Two Whats?! And A Wow! – Stumping the Shark

Summary

Wow in the World: Two Whats?! And A Wow! – Stumping the Shark

Podcast: Wow in the World by Tinkercast
Episode Date: July 17, 2026
Theme: A science game show for kids and families all about sharks—full of fun facts, challenges, and the irrepressible silliness of Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz.

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Episode Overview

In this lively installment of the "Two Whats?! And A Wow!" spin-off game show, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz challenge their contestants (and listeners) to distinguish mind-blowing shark facts from fabricated "whats." Contestants Harper, Asher, Legend, and Reggie join by phone to pick the true scientific "wow" in each round, while the hosts inject a constant stream of humor, sound effects, and physical challenge penalties for wrong answers. A special "Bonker Balls Bonus Round" touches on animal reactions to human voices in the wild. The tone is energetic, silly, interactive, and educational—designed to make science truly fun for the whole family.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

How the Game Works (01:46–02:40)

• Mindy and Guy Raz welcome everyone and explain the format:
  • Each round, three statements about sharks are presented. Only one is a true "wow"; the other two are made-up "whats."
  • Correct guesses earn points, while wrong ones mean doing a goofy physical challenge.
• "The scientific game show that separates the Wows from the What's." (Guy Raz, 02:05)

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Round 1: Shark Superpowers (02:58–04:48)

The Statements:

• A. Sharks make great pets
• B. Most sharks can see twice the colors that humans can
• C. Some sharks can turn their stomachs inside out

Contestant Harper’s Reveal (03:55–04:04):

"My wow is that some sharks can turn their stomach inside out, wash it with seawater and tug it back in." – Harper (03:55)

Hosts Explain:

• Sharks often swallow food whole, leading to indigestible leftovers.
• "Sharks can actually force their stomachs out of their mouths. The sharks give their stomachs a quick rinse in seawater and then pull them back into place." (Guy Raz, 04:34)
• Wrong guess? You must "stop, drop, and swim away from a giant invisible shark." (Mindy Thomas, 04:48)

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Round 2: Shark Adaptations (04:58–06:55)

The Statements:

• A. Megamouth sharks actually don't have large mouths
• B. Epaulette sharks can swim and walk at low tide
• C. Hammerhead sharks use their heads for undersea carpentry

Contestant Asher’s Reveal (06:02–06:15):

"My wow in the world is that the epilette shark can swim and walk at low tide." – Asher (06:02)

Hosts Explain:

• Epaulette sharks use round, muscular fins "like legs" to walk along the seafloor and even on land at low tide (Mindy Thomas, 06:28).
• "They slow down their breathing and heart rate, which allows them to survive without water for up to an hour." (Guy Raz, 06:43)
• Didn’t get it? Time to "stop, drop, and run around on your fins." (Mindy Thomas, 06:55)

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Round 3: Oddball Ocean Predators (07:04–08:56)

The Statements:

• A. Silvertip sharks can swim faster than cheetahs can run
• B. Goblin sharks use extendable jaws to catch their prey
• C. Tiger sharks are actually tigers that just really like swimming

Contestant Legend’s Reveal (08:02–08:16):

"My wow is that there's a type of shark called a goblin shark and it has extending jaws to snatch its prey." – Legend (08:02)

Hosts Explain:

• Goblin sharks are deep sea creatures that hunt using jaws that "extend at a speed of 10 feet per second—the fastest jaws in the whole ocean." (Guy Raz, 08:42)
• Get it wrong? "Stop, drop, and spin around like a sharknado." (Mindy Thomas, 08:56)

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Bonker Balls Bonus Round—Animal Fears (13:08–14:22)

• Topic: Which sounds scare wild animals most?
• The facts: Researchers found African animals flee most at the sound of a human voice, more so than a lion's growl, dog barking, or bird sounds.
• Multiple choice:
  • A. Baby's scream & jet engine
  • B. Dennis's trombone & tambourine combo
  • C. Lion's growl & dog's barking (the correct answer)

Hosts Explain:

"In addition to testing out animals' reactions to human voices, they also saw how they reacted to lions growling, dogs barking and local bird sounds." (Mindy Thomas, 14:02)

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Prizes & Recap (14:22–15:08)

• Winners receive a pretend "deep sea diving experience," complete with sound effects and imaginary underwater adventures ("Behold the mighty kelp forest!" – Mindy Thomas, 14:59).
• Closing words encourage listening to more Wow in the World episodes, joining WOWzers membership, and checking out Tinkercast resources for families and teachers.
• "I'm Mindy Thomas—until then, keep on wowing!" (15:47)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On interactive learning:

  "When you think you have the correct answer, yell ‘we’re gonna need a bigger boat!’" – Mindy Thomas (03:21)
  "Winner, winner, sea-water for dinner." – Mindy Thomas (04:04)

• On goblin sharks:

  "Goblin sharks can extend their entire jaws to catch their prey and the speed of their bite is 10ft per second, which means they have the fastest jaws in the whole ocean." – Guy Raz (08:42)

• On silly penalties:

  "Stop, drop, and run around on your fins." – Mindy Thomas (06:55)
  "Stop, drop, and spin around like a sharknado." – Mindy Thomas (08:56)

• On the game show spirit:

  "The scientific game show that separates the wows from the whats." – Guy Raz (02:05)

• On animal fears:

  "Turns out that animals are more afraid of the human voice than almost any other sound." – Mindy Thomas (13:11)

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Insight | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:46 | Game show intro, explanation of rules | | 02:58 | Round 1: Shark stomachs | | 04:48 | Explanation of sharks’ stomach-turning ability | | 04:58 | Round 2: Shark walking ability | | 06:28 | Epaulette sharks on land: survival, adaptations | | 07:04 | Round 3: Goblin sharks and extendable jaws | | 08:42 | Goblin shark facts — fastest jaws | | 13:08 | Bonker Balls Bonus Round: which animal sounds scare wildlife most | | 14:22 | Winners’ pretend deep-sea dive (prizes and imagination!) | | 15:08 | End-of-show encouragement for more Wow in the World content, Tinkercast memberships, etc. |

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Episode Takeaways

• Shark adaptations are wild and wonderful: Listeners learn about sharks turning their stomachs inside out, epaulette sharks walking across land, and goblin sharks’ snap-jaw hunting.
• The show rewards curiosity AND gets kids moving: Each incorrect answer comes with a silly physical challenge, reinforcing active listening and engagement.
• Science is fun when it’s interactive: The call-and-response game style, use of music and sound cues, and the playful banter between Mindy and Guy (and their young guests) keep learning joyous.
• A bonus lesson on animal fears: Animals—even wild ones—are most frightened by the human voice, more so than by natural predators.

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For First-Time Listeners

This episode is a perfect example of how Wow in the World makes science accessible and hilarious for kids and grown-ups—full of trivia, laughter, and opportunities to yell, spin, or pretend to escape invisible sharks! The show is packed with memorable facts and genuinely silly moments that help science stick.

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Hosts: Mindy Thomas & Guy Raz
Contestants: Harper (CO), Asher (NY), Legend (CA), Reggie
Format: Family-friendly, interactive science game show

Listen for wild shark facts, stay for the giggles and wows!

Transcript

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, is your family looking for some new podcasts to check out on your next family road trip? Well, I have got some that I think might just wow your entire family. So let's say you got some animal lovers. You've gotta meet. Flip and Mosi. Flip and Mosi are travel vlogging aliens who are discovering Earth and its amazing creatures for the first time. And along the way, they learn what it takes to be an earthling. Or maybe you're someone who loves to solve mysteries. With who win wow. Mystery Edition, you can join Carly Q on her time traveling adventures and discover the truth behind history's biggest mysteries, like the Loch Ness monster or what happened to Amelia Earhart. And if you've got someone who prefers bouncing down the road to a beat, we are turning the tables on your favorite fables with Once Upon a Beat. In this hip hop twist on classic stories, Grammy winner DJ Fuchs adds some rhythm and rhyme to tales as as old as time. Once Upon a Beat, we'll have your whole family tapping their feet. You can find Flip and Mosey, who win wow. Mystery Edition and Once Upon a Beat. Wherever you find your podcasts, just search them in your favorite podcast app and hit the follow button so you don't miss out. Happy travels. And now a quick ad break and then we'll get on with the show.

[Guy Raz]

And now for everyone's second favorite game show after Blobfish Makeover, it's two what's and the wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

With your hosts, Mindy and Guy Raz. Two watts, two wow. Hello and welcome to two what's in a wow. Two what's in a wow.

[Guy Raz]

The scientific game show that separates the Wows from the what's. And the category or theme for today is Sharks. Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works?

[Mindy Thomas]

You know it, Wowzers. In each of our three rounds today, Guy Raz and I will present you with three scientific statements about sharks. 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 whats.

[Guy Raz]

Now, in each round, if you guess correctly, well, congratulations, you win a point.

[Mindy Thomas]

But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop, and do a ridiculous physical challenge.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, everyone ready to start the game?

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Great.

[Mindy Thomas]

Then let's do it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, round one. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, sharks make great pets

[Mindy Thomas]

or is it B, most sharks can see twice the colors that humans can

[Guy Raz]

or Is it C some sharks can turn their stomachs inside out.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, yell, we're gonna need a bigger boat. Hey, Reggie. Cue the thinking music.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to do just that, it's Harper from Colorado. Harper from Colorado, tell us, what's the winning wow?

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My wow is that some sharks can turn their stomach inside out, wash it with seawater and tug it back in.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, winner, seawater for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Harper. Contestants, if you guessed the answer c that some sharks can turn their stomachs inside out, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Even though sharks have lots of teeth, a lot of species end up swallowing their food whole or in large pieces. And because of this, sharks end up with a lot of large bones and other things that they can't digest in their stomachs.

[Guy Raz]

So to get rid of the waste, some sharks can actually force their stomachs out of their mouths. The sharks give their stomachs a quick rinse in seawater and then pull them back into place.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop, and swim away from a giant invisible shark.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, time for round two. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, megamouth sharks actually don't have large mouths?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B, epaulette sharks can swim and walk at low tide?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C, hammerhead sharks use their heads for undersea carpentry.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, yell Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna.

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Donna. Donna.

[Mindy Thomas]

Donna.

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna. Donna.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, can we keep going with the show, please?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, great. Sorry.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. And joining us by phone, it's Asher from New York with the winning wow. Asher, please reveal the answer.

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Hi, Mindy and Guy Lad. My wow in the world is that the epilette shark can swim and walk at low tide.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, winner, surf and turf for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

That's right, Asher. Wowzers. If you guessed B that epaulette sharks can swim and walk at low tide, well, congratulations, you found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Epaulette sharks can swim just like their little sharky relatives, but they can also walk. They have round, muscular fins that they can use like legs. This essentially lets them walk on the seafloor and navigate around coral.

[Guy Raz]

Epaulette sharks can even walk on land during low tide. They slow down their breathing and heart rate, which allows them to survive without water for up to an hour.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop Drop and run around on your fins.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, time for round three. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, silvertip sharks can swim faster than cheetahs can run, or is

[Mindy Thomas]

it B, goblin sharks use extendable jaws to catch their prey.

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C, Tiger sharks are actually tigers that just really like swimming.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, yell shark it to me. Thinking. Music, please.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow. And joining us by phone, it's Legend from California. Legend. What's the wow?

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

Hi, it's Mindy and Guy Raz. My wow is that there's a type of shark called a goblin shark and it has extending jaws to snatch its prey.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, winner, shark bait for dinner.

[Guy Raz]

That's right, Legend Wowzers. If you guessed B that goblin sharks use extendable jaws to catch their prey, well, congratulations, you found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Goblin sharks are deep sea creatures with some serious chompers. They hunt fish, squid and crustaceans and have a unique way of catching them.

[Guy Raz]

Goblin sharks can extend their entire jaws to catch their prey and the speed of their bite is 10ft per second, which means they have the fastest jaws in the whole ocean.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and spin around like a sharknado. And now it's time to take a moment to thank our sponsors. Today's show is brought to you in part by Filter feeding. Is chewing too much work for you? Do you love krill? Well, then try filter feeding. It's easy. Just swim around with your mouth open, collect tiny prey in your gaping maw, then push the seawater right back out. Join the school of happy customers like quail sharks and basking sharks and start filter feeding today. Yes, filter.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, thank you, Filter feeding. Now let's take a quick break and hear some other important messages for grownups

[Mindy Thomas]

to once in a while. We'll be right back. Grownups, this message is for you.

[IXL Advertiser]

Hey, grown ups. In between your family's summer adventures, you can actually keep your kids learning momentum going. IXL helps homeschool families maintain steady learning progress without feeling rigid or overwhelming. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. Here at tinkercast, we're always thinking about ways to prevent the summer slump in learning. We have lots of activities, book lists, podcast lists and more for our tinker class at home homeschool families. And we think that IXL's games and lessons make the perfect bite sized learning companions for any summer schedule. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and WOW in the world. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com wow visit ixl.com wow to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey, grown ups. Mindy here. And it should come as no surprise that I love talking to people. I do it every Friday on two what's in a People who Wow Edition? And I've got to tell you about something else designed to bring the joy of conversation back to kids. It's called Pinwheel Home, and it's a modern take on the landline phone. The Pinwheel Home is just like the phones you remember, except it connects using your WI fi and plugs into a regular wall outlet. Plus, adults approve all contacts so you don't get strangers or spam calls. And calls to other Pinwheel Homes are free so you can talk to all your friends. Pinwheel Home lets kids safely connect with their friends and family. Plus it builds conversation skills and promotes independence. Visit pinwheel.com wow to learn more. That's P-I N W H E-E-L.com wow to learn more. Hey, Wowzer fams. Mindy here. And before we start the show, did you know that you can listen to your favorite songs from wow in the World all summer long? That's right, regular. Whether you can't stop singing Oops, I Slipped on a Penguin or you can't stop dancing to the scientifically most danceable song in the world, you can now listen again and again and again on your favorite music player. Just search wow. In the World in your music app. Oh, good point, Reg. And if you're looking for more summer jams from your favorite Tinkercast podcasts, you can find songs from Flip and Mosey and Once Upon a Beat. Wherever you get your music, that's it. And now a quick ad break and then back to the show. That's it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

Welcome back to two what's and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Two what's and a wow. The scientific game show that separates the wows from the whats.

[Guy Raz]

What was that?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, Guy Raz, that sound can mean only one thing.

[Guy Raz]

My package has arrived. No.

[Mindy Thomas]

It's time for today's Bonker Balls bonus round. If you listen to our wow in the World episode titled wow in the Wild, you'll know the answer to this one. Turns out that animals are more afraid of the human voice than almost any other sound. Researchers in South Africa found that most animals fled almost immediately upon hearing a human voice. So what other two scary sounds did the researchers test out on these African animals?

[Guy Raz]

Was it A, a baby's scream and a jet engine?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or was it B, Dennis trombone and tambourine combo?

[Guy Raz]

Or was it C, a lion's growl and dog's barking. And with the answer to today's bonkerballs bonus question, it's Reggie.

[Mindy Thomas]

Reggie, tell us what's the winning wow? If you answered C, you are correct. In addition to testing out animals reactions to human voices, they also saw how they reacted to lions growling, dogs barking and local bird sounds.

[Guy Raz]

Well, congratulations to all of our winning wowzers. Mindy, what's today's prize?

[Mindy Thomas]

Guy Raz? Today's winning wowzers will all receive their very own deep sea diving experience.

[Guy Raz]

Wow. That's actually a pretty great prize. Are we taking everyone to the Great Barrier Reef or the Galapagos Islands?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh no, Guy Raz. We're gonna do it right here. Put on your scuba masks, everyone.

[Guy Raz]

Wait, what?

[Mindy Thomas]

Reggie, Cue the prize cannon. Fire away.

[Contestants (Harper, Asher, Legend, Reggie)]

No.

[Guy Raz]

Woo.

[Mindy Thomas]

Check out the deep sea majesty. Behold the mighty kelp forest. Yeah.

[Guy Raz]

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.

[Mindy Thomas]

And for any teachers in our list audience, consider joining Tinkerclass, our free brand new learning platform that helps get kids wild about Science. Just visit Tinkercast.com membership that's Tinkercast.com membership and be sure to come back on Monday for a brand new episode of wow in the world. This weekend for some wee wow in the Weekend with Dennis and again on

[Guy Raz]

Friday for a new episode of Two what's and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

I'm. Until then, keep on wowing. Two wats, two watts, two W2 W2 W2 what's two what's and a.

[Guy Raz]

Two what's and a wow is executive produced by Meredith Halpern, Ranzer, Mindy Thomas and me, Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

Our writers are Ruth Morrison and Anna Zagorski with collaboration from our head writer, Kenny Curtis.

[Guy Raz]

Sound production and design is by Marian Lozano with help from Jett Anderson and Tyler Thole.

[Mindy Thomas]

Special thanks to Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Lizzie Froehlich, Kristin Yang, Twee Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Moskal, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paxima, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast hq.

[Guy Raz]

Our theme song was written and composed by the pop ups. For more on their three time Grammy nominated all ages music. Find [e-mail] and to keep the wow

[Mindy Thomas]

rolling after you finish this episode you can Visit [e-mail] 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.

[Guy Raz]

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hellonkercast.com finally, if you're a kid

[Mindy Thomas]

with a big wow to share, it could be used on an upcoming episode of 2 what's in a wow? Call us at 1-888-7-WWOW.

[Guy Raz]

Thanks again for listening and playing along. Meet us back here next Friday or every Monday for Wow in the World.

[Mindy Thomas]

Wow in the World wow in the World Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.