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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 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!
Oh, hey, Guy Raz.
And hey there, Guy Raz's cat, Alice.
Yeah, I thought I'd bring my cat Alice to the game show today.
She's been a little on edge lately.
Oh, I've got just the thing to calm her down.
Let me just pop this in my CD player real quick.
You still have a CD player?
Uh-huh.
What?
What is this?
Is that you, Mindy?
Yeah, it's my cat album.
It's up for a Grammy G-Force award.
I have so many questions.
I don't even know where to begin.
Okay, so here's the deal.
Since cats don't usually dig the music that we humans like to listen to, musical artists from around the world have been using science to create sounds that they think cats will enjoy.
Sounds that they'll find, uh, soothing.
I see.
So I figured if professional musicians can do it...
Why can't I?
Uh-huh.
So you imitate purring sounds and bird chirps to calm the cats down.
You know it.
Oh, what's that, Alice?
You want to listen to Careless Whisker?
Okay, coming right up.
You know what?
Maybe before we do that, we should just get the game show started.
Oh, yeah, the game show.
Roll the tape.
Cue the vacuum.
And pause.
And now, for everyone's second favorite game show after, Who Wants to Drink Some Seltzer?
It's Two What's And All!
Wowzers, it's time for another purr-fect round of 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 cats.
Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works?
You know it.
Wowzers, we are going to present you with three scientific statements about cats.
But, and this is a Only one of those statements will be a true wow.
The other two, just a couple of made up what's.
Okay, let's get started.
Which of the following statements is a true wow about cats?
Is it A, all cats have unique ridges on their paws similar to our fingerprints?
Or is it B?
President Calvin Coolidge invented the very first cat door when he built one in the White House for his cat named Mud.
Or is it C. Cats can be allergic to humans.
When you think you have the answer, shout it into your mailbox.
We're going to take a quick break to give you a chance to think.
And when we come back, we'll reveal whether your wow is the winning wow.
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.
What?
That's it.
Now pause, to the show.
OK, Wowzers, it's time to reveal the winning wow.
But before that, let's do a quick review.
We gave you three scientific statements about cats and challenged you to guess which one is the one.
True, wow.
Was it A?
All cats have unique ridges on their paws similar to our fingerprints.
Or was it B?
President, Calvin Coolidge invented the very first cat door when he built one in the White House for his cat named Mud.
Or was it C?
Cats can be allergic to humans.
And to answer today's question, joining us by phone, it's Cora from Idaho.
Cora, what's the wow?
Hello, my name is Cora.
I'm from Boise.
And did you know that cats can be allergic to humans?
Winner, winner, hairballs for dinner!
If you guessed C, that cats can be allergic to humans, you found the winning wow.
Although it is super rare, it is possible for cats to be allergic to us.
But because we don't shed as much as other animals.
If a cat is allergic to a human, it usually means that the cat is allergic to a soap or a detergent or a fragrance that the human is wearing.
Now, if you guessed A or B, you weren't that far off.
While cats do not have distinct ridges on their paws, they do have distinct ridges on their noses.
And each cat's ridges are one of a kind.
Just like our fingerprints.
And if you guessed B, Calvin Coolidge did not invent the cat door.
But he did have a lot of animals while he was president.
In addition to his four cats, President Coolidge had a pet raccoon named Rebecca and a pair of lion cubs named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau.
Now, Mindy, why don't you tell our winning wowsers what they've won?
Guy Raz.
I of our winning wowsers today will be taking home their very own invisible self-cleaning sweater featuring state-of-the-art kitten technology.
This sweater will lick itself clean after each wear.
We'll also throw in an invisible scratching post, so when your sweater gets scratchy, you can just itch away.
Okay uh well, uh.
Congratulations to all of the winning Wowzers.
That's just about all the time we have for today.
But before we go, we have a little scientific challenge for you.
We call it Operation Cat Eye Night Vision.
You may have noticed that cat eyes tend to glow at night.
This is because of a light-reflecting surface on their eyes called the tapetum lucidum.
This surface is what helps them see better in the dark.
We challenge you to develop a new way for humans to see better in the dark.
Try wrapping a glow, stick around a sweat band or add a small mirror to your hat so it can reflect light.
Get creative with it.
Just make sure to run your design ideas by a grown-up before you test them in the dark.
And don't forget to take a photo or a video.
Grown-ups.
You can upload pictures and videos to us And be sure to come back on Monday for a brand new episode of Wow in the World, and again on Friday for a new episode of Two What's and a Wow.
Until then, keep on wowing!
Two What's and a Wow is produced by Mindy Thomas and me.
Our writers team is made up of Anna Zagorski, Darnell Walker, and Heba Gouda.
Special thanks to Anya Grunman and the team at NPR.
Our theme song was written and composed by the Pop-Ups.
For more on their three-time Grammy-nominated all-ages music, find them...
And if you'd like to become a member of the World Organization of Wowzers, where you can get an autographed picture of me and Mindy, an exclusive t-shirt, magnifying goggles, special activities for each episode and much more, visit Tinkercastcom.
And for more up-to-date news, you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at WowInTheWorld.
Our email address is hello at wowintheworld.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.
Now go forth and find your wow.
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey.
