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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! entering the courtroom of Guy Raz.
That's me.
The cases are real.
The science is real.
The people are ridiculous.
What?
But the rulings are final.
This is Judge Razzie.
All rise.
Today's plaintiff, Miss Mindy, claims that footage of a five-foot-long great white shark captured on film by a researcher from the University of California Riverside is, in fact, the first baby great white shark to ever be spotted in the wild.
You got that right.
The defendant, one Grandma G-Force, says that's a load of baloney.
That is a load of baloney.
They now stand before Judge Rozzy and a jury of their peers.
That's me!
I'm a peer!
Court is now in session.
Mindy v. G-Force.
Where in the wow do baby sharks come from?
Order!
Order in my courtroom!
We will now proceed with the case of the baby shark.
Bailiff, can you hand me the case file?
Bailiff?
Bailiff!
Huh?
Thomas Fingerling?
Huh?
What?
You talking to me?
Yes.
You're the bailiff.
No, I ain't.
I'm Thomas Fingerling.
Just hand me the case file.
Well, now I'm confused.
Do you want the case or the file?
The folder you have in your hand.
Oh, this old thing?
Yes.
Sure, here you go.
Why don't you just say so in the first place?
Now, could you please swear in our witness?
Oh, well, uh...
I don't think we're allowed to say those kind of words, Judge Raji.
No, what I mean... Don't worry, I'll just do it.
Ms.
Mindy.
That's my name.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Uh, do ducks have watertight butts?
What?
Okay, and Grandma G-Force, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
No.
Okay, good enough.
Let's get started.
Okay, Mindy, you may begin.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Pigeons and gentlemen of the jury.
Yes?
Yes.
Today, we are going to solve one of the most perplexing mysteries in the field of marine biology.
And according to my notes here, marine biology being the study of sea life, correct?
Correct, Your Honor.
Although sharks have been around on this planet since before the time of the dinosaurs, there's still one very simple mystery that we still haven't solved.
Huh.
Uh...
Objection, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Okay.
Continue, Ms.
Mindy.
What question haven't we been able to solve about sharks?
The question is, where do baby sharks come from?
What?
I can answer that.
Mindy, when a mommy shark and a daddy shark love each other very, very much, they... Dennis!
What?
The jury will refrain from speaking unless spoken to.
Fine.
You may continue, Miss Mindy.
We know how baby sharks are made, Dennis.
We just don't know where they're born.
I mean, to this day, nobody has ever observed a baby great white shark in the wild.
Never?
Never.
Wow.
That is.
Until today.
What I bring before the court today is undeniable proof of a wild baby shark.
Bailiff Fingerling?
Yep.
Can we bring in the TV, please?
Okey-doke.
Oh, are we watching a movie?
Yes, we are, juror number Dennis.
Ah!
I hope it's America's Funniest Home Makeovers.
Is it America's Funniest Home Makeovers, Mindy?
What?
No.
This is the first ever known recording of a baby great white shark in the wild.
Ah.
Well, can we watch America's Funniest Home Makeovers afterwards?
No.
Or in the court.
There we go.
TV.
Thank you.
Well, if Mindy gets to play a movie, then I want to sing a song.
Overruled.
Mindy claims to have proof of the existence of baby great white sharks.
A video captured by wildlife filmmaker Carlos Guana and biologist Philip Stearns in July 2023.
The video in question shows a five foot long shark that is completely white.
A skin tone that Mindy claims is only possible for newborn sharks.
G-Force claims that this video is evidence of nothing more than a bad skin rash.
Your Honor, may I present my irrefutable evidence of baby great white sharks.
Bailiff Fingerling, can you please dim the lights?
Sheesh, I gotta do everything around here.
Bailiff, do this.
Bailiff, do that.
And bailiff?
What?
Would you get me some popcorn?
I guess.
Oh, and for Reggie, too?
Well, I still gotta dim the lights.
There we go.
All right, I'll be back with popcorn.
Thank you, Bailiff.
We won't start the movie without you.
You better not.
Okay, Mindy, let's start the movie.
Okay, here we go. impressive.
What exactly are we looking at here, Ms.
Mindy?
It definitely looks like some kind of giant fish.
This, my friends, is the first ever recording of a baby great white shark in the wild.
Well, how can you tell?
It looks just like a regular shark to me.
Well, Your Honor, it's because of the color of its skin.
The of its skin?
Yes.
You see, great white sharks like this one, despite what their name suggests, are actually only half white.
And that half is on the bottom half of their bodies.
The rest of their skin is actually gray.
OK.
But take a look at the color of this shark on the TV, Your Honor, and tell me, what color is it?
I guess it looks white.
Exactly.
Completely white from nose to fin.
This shark is white all over.
I don't get it.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with the jury here.
I don't get it either, Ms.
Mindy.
Well, according to the biologist that found this shark, this shark is completely white because it has not shed its embryonic layer yet.
I still don't get it.
I see.
Embryonic layer.
You mean the layer that surrounds the shark while it's still in its mother's womb?
That is correct, Your Honor.
While the baby shark is still inside the mama shark, it's surrounded by this layer of goop that provides it with all of its nutrients.
Then, once it's born, the embryonic layer sticks to it for a few days to provide it with nutrients nutrients, before it sheds it, like a snake shedding its skin.
What?
Oh, gross.
I object.
Can I object?
No.
Fine.
Then I'll just pout.
Ew.
OK.
So Ms.
Mindy, your biologist, believes that this video is of a baby shark that still hasn't shed its embryonic layer.
That is correct, Your Honor.
Object.
Grandma G-Force, I forgot you were there.
You've been so quiet.
Well, I was taking a nap.
Uh-huh.
How do you know this ain't just some rash?
A rash?
Yeah.
Because sometimes my rashes turn white.
That don't mean I'm no baby shark.
Well, interesting that you should say that, Grandma G-Force.
Because the biologist that recorded this video had also thought the same thing.
That maybe this was just some sort of a skin condition that the shark had.
But and this is a big but they checked every shark disease on record and nothing of them matched up to what they saw in this video.
Which led the biologist to believe that this was in fact a baby shark shedding its embryonic layer.
Exactoritos, Your Honor.
I understand.
Ms.
Mindy, do you have any further evidence to support your case before we let the jury weigh in?
As a matter of fact, I do, Your Honor.
Let me just try and find that other video here.
Uh, let's see here.
There we go.
Hi, my name's Mindy.
And this is my audition for America's Funniest Home Makeover.
How'd that get in there?
Sorry, so embarrassing.
Oh, here we go.
And play.
So exactly what are we looking at here, Ms.
Mindy?
Well, this, Your Honor, is my second piece of evidence.
Another shark video? but this one's a little different.
Huh.
Well, I can see that this shark is half gray, half white, and surprisingly big.
That's right, Your Honor.
And that is because... Yes?
She's having a baby!
She's pregnant?
That is correct, Your Honor.
This video was taken just two weeks before that first baby shark video And it was recorded in almost the exact same area.
So you're suggesting that this might be the mama shark that gave birth to that baby shark we saw earlier?
That is correct.
In fact, there were three pregnant sharks in that area, where the baby shark video was taken, in the weeks beforehand.
Interesting.
Objection.
Yes.
Yes?
A great white shark isn't going to do that.
What?
Well, they like to have their babies out to sea.
Huh.
They like to have their babies further out at sea?
How do you know that?
Well, I read it on the inside of a bottle cap once.
Well, yes, that is true.
Up until now, scientists have thought that sharks give birth way out at sea.
And the scientists thought that because they could never find the sharks' babies.
But...
This video proves otherwise.
Well, your video don't prove squat, Missy.
Why don't we just settle this like ladies with a good old-fashioned wrestling match?
Yay!
Wrestling match!
Wrestling match!
Wrestling match!
Order!
Order!
There will be no fighting in my courtroom!
Well, that ain't no fun.
Okay.
Well, now that the arguments have concluded, the case of the baby shark will now be determined by a jury of your peers.
Oh, hey, Reggie, that's us.
Okay jurors, you have exactly one voiceover to determine whether this video is in fact a baby shark or not.
And your time starts now.
The jurors will now deliberate on the fate of Mindy and her video.
Will she be vindicated for her love of all things cute and small?
Yeah!
Or will she be put into a headlock by Grandma G-Force and given a noogie?
Yeah!
And will bailiff Thomas Fingerling ever finish getting that popcorn?
Boy, they better not be starting that video without me.
All will be revealed right now! jurors, have you come to a decision?
We have, your honor.
We, the jury of Dennis and Reggie, find in the case of the baby shark video... What is it?
I'm pausing for dramatic effect.
Pausing, pausing, pausing.
Spread it out, boy, before I gotta go spread it out for you.
Jury, I'm afraid I'm going to need an answer.
Okay, fine.
We, the jury, don't know.
What?
You can't do that.
You don't know?
That's right, Your Honor.
We, the jury, watched the video, but, you know, we don't know, you know?
Bonker balls.
I knew this would happen.
You did?
You did?
I did.
Well, I thought it might.
You see, the video of that baby shark... Excuse me, alleged baby shark.
Okay, fine.
The video of the alleged baby shark hasn't exactly found a lot of fans in the scientific community.
What do you mean?
Well, what I mean is that there's still a lot of debate amongst scientists about whether this is or is not a video of a baby shark.
Yeah, that's what Reggie and me said.
Because, you know, it's like, is it?
You know?
Yeah.
I guess scientists are saying that maybe there needs to be more research done before we can dolphinately say whether in fact this is a baby shark.
Oh, yeah.
I win.
Wait, what?
I'm a hot potato.
I'm the big tamale.
I'm a taco.
I'm a banana.
I'm a hot dog.
Order!
Okay.
Okay, who wants popcorn?
Uh... Wait, what's going on?
Did you play the video without me?
Yeah.
Rats.
Sorry, Tommy.
That's bail if Tommy to you.
Now here's your popcorn.
Oh, boy!
So where are we?
What's going on?
Oh, uh, Judge Rozzy's about to render his verdict.
Judge Rozzy?
I do declare, by the power vested in me by the Court of Wow and Network Cable TV, that this is in fact the very first video of a baby great white shark in the wild.
Or maybe it's not.
I guess this case is to be continued.
Come on.
Booyah, booyah, baby.
I'm the best at being a lawyer.
I'm the best at lawsuits.
I'm the best at court.
You are now leaving the courtroom of Guy Rons.
Next time.
Thomas Fingerling accuses his neighbor of stealing one of his jokes.
Your Honor, I told a joke about Zucchini 24 years ago.
G-Force has been claiming it as her joke ever since.
I have not.
Have to.
Have not.
Have to.
Have not.
Order!
Next time on Judge Razzie.
Loud in the World will be right back.
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.
What?
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.
Hi, thanks for calling Wow in the World.
It's officially Summer of Wow time.
When you hear the beep, record your Summer of Wow moment.
Hi, my name is Claire and I live in Mesa, Arizona.
My Summer of Wow moment is we went gold mining and we found gold. real gold and minerals.
Isn't that such a wow?
Say hi to Grandma G-Force, Thomas Fingerling, Reggie, and Dennis for me.
Bye!
Hi, my name is Torrin, and my summer wow is that we're driving over the Golden Gate Bridge.
Hi, my name is Jack, and I'm from Mesa, Arizona.
One of my favorite memories is from this year when I went to Iceland and saw many natural wonders.
I saw icebergs with ash and volcanoes in them.
I got to look at a thousand-year-old iceberg, and while I was looking at the iceberg, I even saw a seal pop up from the water.
Hi, my name is Raz.
I live in Catonsville and my favorite summer is My memory is when I go to the beach with my cousin I get saltwater taffy.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raj.
I'm Ellie.
And I'm Everett.
And we live in Sterling, Virginia.
Our summer wow was that last summer when we went to Vermont.
We got to see a Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory.
Say hi to Dennis, Reggie, Grandma DeForest, Okay.
And Thomas Fingerling.
Wow.
Bye.
Hi, Minnie and Guy Raz.
I'm Nathan.
And I am Ellen.
We live in Manville, New Jersey.
Our WeWow summer is going to Florida and riding on our grandparents' boat.
We love your show.
Hi, Minnie and Guy Raz.
My name is Matthew, and I'm... riverview florida and i went kayaking and did archery and went in a in a canoe too and also i all learned it at camp christina and also there's and i got to swim in a deep pool that is eight feet deep and i know how to touch the bottom with my hands and my feet and the lifeguards allow it as long as you don't stay down there for a long forever and so love your show bye And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey. 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 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, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski, Tyler Tholl and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
And to keep the WoW rolling 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 for a chance to be featured at the end of our show or an upcoming episode of Two.
What's in a Wow?
Thanks again for listening.
We're here every Monday or you can check out Two What's in a Wow every Friday right here in the Wow in the World podcast feed.
And don't forget, we wow on the weekend with Dennis Saturday and Sunday.
Keep on wowing!
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