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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 7pm 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!
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Discover something real.
My beautiful lovelies, can I get you something to drink on this fine day?
How about some refreshing water?
There you go.
What a beautiful morning.
Blue skies, the sun is shining, the neighborhood is peaceful.
The problem is, it's all dried out.
Well, it's supposed to be dried from the desert.
Well, maybe you should quit chopping its limbs off, G-Force.
Maybe I should quit chopping your limbs off, Fingerling.
Be my guest.
Well, the neighborhood was peaceful.
Oh, hey there, Mr. Ozzie.
What you doing in your vegetable garden?
Talking to your plants again?
Well, I... Don't listen to a word that tomato plant says.
It's all lies.
Huh?
Uh, G-Force talks to your tomato plant behind your back.
Wait, were you the one who ate all the tomatoes off my vines last year?
I didn't eat nothing.
That's true, but you did pick the tomatoes and throw them at me.
What?
I was throwing them to you.
Doesn't anyone in this neighborhood respect personal property?
I do not know what respect means.
Or personal property.
How am I going to keep you all out of my...
Oh, I don't know.
That'd be tough.
Huh?
Sounds like you need to come with us.
What?
Why?
Where are you going?
To the farmer's market.
They got an advice booth for plants.
An advice booth for plants?
Yeah.
This cactus I got here is stressed, depressed, and I'm gonna see if I can get it some life advice.
Huh?
And my wheat here has been giving me a lot of attitude.
Gonna see if we could get some advice on how to communicate better.
Oh, uh, well, I don't think my tomato plant and I need any advice.
I take care of her and And she takes care of the whole neighborhood.
Who sneaks into your garden at night while you're sleeping and eats her juicy red tomatoes and sometimes throws them at Fingerling?
What?
What?
What?
Okay, okay, fine.
I'll go to the farmer's market with you.
I do need some more raw honey anyway.
Come on then, Garage, and bring your tomato plant too.
Uh...
Why?
Because how else are they going to give it advice?
Well, I figured they'd give me the advice and then I would bring it... Just bring the plant.
Okay, fine.
Through the lally.
What are we waiting for?
Let's go.
To the advice booth.
Wow, a plant advice booth.
You know, this actually might be a good idea.
Who's ever running the plant advice booth is probably really knowledgeable.
Welcome to the farmer's market.
Fresh produce to the left, craft items out to the right.
Welcome to the farmer's... Plants!
Calling all plants!
Our free advice for plants booth is open for business!
That's right!
We're open for business!
Are you a plant who's stressed? depressed, and under duress?
And do you need advice that's free, complimentary, and of no cost to you?
Dennis, no.
You're supposed to rhyme.
Oh, whoops.
I thought we were just doing synonyms.
Dennis?
Mindy?
Reggie?
I should have known this was a scam.
Hello there, Mindy.
I want free advice, please.
Are your leaves feeling droopy, drained, or kind of pained?
Well, kind of.
Mindy, what are you doing here?
Oh, hey, Guy Razzi.
Hello, Guy Razzi's prize-winning tomato plant.
Aren't you looking happy and healthy today?
Well, that's because I've been giving her plenty of water and sunshine and Mindy, my cactus, needs water.
Oh boy, here we go.
And my wheat's giving me attitude.
Okay, no need to worry.
That's what we're here for.
Yeah, that's what we're here for.
Dennis, you don't have to repeat everything I say.
Well, sometimes you talk too quietly.
Mindy, what are you doing here?
What do you mean?
He means, do you know how to give advice on the care and growth of plants?
Like my cat.
Yeah, like her cactus.
Mindy, you've literally killed every plant I've ever given to you.
That's not true.
Oh, yeah?
What about the time I gave you an orchid and you fed it cereal until all of the petals fell off and the roots rotted?
Well, okay, I guess that's true, but... Oh, whatever.
Plants don't like breakfast cereal.
Now we know that.
And what about that time I gave you a fern and you ate it thinking it was a salad?
Oh, yeah.
That salad tasted real bad and it made me sick.
See?
Another thing we learned not to do.
And lest we I forget that time you planted that philodendron upside down, so that all of the leaves were buried and the roots were all exposed.
I was celebrating opposite day.
An honest mistake.
The plant withered and died by the next morning.
Oh, come on.
Okay, so that was the past.
But today is the future, Guy Raz.
And let's just say I have turned over a new leaf.
Yeah, guys.
A new leaf.
My cactus has pointy leaves.
Pretty cool.
And this new leaf I'm turning over is brought to you by new peer-reviewed scientific research from a bunch of biologists from Tel Aviv University in Israel and published in the scientific journal Cell.
Wait.
What?
It is?
Bendy, I didn't know this was about science.
You tricked me.
No, I didn't.
Well, does science know why my cactus is so sad and saggy and shriveled up?
Or does it know how to get my wheat to stop giving me so much attitude?
Well, I could tell you.
Yes.
Oh, I know, but she'd rather show you.
Nope.
Not this time.
Instead, I'd rather let you hear from your plants directly.
Oh.
That doesn't have the same ring to it.
I'm sorry.
Did you say hear from our plants directly?
Uh-huh.
But Mindy, plants don't talk.
Well, maybe not the way humans do.
But what if I told you that plants have the unique ability to express their stress or discomfort in their own audible way?
I do not know what that means.
Mindy, are you suggesting that plants are able to scream when they're feeling stressed out?
Well, basically, yes.
Oh, wow.
Dennis, you already knew this.
That's why I brought you here to be my assistant.
Oh, I mean, right, right, right, right, right, right.
So, Wendy, tell us.
How do plants throw temper tantrums?
Well, why don't we hear from the plants?
Oh, good idea, Mindy.
All right, I'm interested.
Now.
Which plant would like to go first?
Well, if the other plants don't mind, I'm sure my tomato plant would be more than happy to go first.
First is the worst.
OK, great.
Step right up here and gently place your tomato plant inside this wooden box in front of the microphones here.
The microphones?
Yeah.
For the actual scientific study, the scientists from Tel Aviv University placed different plants, like tomato plants, inside wooden soundproof boxes with two microphones pointed at their stems.
Huh.
Dennis, will you please assist Guy Raz here in placing his prize-winning tomato plant inside the box.
Aye, aye, Captain Mindy.
Easy there, Dennis.
Her leaves are very delicate.
Ah!
There we go.
Now, I'd like everyone to take a set of magnifying ears here.
For you, Grandma G-Force.
Nope, I do not need more ears.
No, you just place these magnifying ears over your existing ears.
Here you go, Guy Raz, a set for you.
Oh, I got it.
They're headphones, only they look and feel like oversized human ears.
No, they're magnifying ears.
Yay!
Well, hum.
Just put them on, G-Force.
Fine, but mine are too big.
They're all floppy.
Okay, now, does everyone have their magnifying ears on securely?
What?
What'd you say?
I can't hear nothing.
Okay, great.
Now, let me turn my microphone on here.
How's that?
Yeah!
Okay.
Up, volume down, volume down.
Ah!
Now, allow me to turn on the tomato plant's microphones.
There we go.
I hear something with my floppy ears.
Now Guy Raz's tomato plant.
My name is Mindy and, if you can hear me, I would like you to tell us what's bothering you today.
Uh...
Should my tomato plant be talking?
Gosh, boy.
Guy Raz's tomato plant, is anything upsetting you?
Hmm.
Guy Raz's tomato plant.
Why don't you tell us about any beefs you got with Guy Raz?
Or maybe tell us about the way he treats you and how it makes you feel?
Uh, what are we supposed to be hearing, Mindy?
I don't hear nothing.
Oh, no. tomato plant is broken.
Or maybe it's the science that's broken.
Yeah.
What?
No, no, no.
Nothing is broken.
What you're hearing, or rather not hearing, is the sound of a happy plant.
That don't make no sense.
Kairos obviously treats his tomato plant so well that it has nothing to complain about.
Oh, well.
That's boring.
I want my money back.
Yeah, I want to hear from a plant that has something to complain about.
I'm only here for the drama.
Okay, who's next?
Oh, I'm next.
I have lots to complain about.
Put me in the box.
No, Dennis, you're my assistant, remember?
You're supposed to translate what the plants are saying.
Fine.
How about we try Thomas Fingerling's wheat plant?
Okie doke.
Come on, Wheaty.
Let's get you in the box.
There we go.
Okay.
Now, Thomas Fingerling, I want you to ask your wheat plant... Wheaty.
Yes, I want you to ask Wheaty how it's feeling.
All right.
Uh Wheaty, I know I haven't been the best father to you on account of I deprive you of water light and I never like playing catch with you in the backyard or Taking your fishing down at the creek, or What was that?
Oh.
By golly, it's a talking plant.
Fascinating.
I don't know those words.
Oh, let me get my translation handbook.
Aha.
Now that is the sound of an unhappy houseplant.
Oh.
Well, well.
Dennis, would you kindly provide us with the translation, please?
Yes.
Ahem.
Tommy, your plant says... Wah, wah, I'm so thirsty.
How dare you starve me like this?
Give me water.
Give me sunshine.
Give me a million dollars.
And why aren't you nicer to Dennis?
He only means well, and he's a super friendly neighbor who... Okay, Dennis.
It's okay.
Uh, is that true, Mindy?
Was Thomas Fingerling's plant really trying to communicate those things?
Well, most of them, yes.
Oh, my God.
Well that is nice.
And what you just heard, with those pops and clicking sounds, is exactly what the researchers found in their study.
That plants complain through pops and clicks?
Almost like They have their own language?
Exactly.
Well, I ain't never heard a plant talk before.
Oh well, keep in mind, Grandma G-Force, that we are all wearing magnifying ears right now, which are lowering the frequency and raising the volume of the sound so that we can hear it.
And by magnifying ears, you mean these headphones?
Oh, right, yes.
I mean, the magnifying ears.
Right.
Ah, I see.
Are you suggesting, Mindy, that the sounds that plants make are too high-pitched for humans to hear?
That's exactly what I'm saying.
So who in the World Wide Web are they talking to, then?
Well, their complaints might be too high-pitched for us.
But for other animals in nature, like mice and moths.
These plants could be heard from all the way across a room.
Wow.
Well, I'll be.
Now, who's up next?
Grandma G-Force, I see you've got a disfigured cactus over there.
I've been cutting pieces off whenever they get all shriveled up.
That can't be good.
Don't lecture me, fingerling.
Well, let's put it in the box and see if it can tell us what it needs to be healthy.
Well, here you go, cactus.
Into the casket.
The what?
Okay, everyone got their magnifying ears on?
Yep.
Great.
Now, Grandma G-Force, I'd like you to ask your cactus how she's feeling.
Well, okay.
Hey!
What's wrong with you, cactus?
Why you gotta act like that?
What'd I never do to you, cactus?
Whoa!
That cactus is not happy.
What's the cactus saying, Dennis?
Yeah, Dennis, can you translate?
Okay, let me check my translation guide here.
The cactus is saying you low-down dirty rotten, decapitating.
We apologize for the interruption, but the full translation from Grandma G-Force's cactus has been removed from this episode.
Wow in the world does not condone the use of name calling, smack talking, back talking, misguided threats or accusation from people, pets or plants.
Thank you.
Forgetful, neglectful human being.
And another thing.
Okay, that's enough things, Dennis.
Wow.
You ungrateful succulent.
I'm going to replace you with an aloe vera plant.
Oh my.
Okay, so Grandma G-Force's cactus is unhappy, to say the least.
I'll say.
I have a question, Mindy.
Yes, Dennis?
I just made up what the plants were saying.
I don't really speak plant and my translation guide is just the owner's manual for your ice cream truck.
Shh.
What?
That ain't no question.
That's a confession, boy.
Oh, right.
Wait.
So Mindy, if Dennis was making up his translations, did the scientists from the real study know what the plants were trying to communicate?
Ah, now that's a good question, Guy Raz.
Show off.
So the researchers conducted an experiment.
For this experiment...
The researchers collected a variety of different plants, like a tomato plant and a wheat plant, a pincushion, cactus and even a grapevine.
And one by one, they put the plants into a soundproof box containing two special microphones.
Just like the box we have!
Yes, Dennis, just like the box we have.
The microphones were pointing to the plant stem where we aimed the microphones.
Yes, Dennis, we were trying to replicate their experiment.
Oh, right.
Continue.
Next, the plants were broken up into three groups.
In the first group, the plants were happy plants.
So like plants that were cared for and watered regularly and given just the right amount of sunlight.
Exactly, just like your tomato plant, Guy Raz.
What were the other groups?
The second group of plants were plants that had been neglected for days.
Plants that were not given any water or sunlight and were generally just forgotten about.
Huh, sounds kind of just like you and me, Wheaty.
And the third group of plants were plants that were mercilessly chopped off at the roots sliced, diced.
And splice.
Oh, kind of just like your angry cactus, Granny G. Yeah, I guess.
So what did the scientists do next, Mindy?
Next, they did what any good scientist would do.
They observed.
Which in this case means they listened.
And what they discovered was... was that the plants in the first group.
So the plants that had been properly cared for, like mine.
Right.
Those plants were mostly quiet.
They didn't have much to complain about.
And what about the bad plants?
Well, for the other groups of plants, the ones that had been damaged or dehydrated, the researchers noticed something unusual.
Unusual?
They discovered that those plants produced sounds.
Pops and clicks almost like knuckles cracking.
Yeah, you know what I'm saying.
They then created a computer program that could analyze and translate these sounds.
You know, figure out what the plant was complaining about.
Huh.
And this program was correct a whopping 70% of the time.
Wow.
So cool.
So wait, the plants were able to communicate that they were thirsty or unhappy about being cut down?
Exactoritos.
Fascinating.
Well, I want to know who taught these plants how to talk.
Oh, nobody taught them to talk.
The scientists believe that the sounds they produced could be caused by something called catavation.
Well, I don't know what that word is.
Catvacation.
I believe it's when you need a vacation from all cats.
No, no, not cat vacation.
Cat-ivation.
Right, cat-ivation.
Inside every plant there is a system of very tiny little pipes that run through the plant, delivering water and nutrients.
And differences in pressure throughout these pipes cause teeny tiny air bubbles to enter.
And these bubbles grow... and grow and grow until finally they pop.
Huh, and the pops send mini shock waves throughout the plant, producing a super high-pitched sound like the pops or clicks we just heard.
Yes, but like I said earlier, this is not a sound that humans can hear.
Oh.
Not without some extra help, at least.
It's too high-pitched.
Rude, but not too high-pitched for other plants or animals.
Oh!
It's almost like nature's own secret language decoded by scientists.
Secrets.
Oh!
So what?
Now we gotta be scientists if we wanna fight with our plants?
Well, not exactly.
What these scientists are hoping is that, by taking what they've learned, that one day farmers, plant growers and regular people like us might be able to listen to and understand what our plants need from us before it's too late.
Neat.
I'm just amazed that Plants can sense and communicate what they need or what's happening to them or to their environment.
Pretty bonker balls, huh?
Turns out that their little plant lives are more sophisticated than we might have thought.
Oh, little cactus, I'm sorry for the way I treated you.
I won't never trade you for an aloe vera.
I was just talking angry.
Let's go get you some water and ice cream and nutrients and minerals.
Oh, Weedy, I'm sorry, too.
I need to give you more attention, don't I?
Let's get us a ham sandwich.
No, no.
And then we'll ride the farmer's market carousel.
No, that's not.
It's fine, Guyron.
They're just turning over a new leaf.
Nice one there.
Okay, you two, enough with the puns.
We have work to do.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, Guy Raz, you want to help?
Sure.
Plants!
Calling all plants!
Who's up next for some free plant advice?
Oh, me.
Can you talk to my geraniums and find out why they're so stubborn?
And talk to my tulip bulbs.
They're sleeping too late into the spring.
Oh, wow.
This is really popular.
Single file line, people.
Single file line.
My seedlings are failing to thrive.
Shouldn't they be walking by now?
My fiddly fig won't roll over.
Loud in the World will be right back.
Hey, grownups.
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.
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, thanks for calling Wow in the World.
After the beep, get ready to record.
Hi, I'm Indian Guy Ross.
My name is Vaughn and I live in Boston, Massachusetts.
And my Wow in the World is millions of years ago there was a bird in Australia that weighed as much as a polar bear.
Say hi to Dennis.
Would you look at that?
Grandma G-Force.
Say what?
Thomas Fingerling.
Oh, that's cool, dude.
The Sway Cats.
Bucky.
And that's it.
Bye.
Hey, Mindy and Guy Ross.
This is Benji from Columbia, South Carolina.
And my world is that there's more sheep than people in Australia.
Say hi to Reggie for me.
And Dennis.
Hi there hover Dennis, bye hi.
My name is Millie.
I'm from Lehigh, Utah.
My wow in the world is that sharks are not on top of the ocean food chain orcas actually are.
Say hi to Reggie Thomas Fingerling, who me, Dennis hi and Grandma G's horse for me.
Well okay Florida Longwood, the United States.
And my wow in the world is that when astronauts cry in space, their tears hang out in their eyes and cause stinging in their eyes.
Please say hi to Reggie, Thomas Fingerling, Grandma G-Force.
Oh, isn't that My name is Oliver and I'm from San Jose, California.
And my line of the world is that orchid ponds are covered in 30,000 quails.
Say hi to Reggie.
I'm Indian Guy Rock.
My name's Leo and I live in Birmingham, Michigan.
My line of the world is that the biggest desert in the world is the Antarctic Desert.
Say hi to everyone for me.
My name's Jeff.
My name's Josh.
And our wow in the world is that horses communicate with their ears.
Say hi to Reggie, Dennis, and Grandma G-Force.
Bye.
Hi, this is Graham, and I'm from Wellington, Colorado.
My wow in the world is that capybaras are the biggest rodent in the world.
Bye.
End of messages.
Wow 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 and Tyler Thull.
You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis Thomas Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.
Jessica Bode keeps our facts straight as our fact checker, and Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Our theme song was composed and performed by three-time Grammy nominees, The Pop-Ups.
Find them at thepopups.com.
Special thanks to Steph Sosa, Henry Moskal, Ruth Morrison, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, Sana Ali Muhammad, Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
To keep the wows rolling, visit us at tinkercast.com.
There you can learn more about becoming 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 of our 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 1-888-7-WOW-WOW for a chance to be featured at the end of our show or an upcoming episode of Two What's and a Wow.
Thanks again for listening, and until next time, be fun wowing!
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
