Hey, Wowzer fans.
Mindy and Guy Raz here.
And before we start the show, did you hear that we are on YouTube?
That's right, Mindy.
Wowzer fans, you can find full episodes of Wow in the World and more of your favorite Tinkercast podcasts on our YouTube channel, WowTube.
Plus on WowTube you can also watch me explode some watermelons and test out Bonker Ball's experiments in the Laboratory of Bad Ideas.
Or you can dance along with Dennis for music videos featuring music from WeWow on the weekend.
There is so much in store made just for you on WowTube.
Visit Tinkercast.com slash YouTube to watch now.
That's Tinkercast.com slash YouTube.
And now for everyone's second favorite game show after leaving the store, with everything but the one item you actually need.
It's Two What's and the Wow.
With your hosts, Hello and welcome back to Two What's and a Wow.
Two What's and a Wow.
The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's.
And the category for today is light.
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 light.
But...
This is a big but.
Only one of those statements will be a true wow.
The other two, just a couple of made-out what?
In each round, if you guess correctly, well, congratulations, you win a point.
But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop, and do a ridiculous physical challenge.
All right, everyone ready to start the game?
Great, then let's do it.
Here goes round one.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, the speed of violet light travels faster than any other color?
Or is it B, some squirrels glow pink under UV lights?
Or is it C?
Dennis has a permanent light bulb floating above his head because he always has good ideas.
When you think you have the correct answer, flap your invisible wings.
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 Maddie from North Carolina.
Maddie, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hi, my name is Maddie and my wow in the world is that flying squirrels can glow pink under UV light.
Winner, winner, pink for dinner.
Thank you, Maddie.
Contestants if you guessed the answer B, that some squirrels glow pink under UV lights well, congratulations.
You found the winning wow.
Flying squirrels are one of the only mammals known to fluoresce, which is the ability to absorb light in one color and radiate it in another.
Fascinating.
And that's not all.
One of the other mammals happens to be Guy Raz, who once ate too many microcarats and had an orange glow for about a week.
Indeed.
Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and pretend like you are riding a bicycle, upside down.
All right, time for round two.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, the distance light travels in a year is 5.88 trillion miles?
Or is it B?
You would need the energy of approximately one billion hamsters to light a house for two hours.
Or is it C, the brightest city in the world is New York City?
When you think you have the correct answer, sing your lowest note.
I'm thinking music.
And time is up to reveal the winning answer.
It's Ahad.
Ahad, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
My wow in the world is a light year.
It's 5.88 trillion miles long.
Isn't that bonkers?
Winner, winner, light years for dinner.
Thank you, Ahad.
Contestants, if you guessed the answer A, that the distance light travels in a year is 588 trillion miles well congratulations, you found the winning wow.
Yep, you heard that number right.
Light travels almost 6 trillion miles in a year.
So when scientists say that the closest galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy is about 25000 light years away, imagine how far that distance is.
It's astronomical.
Literally.
Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and do your best.
Impersonation of a whoopee cushion.
Ugh.
And now for the final round, round three.
Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow?
Is it A, the sunlight you see in your window was actually the sun from eight minutes ago?
Or is it B, Guy Raz's reading light is so bright that it once caught his encyclopedia on fire?
Or is it C. Sunlight isn't just food for plants.
Sunlight also helps directly feed a type of bear called a sun bear.
When you think you have the correct answer, give yourself a pat on the elbow.
Uh, thinking music, please.
Woof, woof, woof, woof.
Time is up.
And now to reveal that winning wow, please welcome by phone Theo from North Carolina.
Hey, Theo, tell us, what's the winning wow?
Hi, Mindy and Guy Ross.
Did you know that the sunlight you see out the window was out the sun eight minutes ago?
Winner, winner, sunlight for dinner.
Thank you, Theo.
Contestants, if you guessed the answer A, that the sunlight you see in your window was actually the sun from eight minutes ago well congratulations, you found the winning wow.
The light from the sun has to travel about 93 million miles to get to Earth.
Talk about a commute.
Right.
And because of this distance it takes sunlight about eight minutes to get to Earth, meaning that the sunlight we see on Earth is from the sun about eight minutes ago.
So even the sun is fashionably late.
Wow, stars really are just like us.
So, Guy Raz, your encyclopedia book did not catch on fire from your reading late?
Well, it didn't catch fire, but it did smolder a bit.
Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop drop and yodel your grown-up's grocery list.
And now it's time to thank our sponsors.
Today's show is brought to you by Crater Joe's, the moon's first grocery store.
From moon cheese to Mars bars, Crater Joe's is your one-stop shop for all you'll need in space.
All right, 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.
That's it.
Now back to the show.
Welcome back to Two What's and a Wow.
Two What's and a Wow.
The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's.
Oh, Guy Raz, that sound can mean only one thing.
It's time for today's Bunker Balls bonus round.
And the question for this round is In our Wow.
In the World episode titled Shark Tale, scientists discovered that the thresher shark's tail has the superpower.
To what?
Is it A, tie up in knots?
Or is it B, poke its own eyes out?
Or is it C, whip its tail over its head?
And the answer is C.
The thresher shark has the unique ability to whip its super flexible tail over its head, stunning entire schools of fish and then gobbling them up in a single gulp.
Congratulations to all of our winning Wowzers on today's show.
Mindy, what's today's prize?
Fair Oz, today's winning Wowzers will all receive their very own smile polish.
What?
Today, I'm giving everyone in the audience a free sample of my new line of toothpaste.
You know, smile polish.
Uh-huh.
Hey, Reg, cue the prize cannon.
Wait!
Open wide, Wowsers!
Here, taste it, Guy Razel.
Squirt it onto your teeth.
What?
I'm just gonna... There you go.
Huh.
Well, actually, this tastes pretty good.
Is that a hint of bubblegum?
You know it.
This flavor is called bubblegum that I found on the street.
Oh.
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 and 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 grown-ups.
You can follow us on facebook, instagram and twitter at wow in the world and our email address is hello at tinkercastcom.
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.
