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Hey, Wowzer fans, Mindy here.
And before we start the show, I gotta let you know that this November, with a special new episode featuring our friends at Circle Round and Terrestrials on Radiolab for Kids,
And don't miss when Elmo from Sesame Street stops by Wow in the World to make us all belly laugh on November 24th.
Oh, but that's not all, Reg.
On December 1st, we are sharing our 250th episode of Wow in the World with all of you.
We think this one is going to be music to your ears.
Literally.
Did I mention it's a musical?
And if you're a member of the World Organization of Wowzers...
Oh boy, do I have a surprise for you.
You can listen to our 250th episode early with me and other members from around the world on Saturday, November 22nd, at 7 pm.
Eastern.
That's right, we are throwing another listening party.
Join us as we dance along to our new songs.
React to the episode with other members in the chat and more.
Grownups.
If you want your wowzer to join this members-only listening party, you can sign up to become a member today at Tinkercastcom.
Slash wow.
Already a member?
Well, you can find the link and password to join the event when you sign in at Tinkercastcom.
Slash wow.
That's it.
It's going to be a November to remember.
But for now, let's get on with the show.
Woo!
Just me, right here, out in nature, enjoying the gentle breeze, the sound of the water, the birds.
Just what I need to recharge my... Mindy, what are you doing?
Can't you see I'm trying to enjoy the...
Peaceful serenity and stillness of nature.
Oh, hang on a second.
I need to stop my music.
Ah, so much better, don't you think?
Well, yeah, I guess if calming down and relaxing is your thing.
But why are you laying in the grass in this forest listening to the sounds of nature?
Well, Mindy, exactly because I'm trying to calm down and relax.
Oh, right.
Yeah, I knew that.
Mindy, you know when we go on hikes and...
We don't really talk for hours and hours because we're just enjoying the sounds of the forest.
Oh, yeah.
I remember a hike like that.
Hey, Guy Raz.
Would you rather fall into a pool of nacho cheese or get stuck in a salad dressing tsunami?
If I had to pick, uh, nacho cheese, okay?
Okay.
Would...
Okay, would you rather eat poison ivy or a handful of bumblebees?
Mindy, can we have this discussion later?
I'm enjoying the quiet sounds of nature.
What?
I can't hear the quiet.
Oh, yeah.
I remember that hike.
Well, many of us like taking hikes for that very reason.
Yeah, for a little peace and quiet.
Well, not so much for the quiet, but for the sounds we hear in nature.
Because these are sounds that, for most of us humans...
Help us relax and chill out.
I've never done either of those things, obviously, so I don't know what you're talking about.
I mean, why is relaxing and chilling out such a big deal all of a sudden?
Well Mindy, it could have something to do with the fact that today, more and more of us live in or near cities.
In fact, Mindy, 8 out of every 10 people in America live in or near a city.
And that means that our lives have become louder and louder without us even realizing it.
Yeah, so like the sounds of cars and traffic and people honking their horns when you're putting on a kazoo concert in the middle of an intersection.
What are you doing, lady?
Get out of the way.
What's that?
You want me to play it louder?
OK.
Yeah, and that's probably why the sounds in nature make us humans feel calm.
Yeah, but I mean, that's kind of obvious, right?
Well, now scientists have actually tested out this theory in a laboratory.
And they've shown that our bodies and our brains actually respond to nature sounds in different ways than they do to loud noises.
I think I hear a scientific experiment.
Well Mindy researchers at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School in England, in the United Kingdom, decided to see if they could prove that quiet noises make our bodies calmer.
So what did they do?
So what they did was they took a group of people, normal humans like you and me.
Yeah, just normal humans.
And they asked them to lie down in an MRI scanner.
And that's basically a human-sized tunnel with special cameras that have the ability to look inside our brains and bodies.
Wow, that's pretty cool.
So then what happened?
And then the scientists started to play sounds just like the ones we're hearing right now the peaceful, calm sounds of nature.
Wait, let's stop and listen.
Okay, that's enough of that.
And then next, Mindy, they tried a different sound, something more like this.
Wait a minute, was that me on the kazoo?
Well interesting.
You should react that way Mindy, because the scientists found that when people heard these loud sounds, the MRI scanner showed that the part of the brain that helps us calm down was not calm at all.
But... Chicken what?
What?
But, Mindy... Oh, I think I know what's coming.
When the scientists played the nature sounds, that same part of the brain became much, much calmer.
And the scientists also noticed that the people hearing those sounds, their heart rates also slowed down.
Wait a minute.
My heart rate always speeds up whenever I get worried or I feel like something bad's gonna happen.
Yeah.
Like that one time that I got stuck in a soft-serve ice cream machine and you had to squeeze me out of it into a cone.
Uh... Come on, just a little bit.
Oh, I wanted chocolate.
Man, my heart was freaking out.
Well, our heart rate, or how fast our heart beats, is slow or fast, depending on what we're doing and depending on how we're feeling.
And we often have a slower heart rate when we're calm and relaxed.
And the sounds of nature, for most people, help us feel more calm and relaxed.
Okay.
Well, now that scientists have proven this with science, what can they do with this information?
Well, this is the coolest thing, Mindy.
This information can be used by people in many different types of jobs, even people who are not scientists.
Like you and me.
Yeah, so for example, architects and construction workers who help build our neighborhoods and communities.
They could use this research to help plan and build neighborhoods with quiet areas maybe, you know, with a forest or a hiking trail close by places where people can walk to for some peace and quiet.
Yeah, that would be so good for people.
And it also helps the people who decide when to allow airplanes to land, because of course, airplanes make a lot of noise.
And this kind of research can help car makers work on making cars quieter.
But why is all of this quiet so important?
Well, noise, too much noise, causes our bodies to feel stressed.
And over time, too much stress isn't good for us.
It makes it hard for us to sleep and to think clearly.
So we need to have time during the day when our bodies and our brains can recharge.
And one of the best ways to do that is to be in a quiet place.
Okay, so now I understand why you're hanging out alone here in this forest.
All right, I guess it's time to enjoy the silence.
Ah.
Wow, Guy Raz, I had no idea that silence was going to be this great.
Quiet.
What?
Are you shushing me?
You can't shush me.
Only I can shush me.
Damn it, Mindy.
What?
Wow in the World will be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
Hey, grown-ups.
It's Mindy and Guy Raz here from Wow in the World.
Mindy and I have some brand new Wow in the World toys out in the world just in time for the holidays.
Made for the kids who love science?
And for the ones who don't yet.
From our 100 experiments, that wow kit to the telescope and astronomy kit.
Our wow in the world toys help your wowzer learn about their world through play.
What?
You can hear exclusive audio content from me and Guy Raz to help your wowzer discover even more wows.
Grownups.
Give the gift of wow and wonder this holiday season with our latest Wow in the World toys designed with your curious wowzer in mind.
You can shop our Wow in the World toys at Tinkercast.com slash toys.
That's Tinkercast.com slash toys.
Hi, thanks for calling Wow in the World.
After the beep, get ready to record.
Hi, my name is Alice.
I live in Seaford, Victoria in Australia.
My wow is when I went on a holiday to Queensland I found a cicada exoskeleton and I found out they can live underground for up to 2 to 17 years.
I was listening to it all the way on.
Bye.
I'm Calvin.
I'm nine years old from Salem, Arkansas.
The wows in my world are black vultures pee on their own legs to keep them clean and crows rub bug guts on themselves for bug repellent.
Love your show.
Hi.
My name is Kenny, and I live in Fulton, Mississippi.
And my wow in my world is that sometime when we went camping with There was a deer and it came up and pooped in front of us and we got to treat it apples and bananas and we got to pet it.
Goodbye!
Hi, my name is Carlo, and I am 10 years old.
I live in San Diego, and my wow in the world is how tardigrades can live 10 years without water.
Bye.
Hello, my name is Leo.
I'm from Minnesota.
I'm 6 years old.
One time we were driving and looking at houses and all of a sudden there was a snapping turtle crossing the road.
It kept snapping and snapping.
My dad took a picture, but then it went up the curve.
Mindy and Guy Ross, your shows are great.
Bye.
Hi, my name's Ruth, and I live in California, and my wow is that I touched a starfish.
And it felt like bumpy.
And it was black and orange colors.
And it was squishy.
Bye.
Hi, Andy.
Hi, Gary Ross.
I love your show.
My name is Lucas.
I am six years old from Los Angeles County.
My wow in the world is that I can memorize all of the facts you have in your show.
Because I have Asperger's.
Asperger's?
Is it a type of autism?
Probably people don't know autism, but I think you do.
It's a type of brain that works in a different way than other people.
Let me show you, but they're good work.
Hey guys, thank you so much for checking out this Thursday edition of Wow in the World.
Grownups.
To keep the conversation going, we've posted some fun questions on our website, wowintheworldcom.
And we love hearing from you.
Grownups, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at wowintheworld.
And our email address is hello at wowintheworld.com.
Today's show was written by me and Guy Raz and produced by Jed Anderson.
Say hello, Jed.
Our theme song is written and performed by The Pop-Ups.
You can find more of their awesome music at thepopups.com.
And that raining taco song that you heard at the beginning of this episode.
You can find the full-length song anywhere you get your music.
It's called Raining Tacos by Perry Griff.
Finally, we've loved hearing what's been wowing you.
Thanks so much for sending in your voicemails.
We listen to each and every one of them.
For a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode.
Have your grown-ups help you share something that's recently wowed you by dialing 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
That's it.
We'll be back on Monday with a brand new episode.
Until then, go forth and find your own Wow in the World.
Wow in the World is made by Tinkercast.
Grownups, if you like Wow in the World, you can listen early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus.
Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, or on Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.
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