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[Insects, Antarctica’s Resilience, and Scientific Wonders]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Lightning Bug Lighting]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2021-04-02

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Introduction: Upcoming Adventures in the World of Wow

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz share exciting updates for their listeners, known as "Wowzers." They announce a special lineup for November, including collaborations with Circle Round and Terrestrials, and a highly anticipated guest appearance by Elmo from Sesame Street on November 24th. Furthermore, they highlight the upcoming 250th episode, which will be a musical celebration. Mindy invites members of the "World Organization of Wowzers" to an early-access listening party on November 22nd, emphasizing that this will be a "November to remember."

Eco-Friendly Competition and Humorous Antics

The show kicks off with a playful rivalry between Mindy and Guy Raz regarding their efforts to be "more environmentally friendly." Guy Raz proudly showcases his homemade compost bin, which turns "organic food waste" into fertilizer for his micro garden. Mindy, never one to be outdone, reveals a comedic "wow" solution: she has replaced all the lights in her gingerbread mansion with 50,000 "fireflies" to conserve energy, noting that their schedule was "clear" since they have been out of work since the summer.

Two Whats and a Wow: The Insect Edition

The core of the episode features their popular game show, "Two Whats and a Wow!," focusing on the world of insects. The hosts present three scientific statements to their audience:

  1. Statement A: There is only one kind of insect in Antarctica.
  2. Statement B: At the time of dinosaurs, insects were even smaller than they are today.
  3. Statement C: Some crickets are born pregnant.

Revealing the Scientific Truths

After a brief pause, the hosts reveal that Statement A is the "true wow." They explain that the Antarctic midge is the only insect capable of surviving the continent's extreme freezing temperatures. These resilient creatures can spend nine months "frozen solid" and survive without oxygen for nearly a month.

Regarding the other statements, the hosts clarify the misconceptions:

  • Regarding Statement B: Contrary to the claim, giant bugs were common during the age of dinosaurs. The ancestors of modern dragonflies boasted a "wingspan of 25 inches," significantly larger than today's two-to-five-inch dragonflies.
  • Regarding Statement C: While crickets are not born pregnant, the statement touches on a real biological phenomenon found in aphid nymphs, which can indeed be born pregnant and begin reproducing at just 10 days old.

Operation Insect Inspector: A Call to Scientific Action

To conclude the show, Mindy and Guy Raz launch "Operation Insect Inspector," a challenge encouraging listeners to engage in "field research" in their local outdoor spaces. They urge young scientists to observe bugs, document their findings in a notebook, and ask critical questions about how insects move, sound, and look. This initiative reinforces the show's mission to help children discover the "wows" of the natural world through active exploration and curiosity.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I think I might have got you beat.
2
Let me just turn this puppy on here.
3
But don't you think it's a little loud for our game show and all?
4
Hit the garbage disposal.
5
Winner, winner, chocolate covered fruit!
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📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
get on with the show
3
I might have got you beat
4
hold on a sec
5
out of work
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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 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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