Chugga Chugga CHEW CHEW! The Science of Misophonia (12/30/24)

Summary

Wow in the World: Episode Summary – "Chugga Chugga CHEW CHEW! The Science of Misophonia" (Released December 30, 2024)

---

Introduction

In this engaging episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz delve into the intriguing phenomenon of misophonia—the intense emotional reactions some individuals experience in response to specific sounds. Through a blend of playful interactions and scientific exploration, the episode not only entertains but also educates listeners of all ages about this lesser-known condition.

---

Game Night Antics

The episode kicks off with a lively game night hosted by Mindy in her whimsical gingerbread mansion, accompanied by colorful characters such as Grandma G Force, Reggie, Thomas Fingerling, and Dennis. This segment sets a lighthearted tone, showcasing playful banter and humorous mishaps as the characters attempt to play a blindfolded sound-guessing game.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Mindy Thomas [02:02]: "Distance. Reggie, you're doing a great job on that. Maybe just a little more frosting around the windows."
  • Guy Raz [04:53]: "An organic bouquet of kale hand-picked by yours truly. And look, the ribbon is your favorite color."
  • Reggie [09:17]: "My head is not shaped like a butt."

The Sound Guessing Game

As the game progresses, the characters hilariously misinterpret various sounds, leading to frayed nerves and humorous frustrations. This playful chaos serves as a perfect segue into the episode's main topic—misophonia.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Guy Raz [12:49]: "Please never do that again."
  • Mindy Thomas [13:01]: "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I cannot, will not sit here anymore and listen to knuckle cracking or gum smacking or soup slurping."

---

Deep Dive into Misophonia

Transitioning from the chaos of game night, Mindy introduces the scientific exploration of misophonia, sparking a thoughtful discussion about the condition and recent research surrounding it.

Understanding Misophonia

Mindy explains misophonia as a condition where individuals have strong emotional reactions—such as anger, disgust, or panic—to specific sounds, often those related to the mouth (e.g., chewing, slurping). She cites a study from the Journal Scientific Reports conducted by Dr. Damien Daines from the University of Amsterdam, highlighting the nascent state of research in this field.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Mindy Thomas [13:11]: "I wonder if you might be suffering from a relatively newly understood condition known as misophonia."
  • Guy Raz [13:12]: "Meso what?"

Dr. Damien Daines' Study

Mindy details Dr. Daines' experiment involving 44 participants, half with misophonia and half without. The study monitored their brain activity while exposing them to two types of videos: one featuring sounds that typically trigger misophonia and another featuring neutral or unpleasant visuals without the specific sounds.

• Key Findings:

  • Participants with misophonia showed heightened emotional responses and increased heart rates to trigger sounds.
  • Brain regions associated with fear and emotional regulation were more active in individuals with misophonia when exposed to these sounds, suggesting a neurological basis for the condition.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Mindy Thomas [14:04]: "Guy Raz, what Dr. Daines discovered when studying the brain activity of these people was that the parts of their brains that are responsible for helping to control fear and emotions, well, those parts, they went into hyperdrive."
  • Guy Raz [14:57]: "And did he have any ideas as to why? Maybe even a hypothesis or an educated guess."

Implications and Understanding

The discussion highlights that misophonia may involve unique neural wiring, causing the brain's fear and emotion centers to overreact to specific sounds. Mindy emphasizes that misophonia varies in intensity, with some individuals experiencing mere annoyance and others facing extreme emotional turmoil.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Mindy Thomas [19:14]: "A person with misophonia might react to Grandma G Force's toenail clipping sound the same way that another person might respond to the sound of a loud fire alarm."
  • Guy Raz [20:26]: "Just thinking of these sounds makes me want to scream."

Current Challenges and Future Research

Mindy notes that misophonia remains a relatively new area of study, with scientists still debating its definition and seeking effective detection and treatment methods. The episode underscores the importance of continued research to better understand and support individuals affected by misophonia.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Mindy Thomas [20:37]: "Well, not just yet, Guy Raz. See, the study of misophonia is still so new that scientists haven't even agreed on a specific definition for what it is yet."
  • Guy Raz [21:06]: "Yes, but what might result in a feeling of panic for you might result in extreme fear or disgust or even rage in someone else."

---

Conclusion and Listener Messages

The episode wraps up with a return to the playful game night, reinforcing the episode's blend of entertainment and education. This is followed by a series of listener messages sharing fascinating "wows," maintaining the show's signature interactive and engaging format.

• Notable Quotes:
  • Mindy Thomas [25:05]: "Who's doing what now?"
  • Reggie [22:25]: "It's like two dinner plates having a knife fight."

---

Final Thoughts

Wow in the World masterfully combines humor with scientific inquiry, making complex topics like misophonia accessible and relatable to younger audiences and their grown-ups. By intertwining character-driven stories with factual content, the episode not only entertains but also fosters empathy and understanding toward those experiencing misophonia.

---

Additional Information

For more episodes, listener stories, and interactive content, visit Tinkercast's website or follow Wow in the World on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @owintheworld. To support the show and gain early access to episodes, consider subscribing to Wondery+ or Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts.

---

References

• Podcast: Wow in the World
• Episode: "Chugga Chugga CHEW CHEW! The Science of Misophonia"
• Hosts: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz
• Release Date: December 30, 2024
• Study Cited: Journal Scientific Reports by Dr. Damien Daines, University of Amsterdam

Transcript

[Guy Raz]

Grown ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the World early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts. Hey Wowzer fams. It's Guy Raz here and before we start the show, have you watched wow in the world on YouTube? That's right. You can now watch some of your favorite tinkercast podcasts like 2 what's and a wow Flip and mosey. Who when wow and wow in the World. To start watching today, head to Tinkercast.com YouTube. That's Tinkercast.com YouTube. That'S it. Now back to the show.

[Nintendo Advertisement]

Hey Grown ups. Give your loved ones the gift of family gaming fun with the Nintendo Switch System. The home of Mario and friends compete for first place in thrilling high speed races in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Or try your luck on action packed game boards and enjoy the fun, fun and funny minigames of Super Mario Party Jamboree. And those looking for a wonder filled adventure can join Mario, Peach, Toad and friends as they explore the whimsical flower kingdom in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. No matter how you like to play, there's fun for the whole family on Nintendo Switch. Go to Nintendo.com to learn more and browse the full lineup of Nintendo Switch systems. Additional accessories may be required for multiplayer mode game systems and some accessories sold separately. Games rated e for everyone proceeded 3, 2, 1 mission.

[Reggie]

The bubbles are a mixture of magnificent proportion.

[Guy Raz]

I don't know what you've been told. We're in a golden age.

[Reggie]

So many discoveries that are jumping off the page.

[Mindy]

Distance. Reggie, you're doing a great job on that. Maybe just a little more frosting around the windows. Gotta make sure we've covered every nook and cranny. I know. I am so excited to get my gingerbread mansion in shape for hosting game night tonight. And thanks to you, Reg, this place is looking tasty. Mmm. And these waffles taste delicious, Reggie. Now what game do you think we should play tonight? I mean, there's musical Stairs. The one where everyone runs up and down my crumbling gingerbread staircase and then the last person to fall through the stairs wins the game. It's an intense game of survival.

[Grandma G Force]

Mm.

[Mindy]

Yeah, you're right. Maybe it is a little too intense. Oh, I know. How about bobbing for scrapple? Everyone loves waterlogged pork scraps. I'm running out of ideas, Reg. Pin the snails on the zombie. Well, what else is there to play? Reggie, Our guests are gonna be here for game night any second now. Oh, that's them. They're here.

[Reggie]

Coming.

[Mindy]

Walk. Kicking down the door.

[Thomas Fingerling]

He.

[Mindy]

Thomas Fingerling.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Surprise. You should have seen your face.

[Mindy]

Nope, not a surprise party. It's game night. But so happy to see you, Thomas Fingerling. Hey, where's Grandma G Force?

[Grandma G Force]

Up here, Mandy? On the roof.

[Mindy]

What?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Gee, Forks, how'd you get up there?

[Grandma G Force]

Well, I just shimmered up the drain pipe. Thought I'd make my grand entrance through the chimney.

[Mindy]

Oh, I don't think that's a good idea.

[Grandma G Force]

What, you got diarrhea?

[Mindy]

No. No, I ain't.

[Thomas Fingerling]

It's okay to have diarrhea, Mandy. Just drink lots of fluids.

[Reggie]

Knock, knock. Oh, the door's all smashed again.

[Mindy]

Dennis, what's.

[Reggie]

Oh, nothing. Just a little gift for the hostess.

[Mindy]

Oh, wow. A poster sized autographed photo of you, Dennis. Thanks.

[Reggie]

Oh, don't mention it.

[Mindy]

Okay.

[Reggie]

I mean, you can mention it a little. I was just trying to.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, Mindy. Hey, Dennis.

[Reggie]

Guy Razzie.

[Guy Raz]

Sorry I'm a little late to the game night. I hope I haven't missed anything.

[Mindy]

Oh, no, you're fine. Everyone's still just arriving.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, well, this is for you.

[Mindy]

Ooh, a bouquet of kale.

[Guy Raz]

An organic bouquet of kale hand picked by yours truly. And look, the ribbon is your favorite color.

[Mindy]

Polka dots. So should I put this in a vase or hide it in a smoothie? Maybe feed it to a rabbit or.

[Reggie]

Whoa. Mindy, I love what you've done with the place. Though I have to. The marshmallow sofa is not really working in that configuration. And I preferred your cup being in the cabinet next to the fridge. I don't understand why you moved them.

[Mindy]

Wait, Dennis, have you actually ever even been inside of my gingerbread mansion?

[Reggie]

No.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, is that a chandelier made of candy? A candyleer. Boy, look at the craftsmanship on the exposed pretzel beams. Now, hopefully, that's a pressure treated pretzel.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, Mindy, mind if I change the music? I just put together a great party playlist.

[Mindy]

Oh, yeah, sure. Do whatever you want, Guy Raz. Um, has anyone seen Grandma G Force?

[Thomas Fingerling]

I thought she was up on the roof having diarrhea.

[Reggie]

What's that elevator music sound I'm hearing?

[Guy Raz]

Oh, it's elevator music. This song is called Excuse me.

[Mindy]

Excuse me, has anyone seen Grandma G Force?

[Reggie]

Mindy, she said she was coming in through the chimney.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Grandma G Force]

First one to catch me wins a free ham.

[Reggie]

Ew. Ham.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Don't fall.

[Grandma G Force]

Booyah.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Three fours. I said don't fall.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, sorry, couldn't hear that.

[Guy Raz]

Uh, okay.

[Mindy]

Well, now that everyone's here for the neighborhood game night. How about a party game?

[Reggie]

Oh, I love party games.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Are we.

[Reggie]

Are we gonna pick teams and then team names?

[Thomas Fingerling]

It's called team Razzmataz.

[Reggie]

Oh, no, you don't.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, yes, I do.

[Guy Raz]

What kind of party game is this, Mindy?

[Mindy]

Ah, great question, guy Raz. What kind of party game is this? Well, it's a guessing game where everyone wears a blindfold.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, well, good thing I always carry a blindfold on me. Okay, there we go. Now what?

[Mindy]

Then we have.

[Reggie]

Mindy, it sounds like you're trailing off there. We put on blindfolds and then what?

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, do you have a game planned or are you just making this up as you go along? Because when I host game night, I make out a planning spreadsheet where I list all of the.

[Mindy]

Excuse me.

[Guy Raz]

What you say, Gee Force.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Can't you hear nothing?

[Grandma G Force]

What? There's chimney shut stuck inside my ears and I can't hear the sweet sound of sounds.

[Mindy]

Sound, Sound. Yes, sound. It is a sound game. A blindfolded guess the sound game.

[Guy Raz]

Go on.

[Mindy]

And to play, one person or pigeon makes a sound and then everyone else has to guess what that sound is.

[Grandma G Force]

There. Got that soot out. I can hear again. It's a miracle.

[Mindy]

Any questions about the game?

[Grandma G Force]

What game?

[Reggie]

Grab a J Force.

[Mindy]

Okay then.

[Guy Raz]

Yeah, I think we got it, Mindy. We're playing name that sound.

[Mindy]

Yes, that is the name of the game that I have been planning and preparing to play with you all for.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Months now, Bragging about your phony game. And get your blindfold on already.

[Mindy]

Oh, right. Here's a blindfold for you, grandma GeForce.

[Grandma G Force]

You want me to put a brown paper bag over my head?

[Mindy]

Uh huh.

[Grandma G Force]

Well, okay.

[Mindy]

And here's a blindfold for you, Dennis.

[Reggie]

Mindy, this is a diaper.

[Mindy]

Yeah, sorry, I ran out of paper bags, Reggie.

[Reggie]

My head is not shaped like a butt.

[Mindy]

And for you, guy Raz, I have a bucket blindfold. You can put it on your head.

[Guy Raz]

Mindy, this bucket is filled with fried chicken.

[Mindy]

Oh, whoops. Let me just dump that out right. There you go.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Aw, I was gonna eat that.

[Mindy]

Now, is everyone ready to play the game?

[Reggie]

I'm ready.

[Guy Raz]

Absolutely.

[Thomas Fingerling]

You got it, dude, talk louder.

[Mindy]

Okay, great. Now that you're all wearing blindfolds, I will make the sound and then you have to guess what that sound is. Okay, here we go.

[Reggie]

What is that?

[Thomas Fingerling]

It's a goat eating a watermelon rind.

[Grandma G Force]

No, it's wet gummy bears and plastic rinds.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Stop smacking your I almost had it.

[Mindy]

And it looks like we have a winner for round one, folks. That was the sound of me smacking my gum.

[Guy Raz]

Please never do that again.

[Mindy]

Next up, it's Grandma G Force.

[Grandma G Force]

All right, let me just get out of this chair here.

[Thomas Fingerling]

G Force.

[Reggie]

Oh, I know it's a duck.

[Grandma G Force]

Now, that was just the warm up pack.

[Mindy]

Okay, Grandma G Force, whenever you're ready, make that sound.

[Reggie]

Oh, I like that. We all say it together.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Let's see now.

[Reggie]

Some sort of liquid.

[Thomas Fingerling]

It's a bowl of something.

[Reggie]

Oh, bowling ball.

[Guy Raz]

Please stop slurping yourself.

[Mindy]

Soup.

[Guy Raz]

That sound, it's.

[Mindy]

It's.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, yeah, it's correct.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz, you are two for two. Let's keep the momentum rolling. Thomas Fingerling, you're up.

[Thomas Fingerling]

All right, you are never gonna guess what I'm gonna do.

[Mindy]

It's time to make that sound.

[Reggie]

Ah.

[Mindy]

Tree branches breaking into a million pieces.

[Grandma G Force]

Chicken bones grown down a staircase.

[Reggie]

Walnut's being crushed by a leather hammer.

[Guy Raz]

Please stop cracking your knuckles. That popping sound, it's unbearable.

[Mindy]

Is it unbearable, Guy Raz, or is it cracked? The answer is crackanucks. Guy Razi, you are really crushing it at this game. Okay, final round, everyone. This one's for all the marbles. Dennis, you're up.

[Reggie]

Oh, boy.

[Guy Raz]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I cannot will not sit here anymore and listen to knuckle cracking or gum smacking or soup slurping. These sounds, they're like an attack on my brain.

[Reggie]

That's okay, Guy Raz. We can stop playing. I'll just sit here quietly and eat these potato chips.

[Mindy]

Ooh, Guy Raz, I'm no doctor, but I wonder if you might be suffering from a relatively newly understood condition known as misophonia.

[Guy Raz]

Meso what?

[Mindy]

I. Misophonia. It's a condition where a person has a strong reaction to specific sounds. I just read a study about it in the journal Scientific Reports.

[Guy Raz]

Are you suggesting that there may be a scientific reason for the way I reacted to all those awful sounds?

[Mindy]

I mean, maybe. But also, maybe not. See, this study came out of the University of Amsterdam, and it was led by a professor of psychiatry named Damien Daines.

[Guy Raz]

And by psychiatry, you mean the branch of medicine that deals with the mind and emotions and behavior? Right?

[Mindy]

Exact oritos. And while scientists and doctors have known for a while that certain sounds can cause people to go, you know, bonker balls, there really hasn't been a whole lot of research on misophonia. In fact, some would argue that maybe it's not even that big. Of a deal at all.

[Guy Raz]

Not a big deal, Mindy. When I heard those sounds, I wanted to.

[Grandma G Force]

Now, that's what I call some good fried floor chicken.

[Mindy]

Guy Raz. Knowing that many people in the world go just as bonkerballs as you do when they hear certain sounds, Dr. Daines decided to head to his lab to figure out why.

[Guy Raz]

Why?

[Mindy]

Why do some people feel like their heads are going to explode whenever they hear the perfectly natural sound of someone chewing potato chips or slurping soup or smacking gum?

[Guy Raz]

And did he have any ideas as to why? Maybe even a hypothesis or an educated guess.

[Mindy]

You know it, Guy Raz. So Dr. Daines thought that the answer could lie somewhere in the human brain. So to get closer to the answer, he decided to conduct an experiment.

[Guy Raz]

Oh, I love an experiment.

[Mindy]

For this experiment, Dr. Daines invited 44 people into his lab. 21 of those people with misophonia and 23 people without it. And then, while monitoring or studying their brains, he had them watch some videos.

[Reggie]

Huh.

[Guy Raz]

What kind of videos?

[Mindy]

Well, two kinds, actually. The first videos showed people making some common sounds that really seem to bother people with misophonia. You know, lip smacking, heavy breathing, stuff like that.

[Guy Raz]

And the other videos?

[Mindy]

The other videos were of things that do not normally affect people with misophonia. Things like a person meditating or even a gross scene from a movie.

[Guy Raz]

Well, I know I'd much rather watch a gross scene from a movie than have to listen to Dennis eat potato chips. No offense, Dennis.

[Reggie]

Oh, none taken. In high school, I was voted most likely to annoy someone with snack food.

[Mindy]

What Dr. Daines found was that both groups of people reacted pretty much the same to the videos of meditation and gross stuff.

[Guy Raz]

But what about the videos of the lip smacking and the heavy breathing?

[Mindy]

Ah, well, that's where things got interesting. See, only the people in the misophonia group reacted badly to those videos. The other group, they're basically just meh.

[Guy Raz]

Huh. And earlier, you mentioned that Dr. Daines was monitoring or studying their brains. So what did he discover?

[Mindy]

Well, he discovered that his hypothesis may have been correct. That when watching the videos of the lip smacking and heavy breathing, the group of people with misophonia felt intense anger and disgust, and their heart rates went bonkerballs.

[Guy Raz]

Those are the same feelings and reactions that people express when they might be experiencing extreme emotions or fear. I know these feelings, Mindy.

[Mindy]

Who is clipping their nails?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Who's doing what now?

[Grandma G Force]

Well, there we go. That was a stubborn one. Look at this. Toenail fingerling how many layers you see there?

[Thomas Fingerling]

Looks to be about 17.

[Mindy]

Calm down, guy Razzy. It's just the sound of Grandma G Force clipping her toenails.

[Guy Raz]

But.

[Mindy]

But back to the study. Guy Raz. What Dr. Daines discovered when studying the brain activity of these people was that the parts of their brains that are responsible for helping to control fear and emotions, well, those parts, they went into hyperdrive.

[Guy Raz]

Ah, so in other words, some of the survival related parts of the brain felt attacked or in danger.

[Mindy]

Exact oritos. Which led Dr. Daines to suspect that people with misophonia might have parts of their brains that are wired a little bit differently than people without it.

[Guy Raz]

So I suppose that when a person with misophonia hears a sound like Grandma G. Force clipping her toenails.

[Grandma G Force]

Say what?

[Mindy]

Gah.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh snap.

[Guy Raz]

That person might receive an extra strong signal to their brain, causing them to respond in an extreme way.

[Mindy]

Bingo. Guy Raz. A person with misophonia might react to Grandma G Force's toenail clipping sound the same way that another person might respond to the sound of a loud fire alarm.

[Guy Raz]

And when you say a person, are you referring to me?

[Mindy]

What?

[Guy Raz]

No.

[Mindy]

No.

[Reggie]

Yeah, you are, Mindy Dennis. What? She is?

[Mindy]

Yeah, I am. And what's even more interesting is that people with misophonia are often bothered by a lot of the same sounds. And in many cases, sounds involving the mouth. I'm talking sounds like slurping, crunching, coughing, throat clearing, tap tapping, tongue clicking, lip smacking, heavy breathing, mouth sounds.

[Guy Raz]

Just thinking of these sounds makes me want to scream. Do these scientists know of anything that can be done to help people with this condition deal with these sounds?

[Mindy]

Well, not just yet, Guy Raz. See, the study of misophonia is still so new that scientists haven't even agreed on a specific definition for what it is yet. I mean, before they can know how best to detect it and treat it in a person, they at least have to agree on what it is. Exactly.

[Guy Raz]

I can tell you what it is. It's the panic I feel every time I hear another person's slurping or smacking or chewing.

[Mindy]

Yes, but what might result in a feeling of panic for you might result in extreme fear or disgust or even rage in someone else.

[Guy Raz]

Interesting.

[Mindy]

And in another person, it might result in just a strong annoyance. This is all to say that there's still so many more questions than answers when it comes to misophonia.

[Reggie]

Mindy, can we get back to the game, please? It's Reggie's turn And I want to hear what he does. Okay, everyone, blindfolds on.

[Grandma G Force]

I got this paper bag over my.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Head and I want the diaper this time. Here, Janus, you take this boring old blindfold.

[Reggie]

Fine.

[Mindy]

Okay, Reggie, whenever you're ready.

[Reggie]

Make that sound.

[Guy Raz]

What's happening?

[Reggie]

It sounds like needles on my brain.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, snap. Make it so.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh, heavens. It sounds like the devil doing math problems.

[Mindy]

Hit me.

[Guy Raz]

Hi. I'd recognize that sound anywhere. Reggie, that's talons on a chalkboard.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Oh.

[Mindy]

Phew.

[Reggie]

It's over.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, what's everyone freaking out about? It's. It's just a sound.

[Reggie]

It's like a fingernail scratching on the inside of my skull.

[Guy Raz]

Music to my ears.

[Thomas Fingerling]

It's like two dinner plates having a knife fight.

[Guy Raz]

Hey, does this mean I win the game?

[Reggie]

Wow in the World.

[Mindy]

We'll be right back.

[Guy Raz]

Glitips.

[Mindy]

This message is for you. That's it.

[Owen]

Back to the show.

[Mindy]

Wow in the World. Hi, thanks for calling wow in the World. After the beep, get ready to record.

[Owen]

Hi, Mineen Garaz. My name is Owen and I live in Charlottesville, Virginia. And my wow in the world is that some giant jellyfish have tentacles that extend one third the length of a football field.

[Guy Raz]

Bye.

[Owen]

Mindy and Guy Raz end up to show. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. This is John from Austin, Texas. And did you know that ghost ants have see through stomachs? Love your show. Bye. Hi, I'm Dylan from Waltham, Massachusetts. My wow is that sharks have about 3,000 teeth in their mouth at once and can lose up to 100 teeth a day. Say hi to Reggie, Courtney. My name is Esme and I live in Bend, Oregon. My wow is that a snail has more teeth than a saber toothed tiger and a shark. Say hi to everybody. Bye. I love your show. Hi, Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Julia and I'm from Pemberton, bc. My and my wow in the world is that the sun can fit more than a million earth inside of it. Say hi to Reggie, Thomas Finkling and Grandma G Force for me.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Surprise.

[Grandma G Force]

Oh, snap.

[Owen]

Bye. Hi, Minion. Guy Raz. My name is Wyatt and I live in Eugene, Oregon. My wow in the world is that after Komodo dragons eat an animal, they throw off any teeth, bones or hair. Say hi to Thomas Fingerling for me.

[Thomas Fingerling]

Who's doing what now?

[Owen]

Hi, my name is Geneva. I am nine years old. I'm from Corvallis, Oregon. My wow in the world is that cats can't taste sweetness. Say hi to Reggie for me. Destiny. I come from Chicago and I'm 5 years old. My wow in the world is that squids have suction cups with hooks that spin around on them to fight whales. Hi, my name is Sini, I live in Havel, Massachusetts and my wow in the world is that a cape ground squirrel uses its tail as a sun shade. Bye. Hi Mindy and Guy Raz. My name is Lavanya and I'm from Toronto, Canada. My wow in the world is that the wood frog can hold its pee for up to eight months. Isn't that Bonker balls? Say hi to Reggie, Grandma G Force and Dennis for me.

[Reggie]

Ooh, ham.

[Grandma G Force]

Aw, Hush puppies.

[Mindy]

End of Messages Grown Ups if you like wow in the World, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[Guy Raz]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Guy Raz]

Wow in the world is written by Mindy Thomas and Tom Van Kalken with help from me, Guy Raz.

[Mindy]

Original sound design and music editing is done by our senior producer Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole. You can also hear Jed Anderson in the voices of Dennis, Thomas, Fingerling, Reggie and many of the other silly characters you hear on our show.

[Guy Raz]

Jessica Boddy keeps our facts straight as our fact checker and Meredith Halpern Ranzer powers the WOW at Tinkercast.

[Mindy]

Our theme song was composed and performed by three time Grammy nominees the Pop Ups. Find them at thepopups.com Special thanks to.

[Guy Raz]

The rest of our team of Tinkerers including Anna Zagorski, Rebecca Kaban, Kit Ballenger and Henry Moskal.

[Mindy]

To keep the wows rolling, Visit [e-mail] There you can learn more about becoming an official member of the World Organization of wowzers. Learn more about upcoming events, shop our shop and pick up a copy of our new number one New York Times best selling book the how and wow of the Human Body.

[Guy Raz]

Grown Ups. You can follow wow in the World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our email address is hellonkercast.com and if.

[Mindy]

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 our show or an upcoming episode of 2 what's in a wow?

[Guy Raz]

Thanks again for listening and until next time, keep on wowing.

[Mindy]

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