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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 to Inside Tinkercast Studios, the show where I reminisce and revisit my favorite episodes of Wow in the World.
I'm your host, Dennis.
What?
An announcement?
Reggie, we don't have time for announcements.
The Inside Tinkercast Studios show format has a particular rhythm and it can't easily be interrupted.
Fine.
Let's see here.
Ahem.
Attention, valued customer.
Earn 100,000 bonus points with a 0% annual fee.
See inside for rates and additional disclosure.
Reggie, this is my junk mail.
Oh, this is the announcement over here.
Okay, I'll read this.
Attention, wowzers.
Do you like the two What's in a Wow game show?
Then you're going to love the two What's in a Wow Think and Tinker playbook.
It's got what's.
It's got wow's.
It's got 37 steam themed challenges to resurrect your intellect.
For more info, visit Tinkercast.com slash shop or find it wherever books are sold.
Okay, time for voicemails.
Let me just get the old answering machine pulled up here.
Okay, there we are.
Hi, you've reached Dennis from Inside Tinkercast Studios.
That's me.
Leave me a message.
Dennis, I have a question how do we eat?
Bye, how do we eat well?
I'm glad you asked, because I wrote a little song about it and it goes a little something like this ahem, first we pick up the food, then we put it in our mouth, then we chew chew chew chew chew, and then we um, what happens next?
Uh, I forget.
Well, and that's how we eat our food.
Next question.
Hi, Dennis.
My name's Evie, and I don't have a question, but I do have a riddle.
Oh, boy.
I'm the best at riddles.
What has hands but can't clap?
Oh, oh, oh.
It's hands.
What has hands?
Oh, an armchair.
Oh, right.
That's arms.
A handkerchief.
No, wait.
Hand sanitizer.
Oh, right, right, right, right.
Two hands.
Oh, a handlebar mustache.
And the answer is a clock.
Oh, darn.
Of course.
A clock.
Next riddle.
Next question.
Hey, Dennis.
My name is Emma.
I live in Clifton Park, New York.
And I was wondering, what is your favorite element on the periodic table of elements?
Oh, my favorite element is elements.
Ananonium.
Ananonium.
It's the best name.
I love it.
Ananonium.
Ananonium.
What do you mean they renamed it to Runtgenium in 2004?
Well, that was very anonuncool of them.
Thanks for your calls, everyone.
If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message.
The number is 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
I just might answer your question on Inside Tinkercast Studios.
Okay, that takes care of that.
Good question.
Today's episode of Wow in the World comes to us from Season 3, Episode 22 Scaredy Sharks and the Science of Fear.
In this episode, Guy takes Mindy to a taping of the Bruni Soto Show.
That's right, Reggie.
They discuss the science of fear while Bruni interviews a great white shark.
Well, of course they used an animal translator to understand the shark.
Sharks don't speak English.
I don't know what language they speak.
Sharkish?
Sharkies, maybe?
It doesn't matter.
It's time to play the episode.
And now Inside Tinkercast Studios brings to you a special encore presentation of one of my favorite episodes of Wow in the World Scaredy Sharks and the Science of Fear.
Take Studios, home of the Bruni Soto Show.
A daytime talk show where we explore the issues important issues like what's up with peeing in pools.
Where do birds go in the nighttime?
And of course, our Flemmi award-winning episode, Cute Aggression.
What is it and why?
To attend a taping of the Bruni Soto Show, visit the box office.
Okay, Mindy, come on right through this door.
Hey, Roz, where are we?
How long do I have to keep this blindfold on for?
It's not a blindfold, Mindy.
It's a silk eye mask.
Can you just tell me where we're going?
Well, I'm sorry for all the secrecy, but we're almost here.
Almost where?
Wait.
Stand right there.
Okay.
Ready?
Three, two, one.
Remove. your eye mask and... Ta-da!
One Take Studios?
The Bruni Soto Show?
Guy Raz, did you get us tickets to the season premiere of the Bruni Soto Show?
Happy unbirthday, Mindy!
Aw, you remembered!
How could I un-forget?
Guy Raz, this is the best unbirthday present I've ever gotten!
It's also the only unbirthday present I've ever gotten.
Thanks, buddy.
You're welcome, Mindy.
And, on top of it being your favorite TV show, I also heard that this season premiere is based on one of my favorite areas of psychology.
Psychology.
The science of our minds and why we do the weird things we do.
Behaviors.
Right.
And so what is the first episode all about?
Our fears.
Our fears?
Yeah, that's right.
Like having a fear of heights or a fear of the dark.
Right. both of which are sometimes referred to as phobias.
Oh, yeah.
Phobias are like those extreme fears, right?
Like the kinds that are sometimes passed down from our ancestors.
Exactly.
Like you know, there's not much reason to be afraid of the dark today, but 10000 years ago our ancestors would have had a lot of reasons to be afraid of the dark.
For starters, there might be predators in the dark.
Yikes.
And did you know that the word phobia comes from the Greek word phobos, which translates into English as fear?
Interesting.
So someone with a fear of heights might have... Acrophobia.
And someone with anadidiphobia might have, Might have a fear of.
Actually, I don't think I've heard of that one before.
Fear of being watched by a duck, Guy Raz.
A fear of being watched by a duck?
Is that even a real phobia?
You know it is.
Maybe they'll have that one on the show today.
Attention.
Today's live taping of the Bruni Soto Show begins in five minutes.
If you've already purchased your tickets, please make your way to security.
Come on, Mindy, that's us.
Right behind you, buddy.
Please empty your pockets and place all belongings on the conveyor belt for screening.
All right, you're clear.
Keep it moving.
You there, with the elbow patches.
Step forward, please.
Okay, but... And you, with the toolbox?
Whatever.
Everything on the conveyor belt, please.
Not a problem, Mr. Security Man.
Thank you.
There we go.
Mindy, how heavy is your adventure toolkit?
Yeah, I had no idea where you were taking me for the surprise today, so I had to prepare myself for every possible situation.
Oh, man!
Mindy, what did you do?
Hold on.
The milk detectors are going off.
Milk?
Milk is prohibited on the premises.
Bruni is lactose intolerant.
Hmm.
Looks to be a lot of milk.
Nearly four gallons.
Mindy, what were you doing with four gallons of milk in your bag?
Guy Raz, that could be anybody's milk who set off the scanner.
Jerry, the scanner says the milk is in that case.
The one that says Mindy's Adventure Toolkit and has the sticker on it that says warning contains milk.
That's the one.
Open it up and get rid of the milk.
Mindy, are those cats jumping out of your toolkit?
We talked about this.
Now you know who the milk was for.
Come on, cats.
Okay, okay.
Stanner says you're clear now.
You can go through.
Thank you very much.
Come on, Mindy.
Let's go find our seats.
Walk, walk, walk.
We're live in two minutes.
Two minutes to air.
Hi.
Welcome to the Bruni Soto Show.
Oh, yeah.
Hi.
We're just trying to find our seats.
Oh, sure.
Let me just take a look at your tickets.
Oh, front row.
You two are seated right down here.
And here are your ponchos.
Ponchos?
Ponchos.
Ponchos.
Uh, why do we need ponchos?
First three rows require ponchos.
That doesn't really answer my question.
Yeah, but it does kind of rhyme.
Sorry, sir, we're in a bit of a rush.
Just please take your seats.
Okay, but... Come on, Guy Raz, put your poncho on.
We're going to miss the beginning of the show.
It's like a glove.
Ah, luxuries.
Today we are exploring fears and the feelings that keep us awake at night.
We meet an anglerfish who is afraid of the dark, a flea who is afraid of heights and a shark who is absolutely terrified of orcas.
A shark who's afraid of orcas?
I know, right?
What do sharks have to be afraid of?
They're like the lions of the sea.
Wait, no, Mindy.
I think I've heard about this before.
Really?
Yeah, there was a study done at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Oh, I've been there.
The one in Northern California?
Yeah.
What did they find?
The scientists found that the great white sharks that swim off the coast of California would get out of town as fast as they could any time orcas showed up.
Orcas?
A.K.A. killer whales?
That's right.
And the part that really got the researchers curious was that these great white sharks would avoid these areas where the orcas swam for almost a year after they first saw the orcas.
Sharks scared of whales?
Yeah, it seems like there's a pretty good reason they're on this episode all about fears.
I'll say.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to bring out our first guest.
Shh.
Please welcome to the stage our first fearful friend from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean Hilton the Anglerfish.
As always, we have our expert animal translator, Terry, with us today.
Say hello, Terry.
Hi, Brody.
But I want to talk to you, Anglerfish.
Tell me Hilton, a fear of the dark must be pretty tough for a fish that lives 5000 feet under the sea.
That's right.
When you get that deep, you can't see anything.
Light rarely reaches any deeper than 700 feet past the surface.
So how exactly do you keep yourself from being overcome with fear down there?
Well, I have this neat little flashlight with me at all times.
It's actually attached to my head.
I sometimes use it to catch linner.
I'm sorry.
Did you say linner?
Oops.
Sorry, Bruni.
Bad translation.
Dinner.
I sometimes use it to catch dinner.
Well, Hilton, that sounds like something our audience would love to see.
Audience, would you like to see Hilton's little flashlight?
Steve, cut the light.
Oh, no.
Not the dark.
Well, Hilton, the anglerfish, I can see your light and you are shining bright.
You know what?
You're right.
If it wasn't for the darkness, you wouldn't be able to see this little light of mine at all.
I also wouldn't be able to catch linner.
I mean dinner.
Thanks, Bruni.
Thanks for helping me face my fears.
Thank you, Hilton.
Thank you for your bravery.
After the break, a flea that just can't stand heights.
And later a shark whose crippling fear of orcas pushed him out of his hunting grounds for almost a year.
And we're clear.
Oh, and I love this show.
The drama, the rolling blackouts.
It really is fascinating live TV, Mindy.
I can't wait to hear what that shark has to say about his fear of orcas.
Oh, yeah.
Weren't you just saying that there was a scientific study about that?
That's right.
The study was conducted in the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of San Francisco in California.
So how do you even measure how scared a great white shark is?
Well, you get them to fill out a questionnaire.
No way.
Of course not, Mindy.
I was just joking.
You were joking?
What the researchers did was to observe or watch very closely how the great white sharks and the orcas interacted when both of them were hunting for food in this national marine sanctuary.
Uh-huh.
And the researchers were able to observe these interactions in two different ways.
So the first way was when great white sharks would actually bump into an orca out in the wild.
Like when I bump into Dennis in the grocery store.
Exactly.
And what was the other way?
Well, the other way was using a bit of math.
I love math!
So the researchers looked at the data or the information from 165 great white sharks that were tagged.
Tagged?
Like stuck in the mud?
Well, not exactly.
The researchers put these little devices called acoustic tags on the sharks to learn more about them and their behavior.
Oh, so like what they eat and their migration patterns or where they swim.
Exactly.
So what did they learn from these 165 tagged sharks?
Well, they compared the migratory patterns of these sharks.
Migratory patterns as in where they had been?
That's right.
And they compared where the sharks had been with orca sightings.
Huh.
And then what?
When the researchers compared how the sharks migrated to where they saw the orcas, they found that every time the orcas showed up, the sharks would just high tail it out and go further up the coast to do their hunting somewhere else.
With their tail between their legs, I bet.
Or fins.
Fins between their legs.
Anywho, sounds like they were scared.
Well, that's basically it, Mindy.
Today, we're delving into the deep blue sea of fear and insecurity.
Our next guest is a flea with the local circus whose entire act depends on her soaring to great heights.
And yet, this little parasite can't stand being more than 30 centimeters off the ground.
Please welcome to the stage, Patricia the Flea.
I can't see anything!
You know what?
Me neither.
Camera three, can we push in a little?
Closer.
That's it.
Closer.
Ah, there she is.
So Patricia, you have a fear of heights.
That must be difficult for a species of insect that can jump the way you can.
I'm sorry, Terry, the translator, is Patricia speaking?
I think so, Bruni.
It's a strange dialect, but I believe I can translate.
Okay, I think I've got it.
Patricia says, that's right.
If I try my hardest, I can leap nearly 30 centimeters into the air.
If I were the same height as a human, that would be the equivalent of jumping over the Empire State Building.
Wow, that is impressive.
It would be if not for my fear of heights.
See, whenever I jump over 10, 12 centimeters, I freak out.
It's cost me everything.
Just last month, I lost my job at the circus.
That is awful.
And all because of a phobia you never ask for.
I'd do anything to get rid of it.
Excuse me?
Sorry, I'd do anything to get rid of it.
Ah, well, Patricia, do we have a surprise for you.
We contacted your old circus and explained your phobia faux pas, and they have agreed to take you back on.
Not as a high-flying trapezist, but as a contortionist.
Huzzah!
Oh, happy day.
Better get stretching that thorax.
Coming up after the break, our final guest, a shark with a crippling fear of orcas.
Don't go anywhere.
We'll be right back. thought that sharks were the biggest, baddest predators in the ocean.
But I guess there was a bigger, badder predator out there all along.
Well, Mindy, both great white sharks and orcas are what's known as apex predators.
Meaning that they are at the top of their food chains.
That's right.
Meaning that they aren't usually eaten by any other animal in that environment.
Ah, so the orcas are not going into the great white shark's territory to hunt them.
They're just looking for the same food as them.
Exactly.
Elephant seals are actually on the menu, and both species want to take a bite.
But when they come face to face... The great white sharks turn and run.
Because they would rather hunt in a different area where the orcas don't go.
Wow, I guess everyone really is scared of something.
Even a big, scary, great white shark.
And we're live in three, two, one.
If you're just joining us on the Broody Soto Show, we're talking today about fears and phobias.
Our last guest today is known as the Lion of the Sea.
Measuring in at more than 15 feet, with more than 15 rows of razor-sharp teeth.
What could this terrifying apex predator possibly be afraid of?
One word.
Horrible.
Please welcome our next guest, Bruce the Great White Shark!
Whoa!
Look at the size of him.
And look at the size of that tank.
Whoa, mama.
Huh, well, why do they bring out two tanks?
Well, there's only one way to find out, Guy Raz.
What's that?
Button up your poncho, sit back, and enjoy the show.
Oh, right.
Now, Bruce, tell me a little bit about where you're from.
My family is found all over the world, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic to the Pacific.
But my immediate family...
We tend to live and hunt just off of the coast of Northern California.
Go, Warriors!
Yeah, sports!
From Northern California?
But that is not the case anymore, is it?
Do you want to tell me what happened?
Well, every September through December, me and my family migrate to the Farallon Islands off the coast of Northern California to hunt elephant seals for a couple of months.
It's an old family tradition.
We've been doing it for Sears.
Uh.
Um, Sears?
Oh, sorry.
Years.
We've been doing it for years.
But last year was different?
That's right.
There we were, minding our own business, when suddenly, out of nowhere, this pod of orcas show up.
And you ran away?
Well, yeah.
Have you ever seen an orca before?
They're terrifying.
Me and my family, we high-tailed it out of there to go eat somewhere else.
And how long ago was this?
One Sears ago.
I mean, one year ago.
It's been one year and you still haven't returned to your hunting ground?
That's right.
And I don't know if I'll ever go back.
That's no way to live, Bruce.
It sounds like somebody has to face their fears.
What do we say, studio audience?
Is it time for Bruce to face his fears?
Bruce, it's time for you to face your fears right in front of all these good people.
Studio audience, are you wearing your ponchos?
Oh yeah!
Yes!
Release the orca!
Oh my, wow, did you just see that?
Mindy, Mindy, did they just drop that orca into that Big empty tank?
Jess, we finally found out what that tank was for.
We also found out what these ponchos were for.
I'm soaked.
Bruce, I need you to look that orca in the eye and realize that it is a marine apex predator just like you, with a family just like you, and that there is enough food to go around.
Do you see?
Looks like we have a breakthrough.
And that's all the time we have, folks.
Tomorrow on the Bruni Soto Show, a hippo and a deer trade diets for a week.
Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time.
And we're clear.
That's a wrap.
What a show!
What a finish!
The way she was able to make those two Predators make up?
Whatever did happen with that research?
Well, it proved that food chains aren't always as straightforward as we thought and that sometimes a single environment can have more than one apex predator.
And knowing that can help us to monitor and to research marine ecosystems in the future.
Correctamundo.
Hey, guys.
We're going to have to ask you to move out of here.
We've got the National Pie Eating Competition starting in about 20 minutes.
So...
Unless you want to hang around and watch that.
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Can we?
Well, it is your own birthday.
Yes!
All right.
Have fun, guys.
Hold on to those ponchos.
You're going to need them.
Whoa.
Wait.
Wait.
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 can hear?
Exclusive audio content from me and Guy Raz to help your wowzer discover even more wows grown-ups.
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 tinkercastcom slash toys.
That's tinkercastcom slash toys.
Hi, thanks for calling Wow in the World.
After the beep, get ready to record.
Hi, Mindy and Gay Roz.
My name is Theo, and I'm nine years old, and I live in Berlin, Germany.
My wow in the world is that eagles have the best vision on Earth.
They can see about eight times as far as humans.
Bye!
Mind my own beeswax?
I always mind my own beeswax.
My beeswax is the best beeswax.
Reggie, let me see your beeswax.
I want to make sure it's not as good as mine.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz.
My name is Deanna, and I live in California.
And my way of the world is that a rainbow may look like an arch, but it's actually a circle.
You would have to.
The only way you can see a circle is you would have to be in the plane flying over
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz.
My name is Connor.
I live in Vermont.
And my way of the world is is that it takes 43 gallons of saps to make one gallon of maple syrup.
And you can only collect it in spring.
Say hi to Reggie for me.
Bye.
Hi, Wild Wind World.
My name is George, and I live in Bethesda, Maryland.
My Wild Wind World is that Russia is the biggest country in the whole wide world.
It's almost as big as the planet Pluto.
And it borders 14 countries.
It also has nine time zones.
Bye, Wow in the World, and say hi to Reggie for me.
Hi, Reggie and Des.
My name is Lander.
I'm from Newburgh Oregon, and my Wow in the World is that smartphones and tablet screens read your touches by sensing electrical charges from your fingers.
Say hi to Mindy and Guy Raz.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz.
My name is Zoe, and I live in Rockdale, Maryland.
My wow in the world is that you can tell if a snake is poisonous or not poisonous by the shape of its pupil.
Bye.
Love your show.
Say hi to Bucky for me.
Hello.
My name is Wyatt, and I live in Vienna, Virginia.
And my wow in the world is that your fingertips grow at the same speed as continents move.
And hello, Reggie.
And hi, Dennis.
Ahoy there!
And can Reggie fly over for a little while?
What?
End of messages.
Hey everyone, 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 Kelken, who also provides silly characters.
Tom?
Hello there.
And big shout out to Bruni Herring for lending their voice to this episode.
Thanks also to Jessica Bode, Casey Koffer, 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 info on their two-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-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.
Wow in the World is made.
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wonderycom slash survey.
