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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!
When there's trouble, there's no replacement For a hero in his mother's basement.
It's Super Wee Wow on the weekend.
He's got super powers and he's a great musician With his sidekick, Reggie the giant pigeon.
It's Super Wee Wow on the weekend.
Get him, Reggie giant pigeon.
It's super wee wow on the weekend.
What's that podcast?
Super wee wow on the weekend?
Hello and welcome to super wee wow on the weekend.
I'm your host, ultra dennis, and that's my co-host, ultra reggie, and this is our two-part podcast where we do cool superhero stuff and listen to an amazing episode of Wow in the World.
Reggie, yuh-huh, we do cool superhero stuff.
Well, stuff like choosing superhero names and hanging out in our secret hideout.
And also, we recruited new members for our superhero team.
Hey, feller, can we come down now?
No, I need to do an intro.
Oh, okay.
Ahem.
When the world is weird and the world is gross, there's a superhero team that Dennis chose.
They're super strong and ultra cool and they have cool haircuts and they're just gonna come down.
Fine.
Careful, Tommy.
I am careful.
Okay, devoted listeners, welcome the newest members of our super ultra team.
Ultra Tommy and Ultra Baby Dennis!
Yay!
I thought you said there'd be snacks.
Oh, uh, here's a box of raisins.
Sweet.
Um, Big Dennis?
That's Ultra Big Dennis.
Um, Ultra Big Dennis, what's your superpower?
Great question, Ultra Baby Dennis.
Let's talk about our superpowers.
Ultra Tommy?
You go first.
Oh, uh, I can crack my knuckles in time with a funky groove.
What?
Uh... Yay!
Tommy, that's just your normal thing.
I also know karate.
Oh, really?
No.
Okay, Alter Reggie, how about you?
What you got?
Ooh, your super sense of direction.
Also just your normal thing, but you do know karate, unlike some superheroes I regret recruiting.
You got any more of them raisins?
No.
Ultra Baby Dennis, what's your superpower?
Ultra Baby Dennis shoots lasers from his eyes.
What?
No, you don't.
And zap!
Okay, we'll put Ultra Baby Dennis down for laser vision.
Zap!
What's your superpower, fella?
Oh, my superpower?
I have lots of them.
Like what?
Well, I'm super good at singing, and I'm super fashionable, and I'm a super cool dude.
Oh, that's just regular Big Dennis stuff.
Yeah.
Oh, hush, Mr. Beatbox Knuckle Man.
Good point, Reggie.
It's time for our next segment, Inside Super Tinkercast Studios.
Ahem.
Inside.
Super Tinkercast Studios!
This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows.
And today, we're listening to the thrilling conclusion of yesterday's episode.
Wow in the World, Season 2, Episode 17, called All Natural Superheroes, Part 2.
Ultra Baby Dennis wants popcorn.
No, we're going to play the episode.
Popcorn!
Baby Dennis!
Fine.
Tommy, you go get some popcorn.
I'm going to start the episode.
Okey-doke.
Hooray!
Okay, here we go.
And play.
WeeWow 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.
Now back to the show.
Wow in the World.
Last week on Wow in the World, Mindy fell asleep during a movie.
I was just watching it with my eyes closed.
Guy Raz was putting together a team of animals with extraordinary abilities.
I was putting together a team of animals with extraordinary abilities.
Is that a snake?
It's a What makes this animal so super?
Something known as heat vision.
Wow, that is a serious superpower.
Mindy asked the snake to join the team of animal revengers.
She's in.
Then Mindy thought of someone who would be perfect for the team.
I think I know a guy who might be perfect for the team.
Who's that, Mindy?
Oh, you'll see.
Using Reggie, they flew to a mysterious location.
I don't like the look of this place, Mindy.
Where are we?
Stay cool as we open this door and walk down that hall, okay?
And now, for the conclusion of Wow in the World!
Walk, walk.
Okay, here we go.
Um, hello?
Hello?
Hello, sir.
We're here to see one of the prisoners.
Well, which one?
Oh, his name is Tyson.
He's a mantis shrimp.
You can come right on in.
Okay, Guy Raz.
The doors are opening.
Just stay calm and follow me, okay?
Mindy, what are we doing here?
Okay.
So we're here to meet one of the fastest and deadliest creatures in the animal kingdom.
In fact, he had to be transferred here after he smashed through his last tank.
Oh man, this guy must have some right hook.
Oh, you have no idea, Guy Raz.
The mantis shrimp has one of the fastest and most powerful punches in all of nature.
Wow, check this out, Mindy.
It says in his record here that he can deliver a with the same force as the speed of a cheetah.
Yeah, see what I mean?
This guy's packing a punch that's traveling at more than 50 miles per hour.
In fact, it moves so fast when it's in the ocean that the water in front of it literally boils.
What?
Yep.
Tyson's fist here moves through the water so quickly that it creates this little bubble which, when it collapses, creates a bright flash of light and can heat the water up to as much as 8000 degrees Fahrenheit.
8,000 degrees Fahrenheit?
That's almost as hot as the surface of the sun.
I know it is.
So Tyson's superpower seems to be some sort of a furious fire punch.
Well, that's one of his powers.
Uh-huh.
And look at his mugshot.
Good grief.
Yeah, they usually only print out those mugshot pictures of the prisoners' faces in black and white.
But for Tyson, they made an exception.
I can see why.
I mean, he's beautiful.
Look at that shell.
There must be every color in the rainbow there.
Yeah, okay, pull yourself together, Guy Raz.
Because we're here.
This is his jail cell.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Whoa.
Hello, Tyson.
Wow.
Mr. Tyson, can I just say you're looking fabulous.
I mean, I mean, just look at all those colors.
Sorry, I'm totally rambling now.
I've just heard so many things.
I just...
You have a very attractive shell, sir.
Sorry, I mean you... What he's trying to say, Tyson, is we need your help.
Are you sure we want his help?
Tyson, we want to invite you to join our team of superhero revengers.
Let me just tell you that your eyes and your face...
Fists would be a most welcome and important addition to the squad.
Wait a minute.
His eyes?
Oh, yeah.
I didn't tell you.
So, as well as having the fastest fists in the ocean, mantis shrimp also have some of the best eyes on the planet.
Wow.
This guy really is the whole package, isn't he?
So, in terms of vision, what we're able to see depends a lot on how many photoreceptors we have in our eyes.
Photoreceptors?
Yeah, so photoreceptors are cells in our eyes that convert the light that enters them into electronic signals that our brain can understand.
Got it.
And as humans, we have three types of receptors, each detecting a different wavelength of light.
So red, green, or blue.
And these receptors then make up all of the colors that we see in the world.
Ha!
Kind of like when you get up really close to a TV
You can see that it's just made up of these little red and green and blue dots called pixels.
Exactoritos!
Okay, so what makes Tyson's eyes so special?
Well, the mantis shrimp does not have three types of photoreceptors like us humans.
Ha!
He has 12 types of photoreceptors, which means that he can see all kinds of things like ultraviolet light and polarized light.
Ha!
That's right.
It says right here in his file that Tyson and his incredible eyes have been the subject of a recent scientific study.
Well, that doesn't surprise me.
He's a very popular shrimp.
Yeah, so this study says that Researchers have been using a process called biomimicry.
Oh, yeah, we've talked about biomimicry before.
It's when you take something that animals do in the wild and try to reverse, engineer it to help out us humans.
Right, and researchers have been using biomimicry to try and take how Tyson sees and then turn it into a type of camera.
Wow, so how would they do that?
Well, marine biologists... Which are the type of scientists that study ocean life.
Right.
Marine biologists at the University of Queensland in Australia worked with a group of engineers at the University of Illinois to remake the mantis shrimp's vision system Out of silicon materials.
Silicon materials?
You mean like the stuff my computer's made out of?
Yeah, like your computer's chips.
My computer has chips?
How do I get them out of there?
Well, just to be clear, I'm not talking about nacho chips, Mindy.
Right.
I knew that.
Anyway, this group of scientists were able to use these same sorts of materials that are found in your computer to copy what the mantis shrimp's eyes do and make a digital camera called a color polarization camera.
Color polarization camera?
It's a type of camera that can detect polarized light.
And polarized light is a type of light that we humans can't see, but mantis shrimp can?
Correctamundo.
And the researchers are hoping to use this new camera to, among other things, detect unhealthy cells in our bodies which give off a different kind of polarized light, then healthy cells.
And cells being the building blocks of all human life, right?
Exactly.
Okay, so with this new camera you could just point it at a patient, boot it up and detect where the unhealthy cells might be growing.
Yes.
In fact, the end goal, Mindy, is to put this kind of technology into smartphones.
And that way people could go home and check themselves and if they see something suspicious they could Go to the doctor.
That's so wow!
I wonder if they'll let us borrow it for when Tyson's off on other missions.
Well, that is, assuming you want to join our team of revengers, Tyson?
Ha, yes!
You won't regret it, Tyson.
Okay, buddy, we gotta run.
But please make sure you let us know when your time is up here so we can come back and get you okay.
Yeah, Tyson, we'll be in touch to work out the details.
Okay, Guy Raz, now let's see what superpowers we have so far.
We're looking at heat vision, immortality, and now the sharpest eyes in the seven seas.
Okay, so who else do we need on this team of revengers?
Well, how about the toughest animal on the planet?
I love it.
Okay, let me guess.
Is it an armadillo?
Uh, nope.
An armadillo with a football helmet.
Nope.
An armadillo with a football helmet and abs of steel and a stone-cold heart.
What?
No, Mindy.
The toughest animal on the planet is actually under our feet right now.
Hey, Roz, there is nothing under my feet except for this tiny droplet of water I'm standing on.
Here, come here.
Kneel down.
Look.
What?
Now, look a little bit more closely, Mindy.
Okay.
Living inside this tiny little water droplet... is the most hardened creature on this planet.
You're telling me that there is something living in this tiny water droplet?
I'll believe it when I see it.
Guy Raz, hand me my shrink wand.
Oh, no, not the shrink wand.
Oh, yes, the shrink wand.
Now, I know it's around here somewhere in my adventure toolbox.
I'm just trying to find it in here.
Ah, so many cats.
Oh, here we are.
OK.
You ready, Guy Ross?
Oh, Mindy, I'm... Shrink wand, activate!
Well, at least I'm glad to see I made it in one piece this time.
Okay, it only happened once, and I was able to glue you back together again.
I just wish we didn't have these annoying, whiny voices every time we shrink down.
Testing, testing.
One, two, three.
Hey, Mindy, you unshrunk my vocal cords.
Well, don't get too excited, Guy Raz.
The rest of you is still the size of a tiny pinhead.
Anywho, what are we looking for here?
Well, we're looking for... Oh, look, there they are, Mindy.
In that water droplet.
That's the water bear.
The water bear?
What?
Oh, my googly-eyed cat.
Look at that.
There's a bunch of them.
They're so cute.
They're like big, blubbery little piglets with one, two, three, four, five, six legs.
They're also known as tardigrades, Mindy, and... Oh, they're so cute and small, I can't stand it.
I mean Garrosh.
I know we've shrunk down a lot, but these little guys man, they still look tiny to me.
I know, right?
In fact, you could fit about... on the head of a pin.
Whoa.
But despite their pudgy outward appearance Mindy, and despite their tiny size and adorable name, these guys can actually survive basically anywhere.
Really?
Yeah.
These little tardigrades have been found in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, from all the way high up in the Himalaya Mountains to hot springs in Japan.
To the bottom of the ocean, even in Antarctica.
Wow, you're tough little guys, aren't you?
And that's not even the half of it, Mindy.
Not only can these animals withstand temperatures as low as minus 328 degrees Fahrenheit, but they're able to go without food or water for decades at a time.
What did you say, decades?
Decades?
As in 20, 30, 40 years?
And they're also the only species we know of that can survive the complete vacuum of space.
Uh, pause.
So you're saying that, on top of all that, these little guys, these little water bears, these little tardigrades, are also tiny astronauts?
Well, yeah, I guess you can call them that.
Back in 2007, scientists strapped thousands of these tiny microscopic creatures onto a satellite and then they blasted them off into space.
And Mindy.
When they came back, the scientists found that not only did many of these tardigrades survive, but some of the females also had perfectly healthy babies.
Hold the phone, Guy Raz.
I need a second to process this.
Space baby water?
Yeah, and it turns out there's almost nothing on Earth that can destroy these guys.
I mean, they are tough.
Oh, boy.
So, do you think we could get them to join our team of superhero revengers?
Well, only one way to find out.
Let me just stick my head in this droplet and have a word with them.
Wait, what?
What?
I mean, tardigrades have been around for 500 million years.
I don't know why I didn't ask them sooner.
Yes!
Welcome to the team, little water bears.
All right, come on, guys.
We got to get out of here.
Oh, but first, Guy Raz, we got to grow up, if you know what I mean.
Shrink wand, activate!
Woo!
Feels so good to be back to my normal size.
Mindy!
Okay, fine.
Open your mouth.
There you go, little buddy.
You should be all back to normal.
Okay.
Right, so this team, Mindy, is really coming together now.
One more, I think we're going to have our whole team.
I've got this next one, Guy Raz.
But first, we're going to have to hit up Reggie one more time.
Man, we're really clocking up the sky miles today.
Yeah, we are.
I'm saving up my points for this tiny swimming pool for cats that doubles as a human litter box.
Oh, yeah.
I think I saw that in the Sky Store catalog.
Okay, now let me just give Reggie a ring here.
Hey, Reg?
Yeah, it's us again.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I promise you this is the last time.
What?
Sir Charge?
Okay, that's not fair.
Okay.
Okay, see you soon.
He's on his way.
Whoa.
Hey, Reg.
That was quick.
All right.
Come on, Guy Raz.
Hop on.
All right.
Hopping on.
Okay, Reg.
Last stop, the Andes.
Here we go.
Nailed it.
Yes.
Nice landing once again, Reg.
You are on fire.
Okay, here we are.
Who are we here to see, by the way?
Oh, they're right over there, Guyron.
Flamingos?
Oh, no, Mindy.
Not again.
I am not doing it again.
You are not making me wear a flamingo suit.
Ross, don't be redonkulous.
As dashing as you looked in that flamingo suit, we are here on much more important business.
Right, right.
Oh, yes, of course.
So what natural superpowers do flamingos have?
I mean, do they have super strength or can they control the weather?
Can they make a really good omelet?
Ah!
I think that's my superpower.
All great pitches, Guy Raz, but no.
No to which one?
No to all of them.
See, the thing about these flamingos is that they often live in places like this, where the only water even available to them is pretty much near boiling.
Oh, yeah.
I can feel the hot steam rising from that water all the way over there.
Walk with me, Guy Raz.
OK.
So not only are these fancy flamingos able to stand around in this scalding hot water all day, but when they do, they're somehow able to stay totally chill.
What?
And it gets even crazier because sometimes they'll even dunk their whole entire bodies in it to wash off.
I always keep my baths to exactly 32.5 degrees Celsius.
It's the optimal temperature for scrubbing.
Oh, so that's why you keep that digital thermometer on the second shelf of your bathroom medicine cabinet.
Wait.
Why would you know what to keep in my medicine cabinet?
Why would you know what you keep in your medicine cabinet?
Uh, yeah.
Well, anyway, do you think these guys would mind if I used some of their water to make some hot tea?
I mean, all this traveling is making me thirsty.
Yeah, I don't think they'd mind.
It's just that... Great.
Uh, excuse me.
Sorry.
Just trying to get by here.
Uh, Guy Raz?
Oh, no.
There we go.
Orange, pico, and hibiscus.
My favorite.
Gairoz, you're making your tea with the flamingo water.
What happened?
That's what I was trying to warn you about.
Not only is this flamingo water super hot, but it's also salt water.
And probably a toilet for the flamingos.
Yuck.
Why didn't you tell me sooner, Mindy?
Do these flamingos drink this salt water?
I mean...
There aren't many animals on the planet that can handle salt water, you know what I mean?
Well, flamingos actually have a special gland in their nose that lets them filter the salt out of the water that they're drinking.
Wow, that's incredible.
I mean, I'm not sure how drinking boiling salt water would help when fighting evil, but hey, you know every team needs a wild card, right?
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.
All right, uh, flamingos, are you guys in?
Yeah, flamingos, we could use some pinky power on our team of animal revengers.
Can we get you to join us or yes?
I'll take that as a yes.
Yes.
You know, Mindy, meeting all these incredible animals, it really just rubs in the fact that us humans are, well, we're kind of un-extraordinary.
You know what I mean?
Guy Ross, you wash those words out of your mouth right now, because I will not have any of that selfishness.
But it's kind of true, Mindy.
I mean we can't see ultraviolet light or survive extreme temperatures or even drink salt water, no matter how much delicious tea you put into it.
Well, I guess when you look at it that way, the average human might look kind of weak.
But don't be fooled, Guy Raz.
Human beings are remarkable creatures.
Oh, really?
Yeah, really.
In fact, there's one organ in the human body that sets us apart from every other animal on the planet.
And that organ is, drum roll please, our brain.
Our brain, of course.
Karaz, the human brain is one of the most complex organs in the entire animal kingdom.
And it's the reason that we humans are kind of the smartest animals on the planet.
Huh.
So you know what this means, right?
What?
We can be the last member of the Animal Revengers.
Wait a minute.
You're right.
And our superpower is super intelligence.
Well, Mindy?
Looks like we have our team.
Yeah.
Got heat vision.
Immortality.
Super punchability.
Indestructibility.
The wild card.
And, of course, super intelligence.
Well, Guy Raz, it's time to get this team together and get ready to save the world.
Yay!
Huzzah!
That was so cool, Ultra Big Dennis.
So, what now?
What do you mean?
Yeah, what does Ultra Tommy mean?
Well, Mr. Rozzy and Mandy formed the Revengers and went out to save the world.
Right.
And we formed the Ultra Team.
Uh-huh.
So, are we gonna go save the world or what?
Oh, yeah!
Let's go do that!
Yay!
Ultra Baby Dennis wants to save the world!
Okay.
Okay.
Let's wrap up the show and then we'll go save the world or whatever.
Thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning in to Wee Wow on the Weekend.
If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
That's 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
I just might answer your question on Wee Wow on the Weekend.
Okay, let's go.
All right, what should we do first?
Let's go fishing.
No, Tommy.
We need to do something like rescue a cat out of a tree or sweep all the sidewalks in the neighborhood, or Oh, I know.
Let's have a bake sale.
Ultra Baby Dennis wants to fight crime with lasers.
Oh, no.
Ultra Baby Dennis?
That's too dangerous.
We're having a bake sale or some other thing that's...
Grownups, if you like Wow in the World, you can listen early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus.
Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.
Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music.
And, before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wonderycom slash survey.
Joining us for this edition of WeWow on the Weekend.
Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson.
The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson.
Ah, well, then who plays the role of Big Dennis?
Never you mind.
Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal, with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Tholl.
Original music for WeWow is composed and performed by Tyler Tholl.
Special thanks to... And all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
Be sure to visit Tinkercastcom, where you can become an official member of the World Organization of Wowzers.
Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow shop, find our best-selling books and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend.
Be sure to check out episodes of Wow in the World every Monday.
And remember, who wows?
I wow!
No, baby Dennis, we wow!
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
