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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!
I can't believe we're here either, Mindy.
Come on, Guy Raz.
Cheer up.
You're at Toilet Con, the largest toilet and toilet-related technology conference in the world.
Come and witness the toilet that can swallow 1,000 golf balls in a single go.
Uh, yeah, I guess.
Oh, look.
A deluxe dual action mega flush?
Oh, my cheese and crackers.
Is that the Brush-O-Matic 2000?
I just don't think I'm as into sanitation as you are, Mindy.
But, Guy Raz, this toilet brush has 20% more bristles.
Ah.
Feel it.
I'm okay.
Thanks.
Okay, fine.
But I promise there's going to be something here for you.
It's toilet con after all, Guy Raz.
Well, I promise to keep an open mind, okay?
Where are we off to first?
Oh, well, I'm so glad you asked.
Here, hold this corner.
All right.
Okay, let me just see here.
What is this?
It's a map of the entire convention floor.
It's massive.
Well, it's a big convention, Guy Raz.
Now look, right here, this is where we are.
Right between the Urinal Cake Showcase and the Plunger Pavilion.
Uh-huh.
But over here is the Toilet Cover Art Exhibit.
Some great crocheted pieces this year.
Definitely want to hit that up.
Oh, and look, the Toilet Paper Pavilion.
Brought to you by the American Association of Pranksters?
Oh, looks like there's a water show in Flushing Meadows later today.
Flushing Meadows?
Yeah, that's where they demonstrate the latest and greatest in flushing technology.
Uh-huh, I see.
Do they have any speaking events, Mindy?
Do they?
I don't know.
Do they?
Yes, they do.
The schedule's on the back here.
Just hold this corner, Guy Raz.
Okay.
Okay, there we go.
Huh.
What about this, Mindy?
Look.
A slippery toilet for a greener tomorrow.
I'm always looking for new ways to greenify my life.
Yeah.
Look, it's in the main auditorium.
It must be a pretty big deal.
I wonder who the speaker is.
Well, it says here that the talk is based on a scientific paper written by a group of material scientists from Huashang University of Science and Technology in China.
And it looks like they've invented kind of a slippery 3D printed toilet.
And it's going on in the main auditorium.
That's what it says.
Now we just need to... Found it!
Huh?
Look, it's right over there.
Come on, Guy Raz.
Race ya.
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run.
Mindy, wait up!
Come on, let's head inside.
I want to get the good seats.
Right behind you, Mindy.
Wow, it's already so packed in here.
Yeah, but look, there's still two front row seats left.
Come on.
Mindy, I think it's starting.
Just in time.
What goes in must come out.
It is true of every human being that has come before us. and every human being that will come after.
The history of the toilet is really the history of humanity.
You know it!
Woo!
Quiet!
Sorry.
Sorry, everyone.
Mindy, what is going on?
I have no idea, Guy Raz, but I am loving it.
The toilet, the great leveler.
From the president to the pope, we all use the bathroom.
From the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Babylonians to the latrines of antiquity in Greece and Rome we, as a species, have always understood the importance of sustainable pooping.
But it wasn't until 1775 when one man came forward with a vision, the flushing toilet.
Alexander Cummings' flushing toilet in 1775 paved the way for the world of toilets we live in today.
But it came at a price.
37 billion gallons of water.
141 billion liters flushed down the toilet.
But what if there was a way to reduce that number?
What if we could reduce the amount of water it took to flush your toilet?
Well, now we can.
Introducing the latest cutting edge in toilet technology The abrasion-resistant, super-slippery flush toilet.
Arsft.
Arsft?
Man, for all their super-fancy PowerPoint skills, these guys are not good at naming inventions.
The slipperier the toilet, the less likely things are to stick to it.
The less water needed to clean it.
Please welcome your speaker for this evening, the PEO of Toilet Tech International.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Today we'd like to present to you some research that we believe will revolutionize the toilet world once again.
Our good friends at Huazhong University of Science and Technology have been doing some very important work with ARSSFT, the abrasion-resistant, super slippery flush toilet, also known as Again terrible invention name.
It's all caught in your mouth.
So, who wants to see how it works?
I do!
Me too!
The revolutionary technology is all thanks to the super slippery 3D printed toilet bowl.
And yes, you heard that correctly.
The bowl is printed with a combination of plastic and hydrophobic sand.
Hydrophobic sand?
What does that even mean?
Now I know what you're thinking.
What is hydrophobic sand?
That is what I was thinking!
Hydrophobic sand is a type of sand that actually repels or resists water.
That's what I was going to say.
This combination of materials make up the bowl of the toilet and is step one of what makes this toilet so slippery.
What's step two?
Step two is, which is a result of the 3D printing process.
Is that this toilet bowl is also porous?
Porous?
That means there are little gaps in between the plastic and the sand that's been 3D printed together to make this toilet bowl.
We have filled this porous material with a super slippery oil that then spreads throughout the entire bowl shell.
Meaning that nothing can get stuck to it.
Meaning nothing can get stuck to it.
And if nothing can get stuck to it, less water is needed to clean it.
Which is good news for your water bill and the environment.
What do you mean nothing can get stuck to it?
Well, I could tell you, but I'd rather show you.
Hey, that's my line!
Paul, can we roll the clip please?
Is that what I think it is?
Well, if you think it's a group of very excited material scientists squirting tomato sauce into a toilet bowl, then yeah, that's exactly what you think it is.
Wait, it looks like they're throwing something else in now.
What is that?
Is that... mud?
I sure hope so.
Our researchers have tested a variety of substances on these toilet bowls.
And as you can see, none of these materials are able to stick to the toilet bowl.
Wow.
Look at that, Mindy.
They all just slide right off and into the water.
Wow.
So slippery.
Instead of sticking to the toilet bowl, the substances meet the super slippery oil that is excreted by the toilet bowl, resulting in the world's first ever unskin-markable toilet.
Yeah!
Woo!
Yeah, yeah!
Okay, so let me see if I get this straight, Mindy.
The toilet bowl is covered in a super slippery oil.
Uh-huh.
And when you...
Um, poop.
You can say it out loud, Guy Raz.
It's not a bad word.
Okay, but when you, you know, do your business.
Instead of sticking to the bowl, it sticks to the layer of super slippery oil and slides down into the water.
Exactoritos.
But that's not all.
Any oil lost from the surface of the toilet bowl is immediately replaced from within the toilet bowl, making sure that the toilet keeps its slippery surface 24-7.
A self-oiling toilet!
Uh, Paul, can you bring up the next clip, please?
Okay!
Thank you.
Even under aggressive scrubbing, the toilet was still able to oil itself back up again.
Time after time.
Here you can see the scientists scrub this bowl with sandpaper over 1000 times, only to find it's just as slippery as day one.
You know, when we first heard about this technology, we couldn't help but think about nature.
And specifically, this exotic plant.
It's the tropical pitcher plant, a carnivorous or meat-eating plant found all over the world.
Huh.
Just looks like a big green vase to me.
So, how does this tropical pitcher plant catch its prey?
With a slingshot?
Uh, no.
With a phishing email?
What?
No.
By being slippery.
Precisely.
By being slippery.
God, that was going to be my name.
The pitcher plant secretes a super slippery substance on the inside of its vase-like leaf.
Then, when its unsuspecting victims come to sit on it, they slip into the pool of water at the center of the plant.
Aha!
And the toilet is just like that pitcher plant.
Only, instead of catching insects and bugs, the toilet's prey is poop.
Uh, I guess...
Yes, that's one way of looking at it.
And on the topic of nature, we're hoping that this super slippery toilet technology will also help in the development of the world's most environmentally friendly toilet by dramatically reducing the amount of water needed to clean it with a flush.
Oh, so that's how it's environmentally friendly.
Yes, less water being used on each flush means better outcomes for the environment.
Saving the planet one flush at a time.
Okay, okay.
I think you've all waited long enough.
Now, who wants to see the R's?
All right, all right.
Paul, can we bring out the toilet?
Okay, here it comes.
There you go.
What is that thing?
And why is it so tiny?
What is this?
A toilet for an ant?
Yes, well, this is just a prototype, of course.
A tiny model.
The real toilet will be at least five times larger than this model.
Yes, you were.
However, the material is very expensive at the moment.
One of our first challenges is to figure out how to manufacture it for less money.
And once we have that figured out, oh boy, will we change the world.
Uh-oh.
Paul, cue the hopeful and inspiring music so I can get out of here, please.
Thank you, thank you, yes.
That's all for me.
Bye-bye now.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry.
Thank you for attending this year's keynote address.
Please exit the auditorium in an orderly fashion.
Wow, that reveal was amazing. bit underwhelming, don't you think so, Mindy?
Yeah, how are you going to revolutionize the world of toilets with a throne that's only three and a half inches tall?
I know, but I really do hope they can figure out a way to make those toilets full size.
Why?
You looking to flush some tomato sauce and mud down your drains without making a mess?
No, Mindy.
I just think it would really make a big difference to the planet.
If you know, we were able to cut down on our water usage with each flush.
That is true.
Let's hope they can find out a way to unshrink that toilet.
By making the materials cheaper.
Exactly.
Attention all ToiletCon attendees.
The over versus under live town hall debate will be starting in Auditorium P2 in approximately five minutes.
Oh!
Guy Raz, the great toilet paper debate.
Come on, we gotta hurry.
It's on the complete other side of the convention hall.
Okay, lead the way, Mindy.
So, Guy Raz, do you think the toilet paper roll should roll from the front or the back?
Well, obviously from the back.
It's just more orderly.
Yeah, but it's also more work to go fish it out from the back.
I say over the top, all the way.
No, no, no, that makes no sense.
You always want to roll it from the back.
I mean, it's just more efficient.
No, you got to roll it from the back.
Wow in the World will be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
Hey, grown-ups, it's Mindy and Guy Raz 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 That's Tinkercastcom slash toys.
One second hello Mindy, Guy Roz and Reggie.
My name is Annie.
I live in Bethesda Maryland, and my wow in the world is that baby elephants suck their trunks for comfort.
Also, I love your show.
Bye hi, Mindy and Guy Roz.
My name is AJ and I'm from Bloomington Indiana, and my wow is that dolphins sleep with one eye open and one eye closed to watch for threats.
Love yourself, say hi to Reggie for me, New York.
And my wow in the world is that scientists believe the nose can detect a trillion different scents.
Say hi to Grandma G-Force and Dennis for me.
Oh, snap.
Hi!
Bye, I love your show.
Hi, I'm Sammy, and I'm 11 years old.
I'm from Chicago, Illinois.
Did you know bearded dragons have three eyes?
Hi, I'm Andine Guy-Rose.
My name's Lily, and I'm from England.
My wow in the world is that scientists determine whales' ages by their earwax.
Isn't that so cool?
Bye!
Hi, my name is Zachary, and I'm from New York.
And my wow is that falcons can fly about 200 miles per hour.
Bye, love your show.
Say hi to Reggie for me.
Hi, Mindy and Guyron.
My name is Sophia.
I'm nine years old, and I live in Providence, Rhode Island.
My wow in the world is that reef Researchers from the Kyoto University found out that chimpanzees can dance to music.
Say hi to Reggie, Grandma G-Force, and the annoying Dennis for me.
Oh, yeah.
Howdy.
Bye.
Hi, my name is Mark.
I live in Houston, Texas.
My wow in the world is that a chameleon's tongue is about twice as long as its body.
Say hi to Dennis for me.
Hi there.
My name is Asha and I live in Potomac, Maryland, Washington, D.C.
And I have a special wow in the world for Mindy.
My wow in the world is the biggest gingerbread mansion was made with 7200 eggs and 1800 pounds of butter.
Say hi to Reggie, Thomas Pingeling.
What's up?
And Grandma G-Force.
Oh, isn't that nice?
Also, very, very, very, very, very annoying, Dennis.
Bye.
End of messages.
Wow in the World is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from me, Guy Raz.
Original sound design and music editing is done by Tyler Thole with help from our supervising producer, Jed Anderson.
You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters that you hear on our show.
And Lizzie Freilich can also be heard as some of the silly characters on our show.
Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker.
And Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by three-time Grammy nominees, the Pop-Ups.
Find them at thepopups.com.
Special thanks to Kit Ballinger, Rebecca Caban, Dr Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Kristen Yang, Thuy Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Moskal, Jodi Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
And to keep the wow rolling, add...
After you finish this episode, visit us at Tinkercast.com.
There you can become a member of the World Organization of Wowzers to get year-round mailings and weekly activities.
Shop our wow shop, get tickets for upcoming events, Find our best-selling books and learn about some of the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Grown-ups, you can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at Wow in the World.
And our email address is hello at Tinkercast.com.
And if you're a kid with a big wow to share with us, call us at 1-888-WOW.
And don't forget, we wow on The Weeknd with Dennis Saturday and Sunday.
Keep on wowing!
Wowing, wow! the world was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
