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[Wow in the World: Special Announcements, Hair Science, and the 'Two Whats and a Wow' Game]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Hair We Go! (encore)]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2020-06-10

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Exploring the Science of 'Wow': A Summary of Wow in the World

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz bring their signature blend of high-energy humor and scientific curiosity to their audience. The episode serves as both an update on upcoming community events and a platform for their popular educational game show, "Two Whats and a Wow."

Upcoming Milestones and Community Engagement

Mindy kicks off the episode by highlighting several exciting developments for the "Wowzer" community. November and December are set to be a "November to remember," with guest appearances from Circle Round, Terrestrials, and an upcoming visit from Elmo on November 24th. The most significant announcement is the celebration of the show's 250th episode on December 1st, which Mindy reveals will be a musical. Members of the "World Organization of Wowzers" are invited to an exclusive early listening party on November 22nd, emphasizing the show’s commitment to building a global community through interactive events.

The Science of Perception: Revealing the Previous 'Wow'

The episode transitions into their interactive game segment, "Two Whats and a Wow," where the hosts reveal the winner of their previous challenge regarding human perception and color. The challenge asked listeners to identify the true scientific fact among three options:

  1. The human eye detects green more than any other color.
  2. Mosquitoes are attracted to lighter colors.
  3. The first color human babies recognize is blue.

The correct "wow" was option A. Mindy explains that scientists believe the ability to distinguish between various shades of green likely helped our ancestors identify the safest plants to eat. In contrast, she corrects the common misconceptions regarding mosquitoes—which are actually attracted to darker colors—and infant color recognition, which typically begins with reds, yellows, and greens.

Hair Science: The New Challenge

Following the reveal, the show introduces a new round of "Two Whats and a Wow" centered on the biology of hair. To engage the audience, Mindy presents three scientific claims for listeners to investigate:

  • Fact A: On average, humans lose 300 strands of hair from their scalp every day.
  • Fact B: Hair is the fastest-growing part of the human body.
  • Fact C: The only parts of the skin that cannot grow hair are the lips, palms, and soles of the feet.

By challenging the listeners to identify the true fact, the show encourages scientific inquiry and active listening. This segment reinforces the show’s mission to make learning about the human body both fun and accessible.

Hands-on Learning: Operation Fursuit of Happiness

Beyond the game, Mindy and Guy Raz introduce "Operation Fursuit of Happiness," a creative engineering challenge. Listeners are tasked with using household items—such as towels or bath mats—to create a "fursuit" that mimics the insulating properties of fur. This activity is designed to help children apply engineering skills to understand concepts of heat retention and insulation, while also serving as a fun, tactile way to connect with the show's scientific themes.

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Wow in the World maintains its focus on "learning about their world through play." Whether through the promotion of their educational toy kits or the interactive nature of their game show, the hosts successfully bridge the gap between complex scientific facts and the curious minds of their young listeners. As the episode concludes, the hosts remind the audience to keep observing the world around them, ensuring that the spirit of discovery continues long after the podcast ends.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I was actually coming over here to remind you
2
we have a game show to do, remember?
3
I almost forgot!
4
Places, everyone!
5
let's pick off where we left yesterday.
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📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
get on with the show
3
worth it
4
pick up where we left off
5
on average
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📖 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 got to 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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