Exploring the Wonders of the World: Giraffes and Upcoming Milestones

An Exciting November and December Ahead

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz share a flurry of exciting updates for their listeners, affectionately known as "Wowzer fans." The podcast is gearing up for a "November to remember," featuring collaborations with Circle Round and Terrestrials on Radiolab for Kids. A major highlight includes a guest appearance by Elmo from Sesame Street on November 24th, promised to make everyone "belly laugh."

Furthermore, the team is celebrating a significant milestone: their 250th episode on December 1st. Mindy describes this upcoming landmark as "music to your ears," revealing that it will be a musical production. For members of the "World Organization of Wowzers," there is an exclusive listening party scheduled for November 22nd at 7 pm Eastern, where members can react to the episode in real-time and dance along to new songs. Listeners are encouraged to sign up at Tinkercast.com/wow to join these community events.

The Debut of "Two Whats and a Wow"

Beyond the announcements, the hosts introduce a brand-new, daily game show titled Two Whats and a Wow. This interactive segment is designed to test the scientific knowledge of their audience. The premise is simple yet engaging: Mindy and Guy Raz present three scientific facts about a specific topic—ranging from "animals, the solar system, vegetables," or even "fish burps"—but only one of these statements is a legitimate "scientific wow." The other two are "made up scientific whats."

Giraffe Trivia: Fact or Fiction?

Inspired by Mindy’s humorous experiment—where she attempted to measure her own neck by wearing multiple turtlenecks until her "range of motion" was restricted—the debut category for the game show is giraffes. The hosts pose a challenge to the audience, presenting three distinct statements and asking listeners to identify the true scientific fact:

• Option A: Giraffe tongues can grow up to the length of a 12-inch ruler.
• Option B: Humans have the same number of vertebrae or neck bones as giraffes do.
• Option C: Giraffes learn how to walk within seconds of being born.

The challenge encourages "Wowzers" to "grab your pencils and paper," discuss the options with their families, or "phone a friend" to deduce the truth before the next episode reveals the answer.

A Hands-on Scientific Challenge

To keep the spirit of inquiry alive, Mindy and Guy Raz issue a creative challenge for their listeners. They invite children to use their "engineering skills" to create the longest possible giraffe neck using common household items like "empty paper towel rolls, cups, or even cans of soup." This activity aims to turn scientific curiosity into a physical project, with the option for parents to upload photos of the creations to the Tinkercast website.

Through this blend of lighthearted banter, community engagement, and educational trivia, Wow in the World continues its mission to make science accessible and fun for young learners, reminding them to "keep on wowing" as they explore the world around them.