English 箭头
Podcast Cover

[Two Whats and a Wow: The Marvelous World of Trees]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Are You Up For-Est?!]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2022-03-25

Preschool Enlightenment
Or study on the web version

📋 Summary

Exploring the Wonders of Trees: A 'Two Whats and a Wow' Special

In this episode of Two Whats and a Wow, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz take listeners on an educational and highly entertaining journey into the science of trees. The show, framed as a game show designed to separate "wows" (scientific truths) from "whats" (fabricated claims), highlights fascinating botanical facts while maintaining a playful, high-energy atmosphere.

Round One: The Secret of Cinnamon

The competition kicked off with a question regarding the origins of common household items. The contestants were asked to identify the true scientific "wow" among three statements about tree bark, Antarctic palm trees, and the growth rate of white cedars. The winning "wow" revealed that cinnamon is made out of tree bark. Mindy explains that the spice is derived by scraping the inner bark of tree species from the Cinnamomum genus. This segment highlights the long journey spices take before reaching grocery store shelves.

Round Two: The Fungal Communication Network

Moving into the second round, the hosts explored the hidden social life of forests. The correct answer identified was that trees can communicate with each other through mushrooms. This scientific phenomenon involves a network of fungus that acts as a conduit for moving water and nutrients between trees. Mindy cleverly likens this underground biological system to "social media" for trees, noting that they don't even need to log on to share information with their neighbors.

Round Three: A Staggering Scale

In the final round, the show addressed the sheer abundance of trees on Earth compared to the cosmos. The winning fact was that there are more trees on Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way. With an estimated 3 trillion trees on our planet, this equates to roughly 379 trees per person, a statistic that dwarfs the estimated 100 to 400 billion stars found in our galaxy. This segment serves as a powerful reminder of the massive biological presence trees maintain on our planet.

Interactive Engagement and Challenges

The episode concludes with a call to action known as "Operation Take It or Leaf It." Mindy and Guy encourage listeners to engage in a leaf scavenger hunt, urging them to collect different shapes and patterns of leaves to examine them closely at home. By inviting the audience to record their findings and share them via Tinkercast, the show effectively turns a passive listening experience into an active, hands-on scientific exploration.

Throughout the episode, the hosts maintain a balance of humor—often punctuated by the "Bonker Balls" bonus round and the chaotic antics of the "prize generator"—and genuine scientific curiosity. By blending these elements, Two Whats and a Wow successfully educates its audience about the complex, interconnected, and impressive nature of the tree world.

🎯Key Sentences

1
It's going to be a November to remember.
2
But for now, let's get on with the show.
3
I no longer answer to Dennis on set.
4
The show can start now.
5
You know it.
Expand All

📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
get on with the show
3
spruce it up
4
for the record
5
elephant in the room
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.

ListenLeap Brings You Into Real Context Learning

🎨 Interesting Content
🌍 Real Materials
📱 Listen Anytime
Or study on the web version