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 got to 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!
We'll be right back. days of summer have officially arrived.
Yep.
Hotter than a jalapeno's armpit out here, Guy Raz.
I'm sweating like Richard Simmons to the oldies.
I'm sweating like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, know what I mean?
Well yeah, I get it, because the cat doesn't want his tail to get.
Oh no, not as funny when you have to explain it.
Oof.
So, what are we gonna do about the roof of your house, Mindy?
Yeah, I don't know.
I mean, this happens every summer.
The roof just sort of melts and then caves in.
Yeah, but it does look great during the month of December.
Yeah, but this time it's going to take us until at least December to rebuild it.
Wait, uh, us?
Well, you don't expect me to rebuild a life-size gingerbread house all by myself, do you?
Uh... Who's going to help keep me from eating all the candy?
No...
No, I was the one who advised you against living in a human-sized gingerbread house to begin with.
And I was the one who took you to the emergency room after you got sick from eating your own front door.
This chocolate door sure does look delicious.
Maybe I'll just take one little bite.
Okay, um, I'll just take one more.
Oh, there's a hole. and where is your front door?
Is that the doorknob sticking out of your mouth?
Mindy, that door was over a hundred pounds of chocolate and you ate it all?
Oh boy.
Come on.
We're going to the doctor.
Okay, so I did eat my entire chocolate door, but I learned Well, that's good.
And now I only eat the butterscotch windows.
We are not rebuilding that gingerbread house, Mindy.
I mean, it's too hot outside.
And hey, by the way, do you have anything cold and refreshing that we can take from the freezer?
Ooh, yeah, we can make some brown cows.
Some what?
But we gotta move fast before the kitchen caves in.
Here, quick, put on this helmet.
Mindy, this is a...
Walmart shell tied to a shoelace.
It'll adjust to fit your tiny head.
Come on, let's go.
Mindy, this doesn't feel safe.
Quick, hand me the vanilla ice cream.
But I want chocolate.
Whatever, just scoop it into this bucket.
Okay, like this?
Yeah, then dump in these 45 bottles of root beer.
Are you sure these are the right measurements?
Measurements, measurements.
Quick, grab a couple of straws.
I can't find the straws. was a close call.
Yeah.
I'm gonna miss that gingerbread house.
But with a little spit and elbow grease, it'll be good as new before you know it.
Uh... Actually, better than new.
It'll be a gingerbread mansion.
Phew.
I'm so hot and thirsty.
Can I take a sip of this?
By the way, what is this?
It's a brown cow, Guy Raz.
Ice cream and root beer.
Well, normally I would not drink something like this.
Too much sugar and lots of food coloring, but...
It's just so hot and why is it in the bucket?
I like things over the top.
I never would have guessed.
Here, take this pool noodle and suck it up like a straw.
Ooh, looks like someone's got a case of the old sphenopalatine ganglion neuralgia.
Mega brain freeze, Guy Raz.
You sucked up that entire bucket of brown cow so fast that you gave yourself brain freeze.
What?
You know, brain freeze, that quick intense headache you get when you guzzle down something cold too fast.
Ah, but what just happened?
Well, funny you should ask because I was actually just reading about this.
And?
Okay.
So according to Dr Stephanie Vertries, a headache specialist and a professor at the Texas AM College of Medicine, Brain freeze is what happens when cold food touches a bundle of nerves in the back of your palate or, you know, the roof of your mouth.
Well, this must have been something different because it felt more like a quick, sharp headache.
Well, that's because that bundle of nerves called the sphenopalatine ganglion... That's a mouthful.
Literally.
So the sphenopalatine ganglion, or as some scientists just call it, the SPG... That's better.
Yeah, so the SPG nerves are super sensitive to cold foods...
And when the cold food caves in on them, they freak out and tell the brain it's headache time.
But why?
You mean, why can't the brain just deal?
Well yeah, I mean, it's hot outside and I just wanted to drink something cold and delicious as fast as I could to cool off.
Well, there's another neuroscientist, the kind of scientist that studies the nervous system.
So like the brain, the spinal cord and nerve cells.
His name is Dr. Dwayne Godwin.
And does he have the answer?
Well, he says that the one thing our brains don't like is when things change quickly, and that brain freeze is there to prevent it.
To be like, whoa, whoa, whoa, buddy, hold it right there.
What are you doing?
It tends to happen when the weather and your body are super hot and the food touching the roof of your mouth is super cold.
Well, is there a Okay?
So so far there's no cure for brain freeze, and since they come and go lickety-split and aren't really dangerous for us, it's easier to just avoid them altogether.
So how do you do that?
Well, Dr Vertries has some good advice that might come in handy the next time you decide to inhale a bucket of root beer and ice cream.
Interesting, and what did she say?
So she says that if you want to avoid brain freeze, to just chill out and eat Hold food slowly.
That way your mouth can warm up your food and not freak out the SPG nerves in the back of your palate.
This would have been some helpful information before I sucked down that brown cow, Mindy.
Well, Guy Raz, technically your brain freeze.
Was your body telling you to slam on the brakes and slow it down, while you were slurping that brown cow up as fast as you could?
But you just weren't listening.
Huh.
Interesting.
So Mindy, you mentioned that those nerves are located in the back of the roof of our mouths, and that's right where the ice cream was hitting it.
Yeah.
So Dr Vertries also says that it's safer to keep the food in the front of your mouth, because when you hit those nerves further back you trigger the brain freeze bonanza.
But what if you get really hot and really excited and give yourself bonafide? brain freeze anyway.
Like if you see a milkshake or an ice cream float and your brain just freezes and you forget everything I just told you.
Well, not necessarily.
Yeah.
Look, I know how much you love your kombucha almond milkshake, so I do know of one good trick.
Oh yeah?
Well, what does it all do anything to keep that from happening again?
Okay, so if you feel a brain freeze coming on... Yes?
Just put a jelly bean in your belly button.
What?
Okay, wait.
Wrong remedy.
If you feel a brain freeze coming on, tilt your head back and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth for 10 seconds.
Okay.
And with your tongue on the roof of your mouth, say, I'm a little teapot.
What?
Trust me.
I'm a little teapot.
Nice.
I'm a little teapot.
You're a little teapot.
Are you sure this was?
The heat from your tongue will warm up the sinuses behind your nose and then warm up the SPGs that caused the brain freeze to happen in the first place.
So Mindy, if brain freeze is so harmless and quick to go away on its own, why do these scientists even bother to study it?
Well, it turns out that understanding how brain freeze works can also help scientists to understand how some other, more serious headaches work and can be treated.
Like migraine headaches.
Yeah, so those SPG nerves that we've been talking about are also responsible for migraines and cluster headaches, which can be super painful and last way longer than your typical ice cream headache.
Wow, so understanding these SPG nerves could...
Could possibly help scientists figure out different ways of dealing with other kinds of headaches?
Yeah, exactly.
And in fact, according to Dr Vertries, some people will purposely give themselves brain freeze in an effort to break their migraine headaches.
And that works?
Well, she says it can actually work, but not always for everyone.
Body and brain do hold many mysteries.
They sure do, little teapot.
No.
Hey!
So now that you're all cooled off, are you ready to start helping me rebuild my gingerbread house?
No way, Mindy.
No way.
Okay.
Well, then I'll just have to move in on your fancy new couch.
Pass me the gumdrops and frosting.
Okay, so I'm thinking we start with a wraparound peppermint porch and a chocolate pond and a sugarless gum diving board off the roof.
I want five stories and a gumdrop porch.
Loud in the world, we'll be right back.
This message is for you.
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.
Hi, what are your names?
My name's Glenny.
My name's Sarah.
My name's Bodhi.
And you guys have a wow-worthy made-up story for us?
Um, yes, it's actually a play.
Wait a minute.
First questions first.
I think somebody here tooted.
That was me.
Oh, boy.
Ha! the story.
Okay.
Baby elephant was wandering along.
It was just a normal day.
It was just a normal day, yeah.
And he saw my mama elephant and asked, Mommy, why do we have such short noses?
And she replied, That's just how life is, us elephants.
Baby elephant didn't think that was a very good answer, so he walked along to the swamp.
He saw Mr. Alligator and asked, Mr. Alligator, why do we have such short noses?
Mr. Alligator replied, Come closer, I can't hear you.
Why do we have such short noses?
Come closer, I can't hear you.
Why do we have such short noses?
But by then they were so close nose to nose that Mr Alligator bit baby elephant's nose and tugged.
They did a little tug of war.
And luckily, baby elephant got away.
But that's why elephants have such long noses.
That's the story.
The end.
That was a happy ending.
Great job, guys.
Hey, thanks so much for listening to Wow in the World this week.
And parents, if you want to continue the conversation with your kids.
We've posted some questions about this episode at our website, wowintheworldcom.
And while you're there, you can find links to some of the sources we used to tell our stories this week.
Also, we love hearing from you.
You can write us at hello at wowintheworld.com.
Our show is produced by Jed Anderson.
Say hello, Jed.
Hello.
Our theme song, Wow in the World, was written and performed by The Pop-Ups.
Check them out at thepopups.com.
Big thanks to the kids you heard in today's episode.
Gwenny, Bertie, and Sarah, you guys were awesome.
Also, we love hearing what's been wowing you.
For a chance to be featured on an upcoming Thursday episode.
Have your grown-ups help you share something that's recently wowed your world by dialing 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
Thanks again for listening, subscribing, and telling your friends about our show.
We'll be back for a brand new Thursday edition.
In the meantime, go forth and find your own Wow in the World.
Wow in the World is made by Tinkercast.
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 wondery.com slash survey.
