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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!
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
Mindy, I guessed it.
I told you we should have left earlier.
Yes, I know that, Guy Raz, but I needed that time to run late.
We could have at least taken the ice cream truck.
What, that gas guzzler?
No way.
My cat sleigh is like a million times more carbon friendly.
Yes, you are.
Who's a friendly little alternative to fossil fuels?
Yes, that's right.
You are.
Yes, you are.
Yes, you are.
Hey, Reggie, what time did you say your feather cut was again?
Feather cut?
Oh, yeah.
Reggie's stepmom is migrating into town this week and he really wants to make sure he's looking his best.
So we're taking him to the bird bath.
Okay.
It's a salon for birds down at the mall.
Huh.
I had no idea that was even a thing.
Well, I mean... birds do their own feather cuts.
It's called preening, and they do it when their feathers get too big or too dirty.
Huh.
You know, kind of like that one time you tried to save money by giving yourself a haircut.
Mandy!
Mandy!
I need your help!
Ah!
Hold your seahorses, Guy Raz!
I'm coming!
I'm coming!
Uh... Ooh, boy.
Wow.
How funny.
How bad is it?
Oh, it's not bad.
It's... It's horrible!
Just calm down and we'll see if we can even out this reverse mohawk situation.
How did you even... Reggie!
We're gonna need a scalpel.
Don't remind me, Mindy.
Well, birds do this sort of self-grooming all the time.
Really?
Yeah.
Craning is the second most common bird behavior after eating.
It's how they remove dust and dirt and parasites from their feathers.
Speaking of, we better step on it if we're going to make it to his appointment in time.
Let's see here.
Now, where did I put it?
I know it's... Uh, Mindy, what are you doing?
I'm just trying to find this catnip I packed.
Now, where is it?
Hmm.
Okay, I'll just attach it to this hook here.
And now, hand me the pole, Guy Raz.
Pole?
Yeah, the fishing pole.
The fishing rod, it's right next to you.
Oh, right.
Thank you.
Mindy, why do you have a fishing rod in your cat sleigh?
Ah well, I like to attach catnip to the end of a fishing line and then I cast it out in front of the cats to motivate them to pull us.
Mindy!
And here we go.
I think they're coming back, Mindy.
Oh, bunker balls.
It's going to take me forever to wrangle all those street cats up again.
But on the plus side, Mindy, look, we made it to the mall.
Mindy, there it is.
The bird bath, see?
All in one avian styling.
I told you I'd get us here in time.
Come on, let's go inside.
Hello there and welcome to the bird bath.
The all in one avian styling experience.
Do you have a reservation with us today?
We don't because we're not birds.
But he does.
Wonderful.
And what name is your reservation under?
Uh, Reggie?
Reggie, Reggie.
Hmm.
I don't see a Reggie here.
Oh, uh, it might be under Mr. Oh, yes.
Here it is.
Mr. Coo.
Right this way. of hours?
Mindy, what are we gonna do for a couple of hours?
I don't know.
I was just planning to go pick some pennies out of the fountain.
But I guess we could do something else.
Maybe see what movies are playing?
Sure.
But before we do that, check this out.
This salon has a bird feather lookbook.
Look at all these different styles.
Huh.
Sulfur-crested cockatoo...
Wow, now that's a reversed reverse mohawk.
The peacock?
OK, that one's just a little over the top.
Bird of paradise?
I would literally do anything to trade heads with that bird.
You know Mindy, I'm always so blown away by the diversity, patterns and plumage on some of these birds.
Well, you know it's not just birds that have these fancy feathers, right?
Well, what do you mean?
Nowadays, sure, birds are the only ones that get to rock that feather chic look.
But back in the day, like 160 million years ago, a whole bunch of animals used to rock this look, including dinosaurs.
Oh, that's right.
Over the past 25 years, paleontologists have discovered more and more evidence, through things like fossil records, that a lot of dinosaurs and ancient reptiles used to have some sort of feathers.
Yeah, in fact, most of the birds alive today, including chickens.
They're all closely related to a branch of dinosaurs called the theropods.
Of course, theropods.
Those are the dinosaurs that stood on two feet and were mainly carnivorous, right?
Meaning, of course, that they ate other dinosaurs.
Uh-huh, like the T-Rex and the Velociraptor.
Ha!
Velociraptors are my favorite, and they were also covered in feathers.
Yeah, but do you want to know what wasn't covered in feathers?
No, what?
The ancient reptile that looked like a giant winged lizard bird, the pterosaur.
The pterosaur was bald?
Yeah.
Huh.
Well, at least that's what a group of scientists from the University of Leicester and the University of Portsmouth think.
Huh, well, how do they know?
How about I tell you about it while we walk to the movie theater?
Ooh, yes.
Well, come on then.
All right, now let's take a look at this map.
Here we are at the...
Bird bath.
And here's the movie theater just past the left-handed monkey wrench store.
So if we make a left?
Uh Mindy, I don't think there's such a thing as a left-handed monkey wrench.
Yeah, but there is such a thing as left-handed monkeys.
So come on, follow me.
So, Mindy, you were saying these scientists from the University of Leicester and the University of Portsmouth think that this ancient flying reptile... Yep. pterosaur right the pterosaur was bald yeah it's this huge debate in the scientific community on one side you have a group of scientists from nanjing university in china who suggest that the pterosaur had what paleontologists call proto feathers which are more primitive and simpler versions of the feathers we see on birds today right that's right so why did they think they had feathers Because when you look very, very closely at the fossils of pterosaurs, you see these teeny, tiny hair-like materials called filaments.
Huh.
The paleontologists from Nanjing thought that these filaments were evidence that the pterosaur had early versions of feathers.
But the paleontologists from the University of Leicester and the University of Portsmouth that these filaments were just part of the stuff that makes up the reptiles wings and not feathers at all huh you don't say oh look we're at the movie theater okay okay let's have a look here ah cretaceous park showing at 2 p.m uh what time is it mindy uh let me check my watch it is 3 p.m just in time what are you talking about mindy we're an hour late hey ross nothing fun ever happens the first hour of a movie.
It's all just exposition and character development.
We haven't missed a thing.
Well, you're not wrong.
Plus, it's too late anyway.
I already got us tickets.
What?
When did you do that?
When you blinked.
Come on.
Are you sure, Mindy?
Yes, of course I'm not sure, Guy Raz.
Tickets, please.
Here you go.
And here you go.
Thank you.
You're in Cinema 3 and you're late, so hurry up.
The movie's about to get to the action-packed, explodey dinosaur roaring part.
See?
Just in time for the good stuff.
Come on, hurry up.
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run.
I made it.
Mindy, stop running off like that.
Shh, quiet.
Sorry.
Quick, come on.
Let's find some seats, Guy Raz.
How about over there, Mindy?
I think I see some past all those people holding very full drinks.
Oh.
Wow, Meredith.
Look at that.
It only took one hour and 27 minutes of character origin story, but we finally made it.
The year 100 million B.C.
Hey, Guy Raz, maybe we'll spot a pterosaur.
You know, they lived from around 228 to 66 million years ago.
I wonder if the costume designers gave them feathers or not.
Well, I guess it would depend on which team of paleontologists they think is right.
The team from Nanjing who suggested that pterosaurs had feathers, or the team from Portsmouth and Leicester who now say that they did not?
Hey, think I could have some of that popcorn you got there?
No, get out of here.
Okay, dinosaurs, try and catch me on my super cool jungle motorcycle.
Batteries not included.
Wah-ha! movie is so unrealistic, Mindy.
Look, there's a Diplodocus herd over there and a Brontosaurus over there.
Those went extinct 145 million years ago.
45 million years before these two are supposed to have been there.
What?
Quit ruining movies.
But you are right, Mindy.
This should be the right time period for the giant reptilian pterosaurs to be soaring through the skies.
Look out!
What was that?
That, Meredith, was a pterosaur.
Oh my days, that thing is massive.
You got that right.
This species of pterosaur can grow up to the size of a giraffe and has a wingspan about the same size as my F-16 fighter jet, making it the largest living creature to ever take to the skies.
You know Mindy, for such an incredible creature, it's kind of crazy to think that these two groups of scientists are getting so worked up about whether they had a couple of feathers or not.
Yeah, so it's actually a little more complicated than that.
Really?
How?
Well, because of how the dino and reptile family trees are laid out.
See, they both share a common ancestor that they each split off from.
If it turns out to be true that the pterosaur did have feathers, like some dinosaurs did, then that ancestor should have given both groups their feathers.
Huh.
And that would mean that both Both dinosaurs and pterosaurs started off with feathers of some kind.
And that doesn't make sense, because paleontologists think dinosaurs got their feathers much later on.
Millions and millions of years later on.
Exactoritos.
So you see, whether or not this giant flying reptile is feathered or bald could really change everything we thought we knew about dinosaurs.
Dope.
Meredith, I know everything there is to know about dinosaurs and there's no way that pterosaur we saw earlier will ever return.
It's coming back!
Oh, no!
Save me, Meredith!
And it looks like on this film, the director has chosen him.
I'm sorry.
This movie is just so loud, it's making it really hard for me to hear myself talk.
Stop talking.
Well, it's good to see that the crew on this film are keeping up to date with all the latest scientific research Mindy.
You said it, Guy Raz.
Excuse me.
You two.
Oh, man.
The usher.
Please don't kick us out.
I've been getting a lot of complaints about your behavior lately.
Yeah, I'm so sorry.
It was just getting really hard to have a conversation during this movie with everybody going shh shh, shh all the time.
Plus, I just get really excited.
No, it's not that.
You two, especially you sir, have been picking apart the accuracy of this science fiction dinosaur adventure movie and it's ruining everyone's good time of the children.
Indeed.
Uh... These five people are trying to suspend their disbelief.
Yeah.
And I'm afraid we have a zero-tolerance nitpicking policy.
You're going to have to leave.
Aw, bonger balls!
Come on, now.
Let's go.
Yeah, yeah, I'm going, I'm going.
Sorry.
Excuse me.
We just got asked to leave.
Just give him to your chest.
Thank you.
I'm just gonna squeeze by your ears.
Okay.
Sounded like a good part, Mindy.
Don't worry about it, Guy Razzi.
Besides, we already saw the best part.
The rest of the movie is just conflict resolution and character catharsis.
Well, that is good to know.
Whoa.
Reggie, what happened to your feathers?
Reggie, you're as bald as a pterosaur.
They made your head look like a big ball of pink plastic.
Reggie, what did they do to you in there?
What is it, Mindy?
Reggie said that when they went to give him a feather cut they found a bunch of bubble gum in there.
What?
And they had to cut it all off.
How on earth did you get chewing gum in your feathers, Reggie?
Mindy!
Yeah, it might have had a little something to do with that bubblegum-inspired weather balloon we tried to launch last week.
Of course.
But the good news is, they're just feathers.
They'll grow back.
Right?
I think so.
In the meantime, it just needs a little spit polish.
Come here, Reg.
There we go.
Whoa.
Reggie's head is so shiny.
Look, I can see my face in it.
Wow in the World will be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
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.
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.
That's it.
Back to the show! to record.
Hi, my name is Ruby and I live in Henderson, Nevada.
My wall in the world is that pandas have this bone that acts like a thumb for them to hold bamboo.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz.
My name is Iris and I live in El Sabrani, California.
And my wall in the world is that a gray owl can hear, a beetle running through the grass at a hundred feet away or a mouse squeaking at the distance of half a mile.
Say hi to Reggie, Grandma G-Force, Thomas Fingerling, and Dennis.
Hi.
What's up?
It's my boo-boo, Benny Bopper.
Bye.
Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz.
I'm Henry from Fairfield, Connecticut.
And my wow is that an electric yells at shocking power.
This is 50 times more than a car battery.
Bye.
Hi, my name is Esme, and I live in Bend, Oregon.
My wow in the world is rubbing two things together can make static electricity.
Say hi to Dennis.
Ahoy there.
Static man.
And Grandma G-Force for me.
Oh, isn't that nice?
Bye, love your show.
Hi, my name is sydney and i live in seattle washington, and my wow in the world is that horses only breathe through their nostrils.
Say hi to reggie dennis grandma g-force, thomas fingerling and especially bucky the horse.
Hi, my name is.
I live in Forest Hills.
My wow in the world is that deserts can be really, really cold.
Hi, Mindy and Tyra.
My name is Jenna.
I live in Boulder, Colorado.
And my wow in the world is that scientists think Uranus wasn't always on its side.
Until an asteroid the size of Earth hit it and threw it on its side.
Say hi.
Reggie, Mindy's sleigh cat, Grandma Z-Force, and Dennis.
Oh, snap!
Hi there.
We think Dennis is really funny.
Aw!
Bye!
End of messages.
Hey everyone, thank you so much for hanging out with us this week on Wow in the World.
And to keep the wow rolling, check out this week's scientific conversation starters at our website wowintheworldcom.
And grownups.
There you can find more info on how your kids can become members of the World Organization of Wowzers shop our Wow Shop.
Upload photos and videos to us and check dates for our upcoming live events.
That's wowintheworld.com.
Our show is produced by Jed Anderson.
Who provides the bells, whistles, and silly characters.
Say hello, Jed.
Hello.
Our show is written by me, Guy Raz, and Thomas Van Kalken, who also provides silly characters.
Tom?
Hello there.
Thanks also to Jessica Bode, Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Caban, Kit Ballinger, and Alex Curley.
Meredith Halpern-Ranzer powers the wow at Tinkercast.
Our theme song was composed and performed by The Pop-Ups.
For more on their three-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, find them at thepopups.com.
And grown-ups, you can follow Wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at wowintheworld.
And our email address is hello at wowintheworld.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.
Also, if you haven't already done so, please subscribe to Wow in the World on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Yeah, leave us a few stars, a review, or just tell a friend about the show.
Thanks again for listening, and until next time, keep on wowing.
Jinx!
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.
