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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!
Hey, time to catch up on some local TV news.
Good evening and welcome to WOW News.
I'm Gail Richard Simmons.
And I'm late for dinner.
Bob.
Oh, fine.
I'm Bob Ralph Macchio.
And tonight's top story a new chocolate gingerbread mansion science factory is opening its doors for the first time and giving tours to five lucky winners.
Huh, you don't say.
Rumor has it that the owner has invented a new kind of chocolate based on something called Skyence.
That's science, Bob.
Oh, well...
WOW News caught up with the owner of this gingerbread mansion turned candy factory, and here's what she had to say.
Yes, it's true.
Mindy?
Inside the walls of this chocolate gingerbread mansion science factory that you see here behind me, I have invented a new kind of chocolate based on recent scientific research, and I am inviting five lucky winners inside to be the first to try it.
Mindy!
Mindy!
Oh, no.
What are all these cameras doing here?
Oh, am I on TV?
Now, Mindy, tell us, how will those five lucky winners be chosen?
Tennis!
Shh!
Well gal, I have hidden five golden bonker balls around the world and the five lucky people or pigeons who find them will get to be the first to try my new chocolate.
And come inside to tour my chocolate gingerbread mansion science factory.
Mindy, is this like a movie?
Do you need someone to say action?
Dennis, you've got to stop this.
Ready?
And there you have it, folks.
Five golden bunker balls hidden anywhere in the world, just waiting to be found.
Keep watching our 24-hour news coverage to find out who will be the lucky winners.
For WOW News, I'm Gail Richard Simmons.
And I'm off to find one of those bunker balls.
Not before I do, Bob.
Stop copying me, Gail.
Golden bonker balls?
Mindy, what is she up to now?
I better go over there and find out.
What in the... My doorknob has been replaced with a golden bonker ball?
Oh boy.
Did you see me on the news just now?
Yeah, I did.
And then I noticed that my doorknob was replaced with this.
You're one of the five golden Parker balls, guy.
It's a miracle.
The other four could be anywhere in the world.
That's right.
I wonder where they could be.
Hey, everyone.
Lookie here.
G-Force just laid a golden egg.
It was under my butt.
What?
That's not a golden egg, Tommy.
That's a golden bonker ball.
Oh, okay.
That means there are only three golden bonker balls left, and they could be anywhere in the world.
Oh, hi, Reggie.
Ah, Reggie!
What's Reggie saying, Mindy?
He's saying that he found a golden bonker ball in my bonker ball tree.
Is that what that tree is?
I always wondered.
Oh, goodness.
Good job, Pigeon.
Pardon.
What are the odds?
And now there are only two golden bunker balls left to be found in the whole entire world.
I wonder where it could be.
Yeah, I wonder.
Oh, goodness.
Pardon me.
What's wrong with you, Fingerling?
It's this bunker ball's mania.
It's got me all worked up.
It's giving me a lump in my throat.
Open the hatch, Fingerling.
Let me get a look at that lump.
Okey-doke.
Let me just stick my head inside there and see if I can get a better look.
Oh, yeah, I can see the lump all right.
That there is a golden bunker ball.
A golden bonker ball?
A golden bonker ball?
I'll get it.
Got it.
Thanks.
What?
Was it lodged in his throat?
Wow, look at that.
I guess you never know where they're going to pop up.
That's four golden bonker balls found.
That means there's only one left in the entire world.
I want it!
I want a golden bunker ball!
Reggie, go get mother!
The last one could be anywhere in the world and I want it!
I want the golden bunker ball!
I want it now!
I want it, I want it, I want it!
Is there something wrong with that fella?
Mindy, can't you do something?
How, Guy Raz?
The last golden bunker ball could be anywhere in the world!
I want it, I want it, I want it!
Wow, look at him go!
He's tantruming a hole right into the ground.
I want it!
I want it!
And it's a big hole, too.
But wait.
Look, everyone.
There's something in that hole.
I want it!
I want it!
What was that?
I wonder what it could be.
Oh, boy.
I'm not sure Dennis should be rewarded for throwing a tantrum.
It's mine.
It's all mine.
Oh, I love you, Golden Bunker Ball.
And with that I would like to cordially welcome all five of our Golden Bunker Ball winners from around the world to Minneapolis.
Chocolate Gingerbread Mansion Science Factory!
Mindy, where's that music coming from?
Were you always wearing that top hat?
No time for questions!
Follow me!
Mindy, what did you do with your gingerbread house?
Why don't you step inside and see for yourself?
Ooh!
Everyone, hold your breath.
Make a wish.
Count to three.
Come with me and you'll be something, something, something, something, something.
Chocolate.
Wow, a chocolate tugboat.
A chocolate waterfall flowing into a chocolate river.
Oh, with chocolate fish flopping around in there.
I'm going to eat this whole river.
Good idea.
Yes, Reggie.
Yes, yes, yes.
Everything inside this chocolate gingerbread mansion science factory is made out of pure chocolate.
Wow.
The walls are made of chocolate.
The floors are made of chocolate.
The chandeliers.
Wi-Fi internet routers, all made of... Chocolate?
That's right, Dennis.
Now, first things first, the rules.
Oh.
The rules are there are no rules.
Who are we?
It's a free-for-all.
No, no, no, no.
It's not a free-for-all.
What are the rules, Mindy?
The rules are no meddling, no touching, And no tasting.
What?
What does meddling mean?
I don't know.
But Mindy, this whole place looks like it could melt in your mouth.
Well, it's funny you should mention that, Dennis.
Because that melt-in-your-mouth chocolate sensation is exactly what brings us here today.
I thought we were here on account of these golden burger balls.
Mindy, what do you mean the melt-in-the-mouth chocolate sensation is why we're here?
Well, this whole place was inspired by a new study on chocolate led by researchers at the University of Leeds in England.
Wait, a study on chocolate?
Not just any old study, Guy Raz.
A scientific study.
My favorite!
No!
Save me, Chocolate River!
Did she just jump into the chocolate river?
She did, by golly.
I'm eating the whole river.
And look, she's eating the whole chocolate river, just like she said she would.
Taste the chocolate river, get into my belly.
Well, I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this today, but... Yeah!
Yeah!
What are those?
Robots?
Oh, they're the Wimple robots.
Oh, okay.
Wow, there must be a hundred of them.
Contamination detected.
No, you keep away from me, you whimsical robot.
Ah!
What in the world wide web are they doing with G-Force?
Well, Grandma G-Force broke the rules and contaminated the chocolate river, and now they're vacuuming up the contaminants.
Contaminants?
They're vacuuming up G-Force.
Wait, it doesn't like this ride.
It tickles.
Could you robots quit singing and get me to a bus?
Come along now, everyone.
Back to the science.
What about G-Force?
We'll catch up with her later.
But for now, allow me to welcome you to the Mouth Room.
What in the... It looks like a big mouth, Mindy.
And it's got some nice big teeth.
Hello down there.
Whoa, it's like a giant cave.
Yeah, a giant cave with giant bad breath.
It's all damp and slimy.
I like this thing.
Can we go inside the giant mouth?
Remember the rules.
No meddling.
I told you, I don't know what that word means.
Uh, don't listen to her, Tommy.
Mindy's just trying to warn us.
Oh, yeah?
Well, she can't warn me.
This is pretty incredible, Mindy.
I can't believe you built a giant replica of an actual mouth.
Well, that's basically what the scientists did in this study that I mentioned earlier.
Really?
Well, maybe not the whole mouth, but they did build an artificial tongue meant to look and feel like a real tongue.
Huh, and what does this have to do with chocolate?
Ah well, these researchers were trying to learn about what's happening on the tongue when a person eats chocolate.
Oh, right, that melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Exactly.
But they wanted to find out exactly what's happening between the tongue and the chocolate to create that smooth melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
So, wait, they built an artificial human tongue and ran experiments?
You know it.
And now, please stand back as the Wimple Robots deliver the chocolate.
Oh, where are the Wimple Robots?
Ah!
Really stings the ears.
We heard the flute, now there's chocolate for you.
Now, just like the scientists in the study, I have built an artificial tongue with a real tongue-like texture and warm to the precise human tongue temperature of 98 degrees degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius.
Mindy, I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is actually amazing.
And it gets even better, Guy Raz.
Because, unlike the tongue that those scientists built in their lab, this tongue can move like a real squishy, slimy human tongue.
Here, watch.
Wow, it's a A giant mechanical mouth!
Oh, wow!
What else does it do?
Ah!
Oh!
Stand back, iRossi!
Here comes the chocolate!
Ooh!
Now watch what happens when the chocolate bar comes in contact with the slimy wet tub!
Mindy, it seems that the solid chocolate is turning into more of a chocolate liquid and coating the tongue in what looks like a fatty layer of melted chocolate.
Oh, a fatty layer of melted chocolate?
I want some.
Mr. Fingerling, no.
You know the rules.
No touching, no meddling, no tasting.
Oh, wow.
It is a fatty layer of melted chocolate.
Hey, fella, you want some?
Yeah!
And I want to see what this flappy thing is here in the back of the throat.
Dennis, no.
That's the uvula.
Don't touch that.
Touch, touch, touch.
Dude, oh my.
This is so wonderful.
Shut it down.
Shut it down.
The mouse is about to... Swallow.
Where did they go?
Mindy, will you stop playing that flute?
How else am I supposed to call the Wimble Robots?
Wimble robots, stupidity too.
You broke a rule, now we're coming for you.
Coming for you?
Mindy, what's going on here?
Everything out of control.
That's what I'm afraid of.
They got dropped down the laundry chute connected to the back of the mouth room and now they're in my gingerbread basement, in a giant pile of my gingerbread laundry.
Okay,
Now, shall we continue our tour?
You know, I think I've seen all I need to see here.
Where is the exit, Mindy?
Oh, well, the exit is right through the chocolate laboratory over there.
In fact, that's where we're heading right now.
This feels like a trick.
Please, no more flute.
Fine.
Thank you.
Now, let's talk science as we walk over, shall we?
Phew, I thought you'd never ask.
So, as you can see back there in the mouth room, as soon as the chocolate hit the slimy, wet tongue, the outer layer immediately began to change from a solid to a liquid.
Yes.
And as it did, it started to coat the tongue in a fatty layer of melted chocolate.
Exactly.
This first step is what researchers call the licking phase.
It's when the chocolate first hits the tongue and that smooth melt in your mouth sensation starts to kick into high gear.
And in this stage the The tongue is warmer than the solid chocolate, so the chocolate begins to melt.
You got it.
And as soon as the tongue experiences this smooth sensation, saliva enters the party.
As in spit?
Yep.
As you know, mouths are full of spit.
And if you put chocolate inside your mouth, That spit and chocolate work together to coat your tongue.
And as that's happening, teeny tiny cocoa particles are released.
And before you know it, there's a chocolate celebration happening inside your mouth.
That all sounds great, Mindy, but what happens with dark chocolate?
You know, the chocolate that I eat.
It's 99% pure cacao and...
It doesn't melt easily in my mouth.
It doesn't have that same creamy, smooth sensation that milk chocolate has.
Well, it's funny you should mention that, Guy Raz.
The researchers tested different kinds of chocolate, ranging from almost pure chocolate cacao, like you love, to the high-protein milky milk chocolate that I love.
And let me guess they discovered that the higher the fat in the chocolate, the smoother the sensation when it hits the tongue.
You know it.
But and this is a big but they also discovered that the fat in the chocolate only needs to be on the outer layer to get that smooth sensation.
Uh-huh.
So the inner layer of chocolate could be dark and bitter, but as long as the outer layer's full of milky fat, you still get that melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Exactly.
What these researchers discovered was that coating the cocoa particles in fat are what helped make them feel so good.
Wow.
So the amount of fat in the chocolate doesn't matter as much as where it's located in the chocolate.
You know it.
This is so interesting, Mindy.
So what does this mean for the future of chocolate?
I mean, is it possible to give pure cacao that high-fat milk chocolate melt-in-your-mouth sensation?
Oh, I'm so glad you asked Guy Raz, because I have cooked up a brand new kind of chocolate that will be sure to satisfy both of our taste buds.
A new kind of chocolate?
Guy Raz, Reggie...
It is time.
Behold, the chocolate bonker ball.
Whoa.
With a thin layer of fat mixed with solid cocoa particles on the outside and a dark and bitter core, this chocolate bonker ball is basically a decadent and tasty health food, if you ask me.
But why is it in a clear box on a pedestal, Mindy?
Oh, that's because it's not for eating, Guy Raz.
It's just for looking at.
What?
Not for eating?
Well, at the moment, it's the only one of its kind.
And the crown jewel of my chocolate gingerbread mansion science factory.
And that brings us to the end of our tour.
But Now, since you no longer want me to use my flute, I must step outside to summon the Wimple Robots to bring back our friends.
Uh-huh.
And while I'm gone, remember the rules, Guy Raz.
No meddling, no touching, and no tasting.
Right.
The rules.
Opening the...
Be right back.
Remember the rules, Guy Raz.
Oh, I want to try this chocolate.
But maybe just a little taste would be okay, Reggie.
I mean, this is a laboratory.
We could look at it as an, you know, experiment.
You know what?
Maybe I'll just smell it.
That wouldn't be breaking the rules, would it?
Hmm.
I'll just carefully remove this glass case here and... Ah, do you smell that, Reggie?
Maybe just a little taste?
And maybe just the other side to even it out.
And one more for the sake of science experiments.
Experimentation?
Oh, look, there's Guy and Reggie.
Hi, Guy.
My dearest friends and family, allow me to humbly introduce you to the most revolutionary new kind of chocolate ever invented.
I call it...
Gasp!
You call it that, Roz?
Oh, hello, everyone.
Oh, no!
What happened?
The chocolate.
It's all over Mr. Rozzy's face.
Oh, sorry, Mindy.
I just couldn't help myself.
You invented a healthier chocolate, and I just had to experiment with it.
Experiment with it?
Uh...
Anything for science?
What?
Oh, don't worry, guy.
I bet Mindy set this whole thing up as an elaborate test.
Didn't you, Mindy?
No!
And since Reggie was the only one to follow the rules, he gets to inherit the Chocolate Gingerbread Mansion Science Factory.
Oh.
What?
No, he doesn't.
I live here.
What?
Someone lives here?
Give anyone my gingerbread mansion?
Rats.
I brought you all here today to eat this chocolate bonker ball with me.
Oh.
And to show you that even the most bitter no-fat, no-sugar pure cacao can still be creamy and delicious and good for you if it's coated in just a thin layer of the good fatty stuff.
But Guy Raz got to it first and... it all himself.
I'm so full.
So now I guess we'll just have to eat some of my other candy inventions.
Hooray!
Okay, let's see here.
Well, we've got to try the cotton candy coated sugar steaks.
No!
Oh, and of course, there's my new sloppy slimy sugar snakes.
Oh, boy!
Oh, where's that flute?
I need the Wimple Robots to get me out of here.
Oh, and I almost forgot, my candy cane canned shrimp.
I want that.
Or how about my powdered sugar cinnamon hair?
I think I'm going to be sick.
Or nuggy nugget peppermint hot dogs?
I want it!
Anyone?
I want it, I want it, I want it!
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.
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's Nakona, and I'm from Marlow, Oklahoma.
My Wow in the World is that horseshoe crabs have blue blood.
Isn't that bonker bald?
Say hi to Reggie.
Woo!
G-Force and Thomas Fingerling for me.
Bye.
Hi, I'm Shia.
I live in Chicago, Illinois.
My wow in the world is that lions can sleep 20 hours a day.
Hello, my name is Noah and I live in Cognac, France.
My wow is that sun waves can kill you if the decibels are high enough.
Say hi to Grandma G-Force and Reggie for me.
What?
I'm nine years old and I live in Israel.
My wow in the world is that Thor, the North God, has Thursday originally named after him.
That's like a birthday every week.
Say hi to Grandma D4.
Oh, wow, wow.
Dennis.
Ahoy there.
Thomas Engeling.
What?
And also Reggie.
Woof, woof, woof.
Woof, woof, woof.
Woof, woof, woof, woof.
Well, okay.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My name is Gabe and I'm eight years old.
I live in Southern California.
My wow in the world is that koalas have fingerprints just like him.
Please say hi to Reggie.
Grandma G-Force.
Oh, isn't that nice?
And Dennis.
Hi there.
Bye.
Love your show.
End of messages.
Wow in the World is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from me.
Original sound design and music editing is done by our supervising producer, Jed Anderson and Tyler Thull.
You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.
Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by three-time Grammy nominees, The Pop-Ups.
Find them at thepopups.com.
Special thanks to Steph Sosa, Henry Moskal, Ruth Morrison, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, Sana Ali-Mohamed, Anna Zygorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
To keep the wows rolling, visit us at Tinkercast.com.
There you can learn more about becoming an official member of the World Organization of Wowsers.
Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow shop, find our best-selling books and learn about all of our other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Grown-ups.
You can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at at wowintheworld, and our email address is hello at tinkercastcom.
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 our show or an upcoming episode of Two What's and a Wow.
Thanks again for listening, and until next time, be fun wowing!
Wowing!
The world was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.