Agénor Étienne, comte de Gasparin was a French statesman and author. He was also an early psychical researcher known for conducting experiments into table-tipping.

In spiritualism, ectoplasm, also known as simply ecto, a substance or spiritual energy "exteriorized" by physical mediums. It was coined in 1894 by psychical researcher Charles Richet. Although the term is widespread in popular culture, there is no scientific evidence that ectoplasm exists and many purported examples were exposed as hoaxes fashioned from cheesecloth, gauze or other natural substances.