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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.
On December 1st, we are sharing our 250th episode of Wow in the World with all of you.
We think this one is going to be music to your ears.
Literally.
Did I mention it's a musical?
And if you're a member of the World Organization of Wowzers...
Oh boy, do I have a surprise for you.
You can listen to our 250th episode early with me and other members from around the world on Saturday, November 22nd, at 7 pm.
Eastern.
That's right, we are throwing another listening party.
Join us as we dance along to our new songs.
React to the episode with other members in the chat and more.
Grownups.
If you want your wowzer to join this members-only listening party, you can sign up to become a member today at Tinkercastcom.
Slash wow.
Already a member?
Well, you can find the link and password to join the event when you sign in at Tinkercastcom.
Slash wow.
That's it.
It's going to be a November to remember.
But for now, let's get on with the show.
Woo!
Good morning, friends.
I'm so glad you could all join us for Senior Citizen Day at the Museum of Wow.
Hey, Mindy.
Oh, wait.
We invite you here today because humans over 100 years old get in free.
And this is the first day of the museum's exciting new amphibian exhibit.
Amphibian is the scientific name for a group of animals that begin their lives with gills and tails in the water, but later grow legs and lungs for a new life on land.
In fact, the word amphibian means...
Double life.
Like the double life of turning from a tadpole into a frog.
Yes, a process known as metamorphosis.
Um, are you... Are you sleeping?
What?
No, I wasn't sleeping.
I have allergies.
Anyhoo...
This is sure to be an unfrog-gettable day.
The museum promises some of the most wow-worthy and riveting new scientific discoveries on all sorts of cold-blooded vertebrates like toads and newts and salamanders.
But today, we're going to focus on my personal favorite, frogs.
Wait, I never said that frogs were my favorite.
Newts are my favorite.
Now, before we begin our day, I just want to take a quick roll call to make sure we're all here.
So please wake up and just say present when I call your name.
Okay.
Mindy?
Who?
Reggie?
Thomas Fingerling?
Presents!
Grandma G-Force?
Did somebody call my name?
G-Force, can't you hear nothing?
Okay, okay.
Before we go in, I should...
Probably lay down some ground rules.
Oh, boy.
Ground pools.
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
Best museum ever.
High five.
What's he saying?
Rule number one.
We are operating on a buddy system today.
Everybody must stick with their partner at all times.
Oh, I call that guy.
Mindy, that is a concrete statue of a bald eagle.
I'll be your buddy, okay?
Thomas Fingerling, Grandma G-Force, I'm going to pair the two of you up as well.
Oh, I see.
Lump all the good-looking athletes together, eh?
So, what are we playing?
Badminton?
Oh, but Guy Raz, what about Reggie?
Oh, Reggie's going to... be our chaperone for today.
He's the most mature member of our group and the only one with a child care degree.
So if anyone gets lost or hurt or needs to take a bathroom break, you be sure to let Reggie know, okay.
Oh, I gotta go to the bathroom.
We haven't even gotten into the museum yet.
Sorry, sorry.
I'll just pay you I'm gonna pee mine even more.
I'm wearing a diaper anyway, so... No one is going to pee their pants.
Just go to the restroom and meet me at the ticket booth in five minutes, okay?
Okay.
I would've won.
Oh, boy.
Welcome to Senior Citizen Day at the Museum of Wow.
Anyone over the age of 100 gets free admission, so... Looks like today is your lucky day, sir.
Who?
Who?
Me?
You can't hear.
Yes, you, my friend.
Old croaks get in free today.
Will you be needing any special assistance as you move throughout the museum floor?
Oh, well, I think you must be mistaken.
I am not an old croak.
I'm practically a pollywog.
Oh, I'm sorry.
My bad.
I guess it's just the suit and the elbow patches just kind of threw me off.
My granddad wears the same outfit.
I got this suit from the junior's department.
And look, this tie is a clip-on.
Don't tell anyone.
We're back.
Somebody left free toilet paper in the bathroom.
One for you.
One for you.
This is a senior citizen, and we have another one as well.
He's right.
Mindy, where is Thomas Fingerling?
Look over there.
If you see Thomas Fingerling, probably like his eyes.
Thomas Fingerling.
Okay, so that'll be two old croaks and two pollywogs.
Oh, and a pigeon.
He doesn't like to talk about his age.
Wait, Mindy, I just remembered.
Reggie's family is one of the museum's major donors.
They have an entire wing named after them.
I wonder why there was a wing sticking out of the side of the building like that.
Major donors?
Major donors get in free.
And so do all of you.
Thank you, Mrs. and Mr. Reggie's parents.
Have fun, you guys.
Okay, so where should we start first?
Hmm well, looking at the map here, I think we should make our first stop at the Hall of Mindy Frogs.
Mindy Frogs?
I knew that Mindy was a frog since the day she was born.
Yeah, I was just reading about these mini frogs.
I mean, mini frogs.
In fact, three new species were just discovered on the island of Madagascar.
A team of evolutionary biologists were the ones to find them.
Isn't evolutionary biologist scientist who studies how all different types of life on earth evolved from one common ancestor?
Exactly right.
And isn't a species basically just a group of living things that have so much in common that they can get together and reproduce or make more of themselves?
Yes, for example, we humans belong to the homo sapien species right, and so who?
Who were these evolutionary biologists who found these new frog species?
Well, there was a whole team of them led by a scientist named Marc Schurz.
And he's from Ludwig Maximilian's University in Munich, Germany.
So what did Marc Schurz and his team of biologists want with finding a bunch of mini frogs?
I mean, sounds like it would be a lot easier to find big frogs, toads even.
Well... And just how many are we talking here?
I haven't even seen them yet, and already I can feel my cute aggression kicking in.
Well, looks like we're at the hall of mini frogs now.
Let's see for ourselves.
They're going to be so cute and tiny, I'm going to barf.
Here, you can barf in my pocketbook.
Thank you very much.
Um, Guy Raz, I think we've been duped.
What?
There's a big old aquarium with some plants inside, but I'm not... seeing any frogs.
Froggy, froggy, froggy, froggy.
Huh.
That usually works.
Mindy, if we can't find these mini frogs in a museum aquarium, just imagine how difficult it must have been for this team of biologists to find them in the wild forests of Madagascar.
Well, if they were too tiny to find easily, then how did these scientists even know that they were there?
Well, that's a good question.
You see, the scientists could hear the different sounds of the mini frogs, so they would try to follow in the direction of their calls.
But I bet, as soon as the frogs detected the scientists coming up on them, they'd just leap up and hop away.
Well, yeah, it was like an interspecies game of Marco Polo.
Wow.
And that was just the first obstacle.
You see, once they were finally able to To capture some of these frogs, the biologists found that they were too tiny to even tell apart.
Yeah, so exactly how tiny are we talking here?
Well Mindy, you might want to take out your magnifying goggles for this one, because the biggest one of the species who the scientists named Mini-Etcher he's small enough to fit on a human thumbnail.
The largest mini-frog can sit on a human thumbnail?
Whoa!
Now I wish I still had human thumbnails.
And if you think that's small, you need to meet Miniscule and Minimum.
Hold the phone, Guy Raz.
Are you telling me that these scientists named these new species Miniature, Miniscule, and Minimum?
Well, you know, scientists are known for being kind of punny, Mindy.
So if Miniature is small enough to fit on a thumbnail...
Then how small are mini-skewl and mini-mum?
Well, mini-skewl is actually a little smaller than mini-atcher.
So smaller than a thumbnail.
Yup, yup.
And mini-mum, the smallest of the new species, is as small as a staple or a grain of rice.
Rice?
I gotta see these tiny cuties for myself.
If they're even half as cute as a little baby crane of rice, I'm gonna burst through this wall.
Hey, Mindy, look up here.
I found your little froggy.
What in the... Oh, no, is she?
Hey, Forge, get out of the frog tank, you weirdo.
She's in the frog tank.
Mindy, what is she doing?
Oh, my.
Wow.
You want to see some tiny frogs, Mindy?
I've got tiny frogs right here.
Hey, little froggy.
There you go.
Wow.
They're smaller than flies, Guy Raz.
And mini spiders. even has teeth in its upper jaw.
Can you even imagine how tiny its little braces would have to be?
Mindy!
I've just never seen frogs so teeny weeny.
I bet you could fit one of their little frog brains on top of a tiny kid.
Mom!
Ah!
Get out of the aquarium!
What do you think you're doing?
I'm freeing the froggy and wild and lucky Mindy, Mindy, how did you even get in there?
This is a disaster.
Oh, let the frog down.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, let the frog down.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Security to the mini frog exhibit.
Chief, of course, that song was so bad they called security.
Oh, Dobby.
Ma'am?
Stop freeing the frogs.
You're coming with us.
Security?
What?
No, that's my grandma G-Force.
You can't take her away.
She climbed into the aquarium and let all the frogs loose by accident.
Well, now we need to squeegee the frog water off of her at the security office.
She'll be staying there so she can't damage any more exhibits.
You can pick her up on your way out.
And stop singing that song.
It's atrocious.
Don't worry, Grandma G-Force.
You'll be just fine.
We'll pick you up at security on our way out.
Excuse me, everyone.
We're going to need you to move on to the next exhibit.
This one is closed.
So where do we go next, Mindy?
Well, let me just check the map here.
Ooh, a map.
How many paces to the buried treasure?
The what?
Shiver me.
Timbers, I'll be Captain Jack Russell Terrier, and Mindy can be Orlando Bloom.
Where exactly do you think we are right now?
Ooh, this next exribit is going to be so wow.
The whole thing takes place in the pitch black darkness for added effect.
What kind of effect?
A napping effect?
We did not come here to nap.
The reason it takes place in the pitch black darkness is because it's supposed to help us to see some unusual feature of the frogs featured in it.
OK, I'm intrigued.
Let's go check it out.
Mindy, do you have a flashlight in your adventure toolkit by any chance?
Oh, no, Guy Raz.
A flashlight would ruin the whole experience.
What we'll need is my ultraviolet UV light.
Check this baby out.
Whoa.
It's like a black light that makes things glow if they're white or fluorescent.
Follow me, everyone, to the Atlantic Forest of Eastern Brazil.
Eastern Brazil?
Mindy, we just got to the museum and we promised your grandma G-Force that we'd be back to get her out of security soon.
She'll be fine.
G-Force went to Brazil last week.
No, no, you guys.
We're not leaving the museum.
We're just going to the next exhibit.
It's modeled after the Atlantic forest of eastern Brazil.
Easter in Brazil.
My favorite time of year.
Oh, goodness.
Mindy, now that my eyes are adjusting to the dark, what kind of amphibian are we actually looking for?
Well, I'll describe it for you.
It's smaller than a nickel, bright orange like a pumpkin, and looks like...
A frog.
Because it's a frog.
I didn't follow any of that.
You need to work on your instructional clarity, mister.
Okay, I'm looking smaller than a nickel, bright orange like a pumpkin, and looks like a frog.
That's right.
And according to the map, it can be found hiding anywhere in this exhibit.
Mindy, I have a strange feeling we're not in the museum anymore.
This is looking and feeling pretty lifelike.
That's all part of the experience, Kairos.
Now let's lock arms and wander through in search of this elusive frog.
Link arms?
What are we playing, Red Rover?
Oh, well, let me put on my Red Rover in shoes.
What?
Put those away.
All right, give me your arms, and here we go.
Nickels and pumpkins and frogs, oh my!
Nickels and pumpkins and frogs, oh my!
Nickels and pumpkins and frogs, oh my!
Hello there!
Where did you come from?
Welcome to Senior Day at the Museum of Wow.
How many old croaks do we have here today?
Well, I'm a pollywog.
We're trying to find the nickel-sized pumpkin frogs.
Ah, yes.
You're looking for the pumpkin toadlet.
Well, look no further.
I happen to have one right here.
Oh, goodness.
So tiny.
So orange.
So... Can I eat it?
Uh, no.
Rats.
But I can tell you all about it.
We're all ears.
Well, the pumpkin toadlet is not all ears.
In fact...
Because of its underdeveloped ears, it is completely deaf, which means it can't even hear the mating calls of its own species.
Well, if it can't hear the mating calls of its own species, then how is the pumpkin toadlet supposed to find a mate and reproduce to make more pumpkin toadlets?
Yeah, how are the male toadlets supposed to show off for the ladies, like other frogs do, if the ladies can't even hear their sweet croaks?
Yeah, explain that one, smarty pants.
Well, according to a recent study led by scientist Sandra Gutt from NYU Abu Dhabi, the answer to that question is just under the frog's skin.
Under the skin?
What do you mean?
Uh, well, uh, oh, can I borrow that ultraviolet flashlight you have there?
What?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Here.
Thank you.
Okay.
Now, watch what happens when I shine this ultraviolet light on the pumpkin toadlet's skin.
Whoa!
Cool!
I can see its bones!
They're glowing!
Yeah, they seem to be glowing or fluorescing a bright blue color.
Those bones are fluorescing right through its bright orange skin.
Hey, shine that UV light on me.
I want to see if I can get my bones to glow.
Yeah!
Yeah, it almost looks like a blue light is coming from the tiny bony plate in its head and the bones in the back of its legs.
It's like a fluorescent skeleton.
So if the pumpkin toadlet can't hear its own call, much less the calls of other pumpkin toadlets, then do scientists think that maybe it uses its glowing bones to find mates instead?
You know, like, as a way of keeping its love light on?
Well, that's one theory as to why these frogs might have glowing bones, but we still don't know for sure if the pumpkin toadlets can see the glow.
Well then, what's the point of having glowing bones if you can't even show them off to your froggy friends?
Okay, come here, Mr. Pumpkin Frog.
I'm sorry, hold that thought.
Sir, sir, do you have a frog?
Oh, I can't believe you're supposed to taste like pumpkin, little fella.
Mr. Fingerling, what are you doing?
I mean, I know that some birds have the ability to see fluorescence with their own eyes and they definitely don't have UV lights.
Sir, the frogs are not for eating.
Well, you gotta try everything once.
That's what I always say.
And I also know that birds are natural predators to frogs, so maybe... Here we go.
Mindy!
Mindy!
He ate it!
What?
He ate the pumpkin totalit.
It's in his mouth.
I can see it glowing through his cheeks.
Don't worry.
I'm going to pay for it.
Here, let me get my wallet.
Sir, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, one of the reasons the pumpkin totalit might glow is to signal to would-be predators that they are, in fact toxic.
Toxic?
Fingerling, that pumpkin totelet is poisonous.
Spit it out.
This is a disaster.
Spit it out.
Spit it out.
What's this trying to sell me?
Poisoned pumpkin spice hot frogs?
I want my money back.
You know what?
We were actually just getting ready to head out.
But before we go, I just want to make sure I got this straight.
So the pumpkin toadlet is a tiny toxic frog that cannot hear, has newly discovered glowing bones, and though scientists have a few theories, they are still on a quest to figure out why.
Ugh.
Yes.
Great.
Well, thank you very much for your tour through this amazing eggs ribbit.
Yeah, we're really sorry our friend here tried to eat it.
Allegedly.
Now, do you think you could point us to the security slammer?
I need to pick up my Grandma G-Force.
She's in for setting all the mini frogs free.
That was you, people?
Did somebody call my name?
Grandma G-Force!
I should call security.
Oh, boy.
J-Force, you busted out.
You bet your sweeping tuna did.
Yeah, security, they're here in the pumpkin spy, I mean, the pumpkin toadlet exhibit.
Hold on one second.
Yes, how can I help you there, Mr. Pigeon?
Oh, you're the chaperone for these people.
Well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to.
Oh, you're Reginald the.
You know your family's contributions to the museum have single-handedly funded this new amphibian exhibit.
You know what?
Why don't we just continue on our way?
It would be an honor to tour around such a major donor.
Reggie's a major domo?
Wow in the World will be right back.
Grown-ups.
This message is for you grown-ups.
It's mindy and guy ross here from wow in the world.
Mindy and i have some brand new wow in the world toys out in the world just in time for the holidays, made for the kids who love science and for the ones who don't.
Yet, from our 100 experiments, that wow kit to the telescope and astronomy kit, Our Wow in the World toys help your wowzer learn about their world through play.
Plus, you can hear exclusive audio content from me and Guy Raz to help your wowzer discover even more wows.
Grownups.
Give the gift of wow and wonder this holiday season with our latest Wow in the World toys designed with your curious wowzer in mind.
You can shop our Wow in the World toys at Tinkercast.com slash toys.
That's Tinkercast.com slash toys.
My name is Catherine.
I live in Beijing, China.
And my world is everything is made of tiny little things which is called atoms.
Bye, I love you.
Hi, Richie.
Hi, my name is Will and I live in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
And my world is that Anacondas give birth to live young, even though they are reptiles.
I think Grandma G-Force would have a good fight with an anaconda.
Oh, doggy!
Bye, Grandma G-Force.
What did he say?
Hi, Mindy and Guy Watson.
My name's McKay, and I'm from Fort Collins, Colorado.
And my wowin' word is that if you stand 800 feet or closer to a rocket launch, sound alone and kill you.
Bye Mindy and Guy Ross and Mikey.
Love your show.
Can't wait to see you in Denver this summer.
My name is Hazel and I'm from Portland, Oregon.
My law in the world is baby koalas are the size of a jelly bean at birth.
Say hi to Dennis for me.
Ahoy there.
Bye.
Hi Mindy.
Hi Guy Ross.
My name is Taylor.
My name is Caitlin.
And we live in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Our law in the world is over 700 mosquitoes in just one month.
Isn't that bonker balls?
Thanks, love yourself.
Bye.
Hi, Mean Dean Guy Rawls.
My name is Ethan and I live in Bournemouth, England.
My wow in the world is that I live on the Jurassic Coast and I found fossils at the beach, mostly ammonites.
Say hi to Grandma Jean for me.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Roz.
My name is Julia and I live in Vancouver, Canada.
My wow in the world is that octopuses have nine brains and three hearts.
I love your podcast.
And Reggie, I can speak pigeon.
End of messages.
Hey, everyone.
Thank you so much for hanging out with us this week.
And to keep the wow rolling, check out this week's scientific conversation starters at our website wowintheworldcom.
And grownups.
There you can find more info on how your kids can become members of the World Organization of Wowzers shop, our wow shop.
Upload photos and videos to us and check dates for our upcoming live events.
That's wowintheworld.com.
Our show is produced by Jed Anderson.
Who provides the bells, whistles, and silly characters.
Say hello, Jed.
Hello.
Our show is written by me, Guy Raz, and Thomas Van Kalken, who also provides silly characters.
Tom?
Hello there.
Thanks also to Jessica Bode, Casey Koffer, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, and Alex Curley.
Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by The Pop-Ups.
For more info on their two-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, find them at thepopups.com.
And grown-ups, you can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at wowintheworld.
And our email address is hello at wowintheworld.com.
And if you're a kid with a big wow to share with us...
Call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of the show.
Also, if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to Wow in the World on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Yeah, leave us a few stars, a review, or just tell a friend about the show.
Thanks again for listening, and until next time, keep on wowing!
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.
