Hey, Wowzer fams, Mindy here.
And before we start the show, Happy New Year!
Thank you for helping to make our 2025 so full of wow.
This year we celebrated our 10th season of Wow in the World with our 250th episode, special guests, a new book, New toys, out into the world.
Live events listening parties.
Oh my, so many things.
Whether you shared our podcast with a friend or teacher, joined our WOW membership called our WOW hotline, wrote a review on Apple or Spotify, watched us on WOWtube or just tuned into an episode.
This year would not have been possible without your support.
So thank you for wowing with us in 2025.
And here's to even more in 2026.
That's it.
And now let's get back to the show.
Happy New Year!
Nature.
Lush rainforests teeming with life.
Ocean depths filled with mystery.
Barren tundras where something happens.
Probably.
The natural world is fascinating, with so much to uncover.
This week, we will be exploring none of that.
Instead, we will venture inside the dwelling of nosy neighbor Dennis.
Oh, it's so cozy-wozy in here.
We'll snoop on Earth's greatest snooper in hopes of learning more about him and perhaps more about ourselves.
I'm Stan Pellegrino, and this is WeWow.
The Great Indoors.
As the seasons change from fall into winter, the outside temperature cools and animals take shelter from the elements.
The rare and exotic Dennis is no different.
Ooh, it's cold out here.
I'm gonna go inside.
Mother, I'm chilly.
Turn up the thermostat, please.
Also known as Dennis Anoikis.
The Dennis searches for ways to stay warm during the cold winter season.
Mother, can I turn the thermostat up to 70?
With the exception of his mustache hair, Dennis lacks a natural coat thick enough to withstand the elements.
Mother, why is the thermostat password protected?
I'm cold!
Put on a sweater, Dennis!
Hooray!
Sweater fashion!
So he finds another way to stay warm.
Okay, let's see.
I'll wear my cable knit sweater.
And my cozy fleece.
Layers are the key to his plan.
Oh, and my sweater vest.
There we go.
And obviously I better put on my cardigan with all the pockets.
Okay.
Oh, and my festive holiday sweater.
Completely blinking lights and music.
And lastly, my super plush, ultra warm, full body onesie.
Soon, Dennis is warm and happy.
I'm a toasty little muffin.
Until he's faced with the next challenge.
Oh, Coco!
What the?
I can't move!
These sweaters are too bulky!
He's stuck.
But luckily, his instincts kick in.
Dennis knows what to do.
Mother!
Help!
Coming, Dennis!
Don't worry, Dennis.
Help is on the way.
Hurry, hurry!
Thank you for joining us on this episode of WeWow, The Great Indoors.
Tune in tomorrow for another adventure with our subject, Dennis.
Up next on WOW TV is an episode of WOW in the World, Season 6, Episode 1, Constructing Creativity.
How science and art aren't so far apart.
But first, a message from our sponsors.
WeWow is brought to you by the Don't Put That in Your Mouth Association.
Reminding listeners not to eat the yellow snow.
WeeWow will be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
That's it.
Now back to the show.
Okay, Reg, it's time.
Hand me my megaphone.
Thank you.
Attention, friends and family!
And Dennis.
Thank you.
I Mindy, would like to cordially invite you all to attend the grand unveiling of my newly renovated gingerbread mansion.
Mindy?
Bolder, brighter, more mansion-y! engineering and design marvel made for a Mindy.
Hey, Mindy.
Oh, hey, Guy Razzi.
I'm here for the grand unveiling.
Oh, good.
You're just in time.
Whoa.
Why does it look like there's a big top circus tent covering your gingerbread mansion?
Oh, that's because there's a big top circus tent covering my gingerbread mansion.
Thought it would add a little spectacle and drama to the unveiling today.
Wow, look at all this spectacle and drama.
Hi, Dennis.
Hi, Mindy.
Hi, Guy.
Ooh, is there an open house?
And can I come into the open house?
And will there be a huge plate of tiny cheeses I can eat?
I promise I won't snoop, but I will judge all of your decisions.
Dennis!
Did somebody call my name?
Gee, Forrest, nobody called your name.
They were talking to that dentist fella.
What'd you say?
I said, take those potatoes out of your ears so you can hear people.
Come here.
Let me get them out of there.
Get away from my titers.
I'm saving them for supper.
Grandma G-Force!
Hugs!
Say what?
Never mind.
Say now, what you got here, Wendy?
A fumigation tent?
You got termites in your little candy house or something?
Or hopefully not bed bugs.
She's not fumigating, Tommy.
She's unveiling her remodeled gingerbread mansion.
And this circus tent is, well, the veil, I suppose.
Right, Mindy?
Uh-huh.
So, Mindy, looks like we're all here.
Uh...
Ready to unveil the masterpiece that you've been building in the middle of the night for the last two months, keeping me awake with jackhammers and drills.
And uh, what was that piece of heavy machinery you were using to smooth out the frosting?
Oh, you mean the Zamboni?
Zamboni, of course.
I am very excited to finally reveal my new and improved, fully renovated, gingerbread mansion.
But before I do, I'd just like to say a few words.
You're already dead, Mandy.
How many words you got left?
I sent out a call to the universe asking friends both near and far to help me renovate and remodel my gingerbread mansion.
Do you have other friends besides us?
Well, yes, of course I do.
Well, how come I've never seen them?
We can't see them because they're invisible to us.
Eh, likely story.
And also, they live in a world outside of this one.
Huh.
Makes sense to me.
An invisible friend of Mindy's is an invisible friend of mine.
Anywho, as I was saying, my invisible friends came through.
Over 700 of them.
Gingerbread architects, candy design experts artists, engineers and creative innovators of all kinds.
Cool.
We gonna see this thing or what?
Without further ado, please stand back, hold your breath, close your eyes and behold the Gingerbread Palace.
Now what?
Reggie, pull the tent.
What do you mean it's stuck to the frosting?
Just pull harder.
Is there a problem, Mindy?
What?
No, no, no.
No problem.
Everything's fine.
Just muscle into it, Reg.
Was that the roof?
Did you see that?
They pulled the circus tent veil so hard the gingerbread roof came off, and now it's in the dirt.
Can we eat it?
I call first bite.
Says a home needs a roof.
Everyone, everyone says that.
Actually, the whole roof didn't come off.
Just some of the shingles, underlayment, and decking.
The rafters and ridge board look okay.
Oh, yeah, no, I totally see it.
The jingles and the raft boards, yeah.
Um, what does it mean?
It means it ain't gonna fall over.
Right, right, right.
Now, if everyone would like to join me, it would be my pleasure to give you a tour of the inside.
Oh, a private tour.
Follow me as we enter through the new and improved chocolate front door.
Ooh.
Wow.
Opening the door like a civilized human.
That's a nice door opening right there.
Uh, Mindy?
Yes, Guy Raz?
Your front door opens up to a wall.
Oh, yes.
I did that on purpose to keep intruders out.
Pretty creative, huh?
I'll say.
Well, it might be creative, but it's also ineffective as you're keeping yourself out, too.
Oh, right.
Well, then we'll just have to enter through the second story garage there.
Right up there.
Ooh, a garage on top of a garage.
Now that's some fancy garaging.
Mindy?
Yes, Guy Raz?
There's no driveway leading to your second-story garage.
I'm not sure I follow.
Well, when you and your imaginary friends renovated your gingerbread house, you added a second-story garage with no way of getting to it.
Another very creative design choice, I must say.
Thank you, Dennis.
What in the...
Did she just kick a hole in your house, Mindy?
House?
Guy Raz, this is a palace.
Come on, everyone, through the hole.
I didn't know palaces could have holes.
Yeah, what is this, some kind of hotel?
Are you sure this home is structurally sound, Mindy?
Yes, of course I'm not sure it's structurally sound, Guy Raz.
What was that?
Well, if I had to guess, it sounded like a second floor gumball bowling alley collapsing into a candy cane kitchen.
I was worried it was something serious for a sec.
Now, if you'll all follow me up the stairs here, we can begin the tour on the top floor.
Why are these stairs so sticky?
Oh, that's because we designed them to be non-slip.
Every step on this spiralized staircase is coated in a layer of already-been-chewed bubble gum.
What?
Ugh.
So this is a shoes-on kind of house.
Palace.
Oh, right.
Palace.
Come along now.
Let's pick up the pace.
Only 43,000 more steps to go.
Who wants a piggyback ride?
Oh, me.
Catch me.
Dennis!
Okay, we made it to the top.
Fun fact, we are now only three and a half miles from outer space.
Uh, Mindy?
Yes, Guy Razzi?
Well, we made it to the top, but there's just one big problem.
I know, I know.
The stairs go up, but they don't go down.
No, no, Mindy.
Look behind you at the end of the staircase.
Hey, Roz, there is nothing there but this gingerbread wall.
See?
Exactly, Mindy.
What kind of stairway leads to a wall?
A stairway to nowhere.
Ooh, I love that song.
I've never seen a home with so many dead ends before.
Come to think of it, I've never seen a home with any dead ends before.
All right, let me through.
I'll figure this out.
Give me space.
Hmm, let's see.
Yep, that's a wall, all right.
Okay, okay, can we all just stop focusing on the wall, please?
No!
Mandy, how long are we gonna be trapped on this stairway to the wall?
I gotta visit the comfort station and talk to a man about a horse.
The comfort station.
You know, the water closet.
I'm sorry?
Sheesh, how many ways we gotta say it?
The latrine, the whiz box, the can.
Oh wait, this is a palace.
Uh, the porcelain throne.
Uh... The lavatory.
Oh, you mean a bathroom.
Well, as a matter of fact, there's a half bath on the other side of this wall.
Oh, so if we had a door, this would be a stairway to potty town.
Very inspired.
Yeah, I got a little creative with the half-bath design.
It's got half a toilet, half a sink, and half a bathtub.
Very fun.
Stand back, everyone.
I'm going to make a run for it.
What?
Found half the toilet.
Now where's the other half?
Well, half a loaf is better than none.
Well, humph.
Mindy, I'm worried that your remodel breaks every building code violation in the book.
What?
I don't know what you're talking about, Guy Raz.
Your front door opens to a wall.
Your staircase leads to a wall.
Your garage is on the second story with no way of getting into it.
The bowling alley fell through the kitchen ceiling.
And as I look out your window, I've seen that you've built a lovely balcony.
Oh, thanks for noticing.
Oh, a balcony.
Let's play princess trapped in a tower.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden chair.
But if I were to step onto that balcony, I'd fall through it since you forgot to install a floor.
Okay, that was going to be phase two of the renovation, but I ran out of cash and marzipan.
Well, what I'm getting at Mindy, is that you're going to need a complete renovation of your renovation.
This place is an accident waiting to happen.
Ah, hush, puppy.
Ah, it doesn't sound like we're waiting anymore.
Sorry, Mindy.
Had a little accident on your half-bathroom floor.
Oh, that's okay, Grandma G-Force.
We're going to remodel that half of the bathroom anyway.
I'm sorry, we?
Yeah, you know, you're right, Guy Raz.
This place needs a lot of work, and the gang's all here.
It's time for us to roll up our sleeves, roll out the fruity roll-ups, and get creative.
Thomas Fingerling, you're good at building stuff.
That's true.
I built the entire knuckle hut with nothing but my own ten knuckles.
Or wait, there's more knuckles than that.
How many knuckles does a fella have?
We're going to need your architectural engineering skills.
Well, I'm afraid I don't know how to build with baked goods.
Too artsy.
But I can work with wood and nails and drywall.
Oh, count me out.
I'm more of an artiste.
Hammers and nails and wood, it's just so heavy and loud.
You know, Mindy, this reminds me of a scientific study I just read.
You read a scientific study on hammers?
No, no.
Hear me out on this.
So, this is a study that was led by an international expert on creativity.
Ah, creativity.
The use of imagination.
Oh, like turning new, original ideas into reality.
Or coming up with new ways of solving problems.
Thinking outside the bone.
Uh, exactly.
Yes, and in this case the expert is a researcher named David Cropley from the University of South Australia.
David and fellow researchers named Kim van Broeckhoven and Philip Siegers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands grouped up and set out to explore the differences between creativity in the sciences versus creativity in the arts.
So, in other words, what we would find in the creativity toolkit of a person working in STEM.
You know science technology, engineering and math.
And what we would find in the creativity toolkit of someone working in the fine arts, you know, like literature, or painting, or performing or music.
I love music.
Who wants to go to my house and have a harpsichord recital?
Eh, I prefer math.
Well, okay.
I've never heard of a math recital, though.
No, no recital.
Just math.
Oh.
You know, I'm starting to think we have very little in common, Tommy.
Actually, as it turns out, math and music have much more in common than you might think.
No way.
Fool.
Mindy's right.
For example, both math and music use patterns.
Music has repeating choruses and rhythms.
And math uses patterns to explain and predict the unknown.
Huh, I suppose that's true.
Well, how do you like that?
Art and science and Dennis and Tommy, two birds of a feather.
Oh, don't be jealous, Reggie.
Me and you got our own thing.
So back to these creativity toolkits.
Okay, what about them?
I feel like we're gonna need one to fix my gingerbread mansion.
Well, probably, but which one?
Art or science?
Did the study say which one was better?
Well to explore the difference in creativity toolkits between the arts and the sciences.
These researchers had more than 2000 German college students.
Take a survey on creativity.
And most of these students were taking STEM-type classes.
Oh, so science, technology, engineering, and math.
Exactly.
And the rest were taking fine arts classes.
So things like theater, music, poetry, painting, things like that.
Exactly.
And what kinds of questions were these students asked in the survey?
Well, the survey was broken into three parts.
For the first part, they wanted to understand the personalities of the students.
And with that they asked questions to help them better understand if the students thought of themselves as creative people.
Okay, and for the second part?
The next part focused on creative process.
So how did these students come up with new ideas when tasked with solving a problem?
The generation of new ideas.
And the third part?
Well, the third part had the students rate some solutions to a problem, asking them how effective, original or realistic they believed certain solutions to be.
And when these researchers studied the results of the survey, what did they discover?
Well, they learned that, when it comes to creativity, it doesn't matter if you're a painter or an engineer or a poet or a scientist.
The creativity toolkits are essentially the same.
Whoa, so what is in these toolkits?
And where can I find one to help me remodel my remodeled gingerbread mansion?
Mindy, I think the color of this hallway is all wrong.
It should be puce.
I'm just gonna go ahead and re-frost it, okay?
Hold on just a minute there, Denise.
These floor tiles are cracked and need to be replaced first.
Just as soon as I figure out what they're made of and what's holding them together.
Looks like those floor tiles are peppermint hard candy and they're held together by tempered chocolate.
How'd you know that?
I told you, Tommy.
I'm an artiste.
And as such, I've dabbled in the candy-making arts.
Well, the first thing that you'll find in any creativity toolkit is a sense of being open to new ideas.
Okay, Mr Candy Artiste, if you make us some licorice rope and pretzel boards, I'll build the suspension bridge to the second-store garage you keep yammering about.
Can do!
The second thing you'll find in any creativity toolkit is lots of divergent thinking.
Oh, yeah.
Divergent thinking is where you come up with lots of ideas and explore lots of possible solutions to a problem.
Yes.
And some of those ideas might be bad.
Which is good.
I got it.
Let's put a large sculpture of a wombat poop made of dark chocolate at the top of the staircase to nowhere.
Because then it won't be a staircase to nowhere, Reggie.
It'll be a staircase to the huge wombat poop.
And then let's pad the walls with marshmallows, so Mindy and G-Force don't stub their toes when kicking them down.
Reggie, it might work, it might not.
It's worth a try.
Yeah, Pigeon, where's your divergent thinking?
And the third thing you'll find in any of these creativity toolkits is a sense of flexibility.
If your solution to a problem doesn't work, you might have to make small changes or even completely start over again, using what you learned from your failed attempt.
Kairos, this means that there's hope for my gingerbread mansion after all.
It's a palace.
We can learn from what didn't work, come up with lots of new ideas that could work, and combine both engineering and art to create the gingerbread mansion of my dreams.
With stairways to somewhere.
Wombat poop.
We already decided.
And a chocolate moat and a backyard brown sugar beach and a lollipop forest, indoors and faucets that only dispense peanut butter.
Gee, Forrest, you're still in the bathroom.
Well, I'm just trying to figure out what's chocolate and what's the other stuff.
Well, use your creative toolkit.
Ooh.
So, now that we have research that suggests that both the arts and the sciences require the same kind of creative thinking, especially when it comes to problem solving, what do these researchers hope to do with this information?
Well, the hope is that this will help teachers think more holistically when teaching creativity in schools.
Ah, and by holistically, you mean mixing in opportunities for creativity with all of the subjects?
Exactly.
Making creativity part of every part of learning.
Even math?
Especially math.
For example, Professor Cropley, one of the researchers in the study, gave the example of the math problem 2 plus 2 –.
And by applying creativity to math.
Instead of a teacher simply asking for the answer, they might ask the students how many different ways they can come up with the answer.
Well, let's see here.
Two plus two could mean the same as three plus one.
That checks out.
Or it could mean seven minus three.
Oh, nice.
Or even the square of two.
Oh, she's good.
Exactly.
See, instead of a simple right or wrong, you're coming up with lots of different ways on how to say the same math equation.
So, looking at my gingerbread mansion and all of the different problems we'll need to solve, I think we're going to need fine arts and design and engineering and math.
I mean, we want this place to look aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but also have it be functional and safe as well.
That's right.
I mean, who knew that all of those opportunities for creativity could be hiding in one collapsing house of cake and candy?
Yeah, it's a real sweet death trap.
Alice!
Welp, everyone, it's time for the exciting hands-on portion of this gingerbread palace tour.
Now I'm going to hand each one of you an invisible creativity toolkit that contains everything you'll need.
There you go.
One for you.
Yay!
Metaphors!
This will be like the end of Wizard of Oz.
One for you, Thomas Fingerling.
Well, normally I'm against invisible things.
And stories with lessons at the end.
But it turns out my invisible toolkit here is filled with an openness to new ideas.
And mine contains divergent thinking.
I mean, just look at all these new ideas.
All right, you can't see them.
And mine is filled with invisible ham.
What?
And also creative flexibility.
What was that?
Guy Raz, that was the sound of a creative emergency.
Let's get to work, everyone.
I've got my tube out.
And I've got my stand mixer and my muffin tin and my measuring cups and my pastry brush and my whisk collection and my rolling pin and my fine mesh sieve.
Hey, everyone.
Thanks so much for hanging out with us this week on Wow in the World.
And to keep the wow rolling, consider becoming a member of our World Organization of Wowzers.
Each membership includes episode-specific digital activities, science experiments, book lists and more.
Plus, you'll get a welcome box including a special edition members-only t-shirt and an autographed picture of us.
Find out more at Tinkercast.com.
There you can also find more info on our upcoming shows.
Shop our shop and find our New York Times bestselling book, The How and Wow of the Human Body.
Wow in the World is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from me, Guy Raz.
Our senior producer, Jed Anderson, brings our show to life with sound design and music editing and is also in charge of wrangling Dennis Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear.
And Grandma G-Force wrangles Grandma G-Force.
Grandma G-Force, get out of 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 their music at thepopups.com.
And special thanks to the rest of our Wow in the World team, including Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger and Henry Moskalt.
Grownups, 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 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of the show or on an upcoming new episode of Two.
What's in a Wow?
Also, be sure to subscribe to Wow in the World wherever you get your podcasts.
And you can also ask your smart speaker to play Wow in the World.
Thanks for listening.
And until next time, keep on wowing.
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
