34:00

On a summer morning in 2007, a woman was working in the printing shop she owned in a suburban strip mall. Suddenly, she heard a loud banging noise coming from somewhere above her. She stopped the printer she was working on so she could hear better, and the sound kept coming – BANG, BANG, BANG. It was like metal drawers opening and slamming shut. Sh…