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[Worms, Vegetables, and Worldly Wonders: A Wow in the World Recap]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Worm is the Word]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2020-04-16

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Exploring the Science of Nature with Wow in the World

This episode of Wow in the World, hosted by Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz, serves as a delightful blend of educational trivia and lighthearted entertainment. The show focuses on engaging young listeners—referred to as "Wowzers"—with scientific facts, while also promoting community events and new merchandise.

Celebrating Milestones and Community

The episode begins with a series of exciting announcements regarding upcoming content. Mindy highlights that November will be a "month to remember," featuring collaborations with Circle Round and Terrestrials, and a special appearance by Elmo on November 24th. Most notably, the podcast is approaching its 250th episode, which will be a musical celebration. Mindy invites members of the "World Organization of Wowzers" to an exclusive early-listening party on November 22nd, emphasizing the community-driven nature of the show.

The "Two Whats and a Wow" Challenge

A staple of the program is the game show "Two Whats and a Wow," where listeners must identify the single true scientific fact among three statements. In this segment, the hosts review a previous challenge regarding vegetables:

  • The Winner: Ava from Scottsdale, Arizona, correctly identified that rabbits should only eat small amounts of carrots due to their high sugar content, which Mindy humorously describes as a "humongous rabbit candy bar."
  • Fact-Checking: The hosts clarify common misconceptions, noting that while asparagus isn't an eraser, the skin of cucumbers can be used to remove pen marks. They also correct the record on the world's heaviest potato, which weighed roughly 8 kilograms (about the size of a newborn), rather than the 9-kilogram figure suggested in the false statement.

The Scientific Wonders of Earthworms

Transitioning to the episode's main theme, Mindy introduces a playful competition titled "So You Think Your Worm Can Wiggle?" The hosts use this to segue into a new round of "Two Whats and a Wow" focused on worms. The contestants (and listeners) are presented with three intriguing claims to verify:

  1. A worm winning a mayoral election in Talkeetna, Alaska.
  2. The biological possibility of some worms excreting waste through their mouths.
  3. The existence of a worm species unique to New York City.

Operation: Think a Worm

Beyond the trivia, the hosts launch "Operation Think a Worm," an initiative designed to encourage environmental stewardship. They explain that earthworms are "superheroes" of the soil, vital for circulating air and water to help plants grow. Listeners are challenged to research these creatures and write a thank-you note to the earthworms in their local gardens, reinforcing the show's core mission of helping kids "learn about their world through play."

Through these segments, Wow in the World successfully balances humor—such as the "invisible 24-carat ring" prize made of baby carrots—with genuine scientific inquiry, encouraging children to remain curious about the natural 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'm just working on a little project here.
4
Oh, that's my cue.
5
We're going to take five.
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📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
get on with the show
3
take five
4
where we left off
5
not too far off
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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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