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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!
We'll be right back.
We're thinking of Alexander Von Humboldt, not Charles Darwin.
Ah!
What in the... Who could be... It's only 8 o'clock in the morning.
Oh, boy.
I really did sleep in today.
I'm coming!
I'm coming!
Hello.
Across the way, At 815, A beta test Of a new machine, A state-of-the-art, High-tech robot.
We'd tell you where, But we forgot.
Wait wait wait wait, wait.
Hold on, hold on.
What's this all about?
Why, it's an invitation delivery.
Via Barbershop Quartet.
It's a B-vite.
Huh.
What's it for?
Glad you asked.
You ready, boys?
One, two, one, two, three.
No, no, no, no.
You don't have to sing it.
You can just hand it to me.
I'll read it.
Oh, okay.
Here you go.
Thanks.
All right, fellas.
We did it.
Our first delivery.
Yes!
Okay, let's see here.
Dear Mr. Guy Raz.
Again?
Good morning, Guy Raz.
Good morning, Mindy.
No time for good mornings.
But... So did you get it?
Get what?
My bee bite.
Bee-vite?
Yeah, my barbershop courier-tent invitation.
That was you who sent them here?
Yes, of course it was me.
Who else do you know that would send four strangers to your house to sing in your face at 8 o'clock in the morning?
Well, that's a very good point, Mindy.
So did you get it?
I did.
And?
Well, I haven't had a chance to read it yet, Mindy.
Well, don't let me keep you.
I'll just be over here chewing this new gum I invented.
Okay, let's see.
Dear Guy Razzi.
Yeah, that's you.
It is with great pleasure that we here at Mindy's Raving Robotics would like to invite you to be one of the first people in the world to test out our latest state-of-the-art humanoid robots.
Yeah.
Mindy, this isn't that huge contraption you were riding up and down the street the other day, is it?
What?
No.
Go on.
Keep reading.
Okay.
Okay.
Where was I?
To help better understand the applications of soft robotics in the real world and to take part in this beta test.
Oh, yeah.
A beta test is just a fancy pants way of saying final product test.
Okay.
Got it.
Let's see.
To take part in this beta test.
Please answer the door after you receive the this invitation and follow Mindy to her state-of-the-art testing facility.
Ta-da!
Wow, soft robotics.
Mindy, didn't you give me a book about that for my birthday last year?
No, pretty sure I just gave you a high-five for your birthday last year.
No, I'm pretty sure you gave me that book.
Uh, let's see here.
Uh, soft robotics.
Where would it be?
There's soft bank.
Uh, I know, soft sell, soft serve.
Ah, here we are, Mindy, here it is.
Soft robotics or flexible robots.
These are a certain type of robot that are made from soft materials like rubber or elastic.
Oh, and soft materials just like the... bubble gum that's now all over my living room.
Anyway, as I was trying to explain, these soft materials make the robots much more flexible than normal robots.
And that means that these kinds of robots can perform tasks that solid robots wouldn't be able to do.
Yeah, exactly.
Soft robots are able to crawl over rubble like a snake or swim into small spaces like a fish.
Yeah, you're right, Mindy.
Look in the book it says that many soft robots are inspired by nature and terms of how they move and operate.
Yeah, it's called biomimicry.
It's when scientists look at something in nature and go yep, we'll take that, and then they go off and make their own version.
Oh yeah, like the time those scientists studied the sticky suction power of gecko feet and came up with a robot that could help clean up junk particles in outer space exact doritos.
Example of biomimicry in action.
Just look at the photos in this book.
This one's a soft robot squeezing through rubble to search for people who were trapped after a building collapsed.
And look at this picture.
Soft robotics are being used for prosthetic or artificial hands for people who have lost theirs.
So what does your new invention do, Mindy?
Is it some kind of surgical machine or a new robotic pet worm?
Well, Guy Raz, I could tell you, or you can just do what the invitation says and let me show you.
Okay, Mindy, I'm in.
Lead the way.
All right, follow me.
Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.
So where's the state-of-the-art robotics testing facility anyway, Mindy?
Here.
Huh?
Mindy, this is just your garage.
Or is it?
Yes.
Okay, fine, maybe it is.
But it's what's inside my garage that's really going to blow your mind.
Ready?
As I'll ever be.
Hey, Reg, hit the garage door opener.
Okay.
Wait for it.
Wait for it.
I'm waiting for it, Mindy.
Wait for it.
There.
Mindy?
What do you think?
Mindy, I can't see a thing in here.
Well, that's because the presentation hasn't even started yet.
Go ahead and grab one of those lawn chairs over there and set it up in the driveway.
Okay.
Okay, you ready?
I guess I'm ready, Mindy.
Okay, Reg, power up the boombox.
And lights!
Humankind!
What is it that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom?
Uh, poseable thumbs?
Abstract thought?
Consciousness?
That's right!
The ability to give big, fat hugs!
Hugs?
From the laboratory that brought you that robo-dog that opens pickle jars comes the world's most advanced robot in platonic squeezing.
Wait, were you wearing that turtleneck before this presentation?
Please hold all questions until the end of the presentation, thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen and everyone else in the whole entire driveway introducing the Hog-O-Matic 3000.
Whoa.
So, what do you think?
Mindy, what in the wow is this?
It's the latest in soft robotic technology.
The latest in soft robotics technology?
Mm-hmm.
This 10-foot-tall octopus-looking contraption in front of me?
Yeah, the Hug-O-Matic 3000.
What happened to the Hug-O-Matic 1 through 2,999?
Oh, boy, you do know.
And so this is?
This is a robot designed to give the perfect hug.
OK.
Well, you're always saying that I hug too tight, so I wanted to make you something that would give you the perfect little squeeze every time.
Wow, Mindy, you really went all out on this thing.
I mean, look at all these different settings.
Yep.
Everything from awkward getting together with someone you haven't seen in a few years all the way up to bear hug.
Huh.
So what do you say, Guy Raz?
You ready for your beta test?
I don't know, Mindy.
I remember the last time I helped you test one of your inventions.
Guy Raz, I promise this is nothing like the high-powered hula chair.
It's completely different.
How is this different, Mindy?
Because it's been tested already.
You've tested the beta test?
Yeah.
With the alpha test.
Huh.
In fact, I've still got some of the original testing participants in the bathroom if you want to talk to them.
Maybe get some first-hand testimonials.
In your bathroom?
Yeah, follow me.
It's right through here.
Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.
And open.
Whoa.
Mindy, when did you install a full Olympic-sized swimming pool in your bathroom?
I don't know.
Tuesday?
Wow.
Why?
Well, for starters, swimming is an excellent form of cardiac exercise.
Uh, okay?
And two, I needed somewhere to keep all the jellyfish.
Jellyfish?
Yeah, look at them all down there.
That one's Craig, and that's Paul.
Oh, and that one's Brittany.
She's a real rascal.
Mindy, why in the wow did you turn your bathroom into one big jellyfish aquarium?
Because they were my first test subjects.
The jellyfish?
Yep.
Here, check this out.
Now, I know I have one of my prototypes around here somewhere.
A prototype?
You mean an earlier version of the Hug-O-Matic?
Yeah, exactly.
Now, I know it's here in my medicine cabinet somewhere.
Ah, there it is.
Mindy, what in the wow is that?
It's the Hug-O-Matic 2.
Oh, wait, or maybe it's the Hogomatic 16.
I always get those two confused.
Anywho, it's one of the devices that I tested on these jellyfish.
Here, check it out.
Catch!
Wow, this is actually really cool, Mindy.
It kind of looks like a little robotic jellyfish itself.
It's, uh, let's see, about the size of a softball.
It's pretty transparent and smells like strawberries and cream.
For some reason around with different smells in the earlier versions.
And it's got a little computer part up here on the top.
It's about the size of a Tic Tac box.
Oh, just don't shake it.
And then it's got these six rubbery tentacles hanging off of it.
Wait, Mindy, is this what you meant by the latest in soft robotics technology?
Yep.
See these engineers at City University of New York and Harvard University.
They created a similar robot that they used to study deep sea life.
When I had wanted to study these jellyfish without hurting them, I thought back to that robot, got inspired and built my own version.
And that was all of the early versions of the Hug-O-Matic.
Well, as you know, jellyfish are some of the most delicate creatures in the animal kingdom.
Not only are they invertebrates, meaning that they have no backbone, but they have no bones at all.
Yeah, they're like the chicken nuggets of the sea.
Well, yeah...
But unlike a boneless nugget Mindy, a jellyfish is essentially just one big gelatinous blob made up of almost 95 water.
Yeah, and since jellyfish live a whole mile or two below the surface of the water, divers haven't been able to study them by hand because they live too deep.
Yeah, they've had to use submarines with suckers to conduct their research.
Mm-hmm, and those little suckers can be harmful to the jellyfish.
So if I'm following your thread here Mindy, Sounds like you're saying these scientists needed to find a new way to conduct this research that didn't harm the jellyfish.
You know it, Guy Raz.
And that's where this device came in handy.
Huh.
So how does it work?
Well, if you just hand me that secondary research apparatus, I can show you.
You mean this fishing rod?
It's not a fishing rod, Guy Raz.
It's a secondary research apparatus.
Now attach the Hug-O-Matic 2 to the hook there.
Alright.
Should I take this worm off first?
Nah, you can just leave that on there.
Alright.
There.
All set.
Okay, now we want to slowly lower the device into the water.
There we go.
Now carefully, we want to just place it on top of one of our jellyfish.
Easy.
Easy.
And Whoa, look at that, Mindy.
The Hug-O-Matic's tentacles are slowly wrapping around that jellyfish.
Yep, and when I press this button, the little rubbery tentacles fill with water and begin to curl up.
And as that happens, they gently hug and hold that jellyfish in place.
Exact Doritos.
And from here, the scientists can study these little guys as much as they want.
But Mindy, aren't they afraid that they might...
Hug these jellyfish too hard and crush them?
Oh no, this is a super, super, super gentle hug.
The pressure that these tentacles have on the jellyfish is less than the pressure your eyelids have on your eyeballs.
Wow, that's super gentle.
So what do you say, Guy Raz?
Convinced, yet want to step it up a notch and take the hug-o-matic 3000 for a spin.
Okay mindy, i mean, if it's good enough for britney the jellyfish, it's good enough for me.
Yes, that's what i'm talking about.
Let me just pack up this prototype here.
All right, let's get out of here.
So Mindy, this jellyfish-hugging robot.
Yeah?
What are those marine biologists hoping to use it for in the future?
Well, it's already pretty advanced, Guy Raz.
See the researchers at the New England Aquarium.
They tested it out on jellyfish, just like we did, and found that they were able to dish out 100 hugs before the machine started to show some wear and tear.
Wow.
And so the next step is to attach this soft robot to one of those submarines we were talking about earlier, add a few cameras and some sensors and turn this little hug-o-matic into a full-on portable deep-sea underwater laboratory.
And I guess the more we're able to study these deep-sea creatures in their natural habitat, the more we'll be able to learn about their environment.
You know it, Guy Raz.
I mean, there is still so much we'd don't know about what goes on deep down in the ocean, Mindy.
There is a whole lot of wow left to be discovered.
And according to NOAA or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only around 20 or one fifth of our oceans have been explored or mapped by humans.
I mean, who knows what's down there?
Yeah who, Maybe one day my 10-foot-tall Hugomatic 3000 will be used to help study a giant squid or something.
Maybe.
OK, here we are.
So what do you say, Guy Raz?
Anything for science?
Anything for science, Mindy.
OK, let me just see here.
Now, I just need you to place your hands here and here.
OK.
And then your feet go down here.
And I just need to strap you in like this.
This.
All right, Guy Raz.
You ready?
As I'll ever be.
All right.
Here we go.
Time to test out this Hug-O-Matic 3000 with the world's first ever robot human hug.
OK.
Now, Guy Raz, we're just going to start here at the odd acquaintance hug level, OK?
So I'm just going to just turn this on just a little bit.
Ooh.
How's that?
Ooh.
It's good.
It could be a little tighter though, Mindy.
Okay, now we're going to crank it up to family friend hug level.
What do you think?
Yeah, it's better.
And now we're going to turn it up to grandma, who hasn't seen you in a while because she lives in another state, Hug.
There we go.
It's a little tight, Mindy.
And finally, full-blown best friend hug.
Mindy, huh?
How do you like that, Guy Razzi?
Too tight.
Too tight.
Uh, too tight.
Uh, okay, okay.
Just calm down.
I will hit the off button.
Uh, Reggie?
Where did you install the off button?
Well, that's true.
I did say off buttons are for quitters.
Don't worry, Guy Razzi, i've got everything out of control.
No guy rossi's were harmed in the making of this episode.
Wow in the world we'll be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
Hey grown-ups, it's mindy and guy ross 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 wowser learn about their world.
Through play plus, 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, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name is Addy from Arlington, Virginia.
And my Wow in the World is that giant cicadas have cones to their sides and a chicken egg and they need fire to release their cones and to grow into more sequoia trees.
Say hi to Reggie, Ninoy, and Dentist.
Hi!
Hi, Mindy and Guy and Roz.
My name is Levi.
My name is Luke.
My name is Locke.
And we're from San Antonio, Texas.
In our wild in the world, that grasshoppers have ears in their bellies.
Bye.
Love your show.
Say hi for Reggie for me.
My name is Alibeth and I live in Gloucester Massachusetts, and my wow in the world is that cats have three eyelids.
Hi, my name is Ali, and I live in Ontario, Canada.
And my wow in the world is that there are only 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.
Bye!
Hi, I'm Indian Guy Raz.
My name is Rama, and I live in Alachua, Florida.
And my wow in the world is that if you drop a watermelon, an egg, from really high up, they'll both land at the exact same time.
Thanks.
Love your show.
Hi, my name is Devin, and I am from Old Ridge, New Jersey.
And my wow is that male platypus have A stinger on the back of their feet which can give a poison.
Say hi to Mr. Fingaling for me.
What?
And Dennis, don't be nosy.
Nosy?
I'm not nosy.
I would say I'm more of a gossiping busybody.
You're also a fuss budget.
Oh, yes.
I'm also a fuss budget. dolphin and a whale have a baby.
It's called a dolphin.
Isn't that bonk-a-bonk?
Say hi to Reggie, Gary the Goose, and the Annoying Dennis.
Gary the Goose?
Who's Gary the Goose?
Oh, yeah.
Hi, Gary.
Bye.
Love your show.
Jinx.
End of messages.
Thank you so much for hanging out with us this week on Wow in the World.
And to keep the wow rolling, check out this week's scientific conversation starters at our website wowintheworldcom.
And grownups.
There you can find more info on how your kids can become members of the World Organization of Wowzers shop, our wow shop.
Upload photos and videos to us and check dates for our upcoming live events.
That's wowintheworld.com.
Our show is produced by Jed Anderson.
Who provides the bells, whistles, and silly characters.
Say hello, Jed.
Hello.
Our show is written by me, Guy Raz, and Thomas Van Kalken, who also provides silly characters.
Tom?
Hello there.
Thanks also to Jessica Bode, Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, and Alex Curley.
Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by The Pop-Ups.
For more on their three-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, find them at thepopups.com.
And grown-ups, you can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at wowintheworld.
And our email address is hello at wowintheworld.com.
And if you're a kid with a big wow to share with us...
Call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of the show.
Also, if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to Wow in the World on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Yeah, leave us a few stars, a review, or just tell a friend about the show.
Thanks again for listening, and until next time, keep on wowing.
Jinx!
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.
