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[Exploring Planetary Cooling: A Tinkering Challenge Inspired by Science]-[WeWow Earth Week Day 2: Explore & Plan]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2021-04-20

Preschool Enlightenment
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📋 Summary

Exploring Planetary Cooling: A Tinkering Challenge Inspired by Science

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy and Guy Raz invite their young listeners, the "Wowzers," to participate in the "WeWow Tinkering Challenge." This project is inspired by a scientific concept known as a "sunbrella for the planet," which explores innovative ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Inspiration: Nature's Sunbrella

The hosts discuss how extreme weather patterns are increasingly linked to the "overall warming of the planet." To combat this, scientists are looking to nature for solutions, specifically observing how "erupting volcanoes" influence global temperatures. When volcanoes erupt, they "fling dirt and sulfur into the air," which creates a natural shade. These particles effectively "block the sun's rays" and reflect them back into space, naturally lowering the temperature beneath the cloud layer.

Scientific Curiosity and Experimentation

Building on this observation, researchers at Harvard University began investigating if similar, safe particles could be released into the atmosphere to create a "massive sunbrella for the planet." This concept involves using "weather balloons" to release chemical particles that would reflect sunlight, preventing the Earth from heating up. This scientific inquiry serves as the foundation for the episode's tinkering challenge, where Mindy and Guy Raz attempt to solve a relatable problem: how to keep a "Brussels sprout kale smoothie" cool on a hot day by preventing "chocolate ice cream cubes" from melting.

The WeWow Tinkering Challenge

To engage the audience, the hosts break down the scientific method into actionable steps for young tinkerers:

  1. Formulating Wonders: The hosts encourage listeners to ask curious questions. Mindy suggests building a "giant pair of sunglasses" to block rays, while others might consider redirecting the sun's energy. Listeners are tasked with identifying their "one big wonder" to guide their project.
  2. Gathering Materials: To test how to block, reflect, or trap solar energy, the hosts suggest gathering household materials such as "reflective tinfoil, some tiny umbrellas, a few pairs of sunglasses, some ice cubes, and glass jars."
  3. Experimentation: The final goal is to compare different methods to determine what "melts ice cubes the fastest and what melts ice cubes the slowest."

Conclusion and Community Engagement

Beyond the scientific experiment, the episode highlights the importance of community and ongoing learning. Mindy announces the upcoming 250th episode, which will be a "musical," and invites members to a "listening party" to celebrate. By blending scientific concepts like solar radiation management with hands-on "tinkering," Wow in the World fosters a sense of wonder and empowerment, encouraging the next generation to think critically about how they can protect their world.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I didn't see you there.
2
It's really heating up out there, isn't it?
3
I ran out of cherries.
4
Go ahead.
5
Slurp it up while it's still cold.
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📝Key Phrases

1
music to your ears
2
a November to remember
3
get on with the show
4
good point
5
all caught up
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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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