Grownups, this message is for you.
Hi, I'm Tom Van Kalken, a writer here at Tinkercast, and today I wanted to tell you a little bit of a story.
In 2017, I was working at an animation studio in Vancouver and quietly feeling the pull towards something new.
At the time, I was getting most of my news, storytelling, and entertainment from podcasts.
The medium felt intimate and immediate.
It felt like the future.
One day I was listening to the TED Radio Hour and at the end of the episode Guy Raz mentioned something almost in passing.
He was starting a new kids' science podcast.
What luck!
Years earlier, back in Australia, I had worked on a children's science show and here was a brand new kids' science podcast being created by one of my podcasting icons.
Out of an abundant sense of curiosity, I cold emailed the team and somehow my message made its way through to Meredith Halpern-Ranza.
That email literally changed my life.
Meredith, who has since become one of the most motivational people I know, gave me a shot.
She asked me to write a spec script.
I wrote a time-traveling story about the invention of chocolate and I censored it.
Three days later, they asked me if I could write more.
Since then, I've had the privilege of writing six books, two live shows and more than 250 episodes of Wow in the World with the one and only Mindy Thomas.
Without question, the most creative, wide-eyed person I know.
The closest comparison I can make to Mindy is if Kimmy Schmidt and Willy Wonka got smashed together into one human being.
In 2020, when the world felt uncertain and isolated, audio storytelling became a lifeline for millions of listeners.
We were in the right place at the right time.
We were able to ride that podcasting wave but right now that wave is receding.
The children's media landscape is tougher than it's been in years.
Advertising is down.
Platforms are shifting.
Funding for thoughtful, mission-driven content is hard to secure.
And yet the need for what we make has never been greater.
Our work is entertainment, yes, but it's also education, it's confidence, it's imagination.
It's the moment a kid realizes that you can answer any question you might have about the universe with the scientific method and a little bit of curiosity.
Grownups.
If you believe that kids deserve smart joyful, curiosity-driven storytelling, if you believe that education and entertainment don't have to be separated, if you believe that inspiring a child's sense of curiosity is one of the most valuable investments we can make, then I hope you'll consider supporting Tinkercast.
Because when you help fund children's media like ours, you're not just supporting a podcast.
You're supporting future scientists, future creators, future problem solvers, and you're supporting curiosity.
Please visit tinkercast.com slash support today to help us keep on wowing.
That's tinkercast.com slash support.
From all the tinkerers here at Tinkercast, thank you.
And now for everyone's second favorite game show after what goes in the cereal bowl first, milk or cereal.
It's Two What's and a Wow!
With your hosts, Mindy and Guy Rye!
Hello and welcome back to Two What's in a Wow.
Two What's in a Wow.
The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's.
And the category for today is fairies.
Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works?
You know it.
Wowzers in each of our three rounds.
Today, Guy Raz and I will present you with three scientific statements about berries.
But, and this is a big but, only one of those statements will be a true wow.
The other two, just a couple of made up woo!
Now, in each round, if you guess correctly, congratulations, you win a point.
But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop, and do a ridonkulous physical challenge.
Okay, everyone ready to start the game?
Great, then let's do it.
Okay, round one.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, avocados are actually berries?
Or is it B?
If you eat a blackberry every day, you'll turn into an old cell phone your grownups might have in a drawer somewhere.
Or is it C, strawberries have only existed since the 1600s?
When you think you have the correct answer, shout how many times you've been to the bathroom today.
Hey, Reggie, cue the thinking music.
And time is up.
Let's now reveal the winning wow.
And to do just that, joining us by phone, it's Mai from Maryland.
Mai from Maryland, tell us, what's the winning wow?
My wow in the world is that avocados are berries.
Winner, winner, avocados for dinner.
Thank you, Mai.
Contestants, if you guessed the answer A, that avocados are actually berries, well, congratulations.
You found the winning wow.
You know the brown thing at the center of your avocados?
Well, that is actually a seed.
And because the layer that surrounds the seed is fleshy, scientists say that this savory fruit is actually a berry.
Yeah, I mean, that seed is always taking up so much space in my avocados.
It's like when I open a bag of kale chips and it's 60% air.
It kind of feels like a ripoff.
Don't you mean a rape-off, Guy Raz?
Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and organize your grown-up's closet.
I promise they did not pay me to say that.
Okay, round two.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, blueberries are fresher in January than in August?
Or is it B?
Strawberries are the only fruit to have seeds on the outside.
Or is it C?
Scientists believe you can grow a raspberry on Mars.
When you think you have the correct answer, sing your name upside down.
I think And to reveal the winning wow, it's Theodore from Washington.
Theodore from Washington, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hi, I'm Theodore.
Did you know that a strawberry has 200 seeds?
It's the only fruit that has Seeds on the outside.
Winner, winner, strawberries for dinner.
Thank you, Theodore.
Contestants, if you guessed the answer B that strawberries are the only fruit that have seeds on the outside well, congratulations.
You found the winning wow.
Aw, it's like they wear their seeds on their sleeves.
Fruits typically contain seeds, meaning they're on the inside because, as we all know, it's what's on the inside that counts.
But the strawberry is the only fruit that appears to have all its seeds on the outside.
Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and count backwards from 50 while walking backwards.
49, 48, 47, 46... Mindy, look out for the stage light!
Mindy!
Okay, girls!
Run, run, run, run, run!
Okay.
All right.
Everything's fine.
Uh...
Okay, now time for the final round, round three.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, some fish jump out of water to eat berries?
Or is it B, a scientist in Germany only ate berries for an entire year and her ears turned blue?
Or is it C, blueberries are part of the lavender genus?
When you think you have the correct answer, wave your hands in the air like you just don't care.
And now to reveal that winning answer, please welcome by phone Callum from Pennsylvania.
Callum, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hi, my name is Callum.
My wow is that some fish in South America jump out of the water to eat berries from low-hanging branches.
Winner, winner, berries for dinner.
Thank you, Callum.
Contestants.
If you guessed the answer A that some fish jump out of water to eat berries well, congratulations.
You found the winning wow.
That's right, Guy Raz.
The Peru Potonga fish in Brazil jumps out of the water to grab berries on the trees that hang over the river.
So they literally go for low-hanging fruit?
You know it, Guy Raz.
And if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and give yourselves a high five for your effort.
But, and this is a big but, you must high five yourself with your feet.
And now it's time to thank our sponsors.
Today's show is brought to you by Lulu Berry, your one-stop shop for athleisure you can... eat?
Eat?
What is this, Mindy?
Once you've finished your workout, dig right in.
Nine out of ten users say the sweatier, the sweeter.
This can't be safe to eat.
Anyway, let's take a quick break and hear some other important messages for grown-ups.
To what's in allow, we'll be right back.
Grown-ups, this message is for you.
Hey, grown-ups.
It's Mindy.
And Guy Raz.
And we have an important message to share with you.
For nine years, Wow in the World has been free for every family teacher, curious kid and grown-up who listens.
And we've kept it going through partnerships sponsors, distributors and honestly, a whole lot of scrappy ingenuity.
But the truth is the media industry has changed a lot since we launched this show in 2017.
And it's becoming a lot harder to financially sustain a show like Wow in the World without additional help.
And that's because every episode you hear is handcrafted by an entire team of real humans.
So for the first time ever, we are asking our listeners, you, to support the show.
If your family values what we create.
If you've laughed or learned something new.
Or if the show has inspired curiosity in your home.
We're asking you to consider making a contribution.
Your support goes directly to paying our team and keeps Wow in the World free for everyone who listens to it.
So grownups, if you can just visit Tinkercastcom slash support to see the thank you packages that we've put together for your support,
Once again, you can visit Tinkercast.com slash support and we'll put all this information in the podcast show notes.
Thanks for helping to power the wow at Tinkercast.
And now let's get on with the show.
That's it.
Now back to the show.
Welcome back to Two What's and a Wow.
The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's.
What was that?
Oh, Guy Raz, that sound can mean only one thing.
It's Halloween again?
I wish.
It's time for today's Bonker Balls bonus round.
And the question for this round comes from the Wow in the World episode titled Cellular Tattoos for Science.
And the question is, what made the tattoos that Mindy got different from your everyday body art?
Is it A, these tattoos cannot be seen by the human eye?
Or is it B, they used silver instead of ink?
Or is it C, they glow in the dark?
And joining us for today's answer, it's Reggie.
Reggie, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hooray, Reggie!
That's right, Reggie.
The correct answer was A. The tattoos that Mindy got could not be seen by the human eye.
These tattoos are printed in gold on human cells, which means that you would need a very, very powerful microscope to see them properly.
Now they currently last for around 16 hours, but scientists are hoping that one day they can make them last longer so that they can transmit health data to doctors.
Ooh.
Congratulations to all of our winning wowsers on today's show.
Mindy, what's today's prize?
Guy Raz, today's winning wowsers will all be receiving their very own cow juice.
Okay, what kind of cow juice are we talking about, Mindy?
2% nonfat?
Expired.
Reggie, cue the prize game.
Well, that's about all the time we have for today, but if you want to keep the fun going, then become a member of the World Organization of Wowzers and unlock hundreds of activities.
And for any teachers in our listening audience.
Consider joining Tinker Class, our free brand-new learning platform that helps get kids wild about science.
Just visit Tinkercast.com slash membership.
That's Tinkercast.com slash membership.
And be sure to come back on Monday for a brand-new episode of Wow in the World, this weekend for some WeWow in the Weekend with Dennis, and again on Friday for a new episode of Two.
What's in a Wow?
Until then, keep on wowing!
Two What's in a Wow is executive produced by Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, Mindy Thomas, and me, Guy Raz.
Our writers are Ruth Morrison and Anna Zagorski, with collaboration from our head writer, Kenny Curtis.
Sound production and design is by Marion Lozano with help from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thull.
Special thanks to Rebecca Caban, Dr Natasha Crandall, Lizzie Fralick, Kristen Yang Twee Mack, Erica Medina, Henry Moskal, Jodi Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
Our theme song was written and composed by The Pop Ups.
For more on their three-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, find them at thepopups.com.
And to keep the wow rolling after you finish this episode, you can 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 all about the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Grownups, you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at WowInTheWorld.
And our email address is hello at Tinkercast.com.
Finally, if you're a kid with a big wow to share, it could be used on an upcoming episode of Two.
What's in a Wow?
Call us at 1-888-7-WOW-WOW.
Thanks again for listening and playing along.
Meet us back here next Friday or every Monday for Wow in the World.
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
