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[The Wonders of Recycling: From Urine Bricks to Biogas Energy]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Don't Let It Go To Waste!]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2021-10-01

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Exploring the Science of Recycling: Insights from 'Wow in the World'

In this engaging episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz dive into the fascinating and often surprising world of recycling. Beyond the typical advice of sorting plastics and paper, the show explores innovative scientific breakthroughs that turn discarded materials into valuable resources.

The Game: Two Whats and a Wow

The core of the episode features their popular segment, "Two Whats and a Wow," where listeners are challenged to identify the single true scientific fact among three wild claims. The category for this round was "Recycling," focusing on the potential for repurposing human and organic waste.

The Winning Wow: Turning Urine into Bricks

The true scientific breakthrough revealed in the episode is that researchers have indeed found a way to turn human urine into functional building materials. By combining "urine, calcium, sand, and bacteria," scientists in South Africa have successfully produced "biobricks" in just over eight days. While the concept might initially sound unappealing, the hosts reassure listeners that after 48 hours, these bricks are "utterly odorless," offering a potential path toward more environmentally friendly construction in the future.

Debunking Recycling Myths

To keep things educational, the hosts debunked two other claims:

  • Water Bottle Nail Polish: While scientists haven't turned water bottles into nail polish, they have discovered that melting plastic waste at "extremely high temperatures with activated carbon" can transform it into sustainable jet fuel.
  • Chewing Gum Biogas: Contrary to the claim that chewing gum is a fuel source, the show clarifies that common food items like "bananas, apples, and avocados" are the real heroes. These organic materials can be converted into biogas to help power generators and homes.

Hands-on Experiment: Operation Biomass to Biogas

To bring the science home, the hosts introduced "Operation Biomass to Biogas," a challenge for young listeners to witness the process firsthand. By placing "smashed banana" into a plastic bottle with water and sealing it with a balloon, participants can observe the balloon inflating with biogas over a few days. This experiment serves as a practical demonstration of how organic waste can generate energy.

Conclusion and Community Engagement

Beyond the scientific facts, the episode highlights the importance of the "World Organization of Wowzers," a community that encourages children to remain curious about their environment. Whether through their upcoming 250th musical episode or their line of educational toys, Wow in the World continues to make complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining, reminding us all to "keep on wowing."

🎯Key Sentences

1
It's going to be a November to remember.
2
But for now, let's get on with the show.
3
Now just stick to the script.
4
You're going to do great.
5
Can I interest you in a recycled bot?
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📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
get on with the show
3
stick to the script
4
in the business of
5
piping hot
Expand All

📖 Transcript

Grownups, Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Wow in the World early and ad-free right now.
Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.
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.

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